Prof Tristan Clark
BM, MD, FRCP, DTM&H
Professor and Honorary Consultant in Infectious Diseases
Profile page(s)
Prof Tristan Clark conducts clinical research into COVID-19, influenza and other respiratory viruses. He is the holder of an NIHR post-doctoral fellowship and is a recognised key opinion leader in the evaluation of rapid in-vitro diagnostic tests for infection. He has published in the New England Journal of Medicine and Lancet series journals and has received grant funding from the National Institute for Health Research, European Union, Research Councils, charities and industry. He is a member of the NHS England COVID-19 Technology Validation Group and COVID-19 Testing Technologies Oversight Group and contributes to national policy documents on point-of-care testing.
Landmark publications:
Impact of a routine molecular point-of-care ‘test and treat’ strategy for influenza in hospitalised adults: a multi-centre, randomised controlled trial (FluPOC). Clark TW, Beard KR, Brendish NJ, Malachira AK, Mills S, Chan C, Poole S, Ewings S, Cortes N, Nyimbili E and Presland L. Lancet Respir Med. 2021 Apr;9(4):419-429
Clinical impact of molecular point-of-care testing for suspected COVID-19 in hospital: A prospective, interventional, non-randomised, controlled study (COV-19POC). Brendish NJ, Poole S, Naidu VV, Mansbridge CT, Norton NJ, Wheeler H, Presland L, Kidd S, Cortes NJ, Borca F, Phan H, Babbage G, Visseaux B, Ewings S and Clark TW. Lancet Respir Med. 2020 Dec;8(12):1192-1200.
Preparing for a challenging winter 2020/21. The Academy of Medical Sciences. July 14 2020.
Routine molecular point-of-care testing for respiratory viruses in adults presenting to hospital with acute respiratory illness (ResPOC): a pragmatic, open-label, randomised controlled trial. Brendish NJ, Malachira AK, Armstrong L, Houghton R, Aitken S, Nyimbili E, Ewings S, Lillie PJ, Clark TW. Lancet Respir Med. 2017 May;5(5): 401-411
Trial of 2009 influenza A (H1N1) monovalent MF59-adjuvanted vaccine. Clark TW, Pareek M, Hoschler K, Dillon H, Nicholson KG, Groth N, and Stephenson I. N Engl J Med. 2009 Dec 17;361(25):2424-35.
Major grants:
NIHR Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) Research Infrastructure Award for NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre. £2,800,000. Co-applicant. April 2019 to April 2021.
Norwegian Research Council. ‘The impact of molecular Point-of-Care testing on improved diagnosis, treatment and management of community acquired pneumonia in Norway: a pragmatic randomised controlled trial: NORCAP’ 14.5 million NOK (£1,279,274.00). Co-applicant. September 2019 – September 2022.
NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme grant. Pneumonia Investigation Bundle to Guide Therapy for Hospitalised Community Acquired Pneumonia
(PIB CAP Study). £1,792,000. Co-applicant. February 2018 – May 2022.
NIHR Post-Doctoral Fellowship ‘Evaluating the impact of a molecular point-of-care test and treat strategy for influenza in hospitalised adults’ £551,000. Personal Award. Dec 2016 - 2020
Impact example:
Following the publication of my trial CoV-19POC and the AMS report: Preparing for a challenging winter 202/21 I was seconded to DHSC to advise on the national deployment of POCT for SARS-CoV-2 across acute NHS trusts. As of January 2021 all acute trust have access to rapid and POCT in sufficient volume to test their acute admissions. The impact on this on patient flow and hospital acquired COVID-19 rates is currently being assessed at national level.