Imperial College London
Job Description
Job Title:
Clinical Research Fellow in Neonatal
Neurology.
Section:
Paediatrics
Division:
Infectious Diseases
Department:
Medicine
Job Family/Level:
Clinical Academic
Salary Range:
£31,838 - £56,312 plus £1,505 London
allowance per annum
Reporting To:
Dr Sudhin Thayyil
Location:
Hammersmith Campus
Duration:
Full-time, fixed-term for 3 years
Background
Imperial College London is a referral centre for neonatal neurology and was the first
hospital in the world to have a dedicated 3 Telsa MR scanner located inside the
neonatal unit for brain research. Imperial College have a long standing tradition of
world leading research into neonatal neurology, including pioneering work into
rescue hypothermic neuro protection.
The neonatal brain research group includes MR physicists, radiographer, clinical
fellows, research nurses, neonatal neurologist and a co-ordinator, and is led by Dr
Sudhin Thayyil. The ongoing work of the group includes first-in-human studies into
Xenon and N-acetyl cysteine as an adjunct to cooling in neonatal encephalopathy,
and clinical studies of neuro protection in low- and middle-income countries.
Research / Key Responsibilities:
1.The key person for a prospective study exploring the interaction of systemic
infections/inflammation and microbiomes on brain injury in premature babies, using
novel cerebral magnetic resonance biomarkers, including neurite orientation
dispersion and density index (NODDI and Quantitative Susceptibility Imaging (QSM).
2. Identify, consent and recruit cases into the study,
3. Develop and optimise the MR biomarkers techniques and undertake serial
cerebral MR imaging,
4. Analyse MR biomarker data using Tract Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS),
5. Perform neurological assessments and follow up.
6. Analyse data
7. Present abstracts at local, national and international meetings,
8. Publish papers in high impact peer reviewed journals
9. Actively collaborate with other researchers at national and international levels.
This is a full time research post, with opportunities to do clinical neonatal on
call work, and the post holder will pursue a higher degree (MD or PhD).
The post holder will hold an honorary clinical contract with the Imperial College
Healthcare NHS Trust and there will be an opportunity to participate in the neonatal
registrar on call rota at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.
This post would be ideally suited for academic clinical fellows, and neonatal trainees
wishing to take time out of the training program for a higher degree, and want to
pursue an academic career in neonatal medicine.
Committees and Meetings
To attend meetings and report progress on the project, (written and oral) both within
Imperial and externally.
Other Duties
 To undertake appropriate administration tasks
 To attend research meetings and seminars
 To undertake any necessary training and/or development
 Any other duties commensurate with the grade of the post as directed by the
PIs
 The post holder will be expected to contribute to the intellectual activities of
the Department and to keep up to date with scientific advances in the field
Imperial Academic Health Science Centre
The establishment of managed clinical networks for perinatal and neonatal intensive care
along with the creation of an AHSC at Imperial bring exciting opportunities for clinical
developments and research within the neonatal services at Queen Charlotte’s and
Chelsea Hospital (QCCH) and St Mary’s Hospital (SMH).
The Women & Children’s Division comprises the specialties of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
(Maternity Directorate), Paediatrics and Neonatology (Children’s Directorate) Services
based on the St Mary’s and Hammersmith and Queen Charlotte’s site. The West London
Gynaecology Cancer Centre is based at QCCH with clinics at Charing Cross. SMH
accident and emergency unit as a regional trauma centre and the gynaecology
emergency service works closely with A&E seeing over 7000 women annually. The
Charing Cross Accident and Emergency service route emergency referrals to
Hammersmith and Queen Charlottes’ Hospitals as appropriate, Community service are
provided at St Charles Hospital and at the Willesden Community Hospital.
Divisional research facilities are located in the purpose built six-floor -Institute of
Reproductive and Developmental Medicine. This houses 120 scientific staff and is
extensively equipped; it offers unparalleled opportunity for basic and applied investigation
into all aspects of Reproductive Medicine.
Our children's department provides neonatal and paediatric intensive and high
dependency care together with specialist haematology/BMT and infectious diseases,
allergy, ophthalmology, neurology, dental and a broad range of medical and surgical
services to our local population as well as being a tertiary referral centre. We also
have a 24/7 dedicated children's A&E service together with being an adult and children's
dedicated trauma centre.
QUEEN CHARLOTTE’S & CHELSEA HOSPITAL
In November 2000, the new Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital (QCCH) was
opened on the Hammersmith site. This prestigious purpose built unit is adjacent to a
dedicated research institute. The state of the art facilities have accommodation for both
high and low risk maternity care, all aspects of foetal medicine, together with one of the
largest neonatal unit in the United Kingdom and unparalleled research facilities.
Gynaecology services were also relocated to the new QCCH. This provides a dedicated
women’s centre service for comprehensive primary, secondary and tertiary care including
specialist care in gynaecological / oncology. There were ~ 5600 deliveries in 2009. The
unit also houses the pioneering reproductive medicine unit offering a range of fertility
treatments, including IVF. The extensive neonatal facilities provide a wide range of
tertiary neonatal services.
ICHT is the largest perinatal centre within the North West London Perinatal Network
which serves ~ 32,000 births per annum; complex foetal, maternal medicine and
specialised medical intensive care to mothers and babies is also provided for adjoining
sectors within London and the South East. QCCH being the larger service provides care
for the extremely preterm baby and tertiary neonatal neurology care for much of London
and beyond and hosts the large invasive foetal and complex maternal medicine services
for the NWLPN and wider London region and beyond.
The Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea Hospital includes:

32 Neonatal care cots: 15 intensive/high dependency, 17 special care and 2
community cots (although functional capacity is dependent on nurse availability).

Dedicated new MR scanner sited on the NNU (opened June 2006)

10 purpose built parents rooms within the NNU

33 Inpatient gynaecology beds, including dedicated day care area.

44 Inpatient post/antenatal beds.

A large delivery suite with twin operating theatres.

11 LDRP rooms (Labour Delivery Recovery Postnatal) rooms designed to be used
for midwifery led low risk care.

8 private patient obstetric beds.

A dedicated Birthing Centre. (Midwife lead)

An Ultrasound Suite.

Centre for Foetal Care.

Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (EPAU).

Gynaecology and Maternity Outpatient areas.

Reproductive Medicine and Paediatrics are co-located.
All the local and specialist services that we currently provide under the umbrella of
Women’s & Children’s Services on the Hammersmith and Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea
sites are in or co-located within the new build, offering a fully integrated comprehensive
service to meet the needs of the local population and tertiary specialist referrals from all
over the country.
ST MARY’S HOSPITAL
St Mary’s Hospital is a major undergraduate teaching hospital with approximately 3950
births per annum in the maternity unit, a further 770 in the private wing (babies are NHS
patients) contributing to a total of ~ 4,700 in-born infants.
St Mary’s Hospital includes:

19 Neonatal care cots: 6 intensive 4 high dependency, 8 special care cots plus 1
stabilisation cot (although functional capacity is dependent on nurse availability).

2 parents rooms

Inpatient gynaecology beds, including dedicated day care area.

Inpatient post/antenatal beds.

A 9 bed delivery suite with 2 obstetric theatres.

Private patient obstetric beds in the Lindo Wing.

A dedicated 5 delivery room Birthing Centre. (Midwife lead)

Fetal Medicine, Maternal Medicine services

Gynaecology and Maternity Outpatient areas.

Reproductive Medicine and Paediatrics are co-located.
The Paediatric Department is a large department combining both local, acute and
community paediatrics and tertiary paediatric specialities. St Mary’s Hospital serves a
multi-ethnic inner city population of approximately 337,900 residents. In addition children
from Brent and Harrow, Camden and Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow health
authorities are also seen at St Mary’s.
Complex paediatrics and neonatal surgery within West London was centralised at
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in April 2010. A managed clinical surgical network
ensures services are provided as local to the child’s home as possible and support the
needs of specialist paediatrics, neonatology and fetal medicine within ICHT.
Paediatrics at ICHT provides excellent multidisciplinary clinical services with a strong
research base. Notable strengths are a Consultant-led Paediatric A&E Department
collocated with a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (8 IC beds and 2 HDU beds). There is
national and international expertise in infectious diseases, meningitis, septic shock, TB,
HIV, haematology, haemoglobinopathy, and bone marrow transplant. Paediatrics is
located on the 6th and 7th floors of the QEQM building and currently comprises 4 wards
and the Paediatric Research Unit. Westway Ward is a 5-day ward for day case surgery,
investigations and procedures, eg, neonatal discharges requiring MRI or CT scans. The
Outpatients Department is on the 6th floor with, Audiology and the paediatric therapies.
The wider range of outpatients clinics provided here include Neonatal follow-up, General
Paediatrics, Surgery and Urology, Infectious Diseases, Respiratory, Neurology, Child
Development, Audiology, Clinical Psychology, Genetics, Cardiology, Nephrology, Allergy,
ENT, Rheumatology, and Endocrinology.
The Consultant supervised Paediatric Home Care Team provide care for ex-neonatal
patients that have on-going needs at home. The Child Development Service is a
multidisciplinary team providing medical diagnosis assessment and therapeutic support
to children with a range of developmental health needs. It is led by a Consultant
Paediatric Neurology and the Neuro-disability team.
IMPERIAL NEONATAL SERVICES:
This comprises neonatal medicine, perinatal neurology, and perinatal cardiology. The
service is provided across two neonatal units based at QCCH and St Mary’s. There are
strong cross site links between 2 units with the service sharing a common management
structure, shared guidelines, audit and teaching, training and education. From April 2011,
intensive care for < 27 weeks gestation and complex cases is centralised on the QCCH
site with the SMH unit becoming a Local Neonatal Unit. Therapeutic cooling for HIE is
done on both units.
Both neonatal units within the division are members of the Vermont-Oxford Network
which is an international alliance of >800 NICUs. Information submitted to VON provides
the division with quality assurance data through benchmarking.
Both units contribute data via SEND to the North West London Perinatal Network
enabling the production of annual reports, benchmarking and audits within each unit
across the trust, the NWLPN and the 5 networks in London. In addition the units
contribute to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health National Neonatal Audit
Programme (NNAP) and from 2011 the National Neonatal Surveillance Programme
through the Neonatal Data Analysis Unit (NDAU).
QCCH
The QCCH neonatal service is one of the largest tertiary level services in the UK and has
onsite provision for all aspects of tertiary level neonatal medical intensive care including
neonatal transport; cardiac surgery takes place at the Royal Brompton Hospital. In
addition, care is provided for referrals for specialist neonatal neurology disorders, and
laser therapy for retinopathy of prematurity.
In the year 2011, there were 483 total admissions to the QCCH neonatal unit, additionally
1200 babies received transitional care on the postnatal wards. Approximately 40% of the
babies admitted to were either inutero or postnatal referrals. In addition to transitional
care provided on the postnatal wards there are 10 parent rooms adjacent to the unit
allowing some parents to room in with their baby. A dedicated Neonatal Community
Service ensures continuity of care for the baby once discharged home.
Areas of expertise include assessment, management and treatment of neonatal
neurology and brain injury, complex medical intensive care for babies of all gestational
ages, from the extremely preterm to term, neonatal respiratory, haematology, nutrition,
feeding and early discharge. Success is dependent upon a highly skilled multidisciplinary
team which includes nurses, a nurse consultant, a dedicated therapies team - speech
and language therapy, physiotherapy, dietician, milk bank manager, psychologists, and
clinical engineering technician. All members understand and support the research focus
of the unit; the MRI suite and its research program has been an integral part of daily work
for many years.
There are close working relationship with the Centre for Foetal Care particularly in the
areas of complication of twin pregnancy, foetal abnormality and growth failure, perinatal
cardiology and antenatally diagnosed surgical problems. Specialist invasive foetal
medicine is centralised on the QCCH site.
There is extensive onsite multi disciplinary support that includes neonatal neurology and
MR, perinatal cardiology, haematology, infectious disease, radiology, ophthalmology, and
comprehensive long term neonatal follow up. A geneticist works closely with both the
foetal medicine and neonatal service. A neonatal dietician, speech therapist and
physiotherapist are closely involved in the management of inpatients as well as longer-
term neonatal follow up. Two psychologists are based on the unit provides support to
both families and staff.
There are 70 WTE nursing staff, including those of our neonatal community service at
QCCH. The Neonatal Community Service provides ongoing support in the community for
babies of local residents. This includes home oxygen, and other aspects of care resulting
in early discharge home. The service runs an annual national course to train community
nurses in the management of babies discharged home on oxygen.
Ambulatory and general paediatrics along with neonatal medical and surgical follow up
clinics are based in the paediatric ambulatory and outpatient department in
Hammersmith Hospital immediately adjacent to QCCH. Purpose built accommodation for
the ambulatory service (10 bedded care area with 2 treatment rooms) was opened in
October 2002. The new Children’s Outpatients opened in February 2003. The neonatal
follow up of all high risk babies from both units is now located at the outpatient
department in Hammersmith Hospital from March 2012.
The unit protocols, neonatal formulary etc. can be found on S:\TrustWide\Neonatal
Guidelines and are easily assessable from any computers situated throughout the unit
and the trust.
St Mary’s Hospital
The Neonatal Unit at St Mary’s was established in 1978 and named after Donald
Winnicott who pioneered observations on parent – infant interactions and subsequent
beneficial neuro-developmental outcomes in vulnerable infants. The ethos of the unit
remains family centred to this day. The unit is the country’s only training centre for
NIDCAP a system of enhancing neonatal outcomes through targeted early and ongoing
developmentally sensitive interventions. It appointed the country’s first Consultant in
Developmental Care who leads on all aspects of NIDCAP. Established links exist with
the therapies and neuro-developmental specialties to the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm.
Fundraising and charitable endeavours on behalf of staff and families are supported by
the Winnicott Foundation which has raised large sums of money for all major
developments in the service.
In the year 2011, there were 399 total admissions to the Winnicott baby unit at SMH,
additionally 888 babies received transitional care on the postnatal wards. Approximately
24% of the babies admitted to were either in-utero or postnatal referrals. In addition to
transitional care provided on the postnatal wards there are 2 parent rooms adjacent to
the unit allowing some parents to room in with their baby.
The unit has expertise in perinatal infection, neonatal haematology, neonatal abstinence
syndrome, diagnostic cardiology, newborn early intervention and developmental support
and breast feeding. Infants of mothers with HIV and other congenital infections such as
hepatitis B and C are cared for in liaison with the paediatric infectious diseases medical
team. In May 2006 nursing and medical note-keeping became fully integrated and
completely electronic.
There is extensive onsite multi disciplinary support provided by the paediatric services
that includes haematology, infectious disease, radiology, ophthalmology, genetics and
comprehensive long term neonatal follow up. Dietetic, speech and language therapy and
physiotherapy services are provided on site. There is a full time clinical engineering
technician also based on the unit.
There are 50 WTE nursing staff, including the neonatal community service. The Neonatal
Community Service provides ongoing support in the community for babies of local
residents. This includes home oxygen, and other aspects of care resulting in early
discharge home.
The neonatal service is staffed by 11 WTE consultants (5.5 WTE cover at each site), a
consultant in neonatal neurology, 1 WTE perinatal cardiologist. 13 SpRs (13 neonatal
subspecialty), 6 Clinical Fellows (Trust Grade) along with 4 ‘on call’ doctors (research
fellows) provide the middle grade cover and 15 SHOs with 7 Clinical Fellows (Trust
Grade) provide SHO cover for the service. Outside normal working hours at QCCH there
are always 2 middle grade and 2 SHO grade doctors resident in the hospital with sole
responsibility for the neonatal service and at SMH there is one middle grade and one
SHO grade. All junior doctors are working on New Deal compliant shift rotas (Band 1A)
and from September 2011 all medical staff rotate between the 2 units.
Clinical Staffing (to include key research/practice interests)
Neonatology
Chief of Service (Children’s Directorate)
Head of Neonatology
Head of Children’s Research
Head of Neonatal Research
Head of Education
Head Nurse for Children’s Directorate
Dr Hermione Lyall
Dr Sunit Godambe
Dr Andy Bush
Dr Sudhin Thayyil
Dr Jenny Ziprin
Miss Tracy Norris
Consultant establishment
Consultant in Neonatal Medicine ICH NHS Trust
Consultant in Neonatal Medicine ICH NHS Trust
Consultant in Neonatal Medicine ICH NHS Trust
Consultant in Neonatal Medicine ICH NHS Trust (0.5 WTE)
Consultant in Neonatal Medicine ICH NHS Trust
Consultant in Neonatal Medicine ICH NHS Trust
Consultant in Neonatal Medicine ICH NHS Trust
Consultant in Neonatal Medicine ICH NHS Trust
Consultant in Neonatal Medicine ICH NHS Trust (Locum)
Consultant in Neonatal Medicine ICH NHS Trust (Locum)
Consultant in Neonatal Medicine ICH NHS Trust (Locum)
Consultant in Neonatal Medicine ICH NHS Trust (Locum)
Consultant Paediatric Neurologist with special interest in
Neonatal Neurologist ICH NHS Trust
Weston Reader of Neonatal Medicine IC
Senior Lecturer in Neonatal Medicine IC
Consultant in Perinatal and Paediatric Cardiology ICH NHS
Trust
Consultant Ambulatory and General Paediatrician ICH NHS
Trust
Consultant Ambulatory and General Paediatrician ICH NHS
Trust
Consultant Ambulatory and General Paediatrician ICH NHS
Trust
Consultant Ambulatory and General Paediatrician ICH NHS
Trust
Dr Peter Chow
Dr Sunit Godambe
Dr Geraldine Ng
Dr Emma Porter
Dr Aniko Deierl
Dr Alexander Rakow
Dr Lidia Tyszczuk
Dr Jenny Ziprin
Dr Libuse Pazderova
Dr Gaurav Atreja
Dr Gopi Rao
Dr Joanna Wright
Dr Nigel Basheer
Dr Sudhin Thayyil
Dr Latha Srinivasan
Dr Victoria Jowett
Dr Nicky Coote
Dr Suzanne Keane
Dr Dayo Ajayi-Obe
Dr Nour Elhadi
Please note that, as this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act
1974, a satisfactory enhanced level Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Disclosure will
be required for the successful candidate.
Further information about the Disclosure service can be found at www.crb.gov.uk or
by contacting the CRB information line on 0870 90 90 811.
Job descriptions cannot be exhaustive and so the post holder may be required
to undertake other duties, which are broadly in line with the above key
responsibilities.
The post holder is expected to observe and comply with all College policies
and regulations, for example Health and Safety, Data Protection etc.
Imperial College is committed to equality of opportunity and to eliminating
discrimination. All employees are expected to adhere to the principles set out
in our Equal Opportunities in Employment Policy, Promoting Race Equality
Policy and Disability Policy and all other relevant guidance/practice
frameworks.
IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Applicants for this post should demonstrate how their skills and experience meet the
following Person Specification.
Qualifications and Registration
Essential
 Degree in medicine or equivalent
 Full GMC registration
 MRCPCH or equivalent
 Neonatal Advanced Life Support training
Experience and Knowledge
Essential
 Evidence of an interest in research
 ST3 level or above paediatric registrar
 Previous experience of working in a tertiary neonatal unit in the UK
 Sound knowledge and experience in the management of critically ill newborn infants
Desirable
 Experience of working with MRI
 Publications
 Research presentations
 GCP training
 Neonatal grid trainee
 Committed to an academic career in neonatal medicine
Skills and Abilities
Essential







Proven analytical skills.
Ability to present themselves at conferences and seminars with authority and
coherence.
Excellent written communications skills and the ability to write technical reports
clearly and succinctly for publication
Ability to organise and prioritise own work with minimal supervision.
Ability to work to tight deadlines.
Ability to work as part of a team and to communicate effectively with other national
and international collaborators.
Ability to develop personal research projects.
Desirable
 Experience of using data bases and statistical soft wares