The aim during the course of the research time award (RTA) is to acquire skills to attain research council grant monies and deliver high quality clinical research studies in Wales.
My aim during the course of the research time award (RTA) is to acquire skills to attain research council grant monies and deliver high quality clinical research studies in Wales.
Objective 1:
Improve my knowledge of the formation of hypotheses and design of COVID immunological clinical studies.
As an Investigator with an existing network of collaborators at Cardiff University and University of Oxford, I will pursue opportunities to develop my skills in hypotheses formation/strategic design, focussing on immunology/infection studies through a mentoring programme with University of Oxford. Professor Philip Goulder is a highly respected clinical scientist in infectious disease/immunology with who I have existing collaborations. I will shadow the activities of his team and design COVID immunological/infectious disease studies.
Objective 2:
Improve my knowledge of the implementation of COVID immunological/vaccine studies in NHS Wales
Two of my collaborators have much experience of designing/implementing clinical trials, notably Professor Teresa Lambe (co-inventor of the AstraZeneca-COVID-19-vaccine) and Professor Philip Goulder. With their guidance, I will develop clinical trial protocol/procedures, study documents and ethical applications for future research projects. One such project will examine differential immune responses to COVID and the COVID vaccine in people aged 8 to 90 years old.
Objective 3:
Improve my knowledge in the design of COVID T cell laboratory studies in Wales.
My 3 year doctoral project was in the field of cell-biology and I have skills in laboratory techniques. My recent research experience has been clinic-based. A knowledge of laboratory-based experiments has helped me understand and develop protocol. I will also use the RTA to improve my understanding of experimental procedures in COVID Immunology research, with a view to supporting study design. Professor Andrew Sewell, a collaborator at Cardiff University, will be my mentor. The laboratory and clinical skill sets will help me develop my experience of undertaking translational research, for patient and public benefit, and bring together high calibre health professionals and scientists.
Objective 4:
Attain grant monies as a co-applicant
I will attract research council funding to conduct research in the field of immunity/ infection, including COVID research. To do this I must develop my grant writing skills. I will attend grant writing/bid development workshops and embrace opportunities to learn from my experienced mentors. Professor Goulder and Professor Sewell will assist in developing my grant writing ability, through activities such as examining the structure and content of past successful/unsuccessful grant applications and studying comments received from panels. This would help me improve my grant writing capabilities, as a co-applicant, to funding bodies-(e.g co-applicant for NIHR, MRC, Wellcome or Health and Care Research Wales-grants).
Objective 5:
Develop my publication output
I will work to maximise publication outputs from my research. The dedicated time will allow me to complete and prepare new manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals.
Objective 6:
Attain grant income as a Lead applicant
Using preliminary data from past and ongoing im
munity/infection studies, I will apply for grants, such as Research-for-Patient-and-Public-benefit (Health and Care Research Wales, as a lead applicant. I will use the skills I developed as a successful co-applicant alongside data from my research portfolio to develop a programme of research for grants.
Objective 7:
Apply for clinical research fellowships
I will apply for Clinical-research-development-fellowships to stretch beyond the term on the RTA. I would like to apply for a MRC Clinical-Scientist-Fellowship which provides up to five years of funding. This funding scheme aims to support researchers transitioning to independence.
The Wellcome Trust has a similar funding scheme and I am eligible to apply for a Wellcome Early-Career Award. This scheme would fund salary and research expenses for up to five years. I am also eligible to apply for a Health-Research Fellowship-Scheme with Health and Care Research Wales