A SCOTTISH university professor has been recognised for the positive changes she has brought to clinical research, which have been widely adopted internationally.
These changes include increasing diversity and inclusion in clinical trials, so that the patient pool is more representative of the general population.
Improving the research strategy in this manner is helping to increase safety and effectiveness for everyone.
Isla Mackenzie, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at Dundee University’s School of Medicine, has been named in the Movers and Shakers list, published in the BioBusiness 2021 report.
The list celebrates 30 women leading the at the forefront of the UK’s biosciences sector, whose work is creating opportunities for growth.
Each is combining use of technology and data to improve healthcare and make it more accessible.
Professor Mackenzie has also headed research, which resulted in the development of guidelines on best practice for conducting clinical trials remotely, which have now been widely adopted.
Professor Mackenzie said: “I am delighted to be recognised in this report for the work I have led in advancing the use of remote decentralised clinical trials and improving the experience of participants in clinical research by enabling them to take part from the comfort of their own homes.
“Dundee is one of the leading centres for this type of clinical trial.”
The Trials@Home project was funded through the Innovative Medicines Initiative and focussed on making the trials more patient-centred.
This was achieved by developing technologies which allowed people to participate from home, with the added advantage of making the results more relevant to everyday settings.
She explained: “Clinical trials are regarded as the best way to find out which treatments works well for patients.
“It is important that everyone who would like to participate in trials is able to do so, without geographical or logistical barriers getting in the way.
“It is vital that we encourage more diversity in people taking part in clinical trials so that the results can be applied in normal healthcare settings.”
She added that the pandemic has increased the use of technology for remote trials and that this method is also advantageous for reducing unnecessary travel to trials, which is convenient for patients and better for the environment.
This is the eighth annual Movers and Shakers list to be published by BioBeat.
BioBeat founder, Miranda Weston-Smith, said: “2021 has been a vindication of the power of science to make a difference to human health and the UK life sciences community to lead the way.
“Ranging from academia to industry and public sector to private equity, the leaders featured in this year’s report are shaping the healthcare landscape of the future.”
The report can be read here.
