Cambridge Clinical
Research Fellowships
Scheme
Fostering the future leaders
of clinical research
Fundraising case for support
Background
Over the past half-century, medical care has been transformed through the
application of science. Today, we live in a time when advances in molecular biology,
imaging science, biomedical computing and bioengineering mean that there is the
promise of even greater transformation to come over the next half-century. There is,
however, a potential gap between basic research and improvements in routine
medical care. This ‘translational gap’ must be bridged through clinical research that
evaluates new interventions in the ward and the clinic.
In the first decade of this century, there was growing concern that clinical research
was not keeping pace with rapid advances in basic scientific discovery. Expert
groups made a number of recommendations to redress this balance . These included
the recommendation that greater support should be made available to doctors who
wish to make a career commitment to research. Around the same time, the
postgraduate training of doctors was also being modernised, and this process
included consideration of career tracks for ‘clinical academics’ . From this, there
emerged a clear training pathway for future leaders in clinical academic medicine.
The need for research training pathways for nurses, midwives and allied health
professionals has also been recognised .
Clinical academics are doctors, nurses, midwives and allied health professionals who
combine clinical practice with research and education. Most clinical academics are
university employees, but in addition to academic work, they hold honorary contracts
with the NHS and spend about half of their work time caring for patients. The
importance of this model is that research is informed by the realities of patient care
and that new interventions can be investigated and evaluated in a way that is
integrated into the routine work of the hospital.
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Cambridge Clinical Research Fellowships
Since 2007, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) has funded a clinical research
fellowship programme at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
(CUH). This programme has been targeted at outstanding doctors in the early stages
of their career who have the potential and motivation to become the future leaders of
academic medicine. In 2014, the programme was extended to build research
capacity through developing early stage research training opportunities for nurses,
midwives and allied health professionals. It offers intensive research training in an
exceptional environment and provides an entry-point into a career in academic
medicine and health research and a fast-track to the next stage of that career.
Fellows are mentored by research-active senior doctors and healthcare professionals
at CUH, many of whom will also be clinical academics at the University of
Cambridge, with a global reputation in their field of medical research. It is the
partnership between the hospital, the university and other research institutes on the
Cambridge Biomedical Campus that creates an exceptional environment for research
training.
The mission of ACT is to support excellence in care, research and education at CUH.
ACT is committed to the fellowship programme because we believe that fostering the
clinical research leaders of tomorrow at an early stage in their careers will, over time,
lead to more rapid translation of scientific discovery into improvements in healthcare
and human health.
The Charity is now seeking philanthropic support to ensure that the fellowship
programme can be sustained and expanded in the future, providing entry-level
opportunities for the next generation of clinical academics who have the potential to
lead and shape future research for public benefit.
Programme outcomes
The 18 clinical academic fellowships (with medical backgrounds), awarded between
2007 and 2013 were reviewed as part of independent evaluation of the programme
commissioned by ACT. This identified fellowship outputs for 14 fellows including 11
who had completed their fellowships. The evaluation also tracked the post-fellowship
careers of these 11 former fellows. The main findings from this evaluation are
summarised overleaf.
Develop a new generation of
clinical academic researchers
and expand capacity for
translational research in the UK.
The programme has attracted outstanding
individuals and provided them with an entry
point into training for a clinical academic career.
Fellows have won a range of prizes and awards
for their work, demonstrating their qualities and
potential.
Support research projects that
are of patient benefit.
The research undertaken by the fellows has
informed future research towards improved
healthcare through:
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Better understanding of disease
mechanisms
Developing and refining model systems to
study diseases in the laboratory
Generating data to inform the design of
clinical trials
Developing new methodologies and
analytical techniques to diagnose cancers,
assess responsiveness to treatment and
predict prognosis
Tailoring existing therapies to optimise
therapeutic benefit over side effects
Research outputs included an impressive range
of publications in high impact journals and
presentations at conferences.
Position fellows for follow-on
awards that will further develop
their research experience and
potential.
10 out of the 11 former fellows secured awards
for doctoral-level study, including 5 awards from
the Medical Research Council and the
Wellcome Trust.
Capitalise on the exceptional
environment for clinical
research in Cambridge.
9 mentors were Fellows of the Academy of
Medical Sciences.
The evaluation concludes that the CUH setting
excels in meeting the institutional requirements
for research training identified by the Academy
of Medical Science.
The full evaluation and an abbreviated summary report are available on ACT’s
website at: www.act4addenbrookes.org.uk/ResearchFellowships.
A Cambridge Clinical Research Fellowship is not the only entry point available for
those wishing to embark upon a clinical academic career in the UK. The National
Institute for Health Research also funds Academic Clinical Fellowships (NIHR ACF),
a three-year training position to acquire clinical skills including 25% of time allocated
to academic studies. The Cambridge programme differs in intensity, level of
supervision and pace. Cambridge Fellows start their one year with an identified
project and mentor already in place. The proposed project will have been subject to
rigorous peer review through the application process. Fellows are bought-out from
their clinical commitments to allow them to focus on research and to undertake the
preparatory work that will position them for successful applications for highly
competitive follow-on awards. Our evaluation suggests that these attributes of the
Cambridge programme make it attractive to highly-motivated individuals.
Case Studies
Dr John Gounaris won an ACT fellowship in 2010. His research focused on
better understanding the biology of endometrial and ovarian cancer and in
developing disease models for use in the laboratory. This has the potential to
provide new methods for screening and early diagnosis of ovarian cancer in
women at risk. On completion of his ACT Fellowship John secured a prestigious
MRC Clinical Research Training Fellowship to continue his training. John
explained ‘the ACT Fellowship provided me with an opportunity to transition into
research in a fertile ground with interactions between researchers and
clinicians, and better technical knowledge and understanding of the biology
behind the proposed research made my application for a MRC Fellowship more
competitive’.
In 2011, Dr Nicholas Grigoropoulos was selected for the ACT fellowship
programme and worked with Professor Ming Qing Du on a study to discover the
genetic abnormalities of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma – the most common
aggressive lymphoma in the world. On completion of his fellowship, Nicholas
said ‘I’m very pleased to be able to tell you that, in large part thanks to pilot data
that was generated using the ACT fellowship, I have now been awarded full
funding for a three year PhD project. I don’t think this would have been possible
without ACT, and I’m very grateful.’
Dr Elizabeth Wallin was awarded an ACT fellowship in 2011. Her research
focused on how cell biology is altered in autoimmune diseases and generated
new knowledge to predict prognosis and the best ways of using existing
therapies. On completing the fellowship, Elizabeth returned to clinical duties
and then secured a MRC Clinical Research Training Fellowship for a PhD in
renal immunology at the University of Oxford. Elizabeth continues to collaborate
with Cambridge researchers.
Programme Budget
Each Cambridge Clinical Research Fellowship costs in the region of £50,000 per
year, which covers the gross salary costs of the fellow and a sum for research
consumables. In 2015, ACT awarded twelve fellowships that were open to projects in
any field of medicine and health research. ACT awarded fellowships in specific areas
such as surgery and perinatal imaging, bringing the total annual value of the
programme to £471,000.
A fellowship in dermatology is funded from the bequest of Mr Maxwell Charnley, in
whose memory the fellowship is named. A fellowship in perinatal imaging has been
funded for three years by The Evelyn Trust and part funding for other fellowships has
been provided by the Isaac Newton Trust (for 3 years), the Royal College of
Surgeons of England and the Polycystic Kidney Disease Charity. ACT is very grateful
for this support for fellowships in specific fields.
In 2015, nearly half of the funding was provided by the National Institute for Health
Research Biomedical Research Centre (NIHR BRC). The BRCs are based within the
most outstanding NHS and University partnerships in the country and are leaders in
the translation of fundamental biomedical research into clinical research that has a
direct benefit to patients. The BRC’s financial support for the Cambridge Clinical
Research Fellowship Programme is an endorsement of the relevance and quality of
the programme.
ACT has, since 2007, supported the programme from its relatively modest general
funds in order to get it off the ground. Since 2013, additional funding from the NIHR
BRC has made it possible to extend the programme. Now that the value of the
programme has been demonstrated, we are opening up the opportunity for others to
offer their support and be part of the future of medical research. Such support would
allow us to sustain the increased number of fellowships in future years and to include
support tailored to nurses and other health professionals. It would also provide a
necessary safeguard against the possibility that BRC support might not always be
available (the BRC award runs until March 2017 and any renewal of funding will depend
upon the outcome of a national competition).
Donor Engagement and Recognition
Supporters of this programme will be given the opportunity to engage with the
fellowship recipients and their research directly though events, meetings and reports.
They will also be given the opportunity to join the 1766 Club, ACT’s major donor
forum, which exists to acknowledge the support from particularly generous donors,
trusts and foundations, as well as offering opportunities to meet frontline hospital
staff, senior clinicians and hospital leaders on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus as
part of an exciting annual programme (for further information see
www.act4addenbrookes.org.uk/1766Club).
The Cambridge Clinical Research Fellowship Programme also presents a unique
naming right opportunity for those who wish to commit to co-funding a fellowship.
Naming rights will be bestowed in return for a commitment to fund half the cost of a
fellowship for three consecutive years (i.e. £75,000 over the three years). This would
give the funder the opportunity to develop a special relationship with the three
outstanding individuals appointed to the named fellowship over this period.
By harnessing CUH/ACT procedures and administration of the Fellowships, donors
will benefit from
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Having three successive named Cambridge Clinical Research Fellows, selected
through a competitive process from a high-achieving peer group, who will be
working on specific and relevant clinical research projects while supported by
dedicated mentoring by a world-class clinician or scientist from the Cambridge
Biomedical Campus.
Naming rights - donors who commit to fully funding three consecutive research
fellowships will receive long-term recognition in media, printed or online,
produced by ACT.
Being able to specify areas of clinical research they would like to support.
Strong reassurance that your named Cambridge Clinical Research Fellow and
their project have been thoroughly vetted by the multidisciplinary Research
Advisory Committee made up of senior clinicians and scientists at CUH.
Further engagement, whereby ACT will provide regular opportunities to visit the
campus and meet the fellows and learn about the progress of their research at
first hand. Our donors receive regular updates and reports, tailored to their needs
in terms of frequency and level of detail. Furthermore, donors have access to
ongoing tracking procedures, which provides detailed information for the future
evaluation of the programme.
General administrative support provided by ACT, including fulfilling contractual
administration for the programme.
Monitoring and Evaluation
All research fellows are required to produce a full project report on the completion of
their research programme and this will be shared with all fellowship funders. ACT will
also keep all funders regularly updated on progress throughout the duration of the
study.
ACT will continue to monitor and evaluate the research fellowship programme and
track the progress of all research fellowship recipients for a minimum of five years
and report back to funders. ACT will also continually assess the impact of the
programme and regularly gather outcome data to help better understand and
respond effectively to the challenges and opportunities for the CUH clinical academic
workforce.
Please refer to the Appendix for further details about ACT and the Cambridge Clinical
Research Fellowship Programme.
For further information please contact Susanne Owers,
Director of Fundraising at Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT),
on 01223 348462 or by email at susanne.owers@act4addenbrookes.org.uk
Thank you
A/ About ACT
ACT is the working name for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust, the independent
registered charity for Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH comprising
Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie hospitals). ACT is uniquely positioned at the heart of
the Cambridge Biomedical Campus to bring world class research from the lab to the
bedside. We do this by targeting funding on pivotal projects and equipment that can
make a strategic difference to patient diagnosis, care and treatment.
B/ How the Cambridge Clinical Research Fellowship Programme
works in practice
The Cambridge Clinical Research Fellowship Programme provides an entry point to
the clinical research training pathway (see fig.1 below for a typical example for
medical doctors)
Fig. 1: Strategic positioning of Cambridge Clinical Research Fellowships in the clinical
academic training path
Each year, applications are invited through advertisements on the ACT and CUH
websites, through social media and direct email. The call opens in February for
doctors and in April for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals. The
selection of the fellows takes place via a two stage process.
CAMBRIDGE CLINICAL RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME CYCLE
NURSES, MIDWIVES, AHPS
Apr-Oct
Call for applications open
DOCTORS
Feb
Call for applications opens
Coaching sessions
Nov
Applications undergo first stage
peer review
Mar /Apr
Applications undergo first
stage peer review
Dec
Short listed candidates submit full
application
May
Short listed candidates submit
full application
Following
Peer review
June
Jan
candidates interviewed
Feb
Fellows selected
July
Peer review
candidates interviewed
May /
Fellowships begin
Aug
Fellows selected
Sept /Oct
Fellowships begin
June
POST FELLOWSHIP
Experience and pilot data
helps fellows leverage
new major funding
Fellows complete PhD
and continue training
Research findings are
published and translated
into clinical practice for
the benefit of patients
C/ The role of the CUH Research Advisory Committee (RAC)
All applications for research grants (including the Cambridge Clinical Research
Fellowship programme) are reviewed by the CUH Research Advisory Committee
(RAC) which makes recommendations to ACTs Grants Committee. The RAC advises
ACT on the scientific merit, relevance to healthcare and feasibility of all research
projects and also maintains an overview of compliance with requirements for ethical
review. For the fellowships specific criteria are applied such as quality and
dedication of the candidate, quality of the proposed research and supervision and
prospects for securing follow-on funding.
RAC members cover a broad range of clinical and scientific expertise and comprise
50:50 from CUH and University of Cambridge staff. Members serve for four years
(with opportunity for renewal) and the committee is Chaired Dr John Bradley,
Consultant Physician and Nephrologist as well as Director of the NIHR Cambridge
Biomedical Research Centre. The committee meets at least quarterly and is
answerable to CUH’s Research Board.
ACT is very grateful for the dedication and hard work of the committee members,
who bring their extensive knowledge and experience on a voluntary basis.
D/ Members of the Research Advisory Committee
Dr Tracey Assari
Research Governance Co-ordinator, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS
Foundation Trust
Dr John R Bradley (Chair)
Director of National Institute for Health Research, Cambridge Biomedical Research
Centre and Director of Research and Development, Cambridge University Hospitals
NHS Foundation Trust
Dr Richard Baird
Academic Consultant in Breast Cancer Therapeutics, Addenbrooke’s Hospital
Dr Stephen Barclay
HEFCE Clinical Senior Lecturer in General Practice and Palliative Care, General
Practitioner and Honorary Consultant Physician in Palliative Medicine
Professor Andrew Bradley
Kidney Transplant Surgeon and Professor of Surgery, Addenbrooke’s Hospital
Dr Charlotte Coles
Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Addenbrooke’s Hospital
Dr Pippa Corrie
Consultant and Associate Lecturer in Medical Oncology, Addenbrooke’s Hospital
Professor Christi Deaton
Professor of Clinical Nursing Research, Addenbrooke’s Hospital
Professor Ming-Du
Professor of Pathology, University of Cambridge
Professor David Dunger
Professor of Paediatrics, Addenbrooke’s Hospital
Dr Rebecca Fitzgerald
Prof J H Gaston
Foundation Professor of Rheumatology, Addenbrooke’s Hospital
Dr David Gilligan
Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Addenbrooke’s Hospital
Dr Thomas Hiemstra
Senior Clinical Trials Fellow and Honorary Consultant, Addenbrooke’s Hospital
Dr David Jayne
Consultant in Nephrology and Vasculitis at the Department of Clinical Medicine,
Addenbrooke's Hospital
Professor David Lomas
Professor of Clinical MRI, Lead Clinician MRI Services, Department of Radiology,
Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the University of Cambridge
Professor Andrew McCaskie
Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Cambridge
Professor David Menon
Head of the Department of Anaesthesia, Principal Investigator in the Wolfson Brain
Imaging Centre, and Co-Chair of the Acute Brain Injury Programme at the University
of Cambridge.
Dr Elana Provenzano
Clinical Consultant, Addenbrooke’s Hospital
Professor r David Rubinsztein
Professor of Molecular Neurogenetics, University of Cambridge
Professor Gordon Smith
Professor and Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of
Cambridge
Katherine Taylor
Consultant Radiographer, Addenbrooke’s Hospital
Dr Ian Wilkinson
Reader in Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Cambridge and Honorary
Consultant at Cambridge University Hospitals
E/ Evaluation of the Cambridge Clinical Research Fellowship
Programme
The Cambridge Clinical Research Fellowship Programme evaluation and a summary
are available on the ACT website at:
www.act4addenbrookes.org.uk/ResearchFellowships
This evaluation contains details regarding fellows’ research outputs, ‘destination’ (i.e.
next employment or training posting), leveraged funding, awards and other
accolades.