Academic Clinical Fellow – Neurology CT1 (Mersey)
The University of Liverpool and the Mersey Deanery are seeking to employ an Academic Clinical Fellows (ACF) in Neurology from August, 2016. This exciting post will provide the trainee with basic specialist training in Neurology, and dedicated research training within the theme of Neurological Infectious Diseases, or Epilepsy, or both. This highly innovative and successful programme, which is unique to the UK, provides subject-based specialty clinical and research training in neurological infectious diseases and epilepsy, and through this allows exposure to translational research that integrates the basic elements of Neurology with infectious diseases. The programme provides a unique inter-disciplinary environment, allowing trainees to develop the clinical and research skills necessary to build a research career in their own area of interest within the sphere of neurological infections or epilepsy. It is underpinned by major research programmes in epilepsy and neurological infections, supported by substantial external funding, and there are substantial opportunities for exposure to research ranging from basic science through to health service research. Most ACFs in the Neuroscience Training Programme have subsequently obtained their own highly competitive Fellowships (including MRC, WT, and NIHR).
This post will provide a strong foundation for a career in academic medicine. Please refer to the NIHRTCC website for more information on academic training in medicine.
Applicants will be expected to have achieved exceptional undergraduate success and to demonstrate an aptitude towards becoming a medical researcher and leader in the field.
Job Title
ACF Neurology
Duration of post
3 years
Entry to the training post will be at CMT. During the three year post, the trainee will expected to prepare an application for a Clinical Research Training Fellowship, which will lead to a higher degree. Appointees who are not successful in obtaining a research training fellowship after three years will be allowed to enter directly into the clinical training programme in the deanery at an appropriate level. If this occurs, they will work in the same way as the other trainees on the programme and will no longer have the 25% of academic training time.
Hospitals in which training will take place
The Walton Centre NHS Trust and other NHS Trusts within the Mersey Deanery
Research Institutes in which training will take place
Institute of Infection and Global Health, and Institute of Translational Medicine,
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool
Whether day release or block release will be used for protected research time
Trainees spend academic blocks of 3 months per year in a laboratory or clinical setting which may include field visits. Recent/current academic juniors have spent time at the WT-funded Liverpool Unit in Malawi, the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), India, and at Wash-U, USA.
Description of research component of programme
The research component takes advantage of Liverpool’s international reputation for clinical and translational research in neurological infections and epilepsy. The Neurological Infectious Diseases research programme is an integral part of the Institute of Infection and Global Health, which brings together many leading infection and global health researchers from across the campus. The epilepsy research programme is part of the Institute of Translational Medicine which brings together leading epilepsy researchers and pharmacologists.
Research disciplines range from mechanisms of disease studies through clinical and translation studies to public health interventions. We have a range of potential projects, but tend not to be too prescriptive, encouraging instead new fellows to work in areas that interest them. Some of our most exciting new directions have been instigated in this way.
· Diagnostics: improved diagnostics of CNS infections through a microarray analysis of host response genes.
· Diagnostics: Application of novel MRI techniques in epilepsy to identify structural and functional changes, responsible for seizures and impaired cognition.
· Disease mechanism: Understanding the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in herpes encephalitis and developing new treatments.
· Disease mechanism: Examine the role of specific inflammatory pathways in the development of epilepsy.
· New treatments: Examining the potential role of pneumococcal P4 peptide in treating pneumococcal meningitis
· New treatments: Use systems biology approached to explore approaches for drug repurposing in epilepsy.
· Improved care: Improving the early management of patients with suspected Central nervous system infections
· Clinical trials methodology: Using a specific example, improve methods for undertaking trials in epilepsy or CNS infection
· Disease epidemiology modelling: Examining the geospatial distribution of Japanese encephalitis across Asia, and the putative impact of climate change
· Clinical epidemiology: Understanding the role of infections as a cause of epilepsy in Southern India
· Systematic reviews: Epilepsy and its management
· Health systems research: Improving the management of Epilepsy in the UK
Description of clinical training component of the programme
In each of the first two years of the ACF post, the successful candidate will have a 3 month attachment in Neurology in addition to the 3 month research attachment in this specialty. There will be a further two 3 month attachments each year in other branches of internal medicine. There is some flexibility in these posts, but options are likely to include clinical pharmacology and therapeutics, rheumatology, infectious diseases and cardiology. In year 3 of the ACF post, the successful candidate will move into a ST3 level placement in Neurology at one of the hospitals on the Mersey Deanery rotation. On call commitments will be to general medicine in the first 2 years and to neurology and some general internal medicine in year 3. Liverpool hosts one of the few NHS Neurological Infectious Diseases services in the UK, run jointly between Neurology and ID, and comprising in-patient care, specialist clinics, and a tertiary referral service. Liverpool also holds one of the largest and most integrated epilepsy services in the UK with a full range of support services including neurophysiology, neuropsychology and imaging. The clinical training programme in Neurology is based at the Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, a unique speciality trust with a high national reputation for clinical service and training. Trainees choose from a range of subspecialty
Contact
Academic Lead: Professor Tom Solomon / Professor Tony Marson
Training Programme Director/Head of School: Dr Charlotte Dougan
Recruitment Helpdesk: Lead.Employer@sthk.nhs.uk
Applicants wishing to find out more about the relevant clinical training programme(s), should go to the Specialties Schools page and click on the link(s) for the relevant clinical training programme(s).
Last updated: 02/11/2016