Job overview

 Applications are invited for a clinical research fellow (CRF) for 24 months  as 0.8 whole time equivalent position at ST4+ onwards to support the local recruitment of babies with moderate-severe hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) to a Phase I neonatal neuroprotection trial.

The ACUMEN Study is an international, multicentre Phase I, non-randomised dose escalation neonatal trial funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC). The Primary objectives are:

1. Safety Profile Assessment: to assess the safety profile of melatonin across all dose levels being studied based on the occurrence of dose-limiting events (DLE).
2. The attainment of putative therapeutic plasma melatonin levels (in the range of 15-30mg/L) across dose levels being studied.
3. The attainment of putative ethanol safety (BAC levels < 0.25g/L) across dose levels being studied.

To identify the recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D).

Babies with moderate-severe HIE who are eligible for therapeutic hypothermia will be recruited from ten tertiary neonatal units in London (UCLH, Royal London Hospital), Manchester, Edinburgh, Dublin (Coombe and Rotunda Hospitals), Cork, Sheffield, Melbourne (Monash Medical Centre) and Adelaide. 

This post is suitable for a paediatric or neonatal trainee, holding an allocated NTN number or equivalent looking to develop research experience and complete a higher degree.

Main duties of the job

Professor Nikki Robertson and Dr Ajit Mahaveer will provide research and clinical supervision to the successful applicant. The CRF position is funded for a period of 24 months. The research time will give the successful applicant an opportunity to pursue research studies related to neonatal neuroprotection and neurocritical care. It is likely that this work at the cutting edge of neonatal research will lead to presentations in national and international meetings and publications in peer reviewed journals. For those who wish, completion of a higher degree could be possible.

Applicants must possess a minimum of six months of previous experience in Neonates at the Tier 2 level, and a full MRCPCH or equivalent level is mandatory. While this post is not accredited for training purposes, it may be appropriate for a trainee seeking Out-of- Programme opportunities for research or experience. The trainee must secure approval for OOP(R)/OOP(E) from their Postgraduate Dean.

Working for our organisation

MFT is England’s largest NHS Trust with a turnover of £3bn & is on a different scale than most other NHS Trusts. We’re creating an exceptional integrated health & social care system for the 1 million patients who rely on our services every year.

Bringing together 10 hospitals & community services from across Manchester, Trafford & beyond, we champion collaborative working & transformation, encouraging our 30,000 workforce to pursue their most ambitious goals. We set standards that other Trusts seek to emulate so you’ll benefit from a scale of opportunity that is nothing short of extraordinary.

We’ve also created a digitally enabled organisation to improve clinical quality, patient & staff experience, operational effectiveness & driving research and innovation through the introduction of Hive; our brand-new Electronic Patient Record system which we’ve launched in September 2022.

We’re proud to be a major academic Research Centre & Education provider, providing you with a robust infrastructure to encourage and facilitate high-quality research programmes. What’s more, we’re excited to be embarking on our new Green Plan which will set out how MFT continues to play its part in making healthcare more sustainable.

At MFT, we create and foster a culture of inclusion and belonging, provide equal opportunities for career development that are fair, open and transparent, protecting your health and wellbeing, and shaping the future of our organisation together.