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Table 1 Summary of Oxford Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) projects that Research theme/Working group leads indicated had potential impacts on patient care at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH)

From: Does a biomedical research centre affect patient care in local hospitals?

BRC Research theme/Working group

Oxford BRC projects with potential impact on patient care

Potential impact on patient care at OUH

Biomedical Informatics and Technology

Gestational diabetes smartphone application

Processes and/or service organisation

New alerting score based on patients’ vital signs (CALMS-3 Study – Computer Alerting Monitoring System)

Processes and/or service organisation

Maintenance of database of samples and consent management for Oxford Biobank

Processes and/or service organisation

System for Electronic Notes Documentation (SEND) project (electronic track and trigger and patient alerting)

Processes and/or service organisation

Blood

Training and hiring staff and improving infrastructure for clinical programme to do stem cell transplants and run more clinical trials in this area

Treatments

Cancer

Multi-gene testing service with rapid (1 week) turnaround

Diagnostics, testing, screening

BRC-funded clinical research posts specialising in sarcoma, gynaecological cancers and melanoma

Staffing for specialist services

Cardiovascular

MRI diagnostic tools for patients with intermittent angina

Diagnostics, testing, screening

Clinical Informatics

Upgrade for cancer informatics in OUH (enabled by Genomic Medicine Centre (GMC) designation)

Diagnostics, testing, screening

Molecular diagnostics and genome sequencing services (enabled by GMC designation)

Diagnostics, testing, screening

Development of integrated logical record for each cancer patient (in progress)

Processes and/or service organisation

True colours technology for mental health patients across Oxfordshire to aid self-management

Processes and/or service organisation

Streamlining management of notes/records from multidisciplinary cancer meetings (in progress)

Processes and/or service organisation

Clinical decision support dialogue to make blood orders more efficient

Processes and/or service organisation

Dementia and Cerebrovascular Disease

New screening process for acute confusion in medical admissions

Diagnostics, testing, screening

Fast track carotid surgery

Treatments

Telemetric home blood pressure monitoring

Processes and/or service organisation

The first transient ischaemic attack (TIA) and minor stroke clinic in the United Kingdom

Processes and/or service organisation

Diabetes

Diagnostic programme to identify patients with a genetic basis for their diabetes

Diagnostics, testing, screening

Pancreatic islet extraction unit

Treatments

Pancreatic transplants

Treatments

Functional Neuroscience and Imaging

Imaging protocols (epilepsy)

Diagnostics, testing, screening

Functional neurosurgery team (part of the BRC) provides a clinical service, including pain deep brain stimulation

Treatments

Specialist clinic in epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, supported by BRC-funded research fellows

Staffing for specialist services

Genomic Medicine

Targeted next generation sequencing

Diagnostics, testing, screening

Whole exome or whole genome sequencing

Diagnostics, testing, screening

Immunology and Inflammation

Non-invasive tests for liver disease

Diagnostics, testing, screening

Patient stratification for biologic therapies

Diagnostics, testing, screening

Tests to diagnose encephalitis (brain inflammation)

Diagnostics, testing, screening

Trials on treatment of inflammation in eczema

Treatments

Infection

Work linking care to outcomes with big data approaches

Processes and/or service organisation

Genomic testing to support infection monitoring (provided informally)

Processes and/or service organisation

Molecular Diagnostics

Oxford designated as GMC for Genomics England’s 100,000 Genomes Project

Diagnostics, testing, screening

Multi-gene testing for cancer patients

Diagnostics, testing, screening

Diagnostic tests for children with rare blood conditions

Diagnostics, testing, screening

Response prediction in leukaemia

Diagnostics, testing, screening

Prevention and Population Care

The first TIA and minor stroke clinic in the United Kingdom

Processes and/or service organisation

Surgical Innovation and Evaluation

Chemotherapy (device targeted therapy): liposomes developed to carry the treatment to the organ of interest

Treatments

Image-guided surgery using fluorescents

Treatments

Organ transplantation/reconditioning

Treatments

Restoring vision through an electronic implant

Treatments

Restoring vision through gene therapy

Treatments

Training and Education

No projects identified

 

Translational Physiology

No projects identified

 

Vaccines

Respiratory syncytial virus, trialling a new vaccine

Treatments (national)

Meningitis, looking at trials of schedules for baby vaccines, booster doses, meningitis B vaccine trials

Processes and/or service organisation (national)

Multiple research themes/Working groups

Better infrastructure for clinical trials and other studies (e.g. better pharmacovigilance, biobanking)

Processes and/or service organisation