The Christie Charity
Press release posted 16 March 2023
3 prominent cancer researchers from The Christie NHS Foundation Trust have been given prestigious Senior Investigator status by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
Professor Janelle Yorke, The Christie’s Executive Chief Nurse and Director of Quality, and Professor Corinne Faivre-Finn, Honorary Consultant in Clinical Oncology, are both new appointees. Professor Tim Illidge, Professor of Targeted Therapy and Oncology, has been reappointed for a second term. Professor Janelle Yorke is the first Chief Nurse to have ever been given the award.
NIHR Senior Investigators are among the most high-profile and prestigious researchers funded by the NIHR. They receive an award of £20,000 a year for 4 years to fund activities supporting their research.
They also help guide research capacity development and enhance the career paths of other NIHR researchers. Senior Investigator status is awarded according to a number of criteria, including quality and volume of internationally excellent research, impact on improvements in healthcare and engagement with the public and healthcare policymakers.
“I am really proud to be the first Chief Nurse to ever receive this award," says Professor Janelle Yorke, Executive Chief Nurse and Director of Quality at The Christie. “The money will be spent on developing my team, funding things like research internships for Christie nurses, as well as on furthering international research into supporting people living with and beyond cancer. This is a massive achievement and I’d like to extend my congratulations to Tim, Corinne and the rest of the appointees.”
Professor Fiona Blackhall, Director of Research and Innovation at The Christie, comments: “The Christie has been at the forefront of cancer research for over 120 years and we are proud to have some of the best researchers in the world working here. This announcement is a testament to that. This is a prestigious award, so having three Senior Investigators from one Trust is a fantastic achievement. The work that they and the rest of their colleagues do makes a big difference to cancer patients across Greater Manchester and beyond.”
This announcement is the latest in a series of NIHR awards for staff at The Christie. Dr Ciara O’Brien, Consultant Medical Oncologist, was awarded a place on the NIHR research scholars’ programme and Evelyn Dolan, Lead Research Nurse, was awarded a place on the NIHR senior research leader programme.