Staff Profile

Personal Summary

From a strong basic science, early discovery research background I have moved my research interest focus to the next stage.  Where basic science has shown the potential to make a real difference, I aim to work this to the next stage in order to change clinical practice as quickly as possible. I work with a portfolio of clinical trial studies where I have taken management and/or facilitate gaining funding for these types of studies.

Qualifications

 PGCert 2015 Clinical Research, Newcastle University, UK

 PhD 2006 Molecular Cancer Biology, Newcastle University, UK

 BSc 1999 (Hons) Biochemistry, University of Sussex, UK

Areas of expertise

Translational Clinical Trial Management (assay development, clinical and biological validation and clinical utility)

Biomarker Discovery (companion/predictive in terms of treatment/disease outcomes, personalised medicine)

Urology based research specialising in molecular biology of hormone escape in Prostate Cancer (Androgen Receptor transcriptional control)

Previous Positions

2006-2020 Research Associate - Urological Cancer, Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University, UK

2002- 2005 BBSRC (GSK Case) PhD Student - Institute for Cell & Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, UK

2001-2002 Research Assistant - Dept. of Fetal Medicine, Birmingham Womens Hospital, UK

1999-2001 Graduate Pharmaceutical Scientific Researcher - Roche, Welwyn Garden City, UK

1997-1998 Industrial Studentship Placement - Home Office Forensic Science Service, Birmingham, UK

Membership/Committees

UK CRC registered Clinical Trials Units Network

UK TMN Trial Managers Network

UK NCRI Clinical Trials Pathology Advisory Group (CT-PAG)

Faculty of Medical Science Newcastle University Ethics committee

Membership of BACR and EACR

Research Interests

Translational Clinical Trial Management - assay development, clinical and biological validation and clinical utility 

Biomarker Discovery - companion/predictive in terms of treatment/disease outcomes (personalised medicine)

Urology based research specialising in molecular biology of hormone escape in Prostate Cancer (Androgen Receptor transcriptional control)

Specific projects

Manage NIHR HTA NAIROS surgery ENT intervention trial (multi-site, pragmatic, randomised phase III trial: ISRCTN: 16168569).

Lead applicant for NIHR RfPB VARIANT advanced prostate cancer treatment  biomarker trial (multi-site, biomarker  guided, randomised feasibility funder reference: PB-PG-0816-20043). I set up the biomarker assay for this trial to GCP/GCLP standards. 

Lab lead for translational arm of HTA NIHR bladder cancer surgery intervention PHOTO trial (multi-site, pragmatic, randomised controlled phase III trial: ISRCTN 84013636). 

Managed Commercial funded (Sanofi) advanced prostate cancer chemotherapy treatment response trial (single-site, pragmatic, observational trial CSP 102842).

Funding 

Clinical Trials:

NIHR RfPB feasibility study (The Prostate Cancer Androgen Receptor Splice Variant 7 Biomarker Trial (The VARIANT trial) - A multicentre feasibility study of biomarker-guided personalised treatment in advanced prostate cancer - £276,230.00) awarded to Dr. E. L. Clark and Mr. Rakesh Heer (June 2018 - Sept 2020).

Basic Science:

PCUK PhD post (Characterising novel phosphatase enzymes important in regulating androgen receptor function in the progression of castrate resistant prostate cancer - £100.3K) awarded to Dr. E. L. Clark and Prof. C. N. Robson (Sept 2013-Sept 2016) 

JGWP technical support post (Assessing the role of RNA helicase p68 (Ddx5) in the deregulation of microRNAs and progression of Prostate Cancer - £52K) awarded to Dr. E. L. Clark and Prof. C. N. Robson (May 2012-May 2013)

Prostate Action project grant (Assessing RNA helicase p68 (Ddx5) as a biomarker in the deregulation of microRNAs in Prostate Cancer - £99,987) awarded to Dr. E. L. Clark and Prof. C. N. Robson (Jan 2012-Oct 2013)

PCRF project grant (Pharmacological perturbation of p68 - an important androgen receptor transcriptional co-regulator in prostate cancer - £99,941) awarded to Dr. E. L. Clark and Prof. C. N. Robson (Jan 2008- Dec 2011)

Industrial Relevance

1999 - 2001 Graduate Pharmaceutical Scientific Researcher, Roche, Welwyn Garden City, UK

Postgraduate Teaching

Past students:

Alex Lloyd MRes (2017 - 2018)

Emma Smith MRes (2016 - 2017)

Andrew Evans MRes (2015 - 2016)

James Grey PhD (2014 - 2016)

Victoria Shuttleworth UG (2011 - 2012)

Jake Clayton MRes (2010 - 2011)

Christiana Hadjimichael MRes (2007-2008)

• Tandogdu Z, Lewis R, Duncan A, Penegar S, McDonald A, Vale L, Shen J, Kelly JD, Pickard R, N Dow J, Ramsay C, Mostafid H, Mariappan P, Nabi G, Creswell J, Lazarowicz H, McGrath J, Taylor E, Clark E, Maclennan G, Norrie J, Hall E, Heer R. Photodynamic versus white light-guided treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer: A study protocol for a randomised trial of clinical and cost-effectiveness. BMJ Open 2019, 9(9), e022268.
• Clark E, Morton M, Sharma S, Fisher H, Howel D, Walker J, Wood R, Hancock H, Maier R, Marshall J, Bahl A, Crabb S, Jain S, Pedley I, Jones R, Staffurth J, Heer R. Prostate cancer androgen receptor splice variant 7 biomarker study - A multicentre randomised feasibility trial of biomarker-guided personalised treatment in patients with advanced prostate cancer (the VARIANT trial) study protocol. BMJ Open 2019, 9(12), e034708.
• Grey J, Jones D, Wilson L, Nakjang S, Clayton J, Temperley R, Clark E, Gaughan L, Robson C. Differential regulation of the androgen receptor by protein phosphatase regulatory subunits. Oncotarget 2018, 9(3), 3922-3935.
• Clark EL, Hadjimichael C, Temperley R, Barnard A, Fuller-Pace FV, Robson CN. p68/DdX5 Supports β-Catenin & RNAP II during Androgen Receptor Mediated Transcription in Prostate Cancer. PLoS One 2013, 8(1), e54150.
• Rajan P, Dalgliesh C, Bourgeois CF, Heiner M, Emami K, Clark EL, Bindereif A, Stevenin J, Robson CN, Leung HY, Elliott DJ. Proteomic identification of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein L as a novel component of SLM/Sam68 Nuclear Bodies. BMC Cell Biology 2009, 10(1), 82.
• Clark EL, Fuller-Pace FV, Elliott DJ, Robson CN. Coupling transcription to RNA processing via the p68 DEAD box RNA helicase androgen receptor co-activator in prostate cancer. Biochemical Society Transactions 2008, 36(3), 546-547.
• Clark EL, Coulson AC, Dalgliesh C, Rajan P, Nicol SM, Fleming S, Heer R, Gaughan L, Leung HY, Elliott DJ, Fuller-Pace FV, Robson CN. The RNA helicase p68 is a novel androgen receptor coactivator involved in splicing and is overexpressed in prostate cancer. Cancer Research 2008, 68(19), 7938-7946.
• McComb CM, Clark EL, Padget K, Harvey J, Morris NJ, Austin CA. Bioinformatic analysis of topoisomerase II binding sites. In: 30th Annual Meeting of the United Kingdom Environmental Mutagen Society. 2007, University of Cardiff, UK: Mutagenesis: Oxford University Press.
• Clark EL. Topoisomerase IIa human genomic binding sites. Newcastle upon Tyne: University of Newcastle upon Tyne, 2006.
• Kilby MD, Barber K, Hobbs E, Franklyn JA. Thyroid hormone action in the placenta. Placenta 2005, 26(2-3), 105-113.
• Chan S, Kachilele S, Hobbs E, Bulmer JN, Boelaert K, McCabe C, Driver P, Bradwell A, Kester M, Visser T, Franklyn J, Kilby M. Placental iodothyronine deiodinase expression in normal and growth-restricted human pregnancies. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2003, 88(9), 4488-4495.