Clinical Research Fellow Full-time NEW

Clinical Research Fellow

This is an exciting opportunity for a Clinical Research Fellow within the Centre for Medical Imaging (CMI). CMI has expertise in multimodality gastrointestinal, oncological, musculoskeletal and neurological imaging, as well as medical physics, statistical methodology, health economics, modelling, and health behaviour. The academic department is based in the Imaging Division of University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH), one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom, with a secondary office in Charles Bell House.

While we are most proud of our research, we are especially pleased with the convivial and enabling atmosphere within the Centre. This engenders an enjoyable and stimulating environment so that all employees can achieve the very best of their potential.

CMI aims to remain in the UK at the forefront of clinical imaging research worldwide so that we can ultimately improve patient outcomes.

The UCL PROMIS and PRECISION studies have revolutionised the diagnosis and management of prostate cancer. Multi-parametric MRI (mpMRI) is now routinely used across the NHS for the diagnosis of prostate cancer. mpMRI has transformed care by enabling targeted biopsy, reducing unnecessary procedures, and improving early detection. However, mpMRI remains imperfect. Its negative predictive value is strong, but its positive predictive value is limited — meaning that many men with MRI-visible lesions still undergo unnecessary biopsy. Furthermore, mpMRI produces a wide diagnostic spectrum of lesions whose true biological behaviour is not always clear.

These limitations highlight three major research gaps:

• Diagnostic gap – improving accuracy to avoid unnecessary biopsies;
• Screening gap – creating a better first-line test for population screening;
• Prognostic gap – identifying which Gleason 3+4 cancers will progress.

CMI is running a set of imaging trials, including the ASPIRE, TRANSFORM, and HistoMRI, together with several AI prostate studies. These are designed to address critical gaps. The Clinical Research Fellow will contribute directly to this next generation of imaging research, helping to refine diagnostic accuracy, develop screening-appropriate MRI tools, and advance MRI-based prognostic assessment for men on active surveillance.

We are seeking a Clinical Research Fellow (CRF) to conduct prostate cancer clinical imaging research. The CRF will support the design, delivery, and analysis of prostate cancer imaging trials within the Centre for Medical Imaging.

The CRF will lead clinical trial assessment workflows, oversee patient recruitment and safety, contribute to protocol development, and ensure high-quality research delivery. The postholder will be encouraged to pursue a higher degree (PhD/MD) as part of this programme. This is an exciting opportunity for a CRF to work at the frontiers of clinical translation of MR technologies to rapidly and directly benefit on the care of cancer patients.

This role is available for 2 years.

You will have a medical degree and full registration with the GMC and clinical experience relevant to imaging, oncology or urology. You will have knowledge of clinical research governance and Good Clinical Practice (GCP) with an ability to prioritise and manage a varied clinical research workload. Strong organisational skills and attention to detail in clinical documentation.

It is essential that you are able to work effectively both independently and in a multidisciplinary team, with excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, with an ability to explain complex clinical concepts to patients and colleagues. You must display commitment to high-quality clinical research and patient-centred care.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a multidisciplinary team working across the Division of Medicine. As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer some great benefits some of which are below:

• 41 Days holiday (27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days)
• Additional 5 days' annual leave purchase scheme
• Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
• Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
• Immigration loan
• Relocation scheme for certain posts
• On-Site nursery
• On-site gym
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
• Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service
• Discounted medical insurance

Visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/reward-and-benefits to find out more.

As London's Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world's talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.

We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL's workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people.

Our department holds an Athena SWAN Silver award, in recognition of our commitment and demonstrable impact in advancing gender equality.