NIHR Royal Surrey CRF

Meet the Team - James Ratcliff, PPIEP Lead

"Many people think that clinical research is about scientists and doctors, working in laboratories and conducting experiments. It really isn’t. Research is something we all should be involved in, and something we all need to be aware of. At the NIHR Royal Surrey CRF we are working to solve some of society’s biggest healthcare challenges, and we can’t do that without the help and support of the people affected by those challenges – which is to say, everybody. There is no-one in our community who doesn’t stand to benefit from clinical research. It is my job at the CRF to make sure that the public and our participants are always at the centre of the work we do, and their voices are never lost. It is in many ways an easy job, because I am surrounded by wonderful colleagues who share that commitment."

Meet the Team - James Woolley, Clinical Manager

"I have worked in clinical research for over 15 years and continue to find it a challenging and rewarding part of healthcare. I enjoy the wide variety of work involved, and being part of the NIHR Royal Surrey CRF provides great opportunities to collaborate on important early phase research."

Meet the Team - Dr Hana Hassanin, Director of the NIHR Royal Surrey CRF and Director of the University of Surrey CRF

"We are focused on developing cutting-edge solutions for treating sleep and circadian disturbances," says Professor Dijk, Professor of Sleep and Physiology at the University of Surrey and Group Leader for Sleep and Circadian Rhythms at the UK Dementia Research Institute. "We are always aiming to improve the lives of people living with dementia - half of whom, we estimate, struggle with sleep-related issues."

Prof Dijk's comments mark World Alzheimer's Day on 21 September and build on the life-changing research delivered by the Surrey Sleep Research Centre (as part of the broader work of the UK Dementia Research Institute).

Meet the Team - Brittany Rex, Operations Manager

Meet the Team – Eloise Chatfield, Clinical Research Nurse

"As a clinical nurse with an oncology and specialist palliative care background I have worked across various medical settings, only recently moving into research. I have always been attracted to working in research, with a real interest in cancer studies. This passion is not only to work beside medical professionals, but alongside people living with cancer. Research could be a new part of their journey and although it may be unfamiliar, it can be rewarding and promising to the future of research in cancer care.
I thoroughly enjoy the caring aspect of nursing, being able to take the time to listen and speak to patients and their families whilst supporting them in any way I can continues to be a privilege for me.

I am thrilled to be a part of the NIHR Royal Surrey CRF team, where every colleague possess’ a different skill and background, all of which contribute to the forward-thinking and enthusiastic team dynamic. Having previously worked at the RSCH I have built a good rapport with many teams there; I look forward to working in a collaborative effort to share our skill sets to support and deliver the best research possible."

Meet the Team - Laura Montague, Clinical Research Practitioner

“I've worked as a Clinical Research Practitioner for the past 11 years across a wide range of medical and therapeutic specialties including neurosurgery, stroke, infectious disease, critical care and most recently, medical genetics at St George's Hospital prior to joining the NIHR Royal Surrey CRF team. The clinical trials I've been previously involved in, have been set up around and run within an NHS hospital setting and have largely been Phase II/III/IV ‘patient’ studies. I can already see how my new joint role across the University of Surrey CRF and Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust will benefit patient and participant experience by using collaborative resources and expertise to facilitate and optimise much-needed high quality medical research and drug development. This includes early phase (FIH/Phase I) studies across a broader range of therapeutic areas, some of which have been largely overlooked historically and its the patients who fall within these who are in urgent need of breakthroughs in treatment options. I’m looking forward to seeing this collaboration grow and I believe we can actively share our skills, resources and experience, for the best health outcomes for patients in the future.“

Excited for day 1 of , buzzing atmosphere here in Nottingham this morning! Proudly standing with our poster 😊

Happy Eid Al-Adha Mubarak to all our staff and contributors

The NIHR Royal Surrey CRF recognises the important opportunity to increase the visibility of LGBTQ+ people, history and experiences.

Happy International Clinical Trials Day 2023 from all of us at the NIHR Royal Surrey CRF! 🥳

Today we are at Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust discussing our research and collaboration, networking with colleagues from the Trust and The University of Surrey Clinical Research Facility.