Meet the Team
The Clinical Trials Research Unit (CTRU) manages the project. The CTRU is part of the Cancer Division within the Leeds Institute of Clinical Trial Research at the University of Leeds. The BLISS project is funded by Blood Cancer UK, to whom we are very grateful.
The BLISS project and its lead researchers have been officially approved by the UK’s Health Research Authority Research Ethics Committee (REC) and the Confidentiality Advisory Group (CAG).
If you are a patient or a member of the public, and would like to know more about Leeds Institute of Clinical Trials Research (LICTR) where this project runs from or about clinical trial research in general please visit out CTRU Research Portal.
The BLISS Team
Professor David Cairns
The Chief Investigator, Professor David Cairns is a Professor of Clinical Trial Research and Director of Late Phase Trials in the Cancer Division at CTRU.
Professor Cairns joined the CTRU as a Principal Statistician working across the Cancer Division and Comprehensive Health Research Division in July 2013. He is the Deputy Director of the Leeds Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit focussing on large, confirmatory trials in haematological oncology and medical oncology.
Dr Lesley Smith
Dr Lesley Smith is Co-investigator for the BLISS project. Dr Smith is an Associate Professor of Health Data Science in the Cancer Division at the Leeds Institute of Clinical Trials Research. She joined LICTR as Senior Research Fellow in June 2023 and leads the Data Science portfolio with the LICTR Cancer Division.
The BLISS Project Management Group
Dr Janice Hoang – Research Fellow
Sharon Gillson – Senior Trial Manager
Jeanine Richards – Clinical Trial Coordinator
Professor Sarah Brown – Professor of Cancer Clinical Trials Methodology and Institute Director
Professor Gordon Cook – Professor of Haematology
Dr Chris Parrish – Associate Professor and Consultant Haematologist
Catherine Olivier – Head of Trial Management
Kara-Louise Royle – Principal Statistician
Dr Sadie Roberts – Operations Director
Dr Katie Spencer – University Clinical Academic Fellow and Honorary Consultant
Shelagh Thompson – Patient and Public Representative
Sponsor
