Keele Clinical Trials Unit

22/04/2026

🌍 Happy Earth Day!

Today we’re excited to share a brilliant video from the Trials Methodology Research Partnership highlighting the link between clinical trials and sustainability.

At Keele, we’re committed to reducing the carbon footprint of our research. We’re actively exploring carbon‑footprinting tools and contributing to the UK Clinical Research Collaboration Network Sustainability Working Group to exchange ideas and drive greener, more sustainable trial practices.

Together, we can make research better for people and the planet. 💚

14/04/2026

Another great session today as part of the INCCCA programme 👏

INCCCA is a training and development programme designed to support people working in clinical research—helping them build the knowledge and skills needed to design and run high-quality clinical trials that improve patient care.

A big thank you to Senior Trials Manager Kendra Cooke for delivering such an engaging and insightful session 🙌

Today’s session explored how clinical trials are carefully designed to ensure results are fair, reliable, and meaningful. This included:
🧠 How researchers use different study designs to answer important health questions
📊 The role of randomisation (assigning participants by chance) and blinding (reducing bias)
🤝 How we support participants through clear information, recruitment, and informed consent

It was fantastic to encourage such great discussion—highlighting the importance of both scientific rigour and putting participants at the heart of research 💬✨

We’re looking forward to the next session in two weeks, where Trial Manager Steff Garvin will introduce the Trial Protocol—essentially the “blueprint” for how a clinical trial is run 📅

👉 To find out more about the INCCCA programme, click here: https://www.keele.ac.uk/ctu/forresearchers/educationandtraining/inccca/



British Council Malaysia
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Prince of Songkla University
Keele University
School of Medicine, Keele University

Keele Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) is working with the Prince of Songkla University, Thailand and the Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia to deliver ‘A Practical Induction to Increasing Capacity and Capability in Clinical Trials’.

09/04/2026

🐾🎉 It’s National Pet Month! 🎉🐾

Here at the CTU, we’re a team of proud pet lovers – and we couldn’t resist celebrating the amazing animals that brighten our lives every single day. 💛

From wagging tails to gentle purrs, our pets bring so much joy, comfort, and laughter into our homes. 🐶🐱🐰

💡 Did you know? Having a pet can:
✨ Boost your mood and reduce stress
✨ Encourage a more active lifestyle
✨ Provide companionship and reduce loneliness
✨ Even improve your overall wellbeing

We’re so lucky to have these wonderful companions as part of our extended CTU family – and we’re excited to share them with you! 📸🐾

☝️ Take a look at our furry friends and feel free to share yours in the comments – we’d love to see them!

01/04/2026

When your co-workers take ‘office oversight’ a little too literally… 👀

25/03/2026

🎉 Recruitment Complete! 🎉

We’re excited to share that the Treadon Trial officially finished recruiting at the end of February — with an incredible 703 participants!

Participants are now continuing treatment and will be followed up for the next 12 months as we move into this important next phase.

A huge congratulations to the study team, and heartfelt thanks to everyone who has taken part. Your contribution is helping advance research that matters. 💙

24/03/2026

🌟 Join Us at the iNSPIRE Community Lounge! 🌟

📍 Keele in Town
🗓️ Wednesday 25th March
⏰ 10:00 – 12:00

Pop in and be part of a friendly, welcoming space where conversation and community come together 💬☕

We’ll be sharing insights from recent local research on MSK (musculoskeletal) health, and highlighting an exciting NIHR initiative celebrating 20 years of impact in health and care research 🎉

Whether you’re curious, passionate about community health, or just fancy a chat – everyone is welcome!

👉 Drop in, say hello, and get inspired!

24/03/2026

Today we’re attending the Midlands Research Engagement Network Regional Event 2026 in Birmingham.

It’s a great opportunity to gain insight into the evolving REN landscape, share knowledge, and learn from colleagues across the region. We’re particularly looking forward to exploring the impact of community engagement—hearing directly from those whose lives have been shaped by the work we support and deliver.

Events like this create space to connect, reflect, and identify new opportunities for collaboration. Excited for the conversations ahead and the chance to strengthen partnerships that make a real difference in our communities.

19/03/2026

📍 Today we’re at Penkhull Village Hall!

Come and find us at the Community Café between 11am – 2pm ☕🍰

We’d love to have a chat and answer any questions you may have about health research. We’ve got plenty of information on both local and national initiatives, so whether you’re just curious or keen to get involved, feel free to pop over!

Grab a cake, enjoy a brew, and come say hello 👋

18/03/2026

📍 We’re at Penkhull Community Café tomorrow!

Join us from 11am – 2pm for a friendly, informal chat about health research.

💬 Got questions? We’d love to hear them
🔍 Curious about how research works? Come find out
🙌 Want to get involved? We can show you how

Whether you’re just interested or already passionate about improving health, everyone is welcome!

Pop in, say hello, and grab a chat with us ☕