Clinical Fellow

Salary: £45,591 to £69,976 per annum, pro rata

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 26 October 2026

The role

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a motivated Clinical Fellow to join a nationally recognised renal and complement therapeutics programme.

You will play a central role in a translational research project evaluating the utility of a novel free C5 assay for monitoring terminal complement blockade in patients with complement-mediated atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome (aHUS) receiving Ravulizumab.

The project aims to determine whether free C5 measurement provides a more accurate assessment of complement inhibition than conventional CH50 testing and to explore its potential role in individualising treatment strategies for patients with aHUS.

The successful candidate will gain experience in rare kidney diseases, complement biology, translational research , and biomarker development while working within a multidisciplinary team of nephrologists, clinical scientists, laboratory specialists, and transplant physicians.

This is a position for a nephrology clinical fellow with previous experience of complement research to undertake a defined research project examining the pharmacodynamics of Ravulizumab in atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome.

The position reports to Professor Kavanagh at the National Renal Complement Therapeutics Centre.

Applicants must be registered nephrologists holding a National Training Number (NTN) and have approval from their relevant Deanery for Out of Programme Research (OOPR). In addition to a medical qualification (e.g. MBBS or equivalent), candidates must possess a scientific degree (e.g. BSc or equivalent). Demonstrable research experience in atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome (aHUS) is essential, with applicants expected to have a strong understanding of the disease, its pathophysiology, and complement-mediated mechanisms.

The role is part time for 34 hours per week.  It is a fixed term post available for the duration of 12 months.

To apply please submit a covering letter and CV outlining how you mete the essential criteria.

For further information please contact Professor David Kavanagh: David.Kavanagh@newcastle.ac.uk

Key Accountabilities

The Clinical Fellow will:

• Identify and recruit eligible patients with complement-mediated aHUS receiving Ravulizumab
• Obtain informed consent and ensure compliance with Good Clinical Practice (GCP) requirements
• Collect detailed clinical, laboratory, and treatment-related data from patient records

Laboratory and Translational Research

The post holder will:

• Coordinate processing and storage of biological samples
• Work closely with laboratory scientists undertaking free C5 measurement
• Facilitate paired analysis of free C5, CH50, AH50, and other complement biomarkers
• Contribute to interpretation of laboratory data and assessment of complement blockade
• Support development of laboratory protocols and standard operating procedures where appropriate

Data Management and Analysis

The Clinical Fellow will:

• Maintain accurate and secure study databases
• Perform data collection, validation, and quality assurance activities
• Assist with statistical analysis and interpretation of study findings
• Generate interim reports for study investigators and sponsors

Research Governance

The post holder will:

• Ensure all research activities comply with NHS, University, and regulatory requirements
• Participate in ethics submissions, protocol amendments, and study reporting
• Maintain high standards of data protection and patient confidentiality

Academic Responsibilities

The Clinical Fellow will:

• Present findings at departmental, regional, national, and international meetings
• Contribute to the preparation of abstracts, manuscripts, and grant applications
• Participate in journal clubs, research meetings, and educational activities
• Support teaching of medical students, junior doctors, and allied health professionals
• Undertake quality improvement and service evaluation projects related to complement therapeutics and renal medicine

The Person (Essential)

Essential

• Be registered nephrologists holding a National Training Number (NTN)
• Have approval from their relevant Deanery for Out of Programme Research (OOPR)
• Demonstrable research experience in atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome (aHUS)
• strong understanding of the disease, its pathophysiology, and complement-mediated mechanisms

Qualifications

• medical qualification (e.g. MBBS or equivalent)
• scientific degree (e.g. BSc or equivalent)

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 29836