Practitioner proud to be helping people through COVID-19 research
A CRN South London funded Clinical Research Practitioner (CRP) has spoken about her pride in being able to help people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jennifer Irons, 25, is working on the Diagnosis and Management of Febrile Illness using RNA Personalised Molecular Signature Diagnosis (DIAMONDS) study within Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust’s Evelina London Children’s Hospital’s Paediatric Research Team.
The DIAMONDS study is aiming to design new diagnostic tests that can tell quickly and accurately what illness a patient has when they come to hospital with common symptoms such as fever.
The 25-year-old urged people to consider participating in research studies supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). She said:
“We cannot make any progress in medicine without research. I’m proud to be involved in supporting the work of the team on the DIAMONDS study, which will help to diagnose patients quickly and potentially save lives.
“We have seen young people presenting with Paediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome which is an inflammation, irritation, pain or swelling, associated with the COVID-19 disease. It is a privilege to be playing my part in the national effort in trying to find the answers about this virus. Thank you to everyone who has taken part in the DIAMONDS study so far.
“My message to others is: please consider getting involved in research, we cannot do anything without willing participants volunteering their time to help us in improving patient care and treatments for all through research.”
Jennifer’s varied role involves supporting clinicians in ensuring that all regulatory and ethical research standards are met on all studies. She also helps with consenting patients, general administration, processing of laboratory samples, coordination between the different teams and organisations working on paediatric trials and much more.
CRN South London’s Deputy Chief Operating Officer Dawn Beaumont-Jewell said: “We are proud to be supporting the research response in south London to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Clinical Research Practitioners are crucial in assisting the national effort to tackle this virus, and I’d like to thank them all for their dedication, commitment and resolve during these challenging times.”
The DIAMONDS study is sponsored by Imperial College London. You can find out more about the study on the NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre's website.
