Monday, 20 May 2019
It’s the powerhouse of medical research here at the University of Nottingham… an engine driving those pioneering, Nottingham-grown ideas that are improving medical treatment for millions of people all over the world… and this week it moves to new premises so it can continue expanding.
The Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit (NCTU) is part of the School of Medicine and since 2007 has been working to answer research questions that matter to patients, their families and carers, and the NHS in small, medium and large-scale trials based at its offices in the Queen’s Medical Centre. Since 2012 the Unit has received more than £1.5 million in strategic investment from the University and attracted research grants totalling more than £40 million.
The NCTU collaborates with other researchers to design, conduct and analyse high quality randomised clinical trials that address important health questions. The Unit employs specialists with expertise in clinical trial management, statistics, data processing and management, and quality assurance.
PVC Professor John Atherton and NCTU staff
Impact on healthcare
Current large-scale clinical trials being conducted at the Unit include a £2.8m NIHR-funded trial to examine the clinical and cost-effectiveness of testing for group B streptococcus in pregnant women; and the £1.6m FEED1 trial is investigating the potential benefits of earlier introduction of milk feeds for preterm babies.
The opening coincides with International Clinical Trials Day celebrated by thousands of world-leading researchers in more than 70 countries worldwide.
Now with its ongoing rapid expansion of staff and workload, the NCTU is moving to larger and self-contained premises – the former Manufacturing Engineering Building on University Park. The official opening of the new and larger Unit was marked today Monday 20thMay 2019 with a celebration led by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Professor John Atherton.
Director of Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit, Professor Alan Montgomery, said: “This is an exciting time for clinical trials research in Nottingham. We are absolutely delighted to be in our new office space which will better enable our multidisciplinary team approach to research and allow us to grow to achieve our ambition to double in size within five years. I am grateful to everyone in the School of Medicine, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, and the University who have helped to make this happen.”
Showcase events this week
The Unit is planning several events to celebrate the expansion and move this week:
- The Fundamentals of Clinical Trials training course is being held at the Orchard Hotel 20-24 May
- The Unit will be open to colleagues and collaborators on 22 May between 3.30 - 5.00pm to visit the new space and see examples of ongoing work.
- A Twilight Seminar from 5.30 to 6.30pm will take place in Room C10, Sustainable Research Building, University Park, when Professors Alan Montgomery and Jim Thornton will present on ‘The role of a Clinical Trials Unit’ and ‘Progesterone in pregnancy; poor science, wishful thinking & academic rivalry versus the evidence.’
Story credits
More information is available from Charlotte Curnow, Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit via email charlotte.curnow@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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