Michael “Mike” Bahrami-Hessari joined Health Data Research UK as Senior Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) Manager in February 2026. He has extensive experience working with patients, carers and communities in the UK and across several low‑ and middle‑income countries through roles at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, the Southampton Clinical Research Facility and the NIHR Global Surgery Unit (hosted at the University of Birmingham). He also served as Community Engagement Coordinator for a UK Research and Innovation–funded project examining the impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic on minority ethnic communities in England and Wales.
Originally from the Philippines, Mike previously worked as a microbiologist and in the charity sector, focusing on science education and teacher training for rural communities.
Mike holds a Master of Science (MSc) in Science Communication from the University of Manchester and an MSc in Microbiology from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila.
