Our Facilities
Located within the Churchill Hospital, the Oxford Cancer Trials Facility recruits over 200 patients per year to early phase clinical trials. Our team of fifty staff includes trial administrators, research nurses, clinical staff, laboratory staff and quality assurance. The facility includes a dedicated trials ward and embedded Sample Handling Laboratory. The Translational Histopathology Laboratory provides translational assay support to our clinical studies.
Trials Ward
Our trials ward has 17 treatment spaces dedicated to patients recruited to early phase clinical trials. Its location next to the oncology ward and in close proximity to the intensive care unit at the Churchill Hospital facilitates monitoring of patients admitted on study and overnight stay where dictated by protocol. Staffed by 10 research nurses and 5 clinical fellows the trials ward treats patients with both solid tumours and haematological cancers on complex clinical trials.
Sample Handling Laboratory
Our facility has a dedicated laboratory space housed on our clinical trials ward. Led by Emma Johnson and staffed by a team of six the sample handling laboratory is equipped with -200C and -800C freezers, centrifuges, an autoclave, and fume hoods. Working to standard operating procedures the laboratory handles blood and tissue samples for pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic assay. Close proximity to the trials ward, radiology and surgical theatres ensures immediate transfer of samples for processing.
Translational Histopathology Laboratory
The Translational Histopathology Lab (THL) is set up to handle and process tissue for clinical trials, preclinical biomarker identification and translational research. Working to clinically accredited GCP compliant validated assays capability includes histochemistry, immunohistochemistry (IHC), multiplex Immunofluorescence (IF), RNAScope and computer-aided analysis of digitised slides. The THL provides support to both commercial partners, in particular small biotech as well as biomedical research groups across the University. The laboratory is supported by funds from the NIHR/BRC and CRUK and led by Professor Sarah Blagden (Oncology) and Dr Alistair Easton (Pathology).