Keith Channon, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Oxford and Honorary Consultant Cardiologist at the John Radcliffe Hospital has been appointed Director of the Oxford Biomedical Research Centre.
The Oxford Comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre (OxBRC) is a partnership between the research expertise of the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust and the University of Oxford. The OxBRC was founded in April 2007 through a competitively awarded grant of £57.5M over five years from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under the programme “Best Research for Best Health”. This is a Government initiative to make the UK globally pre-eminent in research, healthcare education and training. The OxBRC is tasked to undertake “translational research” – first time studies in patients of innovations, intended to improve healthcare.
Professor Channon takes over as BRC Director from Professor Alastair Buchan, who steered the OxBRC through from bid stage to its current form as a vital network of people who are working in partnership to carry out research that is meaningful to patients and influences their care in a positive way.
Professor Channon brings to the post a strong academic background from the University Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, combined with his clinical work in the NHS as Honorary Consultant Cardiologist, giving him an excellent perspective on the partnership and on the challenges and opportunities for clinical research within the hospital environment. Professor Channon looks forward to strengthening the capacity and infrastructure that will underpin clinical research, and the opportunities provided by the OxBRC to support research and innovation in many important areas. An important aspect of the OxBRC will be to help the development of Oxford’s bid for designation as an Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC).
Announcing the appointment, Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Chief Executive Trevor Campbell Davis said: “We are delighted to have Professor Channon take over as Director of the Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. He will be able to steer the partnership skilfully over the next few years as our organisation transitions into even greater partnership working with the University of Oxford. The translational research being carried out will benefit patients in the short to medium term and will help us to continue to attract the highest calibre of staff to work in our hospitals.”