The NIHR BioResource Centre Manchester, supported by the NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and NIHR Manchester Clinical Research Facility (CRF), recruit patients with common and rare diseases as well as people without health conditions. They are the lead centre for the Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases (IMID) BioResource, who have had a lot to celebrate this year.... find out the latest below!
IMID BioResource - 10,000th volunteer
Back in August, the IMID BioResource - led by the NIHR Manchester BRC in collaboration with NIHR Newcastle BRC and NIHR Leeds BRC - recruited their 10,000th IMID patient volunteer. Currently well over 11,000, they are three quarters of the way to reaching the goal of recruiting 16,000 patients. You can find out more about this fantastic milestone and what having a large cohort means for research.
Post-pandemic recruitment - Rare Diseases
The Manchester team, who recruit volunteers into several cohorts within the Rare Disease BioResource, resumed volunteer recruitment in 2021 following the halt due to the pandemic. They had to adapt to new ways of working, for example, many appointments that were previously face-to-face had to be moved to virtual clinics, making recruitment and sample collection more challenging. However, after a slow start, the numbers picked up and since reopening, they have recruited over 500 patients with rare conditions, with numbers picking up year on year.
The Manchester Centre is also expanding its number of cohorts they can recruit participants into, linking in with new specialties and clinicians to be able to offer participation to as many patients with rare conditions as possible.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) BioResource
Across sites in the region, the team have recruited 715 patients into the Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) BioResource to date. Building on expertise in IBD, they have an active Stage 2 (participant recall) study open, which focuses on Crohn’s disease.
What is Crohn's Disease?
Crohn’s disease (CD) is associated with genetic alterations and changes in the types of bacteria found in the gut - our microbiome. These changes lead to inflammation and reduce the ability to heal well. Over a quarter of people living with Crohn’s will have a form of the condition that affects the gut and the skin around the back passage (perianal Crohn’s disease). This can cause many symptoms including pain and incontinence, and this has a huge impact on people’s lives and mental health.
What is the research looking at?
This research investigates people with an extremely aggressive form of perianal CD resulting in the need for major surgery to remove the affected areas. It proposes that genetic variations cause changes in the lining of the gut and skin of these patients. In turn, this drives a change in the types of bacteria present in the gut and skin, leading to uncontrolled inflammation and poor healing. Previous research carried out has shown that specific genetic mutations known to be associated with Crohn’s disease are associated with a change in skin bacteria leading to delayed wound healing.
This study aims to identify the genetic and clinical factors that are associated with people that develop this severe form of CD. The second aim is to investigate how these genetic changes may drive the severe inflammation seen in these people.
The NIHR IBD BioResource provides a unique opportunity to study a much larger group of patients than could be studied from a single centre. This work will help to identify those at higher risk of having severe disease, providing better prognostic information and ultimately improve the care provided to these people.
International Clinical Trials Day celebrations
The Manchester team celebrated International Clinical Trials Day on 20th May 2023 at the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and took the opportunity to promote the NIHR BioResource and recruit new volunteers via their Greater Manchester Research Van (pictured below).
The research van has been designed to deliver care and expand opportunities to be part of research in communities across Greater Manchester by visiting locations that are easier for patients to reach. It has a built-in clinical area including a fully functional outpatient clinic and an electrically adjustable phlebotomy couch for taking blood samples, making it ideal for volunteer recruitment into the NIHR BioResource.
The team recruited 20 new participants on the day - both members of the public as well as NHS staff passing through. They also spoke to researchers and highlighted study details to those that may be interested in offering it to their patient groups or to take part in Stage 2 recall.
Going forward, the team plan to utilise the research van to further introduce the NIHR BioResource to a diverse range of people attending various events around the region.
Great North Research Conference
The Great North Research Conference, hosted at the Concorde Conference Centre on 22-23rd November 2023, saw the team out in force with a roll-up banner, speaking to researchers about the work of the NIHR BioResource. The life sciences and medical technology event also turned out to be a prime opportunity to recruit delegates to the General Population cohort with the research van.
Working closely with Clinical Research Network (CRN) colleagues the team managed to promote the BioResource and recruit over 55 people, all under the tail of a real-life Concorde plane!
Fiona Stirling, IMID BioResource Project Manager, said:
"Having a presence at this event was a wonderful opportunity to share the benefits of accessing the BioResource to academic and industry researchers alike."
Get in touch with the team
You can get in touch with team at NIHR BioResource Centre Manchester via email laura.crowther@mft.nhs.uk or via telephone at 0161 701 9137.
Learn more about our IMID BioResource and if you are interested in supporting further health research, please consider joining the BioResource.
If you are a researcher, learn more about using the NIHR BioResource to support your work.
Interested in volunteering with the BioResource?
If you are interested in volunteering with the BioResource to be part of future research we support, whether or not you have a health condition, we’d love to hear from you.
You can keep up to date with NIHR BioResource on Twitter and LinkedIn.
