Published: 12 February 2024
Professor Anthony Gordon has been appointed as Programme Director of the National Research Collaboration Programme (NRCP).
Professor Gordon takes over from Professor Danny McAuley who has held the role since the programme started in 2021. NRCP is jointly funded by NHS England and NIHR.
Professor Gordon is a clinical academic specialising in critical care medicine. He begins the role on 1 March 2024. He is Chair in Anaesthesia and Critical Care at Imperial College London. He also works as an Intensive Care consultant in St Mary’s Hospital and is an NIHR Senior Investigator.
NRCP launched in 2021, building on a pilot delivered in 2020. NIHR and NHS England work in partnership to combine their expertise. NRCP commissions high quality evidence for treatments where research can present particular challenges and might otherwise not progress. This has included, for example, supporting the development of robust methodology in studies with a small cohort size. This may be needed for rarer conditions or treatments.
Dr Gail Marzetti, Deputy CEO of NIHR, said: “I’m really pleased Anthony has been appointed to lead NRCP. Under his leadership NRCP will continue its important work co-producing research and identifying the best possible methodology for studies that otherwise might not progress.”
Professor Gordon’s research interests focus on precision medicine in sepsis. He has led many clinical trials which have shaped international sepsis guidelines.
He is the UK chief investigator for the international REMAP-CAP platform trial for COVID-19 and influenza. The trial has generated evidence to improve treatments for, and saved hundreds of thousands of lives from severe COVID-19. The study team is continuing using pandemic lessons to treat people hospitalised with severe flu.
Professor Gordon said: “I’m delighted to take up the role of NRCP Programme Director. I look forward to ensuring NIHR, the NHS, and the DHSC can combine their strengths and expertise to generate robust evidence for potential new treatments. I want to ensure the NHS is a self-learning health care system so that we can offer patients the very best evidence-based care.”
NRCP considers 2-3 topics per year. They may be referred by NHS England when other standard NIHR routes for commissioning are unsuitable.