How we work
The Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit (NCTU) works with healthcare professionals and researchers to conduct clinically important high quality multicentre randomised trials that improve health and wellbeing. We are UKCRC-registered Clinical Trials Unit with expertise in the design and conduct of large multi-centre randomised clinical trials. We collaborate fully for the lifecycle of a trial; from funding application to publication, providing expertise in study design and conduct, grant costings and full coordination including trial and data management, randomisation and database development, statistical analyses, economic evaluation, reporting and dissemination.
Planning a trial
We welcome proposals for collaboration on new trials. If you are preparing to apply for funding and would like to collaborate with us, the first step is to send us a brief description of your proposal, by completing the online form below. To help with completion, a pdf version of the document is available.
We recommend that you approach us as early as possible. Usual minimum times for preparing funding applications are 6 weeks for commissioned calls and 12 weeks for resercher-led. Exceptions are sometimes possible, for example commission calls with short deadline, but we advise in all cases to contact us as early as possible. If you would like to contact us before sending your collaboration proposal, please email; ctu@nottingham.ac.uk.
Proposals for collaboration are considered by our Collaboration Proposal Committee who meet on a regular basis to review new proposals.
Key criteria for considering each proposal:
- Does it address a clinically important question?
- Is the gap in the evidence supported by a systematic review?
- Is the trial feasible?
- Does the proposed team have the necessary experience to lead the research?
If further investigation of the proposal is recommended, then a meeting will be arranged to discuss the scientific basis for the proposal and the potential trial design. NCTU work in full collaboration, as academic partners, with other members of the proposed research team. For further information on how we process proposals for collaboration, see our NCTU Collaboration Flowchart.