The University of Southampton and Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust are co-hosting a conference this week celebrating the life-enhancing clinical research undertaken by specialists in the city.
‘Clinical Research in Southampton – Moving from Strength to Strength’, which takes place at Southampton General Hospital on 12 November, will emphasise Southampton’s position as a major centre of clinical research in the UK, showcasing its clinical research excellence, current research activities, joint strategy and future goals.
The University has a long record of outstanding clinical research and is known worldwide for its research in cancer sciences, respiratory medicine, nutrition, and the developmental origins of health and disease.
Leading University specialists, including Professor Peter Johnson, Director of the University’s Cancer Research UK Clinical Centre; and Professor Alan Jackson, Director of the Nutrition Biomedical Research Unit and Ratko Djukanovic, Director of the Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit, both in the University’s School of Medicine, will be among the guest speakers.
Also, Professor Paul Little of the University’s Community Clinical Sciences division will present details of his recent study on the effectiveness of the Alexander Technique for back pain relief, and Professor Ann Ashburn of the University’s School of Health Sciences will discuss a trial of a home-based exercise programme to reduce the risk of falling among people with Parkinson’s disease.
The symposium will culminate with the 36th Annual Wade Lecture, given by Professor Robert Lechler, vice principal of health at King’s College London, entitled ‘Translational Research in the UK – a golden age?’
The event will also provide an occasion to reward innovative ideas submitted by hospital staff, and Mark Hackett, SUHT chief executive, will present prizes for the SUHT Innovation Competition.