Communicable Diseases Research Strategy V1 2 website

							          Communicable Diseases Research Strategy

                            April 2011 – March 2012

                                     V1.2 (final)




V1.2 Communicable Diseases Strategy 2011 - 2012       1
1. Introduction

The Directorate of Communicable Diseases which includes the Department of Genitourinary Medicine (GUM),
and the Department of Infection & Tropical Medicine (ID), is widely regarded as being progressive, innovative,
and well-managed, with excellent evidence-based clinical services, and robust finances. The Directorate has
been active in developing their research infrastructure by appointing a number of research nurses, and a
research co-ordinator. There is an established Research Executive Committee which actively promotes and
monitors research activity across the Directorate ensuring it is aligned with the Trust’s and Directorate’s
research strategy. The Directorate includes two University Professors and 3 consultant members of staff who
have Honorary Chairs and an Undergraduate Dean of the Medical School. The Directorate is a major
contributor to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching of Clinical Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and
Genitourinary Medicine in South Yorkshire nationally and internationally.

The Directorate became an Academic Directorate in Autumn 2011.

2. Major Achievements (2010 – 2011)

       During this period the Directorate recruited the 2nd highest numbers of patients into portfolio/industry
        studies in the Trust.
       The Directorate continues to utilize the Clinical Research Facility Infrastructure and is responsible for
             rd
        the 3 highest number of attendees attending the CRF since its inception (appendix 1).

       Professor R C Read is the national chairman of the Infectious diseases and Microbiology specialty
        group of the UK Clinical Research Network, and Prof Read/Dockrell have acted as members of the
        senior advisory panels for the MRC/NIHR/Wellcome Trust and a variety of professional bodies or
        charities, Both have contributed to a number of national guidelines. Professor Read also chairs the
        Local Infectious Diseases and Microbiology specialty group ensuring that the direction taken
        nationally is communicated and implemented locally.

       Prof G.R.Kinghorn is Clinical Director for the South Yorkshire Comprehensive Local Research
        Network (SYCLRN) that provides financial and other infrastructure support for NIHR clinical trials.
        SYCLRN is closely linked to academic, NHS, and industry partners that design and develop
        commercial and non-commercial clinical research, promote equitable patient access to studies in all
        member organisations in the region, and innovative developments in healthcare and service delivery.
       Dr C.A Bowman is a member of GUMNet, a HPA collaboration of sentinel GUMedicine clinics
        participating in enhanced surveillance of HIV and sexually transmitted infections and in research
        around HIV prevention. Dr Bowman is a founding co-lead of South Yorkshire HIV Network (SYHN)
        which was launched in April 2009.

       Dr K.E Rogstad is chair of the Education Committee of the British Association of Sexual Health and
        HIV (BASSH) and represents the Royal College of Physicians (London) and BASHH on evidence
        based reviews and guidelines on children, young people and violence.


       During 2010-11, consultants within the department have continued to lead on significant research
        projects. This resulted in a total of 69 articles being published throughout 2010-11. Members of the
        directorate are also co-authors of national and international clinical practice guidelines.

       The directorate is host to NIHR Academic Clinical Fellows, NIHR Clinical Lecturers, an MRC Clinical
        Training Fellow and a Wellcome Trust Senior Clinical Fellow.

       The directorate participates as an active member of major international and national research
        networks, including ISARIC, INSIGHT, UKCRN


       The directorate is also pioneering public and patient involvement in HIV research through the
        development of Lay Expert Advisory Group for the South Yorkshire HIV Network (LEAP) to ensure
        there is a range of demographic groups involved in setting the research priorities for HIV research
        studies and to ensure patients views are considered for research proposals alongside other Health
        Professionals.


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3. Research Executive Committee

The Communicable Diseases Research Executive Committee was established in 2009 and convenes bi-
monthly. The group reports through the Research Lead (chair) to the Communicable Diseases Directorate
committee ensuring that research continues to be incorporated in the core business of the wider Directorate
agenda.     The group also reports to the STH Research Committee to ensure the research objectives for the
Trust are aligned to those of the Directorate.

Group Representation:

Professor Robert Read                                     Chair (Research Lead for Infectious Diseases)
Dr Christine Bowman                                       Clinical Director/HIV Research Lead for GUM / Co-
                                                          lead South Yorkshire HIV network
Professor George Kinghorn                                 Clinical Director SYCLRN
Professor David Dockrell                                  Research Lead for South Yorkshire HIV Network
Mr Ian Scott                                              Acting General Manager
Ms Flora Swanborough                                      Acting Deputy General Manager
Mr Nigel Leek                                             Directorate Accountant
Mrs Deanne Driscoll                                       Lead Nurse for Research
Mrs Sarah Moll                                            Research Co-ordinator
Mrs Kim Farrell                                           PA in Ian Scott, Deputy General Manager

The Research Executive committee will continue to encourage, support and monitor portfolio and
commercially funded studies and review studies that are not currently funded by these streams. The
committee will assess the potential of studies to be grant funded and ensure such studies support the
directorate’s aim to expand their portfolio/commercial research base in particular to identify opportunities in
translational research.

During 2011 – 12 the Research Executive Committee will further develop their process for reviewing
registration applications for commercial/portfolio/non portfolio studies and continue to encourage recruitment
in particular by the already well established HIV and GUM networks and by the Microbiology and Infection
Local Specialty Group.
.
The committee will continue to review study accrual to ensure target recruitment is met..

The committee ensures there are transparent financial funding streams to support research activity.

The directorate prioritises national research initiatives (e.g. Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health
Research and Care (CLAHRC) and implement locally where appropriate, during the past 12 months it has
successfully engaged with external support services for example the Research Finance team, South
Yorkshire Comprehensive Local Research Network (SYCLRN) Industry team and the NIHR Research Design
Service.

The directorate will continue to forge strong links with the Clinical Research Office (CRO) ensuring the
objectives of the CRO are embedded into existing and future research strategies.

4. Research

The Directorate has considerable experience in enhanced surveillance, service development and evaluation,
basic science and translational research. We have a strong record of translation research at T1 (basic
science applied to clinical settings) through strong links with the University of Sheffield. This involves both
molecular and animal based programmes which are being translated into different patient groups and funds
MRC and Wellcome fellows). There is an established track record of T2 (early phase clinical trials) with a
particular strength in phase 1 vaccine trials (e.g Neisseria lactamica OMV study) and HIV-related and
treatment trials (e.g. novel kinase inhibitors in the treatment of KS). T3 (implementation in patient groups) is
also supported in particular through operational research involving out-patient antimicrobials, diagnostic
testing, sexual health and strategy trials (both MRC and industry). The –Directorate has excellent links to
allied clinical services, diagnostic microbiology, and other support services within the Trust. It also has strong
academic links with the medical school and there is ongoing collaboration with academic microbiological,
GUM and HIV centres in Birmingham, Manchester, Oxford, Liverpool, Leeds, Newcastle, Edinburgh,
Glasgow, London, Brighton Nottingham and York. Nationally, it is a founder member of the Health Protection
Agency (HPA) enhanced surveillance programme (GUMNet), and has been a long-term member of MRC HIV



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Clinical Trials group and the British Cooperative Clinical Group of GUM clinics. The directorate is very active
in commercial clinical trials, both single-centre and multicentre. The Infectious Disease Unit is the largest in
the UK and has assets that support our international-level research. This includes the largest OPAT unit in
England, a large TB and HCV cohort (Trent network), a huge volume of patients with Community infections.
The Directorate of Communicable Diseases is Principal Treatment Centre of a well established mult-
disciplinary HIV network. The network covers a geographical area including South Yorkshire, North
Derbyshire and North Lincolnshire with participants from health and social care, voluntary agency and patient
involvement. SYHN has built up an active research programme which includes examples of translational
research across the continuum from basic science to public health interventions

During 2010/11 Research Theme Leads were nominated to take clinical leadership in the continuation and
development of research in 6 key theme areas. These are:

Theme 1: Hepatitis – Research Leads Dr B Stone, Prof. S T Green and Dr K E Rogstad

Hepatitis C virus (HCV)
The directorate plans to appoint a research nurse and establish systems for patients to be included in the
MRC HCV consortium to ensure comprehensive data entry. Plans will be undertaken to establish the
department as a centre for investigation of new Directly Acting Antiviral agents and potential funding will be
sought from Industry. Discussions with a number of industry partners are already advanced with planned
participation in new trials of antivirals in the management of HCV. Work will also be undertaken to evaluate
the psychological aspects related to hepatitis C infection and management, funding will be sought from one of
the NIHR funding streams following guidance from the Research Design Service. Qualitative research will
investigate the reasons for non engagement with clinical services and define possible solutions, again funding
will be sought from one of the NIHR pilot funding streams. Additional research will be undertaken to elicit the
role of sexual health services in the identification of new Hepatitis C cases and re-infection in GUM attendees.
These initiatives contribute to our T3 research portfolio.
Hepatitis B
During 2011/12 the directorate will develop and evaluate educational programmes for public and health care
workers about hepatitis B in English and other languages.

Theme 2: Severe Community Infections – Research Lead, Professor D H Dockrell

This theme builds on extensive collaboration across the University through the Florey -Centre for Infectious
Diseases and utilises research from both within the medical school with strong links to respiratory medicine,
neurology, human metabolism and oncology. This involves a series of T1 projects underpinned by strong
animal research. The directorate has one clinical fellow working on cardiovascular complications of pulmonary
infection. This project will be developed for a fellowship application to MRC/NIHR or charity (Wellcome
Trust/British Heart Foundation.          Researchers within the directorate are also commencing studies to
characterise viral infections in the community and in immunocompromised patients; it is anticipated that this
will lead to future NIHR bids.
Researchers will continue to utilise the MRC-ABPI consortium to develop immunomodulatory studies for
select groups of patients with respiratory infection. The initial aim will be to renew the MRC funding in 2012
but investigators will use this to leverage further industry support.

This theme incorporates portfolio funded experimental medicine (T2) studies including for example lactamica
2, a unique experimental challenge involving 300 human volunteers (commencing October 2011.
Researchers will also apply for a translational award (Wellcome or NIHR) to exploit discoveries on
Tetraspanin biology

This theme is also heavily involved in T3 studies of therapeutic strategy and diagnostics. Particular emphasis
will be to ensure effective recruitment to clinical trials and continue to recruit industry trials to Sheffield.
Currently there are four clinical trials involving Influenza and TB (MRC and GSK) commencing this year and
the directorate will continue to bid for further industry trials.

An NIHR application will also be made to study the role of VZV infection in the pathogenesis of stroke.

Theme 3: Vaccines – Research Lead, Professor R C Read



V1.2 Communicable Diseases Strategy 2011 - 2012                                                               4
Vaccine research within the directorate is a major contributor to commercial funding within the trust and to the
research activity of the Clinical Research Facility and the SYCLRN. In the coming year we will complete a
major study of meningitis vaccines (CARRIAGE) which is a study that has featured nationally as a beacon for
NIHR – commercial partnership research.

During 2011/12 vaccines research will focus on the completion of an experimental human challenge study to
provide a backbone of future translational research. A Research Training Fellowship application will be
submitted based upon this work by an NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow.

This theme is key to our T2 strategy. Researchers will apply for funding from major Pharma including Pfizer
and Novartis for new generation protein based Meningitis vaccines – phase II/III clinical trials.. This theme
also builds on the links from T1 studies in collaboration with University researchers in particular Profs Read
and Heath.

Theme 4: HIV – Research Leads, Dr C A Bowman, Professor D H Dockrell

HIV research bridges each of the translational gaps and also involves the Directorate with a South Yorkshire
– wide HIV Clinical Research Network (SYHN). There are strong links to the University and T1 activity
including with human metabolism, oncology and respiratory medicine. There is currently one MRC funded
clinical fellow working on pulmonary infection in HIV. During 2011/12 researchers will develop this project’s
translational potential. An NIHR/Industry application will also be submitted to build on pilot work on metabolic
bone disease in HIV-seropositive individuals with Prof. McCloskey. Fellowship applications will be made as
guided by collection of preliminary data relating to immunological features of HIV and complications of
therapy.
There is a strong track record of T2 activity including a Sheffield led multi-centre phase 1 study of a novel
kinase inhibitor, targeting MEK in the treatment of Kaposis sarcoma (KS) in collaboration with oncology (Prof
P J Woll and Dr. R Young) Other phase I/ 2 studies include a recent multi-centre HIV vaccine trial which we
participated in and others are in discussion.

T3 involvement includes industry/charity bids - to conduct pilot work on neurological disease and the
psychological input of HIV and also to support novel diagnostic approaches in select patient groups, in
association with the neurosciences directorate and academic clinical psychology.

We are also involved in Industry and MRC/INSIGHT trials of antiretroviral therapy. Particular emphasis will be
on effective recruitment to two clinical trials funded by the MRC and Industry commencing over the next three
months; with the aim of securing involvement in further clinical trials supported by MRC/Industry.

The spread of infection will be developed as researchers continue to support the national collection of data for
the DoH and -HPA and also build local knowledge with innovative phylogenetic approaches. Bids have been
submitted to support phylogenetic testing to explore non-African heterosexual HIV transmission networks in
order to better identify testing and prevention in this population.

A further T3 initiative involves novel approaches to testing for HIV to increase uptake of diagnostic tests as
well as INSIGHT/MRC studies to improve diagnosis of TB in dual infected individuals

Theme 5: Sexual Health and Public Health, Research Leads, Dr C A Bowman, Ms G Bell

During 2011/12 there will be enhanced STI surveillance, in a variety of collaborative studies with HPA, to
assess incidence and prevalence of STIs, antimicrobial resistance profiles in gonorrhoea (GRASP).(Funding
HPA/DH). There will be a National multicentre sexual health collaborative study with psychology ( CI Prof
Pauline Slade) to improve adherence to contraception, and a funding bid has been submitted to the HTA.
Colleagues from both GUM and Sheffield Contraception and Sexual health service (SCASH) will be
participating in this study.

This theme is particularly strong in work associated with the T3 gap.
Current NIHR HPV research is investigating the treatment costs and psychological effects of genital warts
through the NIHR portfolio adopted QOLIGEN study. The results of this study will contribute to the future



V1.2 Communicable Diseases Strategy 2011 - 2012                                                               5
choice of vaccine for the national HPV immunisation programme. There is also a multi-centre study to
investigate the uptake and completion of HPV vaccine in adolescents.
GUM is collaborating with Brighton GUM in a phase 3 portfolio adopted study of treatment for Pelvic
Inflammatory Disease (PID)
Collaborative research involving GUM, SCASH, Centre for HIV and sexual health (CHIV), Public Health and
School of Health and related Research (SCHARR) will be undertaken to assess the impact on patient access,
service delivery and cost effectiveness of the integration of sexual health and HIV services.

During 2011/12 researchers will explore the feasibility and acceptability of screening for domestic and sexual
violence in sexual health services.

Researchers will also explore local epidemiology of heterosexual HIV infection in South Yorkshire through
phylogenetic testing. The option of HIV testing by home sampling oral swab kits for partners of known HIV
patients who decline outpatient attendance will be investigated in a study funded by Gilead Fellowship of UK
and Ireland

Researchers will participate in a national GUMNet collaborative study to identify strategies for the reduction of
HIV transmission including pre-exposure prophylactic use of antiretroviral drugs (PreP) and behavioural
change interventions (funding -HPA plus other sponsorship to be confirmed).
In addition a multicentre study to determine the prevalence of HIV infection in women attending colposcopy
clinics across an HIV clinical network in a low population prevalence area and research to determine the
prevalence of undiagnosed HIV infection in women attending an abortion service are planned and seeking
funding

The directorate is actively involved in developing and evaluating its educational programmes for health care
workers on STIs, partner-notification, and one to one interventions to prevent teenage conceptions and STIs
and will continue to develop this work during 2011/12.

The department will continue with its involvement in a British Paediatric Surveillance NIHR study on STIs in
children.

Health promotion and prevention work will involve the assessment of one to one interventions to reduce STIs
and novel approaches to partner notification and management.

Theme 6: Outpatient Parenteral Antibiotic Therapy (OPAT) and Operational Research – Research
Lead, Dr A Chapman

This theme is also focused on the T3 gap. During 2011/12 there will be further development and testing of a
scoring system based on clinical parameters for predicting duration of intravenous therapy for cellulitis: this
scoring system has been developed and tested on a small number of patients, and has clear operational
benefits. This work needs to be extended to a larger group and used in a controlled study, funding will be
sought from the NIHR, Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) programme.

Researchers will seek NIHR funding for a prospective randomised controlled study of different treatment
strategies for Staphylococcus aureus discitis: initial review of a case series suggests that the huge majority of
patients do well on antibiotic therapy and it would be useful to examine the clinical effectiveness of a shorter
(6 week) antibiotic course, as compared to the more standard 12 weeks.

NIHR funding will also be sought for research to examine the incidence of Clostridium difficile diarrhoea after
OPAT: this is a very poorly studied area and researchers plan to initiate a prospective study with dedicated
funding to examine this. In addition there are plans to continue to develop ongoing work, for example on
retention of training in self-administration for OPAT, a qualitative study of the patient experience, and
investigation of venous thromboembolism risk in OPAT patients. Funding for the latter will be sought from the
RfPB programme.

5. Collaboration with External Partners

The Directorate has close links with the city’s universities; there are 2 academic Professors in the University
of Sheffield and 2 consultants have personal chairs at the University of Sheffield and 1 has a personal chair at



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Sheffield Hallam University and an Undergraduate Dean. It is anticipated that these links will be particularly
beneficial to the joint working promoted by the Clinical Research Office.

Members of the GUM department participate in the Sheffield Sexual Health Network, the purpose of which is
to bring together key agencies across the city to oversee the delivery of the national sexual health and HIV
strategy, during 2011/12 the directorate will continue to develop the sexual health outreach service; to
strengthen links to public health and associated research.

The South Yorkshire HIV network, led by Dr Christine Bowman (GUM lead) and Dr Julia Grieg (ID Lead).
Research Lead – Professor DH Dockrell is a potent resource for research activity and revenue. A high
percentage of HIV patients in clinical trials are in MRC sponsored studies. The HIV network links up with other
centres for studies of treatment, bone disease, respiratory infection, neurocognitive dysfunction and Kaposi’s
sarcoma.

The Directorate provides high quality clinical care to an increasing number of HIV positive patients. Over 750
patients attended the HIV service in 2010. Similar numbers of patients attended primarily through the
Genitourinary Medicine and Infectious Diseases departments. Close collaboration around the clinical
management of HIV patients and associated teaching, training and research exists between ID and GUM.

Development of South Yorkshire HIV clinical network began in December 2008. Sheffield is the Principal
Treatment Centre. SYHN includes multi-disciplinary health, social care, management, voluntary sector &
patient representation from Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Doncaster, Bassetlaw, Chesterfield & Lincoln. It
spans geographical areas across South Yorkshire, North Nottinghamshire, and North Lincolnshire and is
based on existing contractual commitments of GU Medicine physicians working in both Sheffield Teaching
Hospitals and other district general hospitals. Over 1400 patients attend for HIV care across the network.
Already, our collaborative approach has improved equity of access to high quality multi-disciplinary HIV health
& social care across the region by facilitating appropriate discussion and referral of difficult cases. The
Network will continue to develop improved access to audit, research and training.

During 2011/12 the HIV network will continue to develop the lay expert advisory panel (LEAP) for the SYHN.
It is anticipated membership of this panel will include patients from a range of demographic groups, partners/
carers of People living with HIV (PLWH) or those with a social network heavily affected by HIV, members of
the HIV voluntary sector. The panel will be facilitated by an HIV Research nurse or clinical nurse specialist
who can act as a bridge between the panel and the clinicians/ researchers.

Professor R Read is the national chairman of the Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Specialty group for
the UKCRN, chairing a steering committee of 26 leads from national Comprehensive Local Research
Networks. The responsibility of this group is to assign portfolio status, to monitor accrual and develop clinical
research collaborations. This group influences the direction of the Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
Local Specialty Group (LSG) also chaired by Professor Read. The aim of the LSG is to ensure that there is
collaboration between researchers across Microbiology and Infection throughout South Yorkshire. It is the
responsibility of members of this group to also raise awareness and understanding of the NIHR Clinical
Research Networks and support systems available to researchers. The group is responsible for regularly
reviewing the NIHR portfolio database ensuring that opportunities for multi-centre applications to portfolio
studies are explored.      These groups will continue to work closely with the CLRN management team
contributing to decisions on resource allocation across the CLRN and the processes for ensuring that funding
is being used strategically and for the purposes intended.




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6. Personnel

The Directorate has a well established group of 6 part-time Research Specialist Nurses to support research
studies taking place. There are also 2 Nurse Consultants who are leading on research studies involving HIV
partner testing by saliva home sampling and assessing why clients miss appointments in the hepatitis C
outreach clinics. The Directorate will continue to utilise portfolio nurses through the Clinical Research Facility
to help increase recruitment into studies. Through previous studies that have already taken place within the
CRF there is a designated team of CRF nurses supporting Researchers in clinical settings across the
Directorate ensuring eligible participants are identified and invited to take part in research studies.

The Directorate appointed a Research Co-ordinator in January 2010. The post-holder currently aids
investigators through the Research Governance and Ethics process and is also responsible for highlighting
funding opportunities to investigators and ensuring that investigators receive the appropriate support and
advice for successful research funding applications. The Research Co-ordinator is based within the Research
department and is actively involved in the development of the Clinical Research Office as a representative of
the Directorate. Due to the directorate constantly striving to improve its processes a Research Administrator
post is currently being considered, it is anticipated the post-holder will concentrate on monitoring the
submission of accrual data for portfolio/industry studies to ensure accrual captured on national systems is
accurate and the income generated from these studies is re-assigned to the directorate.


7. Undergraduate and Postgraduate teaching

The Directorate is a major contributor to teaching of medical undergraduates through phase I – 4 of the
medical curriculum. Members of the directorate oversee the teaching of Clinical Microbiology, Infectious
Diseases and Genitor-Urinary Medicine. Sheffield is a major centre for post-graduate training in infectious
diseases and in Genito-Urinary Medicine. Over the next 12 months the directorate will be taking on further
phase II students. There are 14 SpR training posts across the directorate and both foundation doctors and
core medical trainees and General Practice Trainees rotate through the departments.

In Genito-urinary Medicine, undergraduate teaching is supervised by an Honorary University Reader in
Medical Education, Dr Martin Talbot, who is also one of the few Senior Fellows in the country of the UK
Higher Education Academy. As a member of council and the executive, and recently Policy Lead, of the
Association for Medical Education and an education visitor/associate of the GMC, Dr Talbot is intimately
involved with developments in medical education, nationally and at the University of Sheffield.

Dr Rogstad as chair of BASHH Education Committee is responsible for delivering educational programmes
nationally on STIs and HIV for doctors, nurses and allied professionals. She has overall responsibility for the
Sexually Transmitted Infection Foundation which includes the development and implementation of an
innovative competency based assessment and training programme aimed at specialist nurses and non-
specialist doctors. She is also responsible for National Learning Management System the development of the
sexual abuse module of the Department of Health (NLMS) section on sexual health and HIV (eHIV-STI); she
is also an Undergraduate Dean of the University of Sheffield Medical School.


Academic training

Members of the directorate are academic supervisors of NIHR Academic Clinical Fellows and Clinical
Lecturers in Infectious diseases. Since 2007 the directorate has supervised 4 ACFs and 2 NIHR Clinical
Lecturers in ID/Virology. The directorate currently includes 1 Medical Research Council Research Training
Fellow.

The Directorate provides ongoing programmes of education and training to staff working across different
organisations and agencies. High quality teaching sessions are delivered to various pre and post registration
courses on topics relating to infection. Members of the directorate have teaching commitments with the
University and present at a national level. In addition, the Directorate has provided leadership in the
development of a National Competency based teaching and assessment programme for nurses and doctors,
which it also delivers. Nurse Consultants in the Directorate are national leaders in their field for teaching
nurses, doctors, and other health care providers on their specialist areas

The directorate works closely with the STH R&D department and the SYCLRN to ensure that all medical
trainees and many nurses are GCP trained to facilitate their participation in clinical trials


V1.2 Communicable Diseases Strategy 2011 - 2012                                                                 8
Nurse training

The Directorate has provided leadership in the development of a National Competency-based teaching and
assessment programme for nurses and doctors, which it also delivers. Nurse Consultants in the Directorate
are national leaders in their field for teaching nurses, doctors, and other health care providers on their
specialist areas.

The Lead Nurse and Research Co-ordinator have organised workshops for nursing staff across the
Directorate to help promote and encourage staff to develop their own research ideas and/or become more
involved in research studies across the Directorate. It is anticipated this work will be rolled out further to other
Health Professionals within the department.

8. 2011/12 Objectives

       To appoint an Academic Director and deputy
       Further development of our translational research portfolio exploiting our recent T1 discoveries in
        association with our academic and commercial partners.
       Further development of patient involvement in study design and research governance through the
        establishment of LEAP.
       Develop a new generation of clinical researchers as part of its educational and training roles
       To further encourage participation in commercial and portfolio studies by StRs, nurses and AHPs.
       To further develop the Microbiology and Infection Local Specialty Group.
       Continue to work closely with the SYCLRN, engaging with their newly created Industry team to help
        attract more commercial studies into the Directorate.
       Ensure robust Directorate level financial systems exist which are reconciled with research activity and
        costs
       To implement robust methods to measure research activity such as numbers recruited to portfolio
        studies and identify, as early as possible, studies under-recruiting to target.
       Further develop links with the Clinical Research Office, research funding agencies and industrial
        partners.
       To develop an annual Directorate Research Day to showcase current research.
       To nurture research collaborations with other groups in Oncology, Neurosciences, Psychology and
        Public Health. To explore other opportunities for collaborative research.


    9. Development of the infrastructure of Communicable Diseases as an Academic Directorate

    To build upon the strengths of Communicable Diseases as a highly research active Directorate, the
    following central support is required:

       Priority access to Flexible and Sustainable Funding allocations
       A Trust supported programme of development for clinical research leads
       Obtain research PAs for research active clinical staff
       Develop research training amongst nursing staff particularly with respect to (a) MSc and PhD
        studentships and (b) joint appointments with nursing academic departments at the Universities.




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