Dr Xiancheng Yu, Lecturer in Brain Biomechanics in the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, was awarded the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) Research Fellowship accolade for his research focusing on understanding and predicting how bleeding inside the brain develops after a traumatic brain injury.
Intracranial haemorrhage is one of the most serious complications following head trauma, but at present, it is very difficult for doctors to anticipate how it will evolve mechanically and how it will affect a patient’s recovery. Dr Yu’s work aims to provide new insights that can support clinical decisions and ultimately improve patient care.
The Research Fellowships are awarded annually to exceptional early-career researchers, helping them become future leaders in engineering. The programme aims to support top-tier researchers in gaining independence and a global reputation. It provides long-term support for those pursuing ambitious engineering research and impact, and it helps develop them into ambassadors for the Academy and advocates for STEM fields.
The fellowship provides approximately £625,000 over five years, along with substantial mentoring, training, and networking opportunities. With only 12 fellowships awarded nationally in this round, from a highly competitive field of applicants, it represents one of the most selective and prestigious achievements for early-career researchers in the UK.
Dr Yu said: “I feel honoured and delighted about being selected. The RAEng Research Fellowship is one of the most prestigious awards for early-career researchers in the UK. It’s a recognition of the work I’ve done so far and, more importantly, an exciting opportunity to take my research to the next level. The fellowship gives me the protected time and resources to establish my independent research programme and build a team. It reinforces my long-term goal of becoming a leader in engineering approaches to brain injury, advancing both scientific understanding and clinical impact.”
Dr Yu particularly highlighted the invaluable support he has received during the preparation of this fellowship and for its future delivery. He added: “I have been fortunate to receive strong support from world-leading experts across different domains. In particular, I am deeply grateful to Professor Fiona Lecky, whose leadership in emergency medicine and support have been invaluable to my research. I would also like to acknowledge Professor Andrew Maas, whose leadership of the CENTER-TBI project has established one of the most comprehensive and influential international datasets on traumatic brain injury. Access to this unique resource and expertise will play a central role in enabling my fellowship research.”
Professor Nikolaos Dervilis, Director of Research and Innovation of the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, said: “What an achievement for Dr Xiancheng Yu who was awarded the prestigious RAEng Fellowship recently. Cheng’s research lives and thrives in the intersection of engineering and healthcare, showcasing the amazing breadth of our School’s research and talent. His fellowship will develop advanced computational models of intracranial haemorrhage, using novel and unique tools to understand why bleeding progresses differently between patients. As a School, we could not be happier for him and, of course, the Biomechanics Research group that he is a member of. Congratulations Cheng!”
Dr Yu completed his PhD at Imperial College London in February 2021 and joined Sheffield as a lecturer in January 2024. He co-founded HIAP Limited in 2023, a company offering consultancy and testing services in head injury analysis.
He said: “I have always been fascinated by the human brain, both its complexity and its vulnerability. During my research training I witnessed the devastating impact that brain injuries can have on patients and their families. That inspired me to dedicate my career to bridging engineering and medicine in order to make a real difference in people’s lives.”