HHTU News Roundup

New Summer Staff

The HHTU had 4 members of staff in 2019 and now we are a team of 22! This summer alone we welcomed 4 new members of staff. Each one comes from a different work background and brings a wealth of different knowledge and experiences. Our 4 new summer starters are two Data Managers and two Trial Coordinators.

Laura and Beccy are our two new Data Managers who will be building the databases for our studies on our electronic data capture system along with the testing and reporting that goes alongside this. Laura has joined us from a similar role at Newcastle Clinical Trials Unit and Beccy also has a data management background but has moved from a higher education provider in Hull. 

Amy and Charlotte are our two new Trials Coordinators who will be supporting our Trial Managers with the set up, running and monitoring of our studies. Charlotte has a nursing background and has moved from a research nurse role in the Rheumatology team within Hull University Teaching Hospitals. Amy was a senior clinical trials assistant in the Research and Innovation department at St James’ Hospital in Leeds.

HHTU have been so pleased to welcome them to the team and their experiences have already been proven to be extremely useful and will only strengthen the team.

In future recruitment news, January will see us welcoming a much needed Quality Assurance Manager. We expect that more staff will be needed in the not too distant future so keep your eye out on the University of Hull job pages for vacancies or email hhtuenquries@hyms.ac.uk to enquire.

STARLIT received MHRA Approval

After a long wait STARLIT 2 has now received MHRA approval! STARLIT is a 3 stage programme that aims to develop ways to diagnose adrenal insufficiency by measuring cortisol in saliva samples which will lead to needle-free testing. The second study within STARLIT will be comparing the blood sample test to the needle-free test in healthy adults and children. The HHTU team are now beavering away to get the study open for recruitment.

HHTU News Roundup

HHTU Director made Professor

Judith’s hard work and knowledge successfully and continually brings in more and more research to the University. As well as this she leads the module Bench to Bedside II, Clinical Trials in the Msc Pharmacology and Drug Development and is a PhD supervisor.

The process to become a professor is a huge undertaking in itself and a huge achievement. All the staff at the Hull Health Trials Unit are very proud of our Director.

Other Promotions

As well as the HHTU Director two of our close collaborators were also promoted. Dr Maureen Twiddy was promoted to Reader and Dr Micheal Crooks to Professor. Maureen is the Methods Hub Lead and the HHTU work closely with her for many of our studies. Mike is the principal investigator for many of our respiratory studies. Congratulations to them both.

MABEL Protocol Paper Published

The protocol paper for the NIHR Health Technology Assessment MABEL Trial has been published in the ERJ open (click here to view it). Chronic breathlessness, a persistent and disabling symptom despite optimal treatment of underlying causes, is a frightening symptom with serious and widespread impact on patients and their carers. Clinical guidelines support the use of morphine for the relief of chronic breathlessness in common long-term conditions, but questions remain around clinical effectiveness, safety and longer term (>7 days) administration. MABEL is looking to evaluate the effectiveness of low-dose oral modified-release morphine in chronic breathlessness.

PRE-DX at 3/4 Recruitment

The PRE-DX Study‘s aim is to recruit 330 patients newly diagnosed with breast cancer to participate in the study from 20 different hospitals around the UK. Recruitment will end in November 2023 so reaching the 3/4 recruitment stage is a big step to reaching the goal.

MOI-A received MHRA Approval

The MOI-A study has received MHRA approval this month. The MOI-A Study is to establish the effective dose of losartan in older adolescents and adults who have Osteogensis Imperfecta. The research is funded by the United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) as part of the REMEDI4ALL EU Horizon platform and will be working with sites in both the UK and Italy.