Clinical Research Associate in London

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

The Role

We are excited to launch this new opportunity for a Clinical Research Associate in Rheumatology and Dermatology to join us in the Faculty of Medical Sciences to work on the COMBAT-PsA experimental medicine investigation into psoriatic arthritis (PsA). PsA is a chronic inflammatory arthritis affecting an estimated 0.3-1% of the general population and up to 30% of people with psoriasis. While targeted disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) – including those targeting IL-17 – have revolutionised the management of PsA, most patients fail to achieve low disease activity or long-term disease control; this is particularly the case for those living with obesity. Recent trial data suggests drugs shown to be effective in treating obesity via glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) may themselves have a beneficial therapeutic effect on PsA disease activity.

The successful applicant will help deliver a multi-centre, prospective, longitudinal experimental medicine study deploying an IL-17 inhibitor and a GLP-1RA as “molecular scalpels” for evaluating tissue and peripheral molecular signatures associated with weight loss and immunomodulation in obese people with PsA. This post provides a unique opportunity for an ambitious clinician to develop a practical understanding of experimental medicine research in Rheumatology and Dermatology. The Clinical Research Associate (CRA) will be responsible for delivering the aforementioned study but will also have opportunities to contribute to other early phase and experimental medicine trials and explore their own research interests.

You will join a diverse community of colleagues spanning the Musculoskeletal Disease and Inflammation Medicine and Skin, Oral and Immunogenomics Themes of the NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre, contributing to our world-leading translational research programme. Based in the William Leech Building of Newcastle University’s Medical School, your clinical work will take place across Newcastle Hospitals, including the NIHR Newcastle Clinical Research Facility (NCRF). You will play a central role in the team undertaking this important experimental medicine study, acting as a liaison between the research laboratory team, the NHS rheumatology/dermatology teams and the NCRF.

The postholder will be responsible for identifying potential participants via face-to-face and telephone consultations, explaining the study to them, and obtaining consent. You will develop skills in minimally invasive skin, joint and adipose biopsy techniques. You will also have responsibility for local study management and logistics, including oversight of study visits, preparing study reports and manuscripts. We have a well-staffed laboratory infrastructure and there may also be the possibility to develop laboratory skills, dependent on further funding.

You will hold a medical degree, General Medical Council registration and a license to practice in the UK. You are a dynamic, conscientious, self-motivated team player, with a thirst for new knowledge and an appetite for discovery. This post is funded for one year but will provide an excellent platform for a research fellowship, potentially leading to a higher degree, depending on the successful candidate.

Key Accountabilities

• Be familiar with study protocols, standard operating procedures and all other relevant study documentation.
• Develop a logistical framework for participants, to enable efficient participation, including liaising between clinical (Rheumatology, Dermatology, NCRF) and laboratory teams.
• Learn, under appropriate supervision, to perform skin, adipose and synovial biopsies (if not already skilled in any/all of these procedures).
• Develop a standard operating procedure for handling of research blood samples after acquisition.
• Identify suitable participants for the study required and other suitable studies and, where appropriate, obtain informed consent.
• Oversee study participation, including tissue sampling and handling.
• Interact with other members of the study team at the NCRF, Rheumatology and Dermatology Research Delivery teams and Musculoskeletal research Group laboratory. Ensure that, once collected, research samples are processed and stored appropriately, according to the standard operating procedure.
• Attend Trial Management Group meetings.
• When appropriate, develop study reports and prepare data for publication in relevant conferences and/or journals.
• Provide guidance to other staff and students, potentially including supervision of undergraduate research project students.
• Attend and present your work at laboratory, and national/international meetings.
• Be prepared to contribute to events celebrating the public engagement of science/social sciences/humanities.

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential

• Knowledge of immune-mediated rheumatic and skin diseases.
• Core clinical skills including phlebotomy.
• Analytical and problem-solving capability.
• Ability to communicate complex information with clarity, both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Oral presentations at internal and/or external medical or scientific meetings.
• Excellent IT skills.

Desirable

• Experience of collecting biological samples for research.
• Previous experience/involvement with clinical and/or translational research.
• Experience of medical statistics or bioinformatics.
• A publication track record.
• Experience of communicating scientific concepts to the general public.

Attributes and BehaviourEssential

• Evidence of interest in medical research.
• Commitment to a career in Rheumatology or Dermatology.
• Capacity for original thought.
• Ambitious with a demonstrable drive to produce work of the highest quality.

Desirable

• The ability to contribute to broader organisational and management processes and to provide leadership, coordinating the work of other staff.

QualificationsEssential

• Medical degree.
• GMC registration and license to practice in the UK.
• Core medical training.

Desirable

• National Training Number in Rheumatology or Dermatology.
• Previous research degree (MRes, BSc etc. and/or involvement in research publications.

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution. We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme. In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.