Meet the team
Each member of our team brings something different to the table. You'll have the chance to meet and learn from all of our expertise: research, community, technical innovation and communications strategy and delivery.
Gaurav is responsible for the strategic direction of the Thiscovery platform and enabling the organisation to successfully deliver its strategic goal and business plan.
Gaurav also oversees internal functions including legal, finance, HR, payroll, governance, and IT, as well as supporting the effective working of the Thiscovery Board.
With over fifteen years of experience in the health sector, Gaurav has led major organisational change initiatives including implementing IT systems, business change and overseeing complex office relocations. He has established portfolio management and PMO capabilities from the ground up, demonstrating expertise in programme governance and delivery. In a senior leadership capacity, he provided strategic advisory support to executive teams and boards on transformation projects, organisational change, product strategy, investment opportunities and business-critical programmes.
Gaurav holds a degree in Commerce and Business Management from India, an MBA in IT from the University of Lincoln, and an MSc in Insurance and Risk Management (Distinction) from Bayes Business School, City University.
“Improving health and care matters deeply to me, and I’m motivated by partnering with those it affects to shape improvements that have tangible and meaningful impact.”
Lorna manages a portfolio of projects hosted on Thiscovery. She works with clients to deliver research and consultation projects that aim to build evidence about how to improve health and social care. Lorna's role involves:
- Strategic oversight and delivery of Thiscovery’s programme
- Development of effective partnerships with clients and guiding them the design, delivery and reporting of their Thiscovery projects
- Contributing to continuous learning and improvement to ensure success of our insight generating work
Lorna has extensive experience in providing operational leadership to healthcare projects and programmes in both academic and NHS research environments. She worked for the NIHR for over 10 years in a variety of operational roles driving the delivery of clinical and applied health research programmes and leading on patient and public involvement. Before joining Thiscovery, she worked at THIS Institute managing their complex portfolio of research and quality improvement projects, before taking leadership of new strategic programme developing a novel approach to healthcare improvement.
Lorna holds a first class BSc (Hons) in Psychology from the University of Sheffield.
“I am passionate about supporting clients to develop engaging and robust online research, quality improvement and other projects that can make a positive difference in the way health and care is designed, delivered and improved.”
Jay works alongside the Insight and Innovation team and Platform Engineering team to support with the delivery of projects launched on Thiscovery.
Jay's role involves:
- Supporting with community and survey design and setup and implementing client requests
- Running the technological infrastructure
- Copywriting and creating community page, project webpages, and communications to participants
- Securely transferring data to clients
Previously, Jay has worked in a range of roles at BT and PlusNet, including Sales, Knowledge Management, and Billing Analysis. Jay's responsibilities during this time included being a team leader, copywriting, and managing the billing system.
Jay has a BSc in Biochemistry and Microbiology and earned a Distinction for her Level 4 software development apprenticeship through Digital Native.
“My hopes are that our work will continue to support the NHS in building up their evidence base for changes and improvements. I really want our work to make real differences to people accessing services within the health and care system to improve patient care and staff resilience.”
Sukh leads on sales and business development at Thiscovery, driving partnerships and initiatives that expand awareness of Thiscovery’s services and strengthen their impact across health and care.
She brings extensive experience in business development and health-tech sales, having worked with a wide range of MedTech innovators, products, and services. Her role oversees identifying and developing new partnerships and project opportunities, working closely with the marketing team, and representing Thiscovery at events as part of our public face.
Sukh holds a BA in History from the University of Warwick and an MA in History from the University of Manchester, specialising in social and cultural history with a focus on amplifying traditionally overlooked voices.
“There is a growing recognition of the importance of uplifting and championing the voices of staff, patients, and the public in shaping better health and care. I’m proud to contribute to Thiscovery’s work, helping to advance these efforts and make healthcare more representative, inclusive, and impactful.”
Our board
Thiscovery is an independent social mission organisation, born out of THIS Institute at the University of Cambridge and made possible by social investment from The Health Foundation.
Nick joined the Health Foundation as Chief Operating Officer in 2022.
Nick leads the Foundation’s corporate functions and oversee, in collaboration with the wider Directors’ Team, the design and implementation of the organisation’s strategy, business plan and associated governance.
Before joining the Health Foundation, Nick was Chief Financial Officer and Director of Finance, Planning and Performance at the Office for National Statistics. Before that, Nick had a wide-ranging career at the National Audit Office working across the breadth of government’s functions.
Nick is a Chartered Accountant and holds and Executive MBA from Imperial Business School. He has recently graduated from London Business School’s Senior Executive Programme.
Mary Dixon-Woods is Director of THIS Institute and The Health Foundation Professor of Healthcare Improvement Studies at the University of Cambridge.
A Professorial Fellow at Homerton College, she is a fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and the Academy of Medical Sciences, and an honorary fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, Royal College of General Practitioners, and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Mary was an NIHR Senior Investigator (2017-2022) and served on the National Advisory Group on the Safety of Patients in England, contributing to the 2013 Berwick report. Mary was also a Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator (2012-2019) and the 2018 Harveian Orator for the Royal College of Physicians. She is a member of the BMJ’s international advisory board.
Dr Emma Salgård Cunha is Associate Director in the Technology Development and Licensing team at Cambridge Enterprise, the innovation arm of the University of Cambridge. Emma leads Cambridge’s support for innovation and enterprise projects emerging from research in social science disciplines.
With special interests in software commercialisation and social enterprise, Emma has supported dozens of university enterprises developing evidence-based approaches in a broad range of sectors: from creative industries to public health to global development to financial services.
A literary historian by training, Emma holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge.
