NIHR-BSH Researcher of the Year Award scheme 2019

My name is Gill Lowe. I’m a Consultant Haematologist at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and also co-Clinical Specialty Research Lead for Haematology in the West Midlands Clinical Research Network.

I was lucky enough to be the recipient of a 2018 “Researcher of the Year” award and applied for this on the basis of the expansion in studies in this area that we’ve made over the last few years. Clearly this is very much a team effort and could not have been done without the hard work of our research teams both within my own Trust and at the Clinical Research Network.

In terms of how things have changed, a few years ago we were only able to run registry studies in non-malignant haematology and had no dedicated research personnel.  Over that time we have slowly increased our activity such that we now have a portfolio including early phase and commercial studies and covering several disease areas.  Within the region we have also increased our study participation such that we now consistently rank in the top third of research networks in terms of recruitment.  We have had very positive feedback from our patients on the ability to enter studies and the fact that research is now an integral part of our team.

I am also involved in HaemSTAR, the national network of trainees interested in haematology research.  I have assisted them in selecting appropriate projects and in funding applications and study set up. This work is really important as the sustainability of clinical research is dependent on ongoing enthusiastic clinicians who can take leadership and drive things forward.

The main thing that appealed to me about the award was that it was for NHS Consultants. I don’t have any fixed academic component to my post and fit in research activity around clinical commitments, so a scheme that acknowledged this was something I could really identify with. Winning the award has helped us with ongoing funding and study participation applications and I would very much encourage research active doctors to apply.

My research centres on generating the evidence to inform the appropriate use of blood components for the treatment of a range of acquired bleeding disorders. I am the Chief Investigator of ongoing trials of FFP versus PCC in bleeding cardiac surgery patients (PROPHESY) and early cryoprecipitate in major obstetric haemorrhage (ACROBAT). I am also co-investigator in two NIHR-funded projects: the development of universal plasma for NHS hospitals; and early cryoprecipitate in major bleeding in trauma (CRYOSTAT-2 trial).

Between 2014 and 2016 I led the initiative which culminated in the extension of the post-thaw shelf-life of fresh frozen plasma in the UK, increasing it from 24 hours to 5 days. This in turn has improved the delivery of plasma to patients who are bleeding, and has reduced plasma wastage for hospitals. I am currently leading a multi-disciplinary programme whose objective is the introduction of Whole Blood in the UK for the management of major bleeding in trauma patients.

I was awarded ‘Researcher of the Year’ in 2018 by the British Society for Haematology and National Institute for Health Research. Being able to interweave research and clinical practice with a view to improving outcomes has always been my goal and I am greatly honoured to receive recognition for my work from two highly prestigious organisations. Following from this award, I have received greater support and encouragement to expand the scale and scope of my research activities. I encourage all haematologists to seize this excellent opportunity and wish you the best of luck!

Receiving a BSH-NIHR award is very rewarding and I would greatly recommend being considered for this accolade.

I felt privileged to receive this prestigious award on behalf of my Clinical Research team. The award recognises that without an industrious and committed team alongside me, I would not have been able to transform the research opportunities available for our patients. Our patients, often from rare disease, vulnerable patient groups deserve to have access to high quality clinical research alongside excellence in their clinical care and with the very much valued support of the BSH and NIHR, I hope that we can continue to provide this.

My vision has always been to compliment high quality clinical care with excellent clinical research ‘hand in hand’. Recognising an unmet need in delivering research for non-malignant patients, we secured a foundation relationship with the CRN and have worked hard to cultivate productive relationships with Industry and non-commercial partners. This has resulted in a vibrant ‘research-positive’ culture within our Clinical Unit leading to an explosive increase in trials opened and leading recruitment nationally for some of our studies.

As a clinical researcher, I have embraced innovative initiatives of potential impact for the future, These have included developing the workforce of tomorrow by personally mentoring NIHR trainees through the HaemStar Programme and more recently as a Stratified Medicine Champion in this rapidly evolving field. It is important for key partners such as BSH and NIHR to support and celebrate the achievements of clinicians and their wider clinical research delivery teams to drive forward research efforts regionally and collectively across Haematology. Awards such as the BSH-NIHR Research Awards are a great way of recognising such worthy, united efforts.

Vibrant clinical research is one of the main reasons I chose haematology as a career.  As a trainee, I have been actively involved in the development of HaemSTAR (Haematology Specialty Trainees in Audit and Research) , a network of trainees who are enthusiastic about non-malignant research.  As part of the NIHR clinical research network for non-malignant haematology, we have contributed to research in a coordinated and organised way by raising the profile of clinical trials, actively recruiting to studies and developing nation-wide mass-participation audit.   I also developed the communications and social media face of HaemSTAR, including creating our website and twitter-feed and helping to raise the groups public profile in social media, within the BSH and with regional research groups.

It is a really exciting time to be involved in research in haematology and I would thoroughly encourage trainees to get involved at an early stage in their career.  Entering this competition is a great way to help you distil what you have achieved so far in research and where you aim to take your research in the future.  As well as being a great enhancement for your CV, it is also good to have a tangible reward for your efforts.