Clinical Research
Overview
The ethos of Oxford Gastroenterology is for each Clinical Fellow to have their own project or to contribute to departmental research, leading to publications, even if they are in Oxford in the capacity of a clinical attachment or as an observer. Clinical house staff (F1, F2) and clicial specialist trainees are also encouraged and supported in contributing to work that leads to publication. Research nurses contribute substantially to the conduct of trials and are co-authors in Oxford investigator-initiated trials as appropriate. This has resulted in 60+ publications (excluding abstracts) from clinical fellows alone during 2013-2016, including major contributions to international guidelines (e.g. OMED-ECCO Consensus on small bowel endoscopy and Opportunistic Infections in IBD) by young investigators from Oxford.
Major areas of research interest in luminal gastroenterology are clinical trials in IBD, especially novel therapy or new therapeutic strategies, predicting outcome including biomarkers through collaboration with Alison Simmons, evaluating disease activity, the burden of disease in IBD, imaging in IBD, microscopic inflammation in the gut, coeliac disease, endoscopy, transfusion in GI bleeding and insights from clinical practice.
Close collaboration with hepatobiliary research in Oxford within the Translational Gastroenterology Unit, is a major driver for collaboration, lateral thinking and novel insights into therapy or clinical practice (publications). Oxford evolved the concept of joint medical and surgical management of IBD and remain covalently bonded.
The principal strength of clinical Gastroenterology in Oxford is the integration of basic science and clinical practice. The wards, laboratories, academic and clinical offices are co-located. There are regular joint meetings between clinical and academic gastroenterology. Opportunity beckons.