The DARE UK scientific use cases workshop report summarises the outcomes of a collaborative effort between researchers and members of the public to identify 52 research use cases demonstrating the potential of a linked UK data research infrastructure to address societal challenges.

In January this year, DARE UK published a call to action, inviting participants to attend an in-person Scientific Use Cases Workshop at The Wellcome Trust in London on 8 February 2024. 

The workshop, designed and delivered in collaboration with The Public Service Consultants (The PSC) and members of the public, aimed to explore the research opportunities and societal challenges that could be addressed if the UK’s data research infrastructure was securely linked. This aligns with the DARE UK vision to design and deliver a coordinated and trustworthy national data research infrastructure for public benefit. 

Over 60 participants attended the day-long workshop, including interdisciplinary researchers, public sector professionals, and members of the public. Representatives from key partners of the DARE UK programme, Health Data Research UK and Administrative Data Research UK, as well as DARE UK funder, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), were present alongside participants from other organisations across the UK. 

The workshop began with presentations from the DARE UK team and The PSC, setting the context for the day. This was followed by a series of group activities, presentations, interviews, and discussions, with participant groups regularly reshuffled throughout the day to encourage diverse perspectives and idea exchange.  

A particular highlight of the day was the pitch sessions inspired by popular British reality TV show Dragons’ Den. Participants were grouped to pitch their use cases in three minutes to the ‘Dragons’ who called for a vote for participants to choose their favourite use case at the end of the session.

The groups presented various interdisciplinary research use cases, ranging from NHS waiting times to legal decisions and family, healthier cities and food security, among other crucial societal issues that access to cross-domain data could help address.

After the vote count, the ‘We are what we eat’ group emerged victors with 21 votes, narrowly beating the ‘Vaccines’ group with 20 votes and the ‘NHS waiting times’ group with 19 votes. 

By the end of the workshop, 52 research use cases were identified for further development and documentation in the workshop report. Following the workshop, the DARE UK team and The PSC jointly held an online preliminary report playback session for participants to review the workshop findings and make recommendations for developing a detailed report, which has now been published. 

Read the full workshop report 

The workshop findings laid the foundations for a Senior Leadership Roundtable that brought together leadership from across UKRI research councils, other UKRI investments and DARE UK to discuss potential investment benefits and priorities for the next phase of the DARE UK programme. 

Balint Stewart, DARE UK Programme Manager, said, “This workshop was a remarkable exercise in collaborative thinking and problem-solving. The diversity of ideas and the enthusiasm of participants demonstrate the immense potential that connecting data from across domains can have in addressing some of society’s most pressing challenges. We are excited to see how these use cases can be developed further and taken forward.” 

A member of the public who participated in the workshop said, “The workshop provided an invaluable opportunity to immerse myself in discussions centred around data, which I found incredibly insightful. I especially appreciated the structured format of the pitch design and the engaging work group discussions, which fostered collaborative learning and idea exchange.” 

Professor Emily Jefferson, DARE UK Interim Director, added, “The DARE UK scientific use-cases workshop is a shining example of how community-led efforts can shape programme thinking and support future phases of the DARE UK programme. It highlights the importance of inclusivity and collaboration in driving forward data research innovations for public benefit.” 

In the coming months, DARE UK will shine a light on some of the research use cases identified at the workshop and demonstrate how enabling them through the DARE UK vision will benefit the public and society.  

In case you missed the workshop, videos of the proceedings are available on the DARE UK YouTube playlist and our LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter) social media pages. 

Learn more about the DARE UK programme and stay informed about updates and developments by subscribing to our monthly newsletter.