Welcome from Kirsten Major, Chief Executive and David Black, Medical Director (Development), Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

This is a great time to join Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and the University of Sheffield. The investment in these roles, thanks to the royalties from Lynparza, will fund the UK’s leading cancer specialists, whose expertise will establish Sheffield as one of the best centres in the country for patient-focused cancer research. Our approach combines pioneering scientific and technological developments with a clear emphasis on improving cancer outcomes in the region.

We take our responsibilities in research as one of the largest Trusts in the country extremely seriously – we have a responsibility to the wider NHS and to the country to participate in the advancement of knowledge and care. We also know that one of the best ways to improve clinical outcomes for our patients is to be part of a clinical trial. This is especially so in oncology.

The Cancer Clinical Trials Centre at Weston Park Cancer Centre employs a team of research nurses, clinical trials assistants and data managers who manage a wide portfolio of clinical trials, at any one time typically managing more than 150 trials. The centre is funded by a combination of grants from the Yorkshire and Humber National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network, the Weston Park Cancer Charity and income from commercial trials.

We are very proud of our longstanding collaboration with the University of Sheffield. The NIHR Biomedical Research Centre is a great example of our successful partnership – we trebled the funding awarded and expanded the areas of focus in the Centre’s most recent funding renewal.

The research priorities of the University of Sheffield oncology research are closely integrated with the NHS department. Research priorities are in bone oncology, tumour microenvironment and nucleic acid and genome biology – and we welcome opportunities for research that you have outside of these areas. Indeed, at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, we are currently developing a new research strategy fit for the future, in close collaboration with the University of Sheffield. Both academic and NHS consultants are heavily engaged in supporting research both locally as principal investigators and nationally as chief investigators and members of clinical studies groups and trial management groups.

We look forward to meeting you.

David Black, Medical Director (Development), Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust