Supported Research Projects

We are thrilled to support medical students, nurses, medics and researchers who focus on adrenal medicine, either through awarding successful research projects, providing a grant to enable attendance at world-class endocrine conferences, or through financial and equally important, non-financial, support of future research that improves the diagnosis and care of people with adrenal insufficiency, including Addison's disease.

Below we share the projects we are currently supporting thanks to the generosity of our donors, members and fundraisers.

Successful Grant Applicants
Previously Supported Work
Successful Award Recipients
Our Research Awards and Grants - how to apply and PPIE
Helping us to Support Research
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Successful Grant Applicants

Rapid Evaluation and Surveillance of Critical Urgencies in Endocrinology (RESCUE) - Adrenal Crisis (2025)

Dr Punith Kempegowda, University of Birmingham

RESCUE is a national project aiming to establish structured surveillance models for endocrine emergencies, beginning with hyponatraemia (abnormally low sodium levels in the blood) and adrenal crisis. These are high-risk but under-recognised conditions associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Despite the availability of clinical guidelines, variation in care remains widespread, with limited real-world auditing or feedback mechanisms in place.

RESCUE seeks to address this gap by:

Creating scalable, cloud-based data collection platforms for routine clinical audit.

Capturing patient and clinician experiences to inform person-centred improvements.

Developing educational interventions using SIMBA and CoMICs to enhance knowledge and consistency of care.

Awarded £7,500 in 3 instalments over 3 years (2025)

This significant data project will identify areas for improvement to where funds and focus are needed in relation to improving adrenal crisis management within a hospital setting. It is based on a successful model used in the management of ketosis for people with diabetes. It proposes the design and implementation of a scalable, cloud-based platform for the collection of clinicaldata across multiple NHS sites. This will enable benchmarking, and show variations in care between hospitals and regions, and encourage best practice. Approval in principle and seed funding from the ADSHG supports the project in attracting principalfunding from other resources.

ADSHG Trustee Group, 2025

Exploring patient and healthcare practitioner experiences and perceptions of adrenal crisis management in pre-hospital and emergency department settings

Dr Sofia Llahana, St Georges, City of London

The primary objective of this arm of the study is to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of healthcare professionals (HCPs) working in pre-hospital and emergency department (ED) settings regarding the management of adrenal crisis. This study seeks to address a critical gap in the existing literature by exploring the system infrastructure and the preparedness of frontline healthcare workers in managing this life-threatening condition.

Awarded £18,000 (2025)

Outcomes from this research will help fill existing gaps about healthcare professionals knowledge and perceptions of adrenal crisis management, which are key to patients with adrenal insufficiency, including Addison’s, receiving effective and time critical treatment both before and during a visit to A&E. Adrenal crisis management is a critical area where improvements can result in better health outcomes for patients and could lead to increased confidence in healthcare services.

ADSHG Trustee Committee

Patient education of Paediatric Adrenal Insufficiency

Dr Jarod Wong, University of Glasgow & Dr Lucy Bray, Edgehill University

To develop consistent national resources for education of paediatric adrenal insufficiency patients and their families, for use across all NHS sites, informed by feedback from patient community.

This project will use creative and flexible methods to work collaboratively with a diverse group of young people, parents and health professionals to co-design the resource.

Awarded £3,283 (2025)

This clear and implementable project is directly relevant to all adrenal insufficiency patients and will ensure accessible, reliable,consistent and accurate information to young people, helping them understand and optimally manage their condition. The use of working groups with involvement and input from young people and parents ensures the relevance of the outcomes. Theadvantages are clear for young people, but well-informed young people will develop into well-informed adults, therefore ensuringthe longevity of the project’s benefits.

ADSHG Trustee Group, 2025

Previously supported work

Dr Sofia Llahana (2020)

Self-management for people with adrenal insufficiency

Learn more about Dr Sofia Llahana's research

Mendelian (2020)

Rudy from Mendelian

Improving diagnosis: development of MendelScan software to speed up diagnosis of rare diseases and improve patient care.

Learn more about Mendelian's research

SOLUtion Medical (2020)

Dr Julia Anthony

Developing a one-step injector for delivering adrenal crisis medication.

Meet the Researcher

Successful Award Recipients

ADSHG Annette Seal Award 2025

Leigh Carroll-Moriarty, Speciality Endocrine Nurse, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust

A retrospective analysis of the 9am cortisol predictive value of adrenal insufficiency

Aim: To establish 9am cortisol predictive value of adrenal insufficiency with normal/abnormal short synacthen tests (SSTs) and whether test indication influences this.

Awarded £500 (March 2025)

ADSHG Annette Seal Award 2023

Louise Breen, Advanced Nurse Practitioner at Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation and current Chair for the Society for Endocrinology Nurse Committee.

Implementation and impact of perioperative guidelines and the steroid emergency card for the management of adrenal insufficiency and prevention of adrenal crisis.

Aim: To assess the implementation and impact of the Peri-operative Guidelines (POG) and National Patient Safety Alert (NatPSA) via a targeted survey of endocrine clinicians in the UK. Read more in our 'Behind the Research' interview with Louise.

Awarded £500 (March 2023)

Award-winning abstracts from previous years' events include:

Louise Breen - Implementation and impact of perioperative guidelines and the steroid emergency card for the management of adrenal insufficiency and prevention of adrenal crisis. Endocrine Abstracts (2023) 94 P4 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.94.P4
Lisa Shepherd - Use of Health Literacy Tools to Improve Written Information for Patients with or at Risk of Adrenal Insufficiency. Endocrine Abstracts (2022) 86 P150 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.86.P150
Sherwin Criseno - The 4E (Engage, Educate, Equip and Empower): A framework for supporting the approach in the prevention, early recognition and effective management of adrenal crisis in adults. Endocrine Abstracts (2021) 77 P17 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.77.P17
Lisa Shepherd - Development of interventions to prevent adrenal crisis – How can application of behaviour change theory and intervention frameworks inform practice? Endocrine Abstracts (2021) 77 P133 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.77.P133
Helen Loo, Anne Marland, Zara Shoosmith & Helen Turner - Cortisol alert dog: Improving patient outcomes, Endocrine Abstracts (2019) 65 P338 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.65.P338

Note: An Addison's disease specific quality of life questionnaire has been developed called AddiQoL. This is used as an assessment tool in many research studies and by some Endocrinologists. You can read more about AddiQoL here.

Left: Helen receiving the Annette Louise Seal Memorial Award from the Addison’s Disease Self-Help Group at SfE BES 2019, alongside (far left) Dr Helen Turner (Consultant Endocrinologist, Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism), Alison (ADSHG volunteer), Helen Loo, Deana (ADSHG Founder & Patron).

Right: Phillip Yeoh, with his 2017 Annette Louise Seal Memorial Award winning research. Phillip works in collaboration with endocrinologists Bernard Khoo and Paul Carrol on continuous subcutaneous hydrocortisone infusion (CSHI), a novel treatment for adrenal insufficiency.

Our Research Awards and Grants - How to Apply & PPIE

Learn in more deatil how we can support you in letters, Patient & Public Involvement & Engagement (PPIE) here on our website.

Supporting Your Research

We have annual awards and grants, as well as adhoc financial grants available. We are also here to offer Letters of Support for ethics or funding, as well as helping you garner member engagement in your project.

How to Apply

Whichever award or grant you are applying for, or for other support with your research e.g. Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE)/ member engagement, you will need to tell us about your proposal.

Helping us to support Research

Our research grants wouldn't be possible without our generous donors and tireless fundraisers. Thanks to their support it is possible for us to fund vital research that seeks to improve the lives of people with Addison's and adrenal insufficiency.

Donate to support Research

Become a member to support Research

Healthcare Professional News & Updates

Please take a moment to subscribe to our healthcare professional news and updates mailing list, 'ADSHG Connection'.

ADSHG Connection is filled with key information and updates on adrenal insufficiency, including Addison's disease, ensuring you feel equipped to support your patients in the best way possible.

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Thank you for your support and your interest in this important but sometimes overlooked field of endocrine research.

We continue to update members on our research projects at our AGMs, meetings, in our magazine and also email updates, so you can also become a member to hear updates directly.

Together, we will improve the lives of those with Addison's disease and adrenal insufficiency!

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Latest

Manchester Member Get-Together: 26 Sept 2026

Join our second Member Get-Together in 2026, to be held in Manchester on Saturday 26 September. Find out more and how to get your tickets!
Professor John Wass Research Grant Winner 2026

We are proud to award a £10,000 grant to support Dr Punith Kempegowda and Dr Amanda Ling from the University of Birmingham with their research into the management of adrenal crises in UK hospitals. The data collected will help clarify best practice and drive improvement in adrenal crisis care.
ADSHG AGM - Saturday 4 July 2026

Sign up to attend the 2026 AGM for the Addison's Disease Self-Help Group. Enjoy a presentation from the John Wass Research Grant Award winners for 2026 about their research study around adrenal crisis management in hospitals.
Emily’s Story: Sharing Life with Addison’s Online

Emily is a content creator who shares her journey with Addison’s online, alongside her countryside living in the Lake District. For her advocacy is more than awareness, it’s about making our “invisible” health condition seen and understood.

Sick Day Rules

Minor ailments can affect anyone with a steroid-dependent adrenal condition very differently. Things like vomiting, diarrhoea, colds and flu could cause an adrenal crisis. It’s important that you spot the early symptoms of a bug or cold and adjust your steroid replacement medication.
Adrenal Crisis - Emergency Help

Adrenal crisis is a time-critical, life-threatening emergency and must be treated immediately. Read the guidance on treating a steroid-dependent patient in adrenal crisis.
The Emergency Injection for the treatment of Adrenal Crisis

Understanding what an Emergency Injection kit is, how to inject and how important it is to use the injection during an Adrenal Crisis.
What are Addison's disease and adrenal insufficiency?

Find out more about Addison's disease and adrenal insufficiency and and how they are treated.
Why Salt?

Why do people with Addison’s and adrenal insufficiency crave salty, acidic and sour foods at diagnosis, and then salt remains our “pick me up” when diagnosed? Professor Simon Pearce explains the connection between aldosterone, fludrocortisone and why you should always listen to your salt cravings.
Addison's & Adrenal Insufficiency: Advice for Dentists

Read our guidance for major and minor dental procedures. It is important to recognise the physical stress of any invasive dental procedure and to ensure that adequate glucocorticoid cover is provided for steroid-dependent patients.
Surgical Guidelines

The ADSHG surgical guidelines are intended for the information of your medical team or your dentist and have been developed by our Clinical Advisory Panel.
Updated NHS Steroid Card Released

Following the early release of the new NHS Steroid Emergency Card back in March to keep patients with Addison's or adrenal insufficiency safe during the COVID-19 crisis, the NHS steroid card has been updated and physical copies will be available to order from Tuesday 18th August 2020 for hospital teams!
Coping with psychological stress

We explain why more hydrocortisone may be required to cope with emotional stress and outline some techniques to reduce stress and improve wellbeing.
Coronavirus Vaccines and Adrenal Insufficiency

Everyone with a steroid-dependent adrenal condition should get the coronavirus vaccine and boosters to reduce their risk of getting coronavirus. This is because people who are steroid-dependent are at increased risk of needing hospital care if they get coronavirus, due to the risk of adrenal crisis.

Research Grants

One important strand of our work as a charity is our 'Advance' strand: funding, promoting and contributing to the development of new innovations and research to improve treatments and quality of life for members of the adrenal insufficiency community. Here we share the projects we are currently supporting thanks to the generosity of our donors, members and fundraisers. Read more