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Clinical trials

We have in-house expertise and strong connections to other University functions and external partners, all of which combine to support the development and management of effective clinical research studies.

Liverpool Clinical Trials Centre

The Liverpool Clinical Trials Centre (LCTC) is a leading UK clinical trials unit and methodological research group.

It is a large multi-disciplined team comprising academics, researchers and methodologists, trial managers, database and information systems developers, data managers, monitors and statisticians. The Centre is able to offer expertise across all areas of clinical trial operations: trial management, data management, statistics, information systems, monitoring and quality assurance.

Visit the LCTC website

Research Design Service North West

Research Design Service North West (RDS NW) provides design and methodological support to health and social care researchers in the North West of England to develop grant applications to the NIHR and other open national peer-reviewed funding programmes.

Grant applications and grant management

All research grant applications that are to be led by University of Liverpool academics or that involve University academics as collaborators must be appropriately costed. The Research Support Office intranet website (RSO) (staff only) provides advice, guidance and support for financial and contractual considerations throughout the lifecycle of externally funded projects.

The RSO website provides useful advice on:

  • How to cost your grant application (including explanations on Full Economic Costing)
  • The approval process as well as
  • Practical advice on funder submission systems
  • What happens when a grant application is awarded
  • How and when the Research Contracts Team gets involved to support the execution of Grant Award agreements and any associated contracts that are needed before a research project can start.

The Research and Partnerships Development team (staff only) provides project management support for large grant applications (often multi-partner) that are of strategic importance to the University. They are also responsible for managing the institutional Peer Review College (staff only), including setting up mock interviews and demand management. University peer review is a requirement for a number of funder-specific grant applications so please check this well in advance.

Liverpool Health Partners Single Point of Access to Research and Knowledge

LHP SPARK is a joint research service which brings together Liverpool Health Partners’ NHS and Universities research support functions to facilitate and deliver world-class health research. It acts as a Single Point of Access for Investigators and Research Teams, facilitating engagement between the University and Trust R&D teams to ensure that clinical studies are appropriately costed and effectively resourced.

LHP SPARK is driven by a dedicated research team that can provide support and guidance for grant applications and works in close collaboration with LHP member organisations.

Trust Research and Development Offices

More information and contact details for our partner NHS Trust R&D Offices can be found via the links below:

NIHR Clinical Research Network

The NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) supports patients, the public and health and care organisations across England to participate in high-quality research, thereby advancing knowledge and improving care. The CRN is comprised of 15 Local Clinical Research Networks and 30 Specialties who coordinate and support the delivery of high-quality research both by geography and therapy area. The CRN enables high-quality health and care research in England by meeting the costs of additional staff, facilities, equipment and support services so that research is not subsidised with funding that has been provided for health and care treatments and service. The CRN also provides a vast range of national and local resources and activities designed to support health and care organisations, staff, patients and service users to be research active.

Local activities and services are managed through the CRN North West Coast.

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