Clinical Research Fellow (BRC Arthritis) - Department of Inflammation and Ageing - 100873 - Clinical in Birmingham

Position Details

Department of Inflammation and Ageing, School of Infection, Inflammation and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £45,943 to £77,196

Clinical Full-time, Fixed Term contract for up-to 1 year

Closing date: 28th January 2026

Background

The Department of Inflammation and Ageing benefits from a highly collaborative leadership team focused on translational outputs, based within a dedicated wing of the QEHB. The strength of their vision is represented by a number of major national awards, including the MRC-Versus Arthritis Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research (with Nottingham University); Versus Arthritis Centre of Excellence in Inflammatory Arthritis (with the Universities of Glasgow, Oxford and Newcastle); NIHR Healthcare Technology Cooperative (Trauma); and the Scar Free Foundation Burns Research Centre, as well as our key role in the NIHR Translational Research Partnership on Joint & Related Inflammatory Disease.

The NIHR Birmingham BRC was initially established in 2017 with £12m funding from the NIHR and expanded in 2022 with £30m funding. The Arthritis and Sarcopaenia and multimorbidity and Infection and Acute Care themes are led by researchers in the institute. The BRC supports a 5 year programme to better understand a range of debilitating inflammatory diseases for patients in Birmingham and beyond. A £7m investment from the Kennedy Trust for Rheumatology Research also is now supporting a new partnership with the University of Oxford to accelerate the development and testing of new therapies for patients with arthritis.

Role Purpose

This post will be funded by the £30M NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) in Inflammation and will specifically focus on the Arthritis theme within the Centre. The overarching aim of the Arthritis theme is to improve clinical outcomes for those with, and at risk of developing, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), childhood arthritis and Sjogren's syndrome (SjS) by developing diagnostic tests, drugs and novel therapies to predict, prevent and reverse disease pathology.

The NIHR BRC works closely with the £7m Kennedy Trust funded Arthritis Therapy Acceleration Programme (A-TAP) that links Birmingham centres with Oxford along the M40 corridor to develop and accelerate early phase trials of new therapeutics in rheumatological diseases.

We aim to:

• Predict the development of RA and SjS using new diagnostic tests
• Prevent the development of RA and SS using novel biological and cell-based therapies.
• Identify and target mechanisms driving the progression of disease and harness the therapeutic potential of mechanisms involved in regulating the resolution of disease.
• Develop "basket trial" strategies: trials based on exploring common targets across more than one immune mediated disease (IMID) in one trial.

The Research Unit:

The Rheumatology Research Group (RRG) sits within the School of Inflammation and Ageing, one of seven research institutes in the College of Medical and Dental Sciences at the University of Birmingham. The RRG is a multidisciplinary team of academic and clinical rheumatologists, biological and social scientists, general practitioners, allied health professionals and patient representatives. Truly collaborative on a global scale, the world-leading RRG research focuses on understanding the epidemiology, mechanisms and pathobiology of major autoimmune rheumatic diseases; Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Childhood arthritis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Sjogren's Syndrome (SjS).

The RRG currently has over £20 million of live funding, from Arthritis Research UK, the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust, NIHR, European Commission and several industry partners. The vast range of RRG fundamental science expertise includes stromal cell and immune pathobiology, metabolomics in rheumatic disease and developing animal models of rheumatic disease.

Clinical Research:

The clinical skills of the RRG are closely linked to its translational science: For instance, developing skills in musculoskeletal ultrasound is necessary to undertake training in ultrasound guided biopsy which in turn is required for innovative tissue-based science examining pathological mechanisms of disease in our observational cohorts and response to therapy in new trial designs. Work is supervised by six clinical academics alongside one clinical lecturer and multiple fellows, who have the opportunity to undertake postgraduate MD or PhD degrees. Clinical facilities are located within the research unit itself via the Inflammation Research Facility (a spoke of the hub NIHR Clinical Research Facility) which is staffed by six clinical trials nurses and multiple support staff dedicated to observational and trials work in inflammatory disease. The unit features six consulting rooms, a three bedded day unit and ultrasound suite. This facility ensures excellent support and training for clinical fellows alongside continuity of patient care. Support for fellows is underpinned by dedicated monthly clinical research meetings and ultrasound training sessions run by Prof Andrew Filer.

Our key observational disease cohorts through which internationally known research is conducted are the Birmingham Early Arthritis cohort (BEACON: Total >900 subjects in the current dataset, recruitment 150 per year) and the Sjogren's syndrome OASIS cohort: Total >300 subjects, current recruitment 50 per year.

The group has significant expertise and is able to provide training opportunities in musculoskeletal ultrasound, ultrasound guided synovial biopsy, clinical trial design, pathological effects of biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and the psychology of chronic autoimmune disease. Interested fellows are also welcome to express interest and become involved in the high-quality laboratory-based research undertaken in the Institute. The RRG is linked to busy regional NHS Trusts NHS clinical units including within the Queen Elizabeth Hospital itself (University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHBFT)), Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust (SWB), Birmingham Women’s & Children’s Hospitals (BWCH) and the Modality musculoskeletal primary care unit. Fellows can take advantage of diverse opportunities for experience linked to these units.

Broad aims of the post

• To contribute to the achievement of the Institute's research strategy by undertaking specified research activities within rheumatology pathogenesis
• To contribute to the management of and recruitment to early phase trials in arthritis and SjS
• To assist with research in patients recruited to the Birmingham Early Arthritis (BEACON) and OASIS Cohorts.
• To undertake clinical work by attending up to one clinical session per week to develop and maintain clinical skills.

Main Responsibilities

• To become proficient in the conduct of clinical trials and to share with other BRC fellows the day-to-day management of early phase trials in arthritis undertaken by the Centre.
• To ensure that, once recruited, patients are followed up at appropriate intervals and clinical samples are processed and despatched to the relevant laboratories according to Standard Operating Procedures.
• To work closely with laboratory technicians, post-doctoral scientists and trial co-ordinators to establish and undertake laboratory research to support the BRC-related projects and the RRG.
• To discuss research data and devise appropriate plans for data analysis in conjunction with experienced colleagues and biostatisticians.
• To assist with trial set-up and obtaining necessary local and national approvals (ethics, MHRA) and contribute to site file and data management under guidance of the trial coordinators and lead investigators.
• To work closely with and support the Inflammation Research Facility and the Clinical Research Facility, including following necessary approval processes.
• To prioritise tasks within an agreed work schedule to ensure that projects are delivered in timely fashion accordance to the milestones in the BRC.
• To suggest and contribute to the development of research techniques, models and methods in collaboration with colleagues.
• To contribute to writing bids for future research grants.
• To disseminate research findings using appropriate and effective media such as publication, research seminars etc.
• To provide guidance to other staff and students.
• To contribute to the production of research reports and publications in high impact-factor journals.
• To plan and develop research contributions to subject area using methodologies, critical evaluations, interpretations, analyses and other appropriate techniques.
• To contribute to events celebrating the public engagement of science/social sciences/humanities.
• To engage in continuous professional development.
• To undertake clinical work under an NHS honorary contract.
• To contribute to the enhancement of the University's international profile in line with the University's Strategic Plan.

Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications and Experience Required

• Candidates should be registered with the GMC with a License to Practice.
• Medical degree with preferred MRCP or equivalent. Applications for out of programme experience from enthusiastic pre-MRCP core trainees will also be considered.
• We will accept applications for out of programme experience from enthusiastic post foundation year CT or ST1,2 (or IMT1, 2 and 3) trainees. At least 4 months' experience in Clinical Rheumatology is desirable.
• Preference may be given to Rheumatology Specialist applicants on the Specialty Training Programme for Rheumatology at ST3 level or above.
• Core clinical skills, including phlebotomy.
• Preferred: previous undergraduate experience of research via scholarship, funded holiday project or intercalated degree.
• Desirable: Clinical research experience within Rheumatology.
• Desirable: basic experience of musculoskeletal ultrasound, however training can also be provided.
• Analytical and problem-solving capability.
• Ability to communicate complex information with clarity, both verbally and in writing.
• Strong interpersonal skills, ability to get on well with colleagues.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to work towards departmental and school objectives.
• Excellent IT skills.

OH and DBS required

The University is committed to safeguarding and we promote safe recruitment practice, therefore all associated pre-employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. Due to the nature of the work undertaken in this role all successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory Occupational Health and DBS clearance prior to appointment.

Further particulars can be found here

Informal enquiries to Lisa Powell, email:

Use of AI in applications: We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.