Research committee meeting: Wednesday June 8th 2011
Present
John Reynolds
Bruce Hendry
Mark Taylor
Mark Dockrell
Lars Erwig
Julie Williams
Claire Sharpe
Moin Saleem
Fiona Karet (chair)
Apologies
Robert Kleta
Magdi Yaqoob
Colin Baigent
Emanuele del’Angelantonio
1. Committee membership and terms of reference (RA rule: no more than 6 years)
Drs Julie Williams, Tim Johnson, Paul Roderick and Moin Saleem are due to stand down as
they have completed the maximum 6 years on the committee. Many thanks to them for all
their hard work.
Drs. Claire Sharpe and Emanuele del’Angelantonio are joining the committee, and Dr Jill
Norman was proposed as a replacement for Dr. Williams. ?Rachel Lennon to replace Moin.
The aim of the committee is to facilitate research - not regulate! Areas of activity of members
in terms of re-thinking the committee are:
Claire
in vitro, in vivo, and clinical
Mark D
in vitro
John
in vivo
Mark T
clinical and RD
Lars
in vitro and early drug development
Fiona
in vitro, in vivo
2. Research database
No update was available at the meeting. Earlier this year an additional funding amount was
approved by the Academic Affairs Board so that Bogdan might finish ironing out some
software glitches. However he has neither been able to do this nor submitted any invoices. It
was agreed that the database had great potential for information sharing and collaborative
efforts. (after the meeting Tim said that Bogdan’s priorities were likely to have hanged but
that he would chase up one last time; this he has done, with a positive response such that a
testable version should be available by the Autumn)
3. Renal Scientists
The working party continues, and is well-represented on this committee and on the Executive.
The new structure of the Research Committee is designed to be more integrative between
basic and clinical sciences.
4. Relationship with UKKRC clinical study groups
It was agreed that duplication of effort was to be avoided! But that the Research Committee
had an important role to play in directing flows of information, which could be updated via
RA website
Updates to the committee included:
 New renal anemia CSG suggested by KRUK following discussions with pharma
 Donal – has possibly achieved pump priming money from DH for 1-2 clinical trials –
phosphate is most likely, also maybe acidosis study
 Desperate need for coordinated R/D and ethics to facilitate clinical trials. The Academy of
Medical Sciences has issued a report on this the DH is being slow to facilitate change. Cf
Scotland where all applications are coordinated via a single central admin.
 Ongoing discussions re including children in clinical trials
5. New/ongoing studies and trials
- Possible study of AKI in the context of PPI therapy (Mike Delaney, Kent) - ?need to discuss
adding hypoMg as this also relates to PPIs. It was also noted there may be a problem of
control ascertainment.
- Phosphate control and vascular outcomes – Shire – David Wheeler and Laurie Tomlinson
are heavily involved.
- Acidosis – following the success of the pilot study this is due to be submitted to NIHR
- 5 –ASA nephropathy – recently publicized via RA.
- HIF stabilizer Iain MacDougall – phase 1 single centre study
6. Rare diseases update
Mark Taylor giving a presentation at the meeting, applications are open for funding for Rare
Disease Working Groups. Quite a lot of interest has been expressed. Mark suggested a
possible workshop on methodology for rare diseases – often small numbers so approaches to
studies may need to be modified. RSM and RCP to be approached as venues (BH).
Noted that ‘first into man’ studies can be done using rare disease phenotypes.
7. AOB
- The question of access to data generated by RA-endorsed studies was raised – might be
especially important for negative studies. Could be via the research database once up and
running, and/or website?
- A tissue bank database would be useful to know who has what, where.
- Trainees wanting advice on research. Often this seems to come (too) late. Noted that the RA
statement on research training is defunct and needs resuscitating. Perhaps getting early
trainees to the RA meeting.
- Noted that new NTN number holders could get 1 free year of membership.
Action FEK to D/W Sue Carr and Paul Winyard (paeds training).
Next meeting
Likely to be by conference call in the Autumn.