Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Accept all cookies Reject all non-essential cookies Find out more

PA Early Psychosis Research - PUMA

We are looking to recruit 14 clinicians from Early Intervention in Psychosis services to work with us on the design and setup of a new platform trial. The commitment is 1 PA/4 hours per week for June 2024- October 2026

 Applications can be submitted to puma@psych.ox.ac.uk by Friday 17th May 2024

The Puma Project

Early Psychosis Multi-arm, multi-stage platform trial (PUMA) has been funded by The Wellcome Trust. The ambition is to establish a large-scale, national platform trial of mechanistically diverse treatments that will dramatically accelerate our treatment of early psychosis with the added achievable goal of a stratified approach to treatment.

We will deliver this through 4 parallel working groups (WG), each tasked with a key aspect of trial design and delivery, and an overarching steering group. The organogram of our structures, and leadership is detailed here.

Each working group has specific aim:

Trial Design WG: To develop a Master Protocol that will describe the objective(s), design, methodology, statistical considerations, and organisation of a MAMS trial, and ensure the safety of the trial participants and integrity of the data collected.

Treatment Recommendation WG:  To develop a priority list of drugs for inclusion in the trial and to prioritise and select 'high potential' drug candidates that will allow seamless addition of investigational arms in the future to the MAMS trial.

Outcome Measure Selection WG: To select the most appropriate intermediate and final phase outcomes to be used, which are clinically relevant, meaningful to patients and align with regulatory requirements.

Trial Infrastructure WG:  To develop a model for the infrastructure to support successful MAMS trial delivery.

 

We have received funding from the mental health mission capacity development funding for 14 clinicians to join our working groups.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the team and work on this project from inception. The post holders will join a multidisciplinary and highly collaborative team of clinicians and researchers and will have the opportunity to help shape this project for the long-term future. Successful candidates are expected to join the PUMA team in summer 2024 and collaborate on the project over the whole set up phase.  There is also the potential for these roles to evolve into PI roles for the eventual trial. We will provide all necessary training and support in research methodologies. Most meetings will be online, with occasional travel to London. Please see the PUMA project Gantt chart here.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

  1. Active and engaged membership of a PUMA working group with attendance at monthly meetings.
  2. Representation of needs and requirements of their local EIP services, and ability to scope local infrastructure required to deliver PUMA.
  3. Participating in data collection exercises, including Delphi exercises, and systematic reviews
  4. Acting as a local PUMA champion, enabling the setup of PUMA in local area.
  5. Membership of the PUMA clinical research team

Essential requirements

Candidates should demonstrate their ability and expertise against the following criteria:

  • A substantive postholder, with leadership role within an EIP service (eg consultant psychiatrist, consultant clinical psychologist, team lead, senior clinician)
  • An effective facilitator who is able to bring colleagues together to work in a collegiate way for the overall benefit of the local community in which they work.
  • Excellent communication and presentational skills with the enthusiasm to act as a “champion”.
  • Strongly committed to bringing benefits to patients through the delivery of excellent patient focussed clinical research.
  • Ability to contribute constructively in meetings and appreciate both national and local aspects with a willingness to lead initiatives at both these levels
  • Able to dedicate a session of time (1PA) to the role, ideally starting from  June 2024
  • Experience of recruiting to clinical trials is desirable, but not essential.

 

Candidates wishing to apply should submit the following:

·       A brief CV (2 pages)

·       A short (max 1 page) supporting statement giving examples of skills and knowledge to meet the requirements of the role. Candidates are encouraged to indicate their preference of a Working Group they would like to join. Detailed descriptions of working groups are here.

 

Please submit your application to puma@psych.ox.ac.uk by Friday 17th May 2024