Patient Led Research Hub

TAR:GET trial

The UK Transplantation Clinical Study Group and the James Lind Alliance Transplant Priority Setting Partnership highlighted the need for more research on renal transplant rejection.

This idea aligned with a clinical trial early in design to assess the efficacy of available treatments for acute antibody-mediated rejection (aAMR) in renal transplantation. The trial is still in set-up phase, but will be a UK multi-centre randomised controlled trial. Funding has been provided by the Kidney Research UK and the NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme. Dr Michelle Willicombe, Imperial College London, is Chief Investigator.

SAVE trial

Action on Pre-Eclampsia expressed the need for new treatments for pre-eclampsia. This idea aligned with an upcoming proof-of-concept trial: Selective Removal of sFlt-1 in Pregnant Women with Preeclampsia via Apheresis (NCT02923206). Funding has been provided by Miltenyi Biotec. Dr Thomas Hiemstra, University of Cambridge, is Principle Investigator; the trial is now actively recruiting.

National Renal Complement Therapeutics Centre

aHUSUK, a patient and family support group for those living with Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS), surveyed their members for research priorities. Of major concern was the limited knowledge of predictors and treatments for complications following bone marrow transplant. aHUSUK and Leukaemia Care UK partnered up to address this issue, and we were able to connect them with researchers at the National Renal Complement Therapeutics Centre, Newcastle.

The Oliver Zangwill Centre

An individual patient with Dysexecutive Syndrome contacted us through the Cambridge BRC PPI Panel. The proposer was very interested in improving early diagnosis, and we were able to connect them with ongoing research at The Oliver Zangwill Centre, Cambridge.

Rehabilitation and Sport Sciences, University of Bournemouth

An individual patient with chronic low back pain was interested in the progression from acute injury to chronic (long-term) pain. They were also keen to explore how the dialogue between patients and healthcare providers can influence rehabilitation. The Chartered Society for Physiotherapy (CSP) referred us to Prof Carol Clark, CSP Research Lead in Pain and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy, and Head of Department for Rehabilitation and Sport Sciences at Bournemouth University. Prof Clark leads an active research team within this field, so we look forward to hearing about their collaborative efforts!