Clinical Fellows

Job Introduction

To provide support to the national respiratory virus reference laboratory unit (RVU) in UKHSA Virus Reference Division, reporting to the consultant virologist Head of Respiratory Virology. The clinical fellow role is responsible for providing clinical support to the delivery of a UKHSA project to improve serological detection of H5 and other avian viruses in humans, assisting in the development of data about the performance of capillary sampling devices for the detection of influenza antibodies in outbreak investigations and serosurveillance projects.

The specific project has ethics approval (22/SC/0340) from NHS **South Central - Oxford C Research Ethics Committee **under the umbrella of UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) standardised protocol for clinical studies evaluating the safety and performance of In-vitro Diagnostic Devices (IVDD) for use in the Covid-19 and other national infectious diseases testing programmes. The work of the clinical fellow will directly support the improvement of pandemic preparedness capability.

This is a fixed term contract until 31st March 2024.

Main Responsibilities
- Help to organise surveillance sampling sessions at Crick, UKHSA sites and other UK institutes involved in the study to acquire paired blood and capillary samples for ethically approved UKHSA clinical studies
- Interpretation and reporting of virological laboratory results arising from the study and other laboratory reports/studies as appropriate
- To provide general clinical support to the respiratory virus reference unit during the winter season 2023/2024 and provide clinical advice on virological matters relating to respiratory viral infections and general clinical virology
- Interpretation of legacy datasets from pandemic to support ongoing R&D within UKHSA RVU
- Evidence synthesis from UKHSA laboratory data and literature review
- Writing of position papers, briefing notes, and scientific reports for diverse audiences
- Contribution to clinical field studies, e.g. protocol development, to address key evidence gaps
- Data analysis from laboratory studies
- Respond to Scientific questions/parliamentary questions/FOIs that require medical knowledge and evidence base analysis

Essential:
Medical Degree

Specialty training in Infectious Diseases / Medical Virology / Medical Microbiology

Full registration and with a licence to practise with the General Medical Council (GMC)

Relevant higher medical qualification

(MRCP or equivalent)

Evidence of thorough training and experience in general medicine/Infectious Disease

Laboratory virology experience

Desirable:
FRCPath or evidence of equivalent qualification.

Experience of clinical research