NIAA Update: May 2017
NIAA 2017 Annual Scientific Meeting & Research Award
We wish to extend thanks to all delegates, speakers and organisers for helping to make this year's ASM a great success. The day kicked off with a session from the UK Perioperative Medicine Clinical Trials Network, and Dr Mike Gillies officially launched the CTN's Chief Investigator Scheme (see below for more information on applying to the CI Scheme).
Dr Mike Gillies
Professor David Jones, NIHR Dean for Faculty Trainees provided an overview of academic training, and RAFT Chair Dr Sam Clark presented an interesting look at the national trainee network as Marvel™ superheroes. We were honoured to hear from Professor Sir Nick Black who gave the keynote presentation on patient-reported outcome measures.
Dr Sam Clark
Professor Sir Nick Black
This year's NIAA Research Award finalists Dr Annemarie Docherty (Edinburgh), Dr Ben Shelley (Glasgow) and Dr Katie Warnaby (Oxford) presented their research work before a panel of judges, and from this strong field Dr Warnaby was announced the winner for her presentation Slow wave activity saturation as a marker of perception loss under anaesthesia. Congratulations, Katie.
Dr Katie Warnaby & RCoA President Dr Liam Brennan
We have already started planning for the 2018 NIAA ASM and will bring you news as soon as the details are confirmed. We do hope to see you there next year.
POM CTN Chief Investigator scheme now open for applications
Following its launch at the NIAA Annual Scientific Meeting earlier this month the UK Perioperative Medicine Clinical Trials Network is now accepting applications for the Chief Investigator mentoring scheme.
The scheme is intended to provide training and mentorship for a small number of talented individuals who wish to lead their own clinical trials in perioperative medicine, and applicants will be existing members of the POM CTN Local or Principal Investigator schemes with a proven track record of recruitment to clinical trials.
For full details of the role and person specification please visit the POM CTN website here.
Applications are welcomed from individuals of any clinical background of relevance to perioperative medicine. Those who would like to discuss the position informally before applying should contact the CTN.
Closing date for applications: 31st August 2017 at 17.00
Interview date: Between 9th-13th October 2017
Booking now: 2nd Annual POM CTN Autumn Meeting
Thursday 2nd November 2017
Crowne Plaza, Manchester City Centre
Bookings are now open for the Clinical Trials Network's 2nd Autumn meeting. As well as lectures from distinguished health care leaders, delegates will also have the opportunity to provide and receive constructive feedback on future studies and network with fellow researchers across the UK.
The delegate rate is £45, and there is a 25% discount available for medical students and AHPs. 5 CPD credits are available. If you would like submit a study for discussion at the meeting please visit the CTN Adoption Process page.
For more information and to book your place at the meeting please go to the event page here.
Cancer Research UK report - The Impact of Collaboration: The Value of UK Medical Research to EU Science and Health
This report, recently launched in the European Parliament and funded by eight leading UK medical research funders and charities, identifies some of the main ways in which UK research contributes to medical progress and highlights the benefit this has delivered for EU science, and ultimately EU patient health.
Five key areas of the UK research environment are explored including contribution of UK expertise; involvement in pan-EU clinical trials; provision of research facilities; and education and training of EU scientists.
The executive summary and case studies are available online now, and a full report will be launched soon. Please visit the Cancer Research UK website for more information here.
RCoA Research, Education and Travel Grants
Several small grants funded by the RCoA and facilitated by the NIAA are now available for applications from researchers who wish to embark on small studies, education or travel related to the study of anaesthesia. Priority will be given to educational projects, the presentation of original work or the provision of education to developing countries.
Awards of up to £2,500 are available and applicants must demonstrate how their proposal meets the assessment criteria: these focus on the importance of the research question, the methodology, and a justifiable timescale and costing.
Applications are reviewed by a small sub-committee of the NIAA Research Council, who also considers how each submission is relevant to the NIAA Strategy's vision and mission. For more information and to apply for funding please visit the website here.
NIAA Trainee Representative
Following a recent round of open recruitment and interviews we are pleased to announce that Dr Annemarie Docherty has been appointed as NIAA Trainee Representative and will work alongside the existing trainee rep Dr Andrew Owen. Dr Docherty is a Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, and anaesthesia/ICM Specialty Registrar in South East Scotland. Her major academic interests are in clinical trial design and epidemiology. She is currently studying towards a PhD looking at the effect of blood transfusion thresholds in critically ill patients with cardiovascular disease.
