Title: Paediatric Oncology Clinical Trials Fellowship: Birmingham CRCTU
Funder: Cancer Research UK

Abstract: My long-term career ambition is to be a leader in the field of Paediatric Oncology, combining delivery of high quality clinical care, with high impact cancer research that improves that the lives of children with cancer. Whilst my research to date has mainly focussed in the laboratory, looking to understand the underlying biology of childhood cancers, it is through clinical trials that these advances translate to benefit patients. This clinical trials fellowship will give me teaching and experience in the science, ethics and practicalities of running children’s cancer trials. This will include working on a range of trial types, in different children’s cancers, and at different stages of completion (e.g. those being developed, trials underway, analysis of results of completed trials). It will also enable me to develop my own proposal, likely building on the results of my PhD, to design a trial to evaluate novel therapeutic strategies for children with Craniopharyngioma. Through combining this training at the UK’s national children’s cancer trials unit with my clinical training at Birmingham Children's Hospital, a leading UK Children’s Cancer Centre, will enable me to further develop my research skills, whilst also progressing with my clinical training as a childhood cancer specialist. This application fits well within the CRUK Research Strategy, working with Cancers of unmet need, giving me skills to help accelerate the translation of advancements in basic science and helping develop a hopeful leader of the future. Following this fellowship, I aim to apply for a senior research fellowships, from CRUK, or similar national funding bodies, to lead research that continues to develop and improve therapies for children with brain tumours.

Lay abstract: My long-term career ambition is to be a leader in the field of Paediatric Oncology, combining delivery of high quality clinical care, with high impact cancer research that improves that the lives of children with cancer. Whilst my research to date has mainly focussed in the laboratory, looking to understand the underlying biology of childhood cancers, it is through clinical trials that these advances translate to benefit patients. This clinical trials fellowship will give me teaching and experience in the science, ethics and practicalities of running children’s cancer trials. This will include working on a range of trial types, in different children’s cancers, and at different stages of completion (e.g. those being developed, trials underway, analysis of results of completed trials). It will also enable me to develop my own proposal, likely building on the results of my PhD, to design a trial to evaluate novel therapeutic strategies for children with Craniopharyngioma. Through combining this training at the UK’s national children’s cancer trials unit with my clinical training at Birmingham Children's Hospital, a leading UK Children’s Cancer Centre, will enable me to further develop my research skills, whilst also progressing with my clinical training as a childhood cancer specialist. This application fits well within the CRUK Research Strategy, working with Cancers of unmet need, giving me skills to help accelerate the translation of advancements in basic science and helping develop a hopeful leader of the future. Following this fellowship, I aim to apply for a senior research fellowships, from CRUK, or similar national funding bodies, to lead research that continues to develop and improve therapies for children with brain tumours.

Research activity codes: 6.9 RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE (TREATMENT EVALUATION)
Health categories: CANCER AND NEOPLASMS