Herts academic selected for prestigious UK FLIER leadership programme
Professor Amit Pujari, a biomedical engineer and neuroscientist at Herts, is one of the 19 strong cohort spanning academia, industry, NHS and third sector, chosen for the 18month programme. All based within the UK, they’ve been selected for their ability to drive systemwide change across the life sciences.
Generously supported and funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, who are investing significant sum per participant, the programme has been developed to support midcareer innovators with training, mentoring, sectors panning placements and access to a national network of decisionmakers.
Professor Pujari, who leads the Neu(RAL)2 Neural Systems & Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies Laboratory at Herts, brings more than 15 years of experience in neurotechnology, medical device development and neurorehabilitation engineering. His research focuses on improving function, mobility and quality of life for people with stroke, spinal cord injury and other neuromuscular conditions, using technologies such as non-invasive neural interfaces, vibration-based rehabilitation tools, high-density EMG and advanced bio-signal processing.
He is also a recent Royal Academy of Engineering Industrial Fellow and has previously received several major honours, including recognition by the Academy of Medical Sciences as one of the UK’s top emerging healthcare research leaders and travelling fellowships from the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust.
Professor Pujari has held roles across the NHS, industry and academia - experience that aligns strongly with FLIER’s cross sector ethos. He previously worked as a Clinical Engineer at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and has collaborated with leading institutions in the UK and Canada.
Professor Pujari, who also serves as a University Research Culture and Integrity Champion, will join the 2026–28 cohort, said the programme offered a rare opportunity to break down barriers between sectors that have traditionally worked in isolation.
Speaking about the appointment, Professor Pujari says: “The FLIER programme’s reputation for fostering cross-sectoral excellence is exactly why I am so driven to join this cohort.
“My goal is to bridge the historical silos between the NHS, academia, and industry, turning collaborative insight into transformative innovation. I look forward to mastering the skills needed to lead across these boundaries and deliver tangible benefits for UK healthcare and society.”
Professor Pujari’s selection coincides with a significant period of development at the University of Hertfordshire, including the establishment of its new medical school, which opens this September 2026 - a move expected to open major opportunities for NHS partnerships, industry collaboration and cross disciplinary research.
Professor Wendy Wills, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Research and Enterprise at the University of Hertfordshire, said:
“Amit’s selection is excellent news not just for the University, but also for the wider region. The FLIER programme equips leaders to work confidently across sectors, and those skills will be invaluable as we expand our health and life sciences activity - an area in which we continue to excel. His involvement will help strengthen the collaborative research and innovation culture we are building with partners across academia, the NHS and industry, which is vital for regional and national economic growth.”