Empowering experts to embed public involvement in fundamental science: the EXEMPLAR project

Public involvement in health research is now widely recognised as essential, ensuring research reflects patient and public priorities. While this is common in applied health research, it is far less established in fundamental science, which underpins future discoveries and innovations. Fundamental scientist-researchers often face challenges in involving the public, including technical complexity and limited resources tailored to their needs. This project addresses these gaps by creating a practical tool to support meaningful involvement in fundamental research.

Project aims

The EXperts EMpowered to do public involvement in fundamental scientific research: a Participatory Learning and Action Research project (EXEMPLAR) project aims to build a partnership between public involvement experts, public contributors, and fundamental scientist-researchers to co-produce a toolkit to equip teams with the practical resources and information needed to carry out public involvement at all stages of their research.

The toolkit will:

• be developed, tested and revised by all stakeholders across a range of fundamental science settings
• include content aimed at the public, fundamental scientist-researchers and public involvement experts
• include content broadly applicable to different types of public involvement, public contributor roles and fundamental science
• include adaptable and optional content
  
  

Funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and led by Dr Alice Moult and Dr Krysia Canvin, this project will involve public involvement experts and fundamental scientist-researchers from Keele University, the NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, and further organisations as the project progresses.