Daniel Okpani Iheanacho

Daniel is the Public and Patient Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) Officer at Oxford Population Health, where he leads the strategic and practical integration of patient and public perspectives across health research. His work ensures that lived experience meaningfully informs research priorities, study design, delivery, and dissemination, resulting in research that is more relevant, inclusive, and responsive to the populations it aims to benefit.

Working across funded research projects and clinical trials, Daniel supports both digital and in-person involvement and engagement activities, contributing to improved study design, participant experience, and knowledge translation. He has delivered PPIE across projects funded by the NIHR, HDR UK, MRC, University of Oxford, helping to embed human experience within data-driven research and strengthening the social value and credibility of health research.

Daniel has presented his work at the HDR UK Conference, sharing evidence and practice on inclusive engagement and demonstrating how lived experience enhances the quality, governance, and impact of data-enabled health research and clinical trials.

He brings a strong background in clinical medicine and community-based research. Prior to joining Oxford Population Health, Daniel worked as a medical officer in public and private hospitals across Nigeria, where he diagnosed and managed patients with diverse clinical needs. He also served as Project Manager for the Healthy and Smart Children Foundation, where he contributed to the development and delivery of health interventions for children in underserved communities. In addition, he worked with the International Foundation Against Infectious Disease in Nigeria (IFAIN) as both a research assistant and medical officer, supporting research and service delivery in infectious disease settings.

Daniel completed a Master of Public Health (MPH) at the University of Derby, building on his medical training in Nigeria. He has a developing interest in implementation science, focusing on translating research outcomes into meaningful changes in healthcare practice and policy to improve population health.

At Oxford Population Health, Daniel continues to strengthen public and patient involvement and engagement, as a collaborator and co-applicant on projects supporting ethical, high-quality research that delivers measurable benefits and reflects the real-world experiences of the communities it serves.