Liverpool University Hospitals was proud to welcome Sir Patrick Vallance, UK Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser, on a recent tour of the Trust’s new Clinical Research Facility (CRF) at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.
Joined by Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Professor Lucy Chappell, the pair visited the city to learn more about Liverpool’s Pandemic Institute and see first-hand what role it and its partner institutions, including LUHFT, are playing in tackling infectious diseases.
During the visit to the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Liverpool CRF, which has been a purpose-built space within the Royal since 2009, the Chief Scientific Advisers met with a number of LUHFT colleagues, including Dr Jim Gardner, Chief Medical Officer, Dr Richard Fitzgerald, CRF Director, Dr Lauren Walker CRF Deputy Director, Mrs Jules West, Associate Director of Research and Innovation, Mrs Jennifer Gibney CRF, Operations Manager and Mrs Rebecca Lyons, CRF Lead Research Nurse. The CRF has played a key role in many breakthrough trials – including the COVID-19 vaccine.
The visit also included the University of Liverpool’s Ronald Ross laboratories and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine’s (LSTM) Accelerator Research Clinic. All are playing a significant role in helping The Pandemic Institute in tackling emerging infections and future pandemic threats.
Dr Richard Fitzgerald, Director of the NIHR Liverpool CRF, said: “It was a real privilege to welcome Sir Patrick and Professor Chappell to our new research facility here at the Royal. To be able to showcase to senior peers some of the world-class medical research taking place by the incredible staff in our state-of-the-art department was an honour.”
Dr Jim Gardner, Chief Medical Officer at Liverpool University Hospitals, said: “I’m proud of the fantastic work carried out by Trust colleagues in our Clinical Research Facility. To be able to demonstrate this to both Sir Patrick and Professor Chappell during their recent visit to Liverpool was a great privilege, and I hoped they enjoyed the opportunity to speak some of our brilliant staff, who are making a real difference to the future of medicine.”
Sir Patrick Vallance, Government Chief Scientific Adviser, said: “It was great to visit The Pandemic Institute in Liverpool and see first-hand the work that is being done by a collection of leading organisations in preparing for future pandemics and tackling infectious diseases.”
Professor Lucy Chappell, DHSC Chief Scientific Adviser, said: “It was inspiring to visit Liverpool and hear from experts in a range of disciplines who are undertaking translational research to address infectious diseases and respond to emerging infections. This work is making an impact at a local, national and global level.”