A KEELE University professor has been awarded around £1.5 million to carry out medical research aimed at helping patients who suffer from painful conditions.

Nadine Foster is one of just eight UK academics to be selected for a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) professorship.

She said: "This five-year research programme will ensure the delivery of high-quality evidence to support treatments and primary care services for patients with common painful conditions, including back pain, shoulder pain and knee pain."

The work, led by Keele's Arthritis Research UK Primary Care Centre, will involve clinical trials testing the effectiveness of treatments.

The NIHR scheme has been backed by the Government.

Health minister Anne Milton said it would ensure "new ideas make the leap from the bench to the bedside".