Speakers

Dr. Gabriella Spinelli is a leading expert in healthcare design and digital health innovation, serving as Reader in Healthcare Design and Innovation at Brunel University London’s Design School. She also holds the position of Associate Director of Innovation and Digital Health at the Brunel Partners Academic Centre for Health Sciences (BPACHS).

With over two decades of research experience, Dr. Spinelli specializes in human factors and user-centred design within complex socio-technical systems. Her interdisciplinary work spans healthcare, public services, and social innovation, with a strong emphasis on inclusive and sustainable design. She has led major projects funded by organizations such as the EPSRC, ESRC, Innovate UK, and the NHS, focusing on areas including ageing populations, digital currencies for social care, and intuitive medical technologies.

She is currently the Principal Investigator of RADIANT-CERSI, a £1 million UKRI-funded Centre of Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation for Transformative Digital Health and AI. She also leads initiatives on innovation leadership in the NHS and inclusive participation in clinical trials. Her work is instrumental in shaping future models of digital health regulation and patient-centred innovation.

Beyond academia, she co-directs the Centre for Research into Smart Technologies for Health and Rehabilitation (STAHR), is a co-founder of a women’s health-focused start-up, and is named inventor on two medical device patents. Dr. Spinelli serves as a Scientific Advisor to the UK Home Office (HOSAC), is a member of the EPSRC Peer Review College, and is Associate Editor of the Journal of Design for Augmented Humanity. She also contributes to the BMJ Future Health Conference Organising Committee and advises NeuroMind XR.

Dr. Spinelli holds a Laurea in Human-Computer Interaction, a PhD in Computer Science, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (FHEA). Her recent publications address topics such as wearable biomedical devices for stroke rehabilitation and AI-driven approaches to reducing health disparities in dermatology.

Her work exemplifies a commitment to advancing equitable, inclusive, and sustainable healthcare innovation through interdisciplinary collaboration and strategic design.