The

January 2013 Issue 20 The UK Clinical Research Facility (UKCRF) Network has been established to provide support and guidance to those working in experimental medicine. In our regular updates we aim to keep you informed on the latest news and events.

UKCRF Network Awarded Funding to March 2017

The UKCRF Network has received renewed funding from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) to continue and develop the work of the Network through to 2017. Working closely with the NIHR Office for Clinical Research Infrastructure (NOCRI) and other national funders the UKCRF Network provides core support for facilities to collaborate, promoting easier, faster and better setup of clinical trials across the whole UK clinical research and experimental medicine infrastructure. Helen Pidd, Director of the Network and Shane and Jill in the Operations Team are looking forward to working with existing and new members, and continuing in our aims to identify, develop and share best practice for the delivery and management of operational activities across UK clinical research facilities and experimental medicine infrastructure.

Elaine, Deidre and Mary at the IACRN Conference

Mary gave a presentation on the Evolving Roles of Clinical Research Nurses in Ireland to a huge audience at one of the conference symposiums. Plenary session speakers spoke on topics from improvement science, genetics assessment and bioinformatics, while members gave presentations on some of the outstanding work in clinical research taking place throughout the world. The presentations were very well received and it became apparent that UKCRF Network members and US clinical research nurses face similar challenges, but that having national standardised processes in place has real benefits in terms of start-up times for research studies.

UKCRF Network members present at conference in USA

UKCRF Network members Helen Pidd, Jennifer Allison, Elaine Mac Hale, Deirdre Hyland and Mary McGrath were invited to present at the 4th Annual Conference of the International Association of Clinical Research Nurses (IACRN) which was held in Texas in October 2012, on the theme of Helping Tomorrows Patients Today. Helen and Jennifer presented the work of the UKCRF Network and local initiatives. Elaine, Deirdre and

Edinburgh CRF Secures Funding to Develop New MSc/Dip/Cert in Clinical Trials by Online Distance Learning
Edinburgh CRFs Education Team has recently been awarded Distance Education Initiative funding from the University of Edinburgh. This award will support the development of an online MSc in clinical trials.

Michelle Evans (Education Manager) and Danielle Marlow (Education Coordinator,) are working closely with colleagues from Edinburgh Clinical Trials Unit (ECTU) to deliver this new training programme. Students will undertake a mixture of core and specialist modules that can be completed alone as Professional Postgraduate Development or in combination, leading towards a Postgraduate Certificate, Diploma or MSc in Clinical Trials. The programme focuses on how investigational medicinal products (IMPs) are taken into humans for the first time and moved through the different phases of development. It is suitable for individuals who wish to gain an overall understanding of clinical trials before moving into the field. It is also suitable for those who already have general or specialist experience in clinical research and wish to broaden their role in the design, management, analysis and reporting of clinical trials. The programme covers the key elements of preclinical and Phase I IMP development as well as the principles and processes of running Phase II-IV trials for drugs and other healthcare interventions. Candidates can choose to specialise according to their specific professional requirements and interests. Eventually electives will be selected from other online distance learning programmes that are available at the University of Edinburgh. The first intake of students is anticipated in September 2013. For further information contact MScCT@ed.ac.uk

Brain image from the Cambridge study

Since 2001 Cambridge Clinical Research Facility has been helping the Cambridge Impaired Consciousness Group (Professors Pickard & Owen) study patients who are in so-called persistent vegetative state and other disorders of consciousness. During that time they have seen 80 patients, recruited nationally and who stay on at the CRF for a week undergoing complex imaging and EEG testing aimed at detecting their level of consciousness. The study has developed novel imaging & assessment techniques which have proved that some patients do have covert cognitive function. The study has been widely published in high impact journals and has redefined diagnosis for patients in low awareness states and is currently informing Royal College of Physicians Guidelines. Caroline Saunders, Head of Clinical Operations for Cambridge CRF added:

BBC Panorama highlights pioneering research in Cambridge

The BBC Panorama team has spent more than a year filming several vegetative and minimally conscious patients taking part in pioneering research at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, culminating in The mind reader: unlocking my voice which aired on BBC One on 13th November 2012.

A team of Cambridge scientists has been studying patients in the vegetative state and disorders of consciousness for many years stimulated by the international misdiagnosis rate of 40% and the potential for intervention with drugs and brain stimulators. The study set out to design new imaging and assessment techniques to detect covert consciousness using highly advanced imaging techniques available in the Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre here on the Cambridge campus.

The study has been possible due to the co-location of experts, imaging (PET & CT) facilities linked to neuro intensive care unit and NIHR/Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility all on the Cambridge campus. Techniques developed by the team has redefined the diagnosis of vegetative state. Patients arrive on the CRF with their families from all over the country for a week long stay on the CRF. The study is a highly intensive study, with patients requiring total nursing care including airway management (tracheostomy care), feeding regimes, chest physio and in some cases preadmission assessment in their care setting, providing excellent nursing experience for all staff. The panorama program follows a group of patients here in Cambridge and in Canada, led by Professor Owen, previously here in Cambridge who has led the world in developing a hierarchy of tests that can reveal covert cognition in this group of patients. The program follows to from the BBC BAFTA winning program Between Life and Death in 2011. This study is a great example of experimental medicine and demonstrates beautifully the unique utility of a CRF. Without a clinical research facility this study would not be possible.
For more information contact Stewart Fuller at stewart.fuller@addenbrookes.nhs.uk

conditions such as diabetes by using and improving upon therapeutic lifestyle interventions.

The world-class research undertaken in this NIHR Unit has the potential to directly benefit the health and lives of patients and will also contribute to knowledge that will improve the nations health.
Professor Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Advisor, Department of Health The important work of the BRU will be integrated with and complement the UKs first ever National Sports and Exercise Medicine Centre of Excellence based at Loughborough University, an Olympic legacy project recently announced by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley. This collaboration between Loughborough University, University Hospitals of Leicester and the University of Leicester will provide an opportunity for researchers in the East Midlands to become some of the leading experts internationally in research into lifestyle, and in particular physical activity interventions to both prevent and treat diseases such as diabetes. The funding will create nearly thirty new research posts.

Open for business: National initiative to examine how lifestyle changes affect long-term health
The NIHR Leicester Loughborough Diet, Lifestyle and Physical Activity BRU has opened its doors for business to look at how physical activity, diet and lifestyle can impact upon the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. The BRU has been awarded 4.5 million NIHR funding over five years to April 2017 plus 1.38 million capital funding by the Department of Health. It will focus on improving health for patients with long term

Physical inactivity is estimated to be the fourth leading cause of death globally. This award will allow us to become an International Centre of Research Excellence undertaking the full spectrum of lifestyle research which we believe will make a real difference locally and nationally. Professor Melanie Davies, Professor of Diabetes and BRU Director
For more information contact Annie Shaw at annie.shaw@uhl-tr.nhs.uk or visit http://www.ll.dlpa.bru.nihr.ac.uk

Take part in the 5th annual CRF Open Day on Monday 20th May 2013
We are pleased to announce that the 2013 nationwide CRF Open Day will take place on Monday 20th May to coincide with International Clinical Trials Day.

Nine facilities took part in 2012 with activities ranging from displays showcasing ground-breaking research studies, guided tours and opportunities to participate in interactive sessions. Facilities consistently receive positive feedback from those who have attended the events, such as this quote from an attendee of the Edinburgh CRF Open Day:

I thought the way all the different departments were set out was great. They were all very interactive, helpful and informative which has opened my eyes to the research world
The Open Day is a great opportunity for local staff, residents and school children to find out more about clinical research and how to get involved in studies. To register to take part please email Jill at jill.brown@nihr.ac.uk. For inspiration of the activities that you can plan at your facility visit the CRF Open Day 2013 page on our Portal. Here you will find flyers, reviews and photos from previous events that have taken place around the UK: https://portal.nihr.ac.uk/sites/ukcrf/open_day/Pages /default.aspx

Professor Ian Jacobs and Mr Mike Deegan officially open the new 3T MRI scanner
Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Professor Ian Jacobs, Vice President and Dean of the Faculty of Medical & Human Sciences and Director of the Manchester Academic Health Science Centre (MAHSC). The new scanner will offer higher resolution and superior quality images in a wealth of different research areas compared to the facilitys previous scanner and support the research of the University, Trust and BRU. It will be fully equipped for state-ofthe-art cardiac MRI, musculoskeletal MRI and multinuclear MR spectroscopy, which will benefit a large number of researchers Professor Ian Bruce, Medical Director of the NIHR / Wellcome Trust CRF and Reader and Honorary Consultant in the Universitys Institute of Inflammation and Repair, said: With renewed funding from the NIHR and the opening of the new 3T MRI scanner, we will continue to develop our vision of supporting innovation in an environment where new discoveries can be translated into human disease to improve the health and wealth of the nation. For more information on visit http://www.wtcrf.nhs.uk

New scanner to benefit patients across Manchester

Patients across Greater Manchester are set to benefit from a new state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner which was officially opened on Wednesday 12 December 2012. The scanner is hosted by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) / Wellcome Trust Manchester Clinical Research Facility (CRF). The event was attended by Dr Helen Campbell from the Department of Health and the ribbon was cut by Mr Mike Deegan, Chief Executive of the Central

Helen Pidd
Director t: +44 (0)161 906 7506 e: helen.pidd@nihr.ac.uk

Shane Hoy
Operations Manager t: +44 (0)161 906 7509 e: shane.hoy@nihr.ac.uk

Jill Brown
Administrator t: +44 (0)161 906 7509 e: jill.brown@nihr.ac.uk