Canadian company AxialBridge has officially launched The FOCUS Study, in collaboration with Ulster University. Rugby, football and Gaelic football players, alumni, and stakeholders came together at UU Belfast campus to share insights and highlight both the science and the powerful personal stories of athletes navigating concussion in sport.
You can watch the study launch event here and find out more about the exploration of the feasibility of digital app technology to assess concussion history and its impact among current and retired professional, semi-professional, and elite athletes. Through this work, the study partners aim to better understand concussion’s long-term effects and engage players and stakeholders to inform future research.
Recruitment is closing soon (31st October) and if you are interested in participating or have further questions, please contact the primary investigator, Dr Mark Matthews m.matthews@ulster.ac.uk. You can also find the full terms of the study here
A central component of the study is the Concussion Connect app, currently available in the UK and EU. The app was developed through a partnership between DIGITAL (a Canadian co-investment fund) and RxPx (leaders in patient-centric, AI-supported mobile technology). Designed to enhance research participation, the app leverages AI to strengthen engagement, streamline recruitment, support data collection, and improve participant retention.
The AI Clinical Buddy initiative has created a unique opportunity for RxPx to integrate its expertise in AI with the needs of research collaborators such as AxialBridge. This partnership addresses the growing digitisation of research and clinical trials by offering scalable, personalised support through an AI Buddy—tailored to meet the specific needs of research participants and trial design.
CEO of the female led AxialBridge, Jaspreet Grewal said: “We’re especially proud to share our new partnership with the Canadian Rugby Players Association. This collaboration is deeply meaningful as a Canadian company supported by a Canadian grant.”
Alexander Russell, Rugby Canada’s National Sevens team, 2025 captain said: “At the CRPA, advocating for player welfare is at the core of our mission. This partnership puts that mandate into action by giving athletes greater agency over their health and careers – through better data, clear insights, and sustained support.”
This study has received ethical approval from the School of Sport & Exercise Science Research Ethics Filter Committee (SESRI-25-017).
Representatives from Ulster University welcomed Nicholas Greenwood from the Government of Alberta, and Jaspreet who is also Director and Co-Chair of the Canada UK Chamber of Commerce and BioAlberta, for a two-day visit to its Derry~Londonderry and Belfast campuses earlier this year.
A Canadian delegation previously came to Belfast in April 2024, and this visit allowed for more in-depth exploration of life and health sciences opportunities, discussion around potential trade and partnership opportunities and the practicalities of the Windsor Framework. During the delegation’s time in Derry~Londonderry, representatives from Derry and Strabane District Council were also able to find out about specific opportunities for the Northwest arising from City and Growth Deals.
Following the 2025 visit, Jaspreet said: “The purpose of this visit by the Government of Alberta is to support AxialBridge’s increased activities in Northern Ireland, in particular with Ulster University, and to learn more about the country’s life science, tech, and innovation ecosystems. We would also be delighted to identify future areas of collaboration and partnership.
“In September 2023, AxialBridge and BioAlberta solidified a significant partnership with the NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research) to launch their Virtual Office (opens in new window) programme – their first international office in Canada. Through this partnership, we aim to achieve impactful and bilateral collaborative initiatives in the life sciences between Canada and the United Kingdom. As such, we are delighted to explore partnership opportunities within the health and life sciences in Northern Ireland and beyond.”
