Funding Development Team

Karen Asher

Funding Development Manager

Karen started her career in Research and Innovation at Nottingham City Hospital in 2000. She worked as Clinical Trials Manager at Royal Derby Hospital prior to undertaking her Masters. Karen joined NUH R&I in 2009 as a Research Facilitator and subsequently moved to work with the Clinical Network East Midlands working on the set up of research projects for NUH. Following the Health Research Authority changes in 2017, Karen re-joined R&I. Karen has been Funding Development Manager since 2019.

Natalie Wheat

Funding Development Officer

Natalie started her NHS career in 2014 as a phlebotomist. Following the completion of a Masters, Natalie started her first research role at Haywood Hospital, Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust in 2016 as a Research Assistant. This Research Delivery role involved studies in rheumatology, MSK, falls and neurology. In 2018, Natalie joined NUH R&I as a Research Facilitator, setting up commercial and non-commercial research studies for CAS. Natalie started as a Funding Development Officer in 2021, where she now supports clinical researchers in Nottingham through the research grant application process.

Louise Maddison

Funding Development Co-ordinator

Louise started in R&I as Nottingham Health Science Partners Office Manager In February 2020 just as the COVID lockdown started. She then supported the R&I Management Team with administration tasks until she was placed on secondment to support the Funding Development Manager in August 2020. Her role of Funding Development Co-ordinator became permanent in April 2021 working in the Funding Development Team supporting them with the administration and coordination of the research grant application process across the NUH Clinical Divisions.

Cat Ashman-Lee

Funding Development Officer

Cat started her NHS career in 2008 as an admin assistant. In 2010, after finishing university, Cat started her first research role at the Leicester Royal Infirmary, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, as Research Governance Lead in the Womens and Childrens Division. In 2013 Cat joined the CRN East Midlands where she worked as Study Support Service Manager for the Primary Care setting. After a career break Cat re-joined the NHS Research world and joined the NUH R&I Funding Development Team as Funding Development Officer in 2024. Cat supports researchers in Nottingham through the research grant application process.