Chinwag Spring 2019

Research news

Welcome to Sheeba Abraham Sheeba is our new matron for the Clinical Research Facility (CRF). Previously she worked as a nurse manager for four years at Manchester Royal Infirmary. Sheeba lives in Withington and enjoys reading books and going for walks in her spare time.

Congratulations to Susan Neeson Congratulations to Susan Neeson who has successfully been accepted onto the first NIHR 70@70 Senior Nurse and Midwife Research Leader programme. There were over 170 applicants

Farewell Elaine In March, we said farewell to Elaine Blowers, lead cancer research nurse and operational director for NIHR CRF at The Christie. Elaine has been at The Christie since 2002 and we wish her well in her retirement.

for this opportunity and we are thrilled that Susan has been recognised for her valuable contribution to clinical research nursing and academic research by being selected. Well done Susan!

CRUK clinical research nurse advisory group

Lorraine Turner has been invited to join the CRUK Clinical Research Nurse Advisory Group to help shape the work it is doing to support research nurses working on cancer clinical trials with their professional and educational needs. Well done Lorraine!

Dr Sian Hanison has been appointed as the operational director of NIHR Manchester CRF at The Christie and will take up her post in May. The post of lead research nurse is still being recruited to.

Exceptional minds are vital to our future success

The Academic Investment Plan (AIP) was developed by The Christie and the University of Manchester to attract and nurture exceptional minds and deliver world-leading cancer research. Funded by The Christie charity, the project has helped helped us win £12m of BRC funding and supported the retention of ‘major centre’ status for the CRUK Manchester Institute as well as other important partnerships and collaborations. Professor Peter Trainer has helped recruit several new faces. He says: “It’s catapulted Manchester into the international spotlight. It’s created untold opportunities for researchers in Manchester and has inspired the brightest homegrown minds to shine. We’ve retained key people through it, and systemic therapy research will benefit from plans to recruit ten new clinical fellows this year.”

David Thomson is one of the consultants who has benefitted from the AIP. “Professor Rob Bristow’s appointment as MCRC Director and Chief Academic Officer for The Christie has created opportunities that simply would not have been realised previously.” “I’ve learned so much from exceptional

people like Marcel Van Herk and Karen Kirkby. The work they are doing will ensure that The Christie has one of the strongest clusters of radiotherapy-related research in the world.” Further recruitment is underway aligned with our research strategy.

David Thomson

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