Sonja Marjanovic

@SonjaCambs on Twitter

Director, Healthcare Innovation, Industry and Policy, RAND Europe

Cambridge Office

Education

Ph.D., Judge Business School, University of Cambridge

One Page Bio

Media Resources

This researcher is available for interviews.

To arrange an interview, contact RAND Europe Media Relations at +44 (1223) 353 329, x2560, or email europeanmedia@rand.org.

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Overview

Sonja Marjanovic directs RAND Europe’s portfolio of research in the field of healthcare innovation, industry and policy. Her work provides decisionmakers with evidence and insights to support innovation and improvement in healthcare systems, and to support the translation of innovation into societal benefits for healthcare services and population health.

Previously, Marjanovic led RAND Europe's institutional partnership with The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute at Cambridge University. She is also a member of the Cambridge Centre for Health Services Research and is an expert advisor on innovation to the NHS England and NHS Improvement cancer programme.

Marjanovic's strengths lie in understanding the interface between health research and innovation, improved service delivery and health sector competitiveness in both developed and developing country contexts, and in relation to diverse clinical areas. She has over fifteen years of experience working on policy challenges for clients that span public, health industry and third sector decision makers. Some examples include the Department of Health and Social Care, Office for Life Sciences, NHS England, NIHR, Roche, GlaxoSmithKline, European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations, the Alzheimer’s Society, Wellcome Trust, and international foundations and institutions (e.g. European Commission).

She has also worked for the ESRC Centre for Business Research, has consulting experience in intellectual property services, and has commercial experience in business development, founding and managing a diagnostic start-up. Her academic background combines training in innovation policy, management studies and molecular genetics. She received her Ph.D. from Judge Business School, Cambridge University.

Research Focus

Recent Media Appearances

Interviews: BBC Radio Cambridgeshire; BBC Radio Shropshire; Cambridge 105 Radio, UK; Cambridge Independent; Horizon 2020 Projects: Portal

Commentary

Fintech's Role in Reducing Disparities and Financial Barriers to Health Care Access
Given the growing pressures on health care systems globally and the need for innovative approaches to financing health care, the time may be ripe to develop a robust evidence base and share learning on fintech-enabled approaches that could support universal health coverage agendas and healthier and more stable societies.
Jul 26, 2021 The RAND Blog
Thinking Through Rapid and Scalable Rollout of Healthcare Innovations for Public Health Challenges
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that rapid innovation in the face of public health emergencies is possible. In only 15 months, 15 vaccines have been approved or authorized for use in various parts of the world. What thinking is required to support uniform rapid rollout for future public health emergencies?
Jun 14, 2021 The RAND Blog
What Influences Quality Improvement Processes in Health Care?
Periods of rapid change offer both opportunities and challenges for health care quality improvement. Understanding the building blocks that need to be in place to support improvement processes may help those seeking to embed improvement capabilities and capacity into their organisations, both as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
Nov 10, 2020 The RAND Blog
The COVID-19 Crisis Has Sparked Innovation and Offers Lessons We Must Not Forget
COVID-19 has shocked the world and caught most countries unprepared, forcing them to improvise how best to protect the health of their populations. But amid all the confusion and fear, the power of individuals, organizations, and communities to think differently and to innovate shows what can be achieved when people are united by common, clear priorities and necessity.
Apr 1, 2020 The RAND Blog
How Innovation Can Assist the Refugee 'Pathway'
New ways to collaborate and coordinate humanitarian actions are needed so that refugees, host communities, and other stakeholders are empowered to create and spread innovative solutions. These efforts should consider the entire refugee pathway, not only emergency and arrival assistance.
Jun 27, 2017 The RAND Blog
How to Galvanise the NHS to Adopt Innovation
Two achievable and workable high-level approaches can help innovation take place within the National Health Service. These focus on mobilising people, and systems within the health service.
Apr 12, 2016 The BMJ

Publications

Report
Communicating research evidence to boards in health and care organisations: A scoping study
Boards in health and care organisations play a key role in the governance, strategy, direction and culture of an organisation. We conducted a scoping study on how health and care boards use research evidence and how this can be improved.
Sep 27, 2021
Report
Paediatric Early Warning Systems: a scoping study: Lessons from a rapid review
This report shares findings from a rapid review of the evidence on the use of Paediatric Early Warning (PEW) scores and systems in UK healthcare settings, to help staff to identify clinical deterioration and facilitate early intervention.
Jan 22, 2021
Report
Arts-based approaches to public engagement with research: Lessons from a rapid review
This report shares findings from a rapid review of the evidence on the use and effectiveness of arts-based approaches for public engagement with research.
Jan 11, 2021
Report
What influences improvement processes in healthcare? A rapid evidence review
This rapid review discusses leadership, staff relationships, skills and competencies, use of data, patient and public involvement, and working as an interconnected system as the key factors influencing quality improvement processes in healthcare.
Sep 15, 2020
Report
Pharmaceutical Innovation for Infectious Disease Management: From Troubleshooting to Sustainable Models of Engagement
In this Perspective, the authors discuss the need for more sustainable and scalable ways of incentivising pharmaceutical industry innovation in response to infectious disease threats to public health.
May 26, 2020
Report
Emerging developments in citizen science: Reflecting on areas of innovation
This report explores innovation in citizen science as it relates to data collection, analysis, recruitment and capacity building. It also considers emerging themes and topical issues including policymaking developments.
Feb 16, 2020
Journal Article
Innovating for Improved Healthcare: Sociotechnical and Innovation Systems Perspectives and Lessons from the NHS
To help understand the potential of innovation to respond to healthcare demands, researchers adopted a systems approach building on sociotechnical and innovations systems thinking to examine conditions that can support innovating healthcare systems.
Feb 6, 2020
Research Brief
How can policy and practice support an innovating healthcare system?
In light of the challenges facing the NHS, RAND Europe and the University of Manchester were asked to conduct a study on the potential of innovation to help deliver an efficient and effective healthcare service
Jan 26, 2020
Report
Innovating for improved healthcare: Policy and practice for a thriving NHS
In light of the challenges facing the NHS, RAND Europe and the University of Manchester were asked to conduct a study on the potential of innovation to help deliver an efficient and effective healthcare service.
Jan 26, 2020
Report
A Review of the Research Landscape for Treatment of Early Breast Cancer: Implications for future research, policy and practice
RAND Europe conducted a study on the societal impact of early breast cancer. This study was divided into three interconnected phases. The first phase was a mapping review on the published literature on the impacts of treatment of early breast cancer.
Jun 11, 2019
Report
Patient and public involvement in research: Enabling meaningful contributions
This report looks at how to effectively involve patients and the public in health research.
Feb 14, 2019
Report
Enabling NHS staff to contribute to research: Reflecting on current practice and informing future opportunities
This report considers how NHS staff can effectively contribute to health research.
Dec 11, 2018
Journal Article
Business Angel Spotlight
This study was a survey of Business Angels (high net worth individuals) in the UK to understand the trends and drivers in the start-up market in 2017. RAND Europe provided policy inputs that informed the findings of the study.
Oct 18, 2018
Report
Evaluating the impact of the Eastern Academic Health Science Network Transformation Support Unit
Initial evaluation of the impact of the Transformation Support Unit of Eastern Academic Health Science Network. Finds signs that the Unit is improving implementation of innovations in the National Health Service in eastern England.
Aug 3, 2018
Journal Article
Evaluation of the Impact of the European Union's Research Funding for Poverty-Related and Neglected Diseases: Lessons from EU Research Funding (1998-2013)
The overarching aim of this work is to evaluate the role of R&D on PRNDs in contributing to achieving UHC and improving population health in low- and middle-income countries.
Dec 15, 2017
Report
Innovation as a driver of quality and productivity in UK healthcare: Creating and connecting receptive places: Emerging Insights Report
RAND Europe and the University of Manchester have been commissioned to conduct a study to examine the potential of innovation to respond to the challenges that the NHS faces, and to help deliver value for money, efficient and effective services.
Oct 30, 2017
Report
The Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) Healthcare programme: An evaluation of programme activities, outcomes and impacts
This study explores the contribution of the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) Healthcare programme to innovation in the NHS (National Health Service). It was commissioned by the UK Department of Health Policy Research Programme.
Oct 30, 2017
Report
Transforming Urgent and Emergency Care and the Vanguard Initiative: Learning from Evaluation of the Southern Cluster
Three Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC) vanguards, aiming to improve UEC services, have progressed, driven by funding, status, leadership and support for joint working. Public engagement, workforce and data interoperability challenges need addressing.
Oct 16, 2017
Draft
Innovation as a driver of quality and productivity in UK healthcare: Creating and connecting receptive places
RAND Europe and the University of Manchester have been commissioned to conduct a study to examine the potential of innovation to respond to the challenges the NHS faces, and to help deliver value for money, efficient and effective services.
Jun 19, 2017
Report
Understanding value in health data ecosystems: A review of current evidence and ways forward
The potential of health data to improve health R&D, innovation, healthcare delivery, and health systems is substantial. Realising the benefits of health data will require a supportive health data ecosystem and addressing associated challenges.
Apr 27, 2017
Journal Article
Evaluating a Complex Research Capacity-Building Intervention: Reflections on an Evaluation of the African Institutions Initiative
This article shares learning from the experience of conducting a participatory, real-time, âtheory drivenâ evaluation of the African Institutions Initiative, a Wellcome Trust-funded programme that aimed to build sustainable health research capacity in Africa at institutional and network levels, across seven research consortia.
Feb 13, 2017
Journal Article
How Policy Can Help Develop and Sustain Workforce Capacity in UK Dementia Research: Insights from a Career Tracking Analysis and Stakeholder Interviews
This article attempts to identify research support strategies likely to be effective for strengthening the UK's dementia research landscape and ensuring a sustainable and competitive workforce.
Sep 6, 2016
Report
Hepatitis C: Understanding factors that influence the physicians' treatment decisions
A study investigating the decisionmaking process undertaken by physicians when prescribing treatment for Hepatitis C and the comparative influence and importance of specific factors and combinations of factors.
Aug 19, 2016
Report
Population-scale sequencing and the future of genomic medicine: Learning from past and present efforts
This paper reflects on the variety and evolution of population-scale genome-sequencing initiatives, examining their diverse aims, activities, management and governance approaches, impacts, and policy and research implications.
Apr 29, 2016
Journal Article
The Use and Impact of Quality of Life Assessment Tools in Clinical Care Settings for Cancer Patients, with a Particular Emphasis on Brain Cancer: Insights from a Systematic Review and Stakeholder Consultations
Use of quality of life measures for cancer patients may improve patient-physician communication and have the potential to improve care.
Apr 15, 2016
Report
Galvanising the NHS to adopt innovation: The feasibility and practicality of recommendations from the interim report of the Accelerated Access Review
The Department of Health and the Wellcome Trust, in co-operation with NHS England, asked RAND Europe to conduct a limited consultation about the practicality of measures and incentives proposed as part of the interim NHS Accelerated Access Review.
Mar 22, 2016
Report
Evaluating the role and contribution of innovation to health and wealth in the UK: A review of Innovation, Health and Wealth: Phase 1 Final Report
An evaluation of the Department of Health‘s Innovation, Health and Wealth (IHW) strategy suggests broad stakeholder support for the overarching ambitions, but progress on the objectives of the eight IHW themes was variable.
Jan 13, 2016
Report
The NIHR Invention for Innovation (i4i) programme: A review of progress and contributions to innovation in healthcare technologies: Extended summary
The NIHR Invention for Innovation (i4i) programme supports the development of innovative medical technologies. Rand Europe evaluated the programme to identify its outputs and impacts. This report is an extended summary of the full report.
Dec 11, 2015
Report
The Digital Catapult and productivity: A framework for productivity growth from sharing closed data
This study frames thinking about how the Digital Catapult can contribute to economic productivity. The Digital Catapult targets market and innovation inefficiencies that likely inhibit the up-take of data-driven innovation across sectors.
Sep 22, 2015
Report
A Review of the Dementia Research Landscape and Workforce Capacity in the United Kingdom
This report, commissioned by the Alzheimer's Society, aims to inform funding and capacity-building efforts in UK dementia research by examining the current research and workforce landscape, and associated strengths and gaps.
Sep 14, 2015
Report
A Review of the Dementia Research Landscape and Workforce Capacity in the United Kingdom: Extended Summary
This extended summary provides an overview of the findings of a report commissioned by the Alzheimer's Society. It aims to inform funding and capacity-building efforts in UK dementia research by examining the current research and workforce landscape.
Sep 14, 2015
Report
Treatment for dementia: Learning from breakthroughs for other conditions
Aiming to better understand the contexts that have contributed to breakthroughs in treatment, this project analysed breakthroughs in four conditions of ill health and sought to identify potentially transferable lessons for the dementia context.
Aug 4, 2015
Report
Leadership as a health research policy intervention: An evaluation of the NIHR Leadership programme (Phase 2)
The NIHR Leadership Programme was established in 2009 to develop the leadership skills and capabilities of current and future NIHR researchers. RAND Europe was commissioned to undertake a 2-year real time evaluation of the programme.
Jul 21, 2015
Report
A bibliometric analysis of research by the Cambridge Neuroscience Strategic Research Initiative: Extended Summary
This report summarises the key findings of a bibliometric analysis of researchers affiliated with the Cambridge Neuroscience Strategic Research Initiative at the University of Cambridge with a view to informing the future direction of the initiative.
Jul 6, 2015
Report
The NIHR Invention for Innovation (i4i) programme: A review of progress and contributions to innovation in healthcare technologies
The NIHR Invention for Innovation (i4i) programme supports the development of innovative medical technologies. RAND Europe evaluated the programme to identify its outputs and impacts, and to examine the factors influencing performance.
Jun 11, 2015
Report
The African Institutions Initiative: Insights from the First Four Years
This report presents the findings and recommendations from the evaluation of the first four years of the African Institutions Initiative, a Wellcome Trust funded programme to build sustainable health research capacity.
Sep 12, 2014
Journal Article
CLAHRCs in Practice: Combined Knowledge Transfer and Exchange Strategies, Cultural Change, and Experimentation
Drawing on in-depth, multi-method case studies of two CLAHRCs we explored how they pursued their remit by supporting efforts to increase the relevance and use of health research, and building relationships.
Oct 1, 2013
Report
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust Fellowships in Clinical Leadership Programme: An Evaluation
This report presents an evaluation of the Fellowships in Clinical Leadership Programme, which combines leadership training and quality improvement initiatives in Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust.
Jul 2, 2013
Research Brief
Bibliometrics: Key findings from a report on the theory and practice of bibliometrics in health research
This research brief summarises the key findings from a report on the theory and practice of bibliometrics in health research.
Oct 12, 2012
Journal Article
Public-private Collaborations and Partnerships in Stratified Medicine: Making Sense of New Interactions
The field of personalised or stratified medicine is evolving alongside the formation of a plethora of public-private partnerships.
Sep 1, 2012
Journal Article
Research Capacity Building in Africa: Networks, Institutions and Local Ownership
This paper focuses on the Wellcome Trust's African Institutions initiative, an example of the networked research capacity-building initiatives emerging in response to the need for research capacity growth.
May 1, 2012
Journal Article
Crowdsourcing Based Business Models: In Search of Evidence for Innovation 2.0
This paper addresses crowdsourcing, an under-researched type of open innovation that is often enabled by the web.
2012
Draft
Delivering the aims of the CLAHRCs: evaluating CLAHRCs' strategies and contributions: Interim report: Phase I
This report catalogues the first phase of an evaluation of the nine Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRCs) established in October 2008 by the UK National Institute for Health Research.
Jun 2, 2011
Report
Health Innovation Transfer from South to North
This report presents findings from a study of health innovations transferred from South to North. This briefing examines technologies developed for developing country settings, which may have an application in the UK National Health Service.
May 25, 2011
Report
Healthcare Technology Co-operatives: Filling a niche in the English R&D landscape
This evaluation of the pilot Health Technology Cooperatives (HTCs), part of England's research infrastructure, explored how the HTCs fit into the health innovation landscape and recommended how best to support core HTC activities in the future.
Mar 15, 2011
Report
Health and Medical Research in Singapore: Observatory on Health Research Systems
This documented briefing provides an overview of biomedical and health research in Singapore.
Jan 12, 2010
Report
Changing the translational research landscape: A review of the impacts of Biomedical Research Units in England
Describes a review of the NIHR Biomedical Research Units scheme. This review was a perceptions audit of senior executives involved in the scheme, and explored what impact they felt the scheme is having on the translational research landscape.
Dec 23, 2009
Report
A historical reflection on research evaluation studies, their recurrent themes and challenges
This report presents a historical reflection on research evaluation studies, their recurrent themes and challenges, and their implications. It critically examines studies of how scientific research drives innovation and socioeconomic benefits.
Dec 7, 2009
Report
Bibliometrics as a tool for supporting prospective R&D decision-making in the health sciences: Strengths, weaknesses and options for future development
Bibliometrics is an increasingly important tool for research evaluation. The report provides an accessible, 'beginner's guide' to bibliometric theory and application in the area of health research and development (R&D) decision-making.
Dec 2, 2009
Report
Changing the translational research landscape: A review of the impacts of Biomedical Research Centres in England
The report is a review of the BRC scheme. It examines the scheme’s impacts on changes in institutional relationships between the NHS, academia, industry; capacity-building in the health research system, resource-targeting, management and governance.
Nov 9, 2009
Report
Health and wellbeing at work in the United Kingdom
The report presents the findings of a study undertaken for the English Department of Health in 2009 on whether health workplace interventions could improve the levels of health and wellbeing in British workplaces and the NHS in England.
Sep 14, 2009
Report
International Comparison of Ten Medical Regulatory Systems: Egypt, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, South Africa and Spain
This study was commissioned by the UK General Medical Council (GMC) to provide an evidence base on the systems of medical regulation in place in the countries of origin of doctors seeking to enter the UK and obtain registration to practise.
May 18, 2009