Our Group Chief Nurse, Arlene Wellman, joined us at St George’s CRF to support the Improving Black Health Outcomes (IBHO) BioResource.
- patientsinresearch
- Aug 28, 2025
- 2 min read
Arlene Wellman, Group Chief Nurse, has shown her support for the Improving Black Health Outcomes (IBHO) BioResource by taking part in filming at St George’s Clinical Research Facility. She spoke about why initiatives like this are so vital for the future of healthcare, particularly for Black communities who are often underrepresented in research.
As her leaving day at St George’s draws closer in September, Arlene continues to give her time and energy to important initiatives like IBHO, reflecting her deep commitment to improving health outcomes for all.
The IBHO BioResource is a groundbreaking initiative led by NIHR BioResource in collaboration with Genomics England, with significant contributions from King’s College London. Its aim is to improve understanding of health conditions that uniquely affect Black communities in the UK.
This work matters because underrepresentation in research has a direct impact on diagnosis, treatment, and care. Without diverse participation, important evidence is missing, leaving gaps in healthcare that disproportionately affect people from Black communities. IBHO is working to close those gaps and to build the knowledge needed for more inclusive and personalised care, especially for conditions like Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia.
Taking part in IBHO is simple. Participants give consent, provide a small blood or saliva sample, and complete a health and lifestyle questionnaire. That’s it.
If you are from a Black community, whether or not you have a health condition, or if you are living with Sickle Cell or Thalassaemia, you can get involved. You can take part at St George’s Clinical Research Facility or sign up online via the IBHO BioResource website. Every contribution helps drive change – in research, in representation, and in the future of healthcare for Black communities.
