Newsletter December 2021

In this Edition

Hello all, Welcome to the latest edition of the TASC newsletter.

Pg 2. TASC Festive Holiday Arrangements Pg 3. Foreword from Graeme Boyle Pg 4. Welcome Pg 5. Training Pg 7. Study Recruitment Pg 8. NHS Research Scotland Pg 9. TASC Teams Pg 10. Events Pg 11. Congratulations Pg 12. Goodbye Pg 13. Surviving Christmas Tips Pg 14. Christmas Quiz Pg 15. Scottish Quiz

We would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy 2022

TAyside Medical Science Centre (TASC), Residency Block Level 3, George Pirie Way, Ninewells Hospital & Medical School, Dundee, DD1 9SY

TASC Christmas/New Year Arrangements Winter 2021/2022 Christmas Holidays Friday 24 December TASC Cover Remote Working Monday 27 December TASC Closed Tuesday 28 December TASC Closed Wednesday 29 December TASC Cover Remote Working Thursday 30 December TASC Cover Remote Working Friday 31 December TASC Cover Remote Working New Year Holidays Monday 3 January 2022 TASC Closed Tuesday 4 January 2022 TASC Closed Wednesday 5 January TASC Reopening Remote Working Breach Reports must be sent without delay to [email protected] This mailbox continues to be monitored as per normal through the holidays. Urgent TASC Issues Contact Graeme Boyle, TASC Senior R&D Manager, [email protected] / 07583016092 Urgent TCTU Issues Contact Dr Fiona Hogarth, Co-Director, [email protected] / 07972861904

Urgent Sponsorship or Research Governance Issues Patricia Burns, Senior Clinical Research Governance Manager, [email protected] / 07540091703 Pharmacovigilance Issues Heather Barclay, Pharmacovigilance Monitor, [email protected] / 07976769843

2

Foreword Graeme Boyle, TASC Senior R&D Manager

Well that’s another year done – well almost! – and what a 12 months it has been. From first vaccine given outside a clinical trial, to 20 million plus 3rd dose boosters administered and the new therapeutics, clinical science and research has been front and centre of news around the world. It worthwhile reflecting the vital part that you all have played in delivering this, arguably the most significant Public Health programme in history. Thank you all. It is a time of excitement and expectation, whether that be for the latest Funko Pop Batman doll, that signed BTS photocard or just for a few days of peace and quiet contemplation! Whatever, it is it is make sure you take time and be kind not only to others but to yourselves. This is also time of change for TASC, the year ends with a ‘changing of the guard’ as Jacob moves on and Prof Russell Petty takes the lead of TASC. Jacob joined us as a respected and successful clinical academic and he leaves us with an even more impressive Palmarès but perhaps even more importantly, as a friend. Jacob, we thank you for your leadership, your advocacy of TASC and the importance of research and for your care and support. Everything we have achieved over the last year, indeed the last 11 years, we have done so as a team and as a team we welcome Russell and look forward to working with him in addressing the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Can I end by wishing you and your families the happiest of Christmases and the most peaceful and successful 2022. Graeme 3

We would like to welcome Professor Russell Petty as Professor Jacob George’s successor. We all look forward to working with you. https://www.dundee.ac.uk/people/russell-petty

CRC would like to welcome a number of new staff members to the department.

Respiratory/Covid Studies Laura Hunter, Clinical Research Nurse Rhea Solstice, Clinical Research Nurse Kayleigh Anderson, Clinical Research Nurse

Gastro/Hepatology/Renal Studies Leanne Cosgrove, Clinical Research Nurse

CRC Sample Processing Lab Frances Robertson, Clinical Research Support Assistant TASC Finance would like to welcome Miranda McDougall, temporary DUTE Finance Assistant, and Ben Antoniewicz, TASC Finance Assistant. Miranda graduated with a Mathematics Master's degree from the University of Dundee last year. She started with TASC Finance in October and will be with us for a few months to help with our routine tasks such as invoicing of studies. Ben is replacing Karolina Stankute, who recently left TASC. He has previously worked with NHS Lothian and then with NHS Tayside Accounts Payable.

4

The TASC Training Team would like to thank everyone who has attended our online Training sessions and to everyone who has presented the Training. You have all helped to make the Training successful this year and we look forward to seeing many of you next year.

Targeted Training Programme Live Trainers (MS Teams) Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPI) in Clinical Research 18 January 2022 13:00 – 14:00 Presented by Dr Gillian Craig, Clinical Trial Coordinator/PPI Manager Clinical Data Analysis in Research 16 February 2022 13:00 – 14:00 Presented by Petra Rauchhaus, TCTU Clinical Trials Statistician R&D Approvals 1 March 2022 12:00 —14:00 Presented by Liz Coote, Head of Noncommercial Research Services What is New for Quality Systems in Clinical Research 29 March 2022 13:00—14:00 Presented by Dr Valerie Godfrey, TASC QA Manager DPIA - Data Protection Impact Assessment 26 April 2022 13:00—14:00 Presented by Dr Richard Parsons and Kate McBay, University of Dundee Director of Library and Learning Centre/ Senior Information Governance Officer Email [email protected] to register for any course https://www.dundee.ac.uk/tasc/researchers/training/ 5

National Research Scotland (NRS) TASC Good Clinical Practice Training Programme Live Trainers (MS Teams)

NRS Good Clinical Practice - Refresher GCP 25 Jan 2022 09:30 -12:30 NRS Good Clinical Practice - Introduction GCP 22 & 23 Feb 2022 09:30 - 12:30 NRS Good Clinical Practice - Refresher GCP 22 March 2022 09:30 -12:30 NRS Good Clinical Practice - Introduction GCP 19 & 20 April 09:30 -12:30 TASC GCP Trainers: Dr Anna Barnett Sarah Kennedy Tiffany Stewart

TASC Specialty Trainee in Research Course 27 & 28 April 2022 09:30 - 16:30 Course Lead Dr Sarah Martins Da Silva

Email [email protected] to register for any course

https://www.dundee.ac.uk/tasc/researchers/training/ 6

Study Recruitment

ORION-4 Led locally by Professor Isla Mackenzie, aims to find out whether inclisiran, given every 6 months for about 5 years, safely reduces the risk of heart attacks, strokes or the need for urgent coronary angioplasty or bypass grafts in people who already have known vascular disease. The study opened to recruitment in November 2021, and has already recruited 7 participants. OptiCALS aims to test a support package (the ‘OptiCALS’ intervention) designed to improve nutritional management for people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neurone disease. The study is led locally by Dr Ian Morrison and supported by NRS Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network. The study opened to recruitment in June and has recruited 4 participants already, from a minimum target of 5.

PROTECT V, led locally by Dr Samira Bell, aims to enrol patients receiving dialysis, kidney transplant patients, and patients with vasculitis or glomerulonephritis who are at particularly high risk of COVID-19 and its complications. The trial seeks to test the use of nasal nicolosamide treatment as a prophylactic measure that either might prevent the disease from occurring or may reduce the number of cases where the disease becomes serious or life threatening. The study began recruiting in Tayside in July 2021 and has recruited 10 patients so far; half of its overall target, with recruitment continuing to December 2022.

The Janssen study has seen a number of patients vaccinated with the Covid booster over the last few weeks and are now offering 34 eligible participants a booster dose of the vaccine We will commence first annual follow up visit for 270 participants in January 2022.

7

NRS have made three new Research Network/Specialty Group appointments from NHS Tayside and University of Dundee.   

Dr Samira Bell for NRS Renal Dr Fraser Harrold for NRS Musculoskeletal Health Dr Paul Newey for NRS Metabolic and Endocrine

The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) has launched a new Fellowship scheme to provide 3 years of funding to researchers that have just completed a PhD and are looking to take the next step in developing a research career. The application deadline is Wednesday 16 March 2022 and successful candidates will be able to take up their fellowships from Monday 1 August 2022.

For more information: https://www.cso.scot.nhs.uk/personal-awards-initiative/earlypostdoctoral-fellowship/

The NHS Research Ethics Committees (RECs) are looking to recruit new volunteer members to join the RECs and contribute to their work. They looking for someone who is passionate about healthcare research, has the ability to analyse complex issues, who can take an objective stance and voice their opinion. For more information Contact: [email protected]

https://www.nhsresearchscotland.org.uk/research-areas

8

TASC Teams

Kay Walker, CRC Co-Director and CRC Team

CRC and TASC Monitors - Earlier in the year both the CRC and TASC Monitors wore something red to support #Red4Research which aimed to get as many people as possible wearing red to demonstrate their support and appreciation for all those participating, undertaking and supporting Covid-19 research.

Caron Innes (top left), Susie Waugh (top right), Debbie Pankhurst (bottom left), Heather Barclay (bottom left) with Marney Keiller (inset), Senior Clinical Trials Research Monitor

QA Team - Valerie Godfrey joined other QA Managers in two newly formed Working Groups in the UKCRC Registered Clinical Trials Units Network, one for review and update of their Lab GCP Guidance documents and the other for review and update of their 'Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Inspection Preparation and Conduct; Guidance for Clinical Trials Units' documents. Val was the only Scottish QA representative in both groups.ttps://www.ukcrc.org/ 9

TASC Teams Ethics Team - East of Scotland REC 2 recently completed an audit from HRA Accreditation Scheme for the Audit and Continuing Assessment of Research Ethics Committees. After completion of the action plan they were awarded full accreditation. Well done to Bannin Jansen and the rest of the team.

Tayside Biorepository -TBR are relocating! Happy moving day! Sharon King and the rest of the team have received the keys to their new lab. The first phase of the move is now complete as they have now moved out of the JWCC lab. Their new lab is on level 6 of the lab block in Ninewells Hospital (L6 090) near Pathology. After 13 years, Sharon has returned to the lab where she did her PhD. It will be a great area to bring the TBR team closer together and they will have space to consider how best to support students and Clinical trials too. In the new year they will begin phase 2 which will see movement of the tissue bank lab into their new premises. Sharon is so grateful to her team for the help they have provided and the support from the Operations Team (Ryan, Mike, Iain and Euan). Well done to Hasi Umagiliya Bandara, Andy McKenzie and Marcus Achison, who have stepped up to the mark with Emma, Eva and Simon leaving. They have started rocking in their respective seats in TCTU Data Management Team.

10

NHS SHARE Online Symposium Series “Tomorrow’s Medical World” Wednesday 19 January 2022, 1-3pm To register for the event or for more information www.registerforshare.org [email protected]

NRS Genetics & Scottish Clinical Genetics Forum Thursday 17 March 2022 Malmaison, Dundee Enquiries to [email protected]

Scottish Research Nurse, Midwife & Coordinators Network Conference “Celebrating Clinical Research in Scotland” Friday 25 March 2022 The Studio, Glasgow [email protected]

11

A massive Congratulations to Professor Peter Connelly who has been awarded The Lifetime Achievement Award. This is the highest honour which the Old Age Faculty of the RCPsych can bestow and there have been only 15 other recipients.

Congratulations to Michael Batey, Finance team, who was awarded the CIPFA Public Service Financial Reporting Prize for obtaining the highest score for the PSFR exam in Scotland in 2021. He was invited to take part in the virtual Prize Winners' ceremony in October. We would like welcome Karen Peel to the Portfolio Team in her new role as NRS Support Officer. Most of you will know Karen from her previous roles within TASC most recently, in the Commercial team.

Congratulations to Joanna Forbes, CRC Department Senior Clinical Research Nurse/ Project Management is to be married 17 December 2021 and will become Mrs Joanna Sauberlich. Congratulations to Debbie Pankhurst’s TASC Monitors Team, lovely dog Callie, who had some great results in obedience competitions. Callie has also earned a place at Crufts and will be competing there in March 2022.

Congratulations to Sandra McAlpine-Grant, Commercial Team, who will be a granny to twins in the summer. You will definitely have your hands full with twins.

12

TASC would like to say Goodbye and All The Best to TASC R&D Director Prof Jacob George, who will be leaving us at the end of the year. Jacob leaves us to focus on other work with the MHRA and as National Clinical Lead for the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC). Jacob's parting gift to TASC is the TASC Strategy document due to be published on TASC web pages in the near future. Jacob leaves with everyone's warmest wishes. Susie Waugh - Clinical Trials Monitor will be leaving TASC on 20 December 2021. She has been a great asset to the Monitoring Team and will be immensely missed. Susie has been a joy to work with and very conscientious. She has a new Clinical Trials monitoring post Glasgow and starts in January 2022. We wish her all the best for the future. Karolina Stankute - Finance Assistant, left us in September after two and a half years. She originally started off as a part time DUTE assistant, but she stayed on to assist not only with Finance work but with TASC attendance and assisting PIs with their purchases and enquiries. Karolina will be very much missed by us. TCTU said goodbye to three long suffering and immensely valuable members of staff in October. Emma McKenzie and Eva Lahnsteiner decided to go to the darkside and both took up new positions with eDRIS, that’s electronic Data Research and Innovation Service, part of Public Health Scotland to you and me. They will be supporting academics, clinicians and the public/private sector to undertake research using health and other administrative data, something they are both incredibly well qualified to do and eDRIS are very lucky to have them. Simon Adamson has decided to go back to his first love and has fired up his bedside manner to be a Clinical Vascular Physiologist, based in Ninewells. This means we can still track him down about database design, CRFs, data verification but we have to do it very quietly as he can hear us coming. Later this month we are really sad to say we’ll be saying goodbye to Rachel Natanson. Rachel is a bit of TCTU boomerang, but this means she is able to slot straight back in and keep us under control without breaking stride. Rachel was with us on a short term contract, providing excellent guidance to researchers navigating the TASC pre award process but will be taking up a new position with Perth and Kinross Council, well suited to her social work background. 13

Top 10 Tips for Surviving Christmas

1.

Get rid of your cat!

2.

Wear Christmas jumpers

3.

Believe in Santa

4.

Use paper plates

5.

Wear elastic waistbands

6.

Buy batteries

7.

Eat lots of chocolate

8.

Drink wine

9.

Swallow Aspirin

10. DON’T eat Brussels sprouts

14

Christmas Quiz Provided by Nikki Gribben, TASC Admin Support/ Receptionist 1. In the novel a Christmas Carol who was the first ghost to visit Ebenezer

Scrooge? 2. In the film “It’s a Wonderful Life,” what was Clarence’s Occupation when he was alive? 3. What are the names of the three wise men and what gifts did they give to Jesus? 4. What is the total number of gifts that my true love gave to me in the twelve days of Christmas? 5. In the song “Frosty the Snowman,” what made Frosty Come Alive? 6. Who invented the Christmas cracker in 1847? 7. Who played Ebenezer Scrooge in “The Muppets Christmas Carol”? 8. In the Harry Potter books, what of the Deathly Hallows did Harry Potter receive on Christmas day? 9. Name Santa’s reindeer?

10. What angel informed Mary of the birth of Jesus? 11. In the UK which band has the most Christmas number ones? 12. In “Arthur Christmas”, who voiced Arthur?

1. Jacob Marley 2. A Clockmaker 3. Gasper, Balthasar & Melchoir-Gold, Frankensense & Muhr 4. 364 5. An Old Silk hat 6. Tom Smith 7. Michael Cane 8. The Invisibility Clock 9. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donna, Blitzen, Rudolph (Olive) as a bonus 10. Gabriel 11. The Beatles 12. James McAvoy 15

Cryptic Scottish Place Names Provided by Nikki Gribben, TASC Admin Support/Receptionist

Can you work out these Scottish Place names from the cryptic clues below? For example if the clue says she took her lamb up a mountain. A famous person who had a lamb was Mary. Another name for a mountain is Hill. So the place would be Mary Hill. 1. Repeated swearing 2. A drink containers departure 3. To stumble at church 4. Is this the capital of Russia or is it found in Ayrshire?

5. The bell’s sound barrier 6. Finished with a Scottish River 7. A safe place for rocks 8. This place will cost a £ 9. Sometimes all I need is the .... that I breathe to love you 10. Masterson Guys & Dolls Character 11. An idiots drinking establishment and a heavy weight 12. This quiz gets on my Eccelfechin 2.Glasgow 3. Falkirk 4. Moscow 5. Dingwall 6. Dundee 7. Stonehaven 8. Stirling 9. Ayr10.Skye 11. Dumbarton 12. Wick 16

Thank you for reading our TASC Newsletter

If you have any ideas or contributions for the next issue of the newsletter please contact: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] TAyside Medical Science Centre (TASC), Residency Block Level 3, George Pirie Way, Ninewells Hospital & Medical School, Dundee, DD1 9SY 17