COVID-19 information
The Haematology Research team has been redeployed to frontline duties during the pandemic which has had an impact on research activities.
Recruitment to all trials has been put on hold and the opening of new trials delayed due to COVID-19.
The Haematology Research team is based at the Center for Clinical Haematology (CCH) at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB). The centre is home to one of the UK's largest adult stem cell transplant programmes providing complex care and research for adults with haematological malignancies.
Ground-breaking clinical trials with a focus on new methods of transplantation, provision of cellular immunotherapy and new novel treatments for patients with haematological malignancy take place at the CCH.
The centre houses a state of the art apheresis suite and cell processing facilities at NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) are a short walk away. Within the centre there is a dedicated day unit and outpatient facility. QEHB also has two dedicated haematology wards.
The QEHB site is the only centre in the Midlands to offer CAR-T therapy. The CCH is bound by the Human Tissue Act (2004). It is an NHS England centre for CAR-T therapy, JACIE accredited for CAR-T and has been selected to recruit patients into a number of industry sponsored CAR-T cell therapy trials.
Under the umbrella of the Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit (CRCTU) there is IMPACT and TAP teams which focus on driving clinical trials for blood cancer patients. IMPACT is a partnership of organizations committed to improving the outcome of stem cell transplant patients through the delivery of clinical trials, whilst TAP focuses on speeding up blood cancer clinical trials across the UK.
10 world renowned research active haemato-oncologists are based on site. The team also includes bone and marrow transplant fellows. The research team consists of specialist research nurses, clinical trials coordinators and data managers.
The department drives pioneering clinical trials and has a growing reputation as an international centre of excellence for the treatment of blood cancer patients, which aims to improve patient care and current practice.
Many of our trials provide pioneering treatment options for patients who otherwise have exhausted all treatment options.
Common conditions and trial topics
A variety of major haematological conditions are treated within the department:
- Leukaemia
- Lymphoma
- Myeloma
- Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN)
- Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)
- Amyloidosis
Clinical trials are routinely offered to patients as part of treatment pathways. At any given time over 20 active blood cancer trials are running at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB).
Contact information
Haematology Senior Research Nurse: Biruk Asfaw.
Last reviewed: 27 April 2021