Meet the research team

The CATALYST Trial is coordinated by the Inflammation – Advanced and Cellular Therapy (I-ACT) Trial Management Team, which is part of the Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit (CRCTU) based at the University of Birmingham.

The Chief Investigator and Deputy Chief Investigator are also based at the University of Birmingham and work closely with the team.

Arm Lead Investigators contribute to the CATALYST Trial by deputising some of the Chief Investigator’s responsibilities for a specific arm of the trial.

The Trial Management Group (TMG) is a group of professionals from many different fields and organisations. The TMG meets several times a year in order to assist with overall management of the trial and to make important trial related decisions.

The Trial Steering Committee (TSC) is a group of independent professionals, whose role is to provide overall supervision for the trial on behalf of the Trial Sponsor (University of Birmingham) and the Trial Funder (Cancer Research UK). They ensure that the trial is performed in line with the high standards of Good Clinical Practice (GCP), most importantly focusing on the safety and well-being of the patients involved.

The Data Monitoring Committee (DMC) is a group of independent professionals, whose role is to review accruing data to assess the safety and efficacy of the interventions, and monitor the overall conduct of the trial.

A Principal Investigator at each of the hospitals running the CATALYST Trial takes overall responsibility for ensuring that the trial is conducted correctly.

Chief Investigator

Associate Professor Tonny Veenith

Deputy Director of Research, Neurosciences and Trauma
Honorary Consultant in Neurocritical care and Critical Care Medicine

Associate Professor Tonny Veenith

Deputy Chief Investigator

Professor Benjamin Fisher

Professor in Rheumatology

Ben Fisher

Arm Lead Investigators

Namilumab Arm

Infliximab Arm

  • Professor Duncan Richards, Climax Professor of Clinical Therapeutics and Director of OCTRU, University of Oxford
  • Dr Mathew Rowland, Clinical Lecturer in Intensive Care Medicine and Anaesthetics at University of Oxford, Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust


Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin Arm – NOT CURRENTLY RECRUITING

  • Dr Francis Mussai, Clinical Senior Lecturer in Paediatric Oncology at University of Birmingham, Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Oncology at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
  • Professor Gary Middleton, Professor of Medical Oncology, University of Birmingham

Principal Investigators

  • Professor Tony Whitehouse, Consultant in Intensive Care and Anaesthesia, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
  • Dr Matthew Rowland, Clinical Lecturer in Intensive Care Medicine and Anaesthetics at University of Oxford, Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
  • Professor Graham Cooke, Professor of Infectious Diseases, Imperial College NHS Trust
  • Dr Madhu Balasubramanaim, Consultant in Intensive Care and Anaesthesia, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust
  • Dr Matt Wise, Consultant in Critical Care Medicine, Cardiff and Vale University Local Health Board
  • Professor Joanna Porter, Consultant in Respiratory and General Medicine, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
  • Mr Brendan Healy, Consultant in Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Swansea Bay University Local Health Board
  • Dr Nick Morley, Consultant in Haematology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

 

Co-Investigators

  • Dr Mansoor Bangash, Consultant in Anaesthesia and Critical Care, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
  • Professor Julian Bion, Professor of Intensive Care Medicine at University of Birmingham, Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
  • Professor Fang Gao-Smith, Professor of Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Pain at University of Birmingham, Consultant Anaesthetist and Intensivist at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
  • Professor Simon Gates, Professor of Biostatistics and Clinical Trials, Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit (CRCTU), University of Birmingham
  • Professor Pam Kearns, Professor of Paediatric Oncology, Director of CRCTU and Director Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham
  • Dr Dhruv Parekh, Associate Professor in Critical Care and Respiratory Medicine, University of Birmingham
  • Dr Jamin Patel, Consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
  • Professor Elizabeth Sapey, Director of the Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, Consultant in Respiratory Medicine and General Internal Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
  • Dr Sarah Bowden, Director of Operations, CRCTU, University of Birmingham
  • Professor David Thickett, Professor of Respiratory Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
  • Professor Mark Coles, Professor of Immunology, University of Oxford
  • Professor Peter Watkinson, Professor of Intensive Care Medicine at University of Oxford, Consultant in Intensive Care and Acute Medicine at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
  • Professor Naj Rahman, Associate Professor, University of Oxford
  • Professor Ling-Pei Ho, Associate Professor of Respiratory Immunology, University of Oxford
  • Professor Brian Angus, Associate Professor and Honorary Senior Research Associate at University of Oxford, Consultant Physician at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
  • Dr Alex Mentzer, University of Oxford
  • Dr Alex Novak, Consultant in Emergency and Ambulatory Care, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
  • Professor Marc Feldmann, Emeritus Professor, University of Oxford

Trial Team

  • Dr Anna Rowe, Trial Management Team Leader, CRCTU, University of Birmingham
  • Miss Charlotte Gaskell, Trial Statistician, CRCTU, University of Birmingham
  • Mrs Alexandra Vince, Senior Trial Coordinator, CRCTU, University of Birmingham
  • Miss Camilla Bathurst, Trial Coordinator, CRCTU, University of Birmingham
  • Mrs Karen Turner, CRUK Senior Research Nurse, CRCTU, University of Birmingham

Trial Management Group

  • Associate Professor Tonny Veenith, Deputy Director of Research, Neurosciences and Trauma, 
    Honorary Consultant in Neurocritical care and Critical Care Medicine
  • Professor Benjamin Fisher, Deputy Chief Investigator, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Rheumatology, University of Birmingham
  • Professor Duncan Richards, Clinical Lead for Infliximab Arm, Climax Professor of Clinical Therapeutics and Director of OCTRU, University of Oxford
  • Dr Matthew Rowland, Clinical Lead for Infliximab Arm, Clinical Lecturer in Intensive Care Medicine and Anaesthetics at University of Oxford, Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
  • Professor Tony Whitehouse, Co-Investigator, Consultant in Intensive Care and Anaesthesia, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust
  • Professor Julian Bion, Co-investigator, Professor of Intensive Care Medicine at University of Birmingham, Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
  • Professor David Thickett, Co-investigator, Professor of Respiratory Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
  • Professor Simon Gates, Co-Investigator, Professor of Biostatistics and Clinical Trials, CRCTU, University of Birmingham
  • Dr Sarah Bowden, Co-investigator, Director of Operations, CRCTU, University of Birmingham
  • Miss Charlotte Gaskell, Trial Statistician, CRCTU, University of Birmingham
  • Dr Anna Rowe, Trial Management Team Leader, CRCTU, University of Birmingham
  • Miss Camilla Bathurst, Trial Coordinator, CRCTU, University of Birmingham
  • Karen James, Clinical Trial Monitor, CRCTU, University of Birmingham

Data Monitoring Committee

  • Professor Adam Hill, Consultant Physician and Honorary Professor, University of Edinburgh (Chair)
  • Professor Christina Yap, Professor of Clinical Trials Biostatistics, The Institute of Cancer Research
  • Professor Anthony Gordon, Chair in Anaesthesia and Critical Care at Imperial College London, Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

Trial Steering Committee

  • Professor Michael Matthay, Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (Chair)
  • Professor Danny McAuley, Professor of Intensive Care Medicine at Queen’s University Belfast, Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine at Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast (Deputy Chair)
  • Professor Paul Dark, Professor of Critical Care Medicine at University of Manchester, Consultant in Critical Care Medicine at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust
  • Professor Sir Andrew McMichael, Professor of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford
  • Mr Simon Farrell, Patient and Public Involvement Representative
  • Mrs Hannah Farrell, Patient and Public Involvement Representative