Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit acknowledged

A University of Nottingham centre, which brings together specialist experts to support ‘bench to bedside’ research projects, has been recognised as a centre of excellence.

The Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit has maintained its registration by the UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC), recognition of its excellence in coordinating randomised trials — which test the effectiveness of drugs and other healthcare interventions — and opening the door to potential research funding.

Professor Lelia Duley, Director of the Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit (CTU), said: “We are obviously delighted that Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit has achieved full registration which we see as recognition of our best practice approach to the clinical trials we support, many of which will have a direct impact on improving the care of patients.”

The Nottingham CTU offers a ‘one stop shop’ to support academics and clinicians from universities, hospitals and NHS Trusts to plan and run large-scale randomised clinical trials.

Specialising in multi-centre studies — where studies recruit participants from a number of different locations — the unit can provide the infrastructure necessary to support a trial from its inception right through to the generation of research findings.

It offers the services of a range of specialists who can support the study every step of the way, including trial managers who can guide the day to day running of a trial, information technology experts who can create databases for gathering information from participants and statisticians who can assist in interpreting data and generating findings.

The Nottingham CTU receives CTU Support Funding from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) to support applications to NIHR research programmes and funded projects and has a current estimated annual turnover of £2 million for all its research projects.

The Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit is one of 46 CTUs nationally to achieve registration following a review this year by the UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC).