New NIHR Research Professor to help tackle antibiotic resistance
- Clinical Research communications team
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
Professor Tristan Clark is one of six new outstanding research leaders chosen to address urgent health challenges in the UK.
He has been appointed as an NIHR Research Professor. The Professorship will provide up to £2 million to deliver ambitious, translational research.
Professor Clark is a leading expert in infectious diseases. His research is reducing unnecessary antibiotic use in acute respiratory infection through rapid diagnostic tests.
He is a professor at the University of Southampton and an honorary consultant physician at University Hospital Southampton. He is also part of the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre.
Improving health and care research
The NIHR Research Professorships support the nation’s top researchers. The awards are among the UK's most prestigious career development awards.
They enable research that improves patient and service user outcomes. This also enhances efficiencies in the health and social care system and supports economic growth.
Since 2011, 79 research leaders have been successful in gaining this competitive award. Many have gone on to become senior research leaders.
Tackling infections and antibiotic resistance
Professor Clark spends half of his time treating patients in Southampton and the other half doing research.
His research is developing and using new and innovative rapid diagnostic tests for infection to improve patient care in the NHS. Professor Clark has conducted multiple clinical trials evaluating rapid test for COVID-19, influenza, and several other infections.
He and his team have set up several point-of-care testing services for infection at UHS.
During the Covid-19 pandemic he also advised the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) on Covid-19 testing.
Professor Clark said: "I am delighted and humbled to have been awarded this highly prestigious Professorship by the NIHR.
"Infection is a major cause of hospitalisation and death, and antimicrobial resistance threatens to reduce the effectiveness of antibiotics.
"I will use the support that this Professorship provides to undertake high quality, clinically-relevant assessments of rapid diagnostic tests for infection, including novel host response-based tests. These tests may help us use antibiotics more appropriately and improve the care and outcome of patients with infection across the NHS."
New NIHR Research Professors
The new NIHR Research Professors will address pressing health challenges across a range of areas. These includes children’s intensive care, health inequalities and antibiotic resistance.
The other five newly appointed NIHR Research Professors are:
Professor Lindsay Bearne at City St George’s, University of London
Professor Joht Singh Chandan at the University of Birmingham
Professor Padmanabhan Ramnarayan at Imperial College London
Professor Athanasios Saratzis at the University of Leicester
Professor Maxine Tran at University College London
Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser at DHSC and Chief Executive Officer of the NIHR, said:
“I am delighted to welcome this new cohort of NIHR Research Professors. As well as recognising individual excellence, these awards are a strategic investment in our research leadership across health, social care and public health.
"I look forward to seeing the positive impact of these awardees’ research and leadership across major health and care challenges.”
Applications are now open for Cohort 16 of the NIHR Research Professorships. They are due to close on 10 December.
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