Sarah Townsend
Head of Research & Development
As Head of Research & Development and Sponsor Representative at Velindre University NHS Trust, Sarah manages the delivery of a wide and varied research portfolio of national and international studies.
With over twenty years’ experience in healthcare and clinical research, Sarah established the trust’s research & development office in 2004. She takes a lead role in executing the trust’s strategic priorities in highly specialised, cutting edge cancer clinical research and other high-quality studies. Sarah draws on extensive research & development strategy, policy, governance and funding expertise to achieve an optimal research delivery infrastructure for the trust.
Sarah represents the trust/Wales on national groups and leads the trust’s engagement in higher education institution and pharmaceutical company research collaborations. Successful collaboration has led to the trust sponsoring international cancer studies and other high impact investigator led early phase/later phase trials. Additionally, these collaborations have enabled the trust to act as UK legal representative for worldwide partners.