Meet the team

Dr Nagesh Kalakonda, Clinical Director for Research and Innovation
MB, BS, MRCP, FRCPath, PhD
nagesh.kalakonda@liverpool.ac.uk

Nagesh is responsible for the strategic direction of research for The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre and links in with all of our partners to set our vision, aims and objectives.

"The Centre is committed to securing a national reputation for excellence in cancer research. Central to this goal is improving outcomes for our patients. We want to make real changes for the population of Cheshire and Merseyside"

Dr Gillian Heap, Director of Research and Innovation
BSc (hons), PhD
gillian.heap@nhs.net

Gillian has over 20 years experience of working in research management within the NHS, industry, contract research organisations and academia. Gillian has operational oversight of clinical and academic research within the organisation.

"Research is fundamental to the Centre's commitment to providing the best cancer care to the people that we serve. We will continue to expand our research portfolio to translate into improved treatments and better prognosis for our patients"

Dr Maria Maguire, Research Manager
BSc (hons), MPhil, PhD
maria.maguire2@nhs.net

Maria began her career as a Biochemist holding Post-Doctoral positions researching into the molecular mechanisms of cancer before becoming Quality Assurance Manager for the Liverpool Cancer Research UK Centre in 2009. She was appointed Research Manager at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in July 2012.

Emma Whitby, R&I Lead Nurse
RGN BSc
emma.whitby1@nhs.net

Emma qualified in 1996 as a registered general nurse specialising in the field of oncology and working in a number of cancer centres across the UK, before joining the cancer research team in 2004 to work as a research practitioner.

Emma's role as R&I Lead Nurse is to provide managerial, operational and professional leadership to the clinical research delivery staff, providing strategic and operational management of clinical research activity.

Michelle Moffitt, Research Delivery Manager
RGN BSc
michelle.moffitt@nhs.net

Michelle began working at the Centre in 2006 as a staff nurse before joining the research team as an Advanced Research Practitioner in 2009. Since January 2018 Michelle has worked in the role as Research Delivery Manager providing management and leadership to the dedicated research staff including research nurses and clinical trial coordination staff. The team provides specialised infrastructure to deliver high quality clinical research to patients of Cheshire & Merseyside.

The Research Management and Governance Team assure robust, rapid set up of studies and are available for help, advice and enquiries on all aspects of study management:

David Price, Governance & Quality Manager
david.price9@nhs.net

David is responsible for any research governance issues that may arise, overseeing sponsorship for Clatterbridge Cancer Centre sponsored studies and the implementation of a robust and effective research audit system.

Lorraine Wilson-Manns, Research Partnerships Manager
lorraine.broadfoot@nhs.net

Lorraine is responsible for the management of commercial study set up which incorporates, collation of regulatory documents, localised headed documents, and liaison with support departments including finance on the costs for studies and authorisation of capacity and capability for the site.

Andreia Ramos-Silva, Research Partnerships Facilitator
a.ramos-silva@nhs.net

Andreia works alongside the Research Partnerships Manager with a main focus on non-commercial study set up for trust approval.

Doug Elkin, Research Co-ordinator
douglas.elkin@nhs.net

Doug works alongside the Research Governance and Quality Manager to deliver research governance with a main focus on Haemato-oncology trials, ECMC studies and those led by CCC-clinicians and for which CCC acts as Sponsor.

Jane Knight, Trials Facilitator
jane.knight1@nhs.net

Jane's role in RM&G is to manage the data and information in our Edge database for reporting purposes and completion of the Trust’s Performance in Initiating Research (PII) & Performance in Delivering Research (PID) reports. She is also responsible for document control, GCP training records and research passports. I also have an active role in initial study set-up.

Gabby Lawrence, Research and Innovation Administrator
gabrielle.lawrence@nhs.net

Priyank Patel, Research and Innovation Administrator
priyank.patel3@nhs.net

Gabby and Priyank provide administrative and secretarial support to the R&I Directorate and Research Management and Governance Team. They are also responsible for the implementation of protocol amendments and support study set-up.

We have a team of expert Research Practitioners, Research Officers and Clinical Trials Support Workers at the Centre in Wirral and across our peripheral clinics. The practitioners are divided into specialist teams for effective delivery.

Brain, Sarcoma and Melanoma Portfolio

Barbara King, Advanced Research Practitioner
0151 556 5102

Rebecca Grogan, Research Practitioner

0151 556 5198

Breast and Gynaecological Portfolio

Chelcie Faulker, Advanced Research Practitioner
0151 556 5460

Haemato-oncology Portfolio

Jane Tinsley, Advanced Research Practitioner
0151 706 4886

Head and Neck and GI Cancer Portfolio

Pembe Yesildag, Advanced Research Practitioner
0151 556 5442

HPB Portfolio

Jo Bygroves, Advanced Research Practitioner
0151 556 5527

Grace McGrath, Research Practitioner
0151 556 5510

Lung Portfolio

Alison Hassall, Advanced Research Practitioner
0151 556 5423

Hannah Doughty, Research Officer
0151 556 5509

Urology Portfolio

Linda Lyons, Advanced Research Practitioner
0151 556 5340

Charlotte Baugh, Research Officer
0151 556 5456

ECMC Portfolio

Jennie Derham, Advanced Research Practitioner
0151 556 5443

Nurse-led Research

Lynda Appleton, Academic Nurse Researcher
0151 556 5438

Clinical Delivery Team

Jenny Miller, Research Practitioner
0151 556 5471

Sarah Illingworth, Research Staff Nurse
0151 556 5835

Joshua Williams, Research Support Worker
0151 556 5561

Emma Barry, Research Support Worker
0151 556 5561

Data Management Team

We have a dedicated team of Clinical Trial Assistants to provide data management support for our portfolio of studies. The Clinical Trial Assistants are split into specialist teams for effective delivery.

Sue Green, Senior Clinical Trials Assistant
sue.green6@nhs.net

Erin Bennett, Senior Clinical Trials Assistant
erin.bennett1@nhs.net

Nick Garbutt, ECMC Senior Clinical Trials Assistant
nicholas.garbutt@nhs.net

Brain Portfolio

Susan Howard, Clinical Trials Assistant
susan.howard13@nhs.net

Breast Portfolio

Sarah Bennett, Clinical Trials Assistant
sarah.bennett7@nhs.net

Gynaecological Portfolio

Sarah Bennett, Clinical Trials Assistant
sarah.bennett7@nhs.net

Head and Neck Portfolio

Susan Howard, Clinical Trials Assistant
susan.howard13@nhs.net

HPB Portfolio

Nicola Dean, Clinical Trials Assistant
nicola.dean4@nhs.net

Lower GI Portfolio

Susan Howard, Clinical Trials Assistant
susan.howard13@nhs.net

Lung Portfolio

Masuma Begum, Clinical Trials Assistant
masuma.begum7@nhs.net

Melanoma Portfolio

Hollie Wilson, Clinical Trials Assistant
hollie.wilson@nhs.net

Sarcoma

Susan Howard, Clinical Trials Assistant
susan.howard13@nhs.net

Upper GI Portfolio

Susan Howard, Clinical Trials Assistant
susan.howard13@nhs.net

Urology Portfolio

Kathryn Hughes, Clinical Trials Assistant
k.hughes4@nhs.net

Bethan Edwards, Clinical Trials Assistant
bethan.edwards4@nhs.net

Follow up studies

Matthew Stott, Clinical Trials Assistant
matthew.stott2@nhs.net

Caroline Dunn, Clinical Trials Assistant
caroline.dunn@nhs.net

Alison Kelly, Clinical Trials Assistant
alison.kelly18@nhs.net

Project Support Managers

The team provides comprehensive project management support for Research Senior Management and the Clinical Academic Group. Their aim is to raise the profile of research at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre.

Jessica Hulse, Research
jessica.hulse@nhs.net
0151 556 5431

Mary Jordan, Academic Research
mary.jordan3@nhs.net
0151 556 5197

We have a dedicated Clinical Trials Laboratory with full technical capability for the processing of biological samples for research studies. The Clinical Trials Laboratory also houses the CCC Biobank.

For any Biobank or Laboratory queries, please contact a member of the team:

Victoria Chekoldina, Biobank Administrator
victoria.chekoldina@nhs.net

Rebecca Hopcroft, Clinical Trials Laboratory Technician
rebecca.cass3@nhs.net

Helen Wynne, Clinical Trials Laboratory Technician
helen.newsome@nhs.net

Avril Hughes, Clinical Trials Laboratory Technician
avril.hughes@nhs.net

Mariam Omidi, Clinical Trials Laboratory Technician
mariam.omidi@nhs.net