NIHR Leicestershire & Northamptonshire Commercial Research Delivery Centre (CRDC)

The recent Northampton Commercial Research Collaboration Forum was a great success!   Key stakeholders from across the research system came together to:   - Showcase current commercial research activity - Share challenges, insights, and successes - Explore opportunities for stronger collaboration - Strengthen partnerships between the NHS, academia, and industry   It was well attended by colleagues from across Northampton, Northamptonshire, and Leicester, with plenty of opportunity for collaboration and networking. Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive.   The CRDC was represented by our Deputy Clinical Directors, Professor Azhar Zafar and Dr Sree Thayalasekaran, and Dr Emma Redman, Research Partnerships and Collaborations Lead. Their presence added further value to the event.   Thank you to the Primary Care Research Hub for hosting this in collaboration with Danes Camp Surgery Research & Training Academy (one of our primary care sites), and to Daaichi-Sankyo, A. Menarini and Cipla for part-sponsoring it.   We are also grateful to all the organisations who delivered excellent presentations, including:   - NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research) - University of Leicester - University of Northampton - University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group - Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust - Several primary care sites   Thank you to everyone who contributed to this forum. Events like this help to build a more connected, efficient, and commercially attractive research ecosystem.

We are delighted to announce that the CRDC: Leicestershire and Northamptonshire team at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust has successfully recruited the first UK patient for a clinical trial focused on type 2 diabetes and obesity. They have also randomised the first UK patients into this and two other trials within the same programme and secured the EU first randomisation for one of the trials. Congratulations to all involved for these outstanding achievements. These milestones follow other recruitment successes in recent weeks, including a global first patient, and are testament to the dedication and expertise of our research delivery teams. CRDC UK Network #CommercialResearch #ResearchDelivery #ObesityResearch #FirstPatient #ResearchSuccess

Pinfold Medical Practice in #Loughborough has successfully become a site for a commercially sponsored migraine study through the NIHR Leicestershire & Northamptonshire Commercial Research Delivery Centre (CRDC). When local prescribing guidance created uncertainty around study delivery, the practice worked collaboratively with the study sponsor, CRDC partners and the NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB medicines optimisation team to find a solution. The outcome not only enabled Pinfold Medical Practice to participate in the study but also opened the door for other primary care research centres across LLR to deliver it. This achievement highlights the vital role of primary care in commercial research and demonstrates how collaboration, innovation and local expertise can help bring research opportunities closer to patients. Read the full article below ⬇️

Congratulations to Nazarin Ziad, who recently secured a new role as an Associate Clinical Research Practitioner (CRP) at the Leicester Diabetes Centre - with the help of the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust Research Experience Programme (REP). Find out how the programme supported her career development and interest in clinical research 👇

Research changes lives. It is only through research that we can develop better treatments and care, as well as improve diagnosis and prevention. So, on Research Appreciation Day, we’d like to say thank you to all our research colleagues. Through your hard work, we can bring new ideas, treatments and innovations to life in order to improve patient experiences and outcomes. Today is also a chance to celebrate the research participants involved in the development of new medicines, treatments and care pathways. Your contribution ensures that research is designed for those that most need it and gives hope to future generations by supporting breakthroughs in healthcare. #ResearchAppreciationDay

It feels incredible to see these achievements come to fruition. For months, we've been working closely with sponsors to identify the right #CRDC and NHS sites for their study portfolios, providing robust feasibility assessments, clear EOI pathways, and valuable key opinion leader input. This month feels like a real turning point. We're starting to see the tangible impact of that hard work, but none of it would be possible without the dedication, expertise and determination of the delivery and governance teams across our CRDCs— just like the one at NIHR Leicestershire & Northamptonshire Commercial Research Delivery Centre (CRDC) We’re excited to share continued improvements in study set-up times and recruitment metrics across the CRDC UK Network in the months ahead, so keep an eye out. A huge thank you as well to all of our industry partners for their collaboration and support in helping us achieve these milestones. Congratulations once again to the team at NIHR Leicestershire & Northamptonshire Commercial Research Delivery Centre (CRDC) who successfully got their site up and running and beat sites in Canada by making the most of a narrow two-hour window of opportunity. An outstanding achievement and a testament to what can be accomplished through teamwork, commitment and focus.

We are delighted to share that the CRDC: Leicestershire and Northamptonshire team at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust has this week consented the first participant globally into a clinical trial in obesity. This achievement continues a run of exceptional recruitment successes. The successful identification, screening, consenting and recruitment of this participant reflects the expertise and determination of our research delivery teams, supported by the invaluable national coordination and leadership provided by colleagues across the CRDC UK Network. A huge thank you to everyone involved. To achieve a UK first, EU first and now a Global First in two weeks is a remarkable accomplishment. It demonstrates the impact that can be achieved when research delivery teams and Network colleagues work together to bring innovative research opportunities to local people. Congratulations to all who made this success possible. #CommercialResearch #ResearchDelivery #ObesityResearch #GlobalFirst #ResearchSuccess

Thank you to the patient and public involvement contributors who took part in a workshop to generate ideas for the appearance of a new mobile research unit (MRU). The MRU is a vehicle that will bring research to local people across Leicestershire and Northamptonshire, making it easier for members of all communities to take part in research. The group came up with brilliant suggestions for names, colours, imagery, and slogans. We look forward to turning these thoughts into draft designs and bringing the MRU to life. Research at Leicester's Hospitals, Gail Melvin

Congratulations to Fin Turner, Senior Specialist Research Dietician, who has been nominated for a BEE (Being Excellent Everyday) award by a research participant. The participant said: “Finley has such a warm and friendly personality – he's incredibly knowledgeable, approachable, and always makes you feel comfortable and never judged, which made being his client a really positive experience.” Fin supports participants involved in research into potential new weight loss treatments. His role involves providing lifestyle counselling, supporting behaviour change, and ensuring the delivery of carefully designed dietary interventions within clinical trials. He also plans and monitors standardised meals and assessments, contributing to high-quality data collection and patient care. This is the second time in the last year Fin has received a nomination from a participant, and is testament to his compassionate, patient-centred approach.

Last Saturday 20 June, the NIHR Public Involvement Summer Festival – jointly organised by ourselves, the Leicester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and the Leicester Clinical Research Facility (CRF) - celebrated the people behind research. This event shone a spotlight on the crucial role public contributors play in shaping health and care research across Leicester and beyond. It also gave visitors the chance to learn more about ongoing research and meet the people behind it. The festival included hands-on demonstrations, health and wellbeing activities, health and research-themed games, and opportunities to speak directly with researchers about their work. Our stall featured a myth-busting activity to challenge common misconceptions about commercial research. This was popular amongst attendees, and we hope it encourages more people from the local community to get involved in research. This was a fantastic celebration of public involvement’s vital role in research – thank you to everyone who attended! Research at Leicester's Hospitals