Charles Swanton, Deputy Clinical Director, opened the event with a warm welcome, highlighting the breadth of clinician-scientist training opportunities at the Crick and offering inspiring remarks on the value of persistence in academic medicine.

PhD project presentations

Over the day, we heard from six current clinical research fellows presenting findings from a diverse range of projects. Thuvaraka Ware, from the Vinuesa lab at the Crick opened the session with her work on the role of human leukocyte antigens in systemic lupus erythematosus. She was followed by Iso Oloyede, a Commonwealth scholar from Imperial College London who had conducted a large clinical study of asthma and atopy in children exposed to gas flaring in Southern Nigeria. Kate Orf (UCL) concluded the morning with her presentation on base editing of haematopoietic stem cells and T-cells to restore PI3K signalling in activated-PI3-Kinase-d syndrome patients.

In the afternoon, Benjamin Lindsey (University of Sheffield) shared his research on dynamic mucosal ecosystems in susceptibility to respiratory viral infection; Krysia Sadzikowska (CRUK Cambridge) shared her work on the role of nuclear RNA export factor 1 on Forkhead box protein A1 protein levels in breast cancer; and James Barnacle from the Wilkinson lab at the Crick shared his project which used multiomics to understand immunopathology in tuberculous meningitis. 

Presenters were encouraged to share aspects of their career journey alongside their research, enriching the session with personal stories. We heard about transitions from GP to basic science; PhD’s spanning two maternity leaves; and projects inspired by personal family health experiences.

Healthcare in Crisis

This year’s keynote was delivered by renowned British neurosurgeon and author Henry Marsh, who discussed the growing strain on global healthcare systems due to aging populations. He explained that this demographic shift is driven by multiple factors, including declining birth rates and medical advances that have extended life expectancy—while also increasing medical complexity and end-of-life costs. Dr. Marsh noted that cancer research primarily benefits the elderly, while crucial areas like early childhood nutrition and education often receive less attention. He also pointed to a misalignment between pharmaceutical industry incentives and global health needs, urging a more holistic approach to healthcare reform.

Clinician group leader talks

We were delighted to host two exceptional clinician scientist group leaders to share their inspiring bench-to-bedside research. Mariya Moosajee, group leader at the Francis Crick Institute and clinician at the Moorfields Eye Hospital, presented her team’s work on establishing molecular diagnoses for patients with congenital eye defects. Claire Roddie from UCLH followed with insights from her experience establishing the UCL CAR-T program and their intriguing discovery that an intermediate-affinity CD19 targeting CAR-T not only reduced toxicity, but unexpectedly also enhanced therapeutic efficacy. 

Careers panel

For our careers panel, we were excited to host three inspiring clinician scientists, each representing distinct career paths and stages. Jonathan Lim, who completed his PhD and postdoc at the Crick and now leads a group at The Christie in Manchester, reflected on the unpredictable nature of career trajectories—emphasizing that while they may appear linear in hindsight, his journey was shaped by many twists of fate. Shiranee Sriskandan, Head of Adult Infectious Diseases at Imperial College, spoke candidly about career setbacks, the importance of resilience, and the ongoing challenge of balancing research with educational and leadership responsibilities. David Roblin, CEO of Relation Therapeutics and Chair of Scientific Translation at the Crick, shared insights from his early transition out of clinical medicine and into pharmaceutical, entrepreneurial, and business development roles.

Conclusions and looking forward

Veronica Kinsler, Assistant Research Director for Clinical Academic Training and Development, closed the meeting with a powerful reminder of the vital role of clinical research. She referenced a recent UKRI report highlighting the urgent need to address a critical shortfall in medically trained researchers—warning of the potential economic impact, with evidence showing that every £1 invested in medical research generates an additional 25p return annually. Professor Kinsler also drew attention to troubling data showing a widening gender gap in senior academic positions.

The day concluded with refreshments and a chance for attendees to connect and reflect. Maya Bienz, a CRUK Cambridge clinical fellow shared, “It was an interesting, interactive and varied event, with plenty of time for engaging discussion and connecting with colleagues!” 

We are already looking forward to next year’s event – please save the date for our next Clinical Research Fellows Meeting on Tuesday, 28th April 2026.

Special thanks to Anna Lakey, the Crick’s Clinical Engagement Manager who made this event possible; the organizing committee Christine Dambietz, Hugo Layard Horsfall, Vasishta Polisetty, Maddie Shrotri, Katherine Stafford; and all of our speakers!