Manchester Clinical Research Facility confirms appointments to leadership team

Professor Jacky Smith has become Director of the NIHR Manchester Clinical Research Facility (CRF).

Jacky Smith was previously interim Manchester CRF Director. Jacky is a Professor of Respiratory Medicine at the University of Manchester and an Honorary Consultant at the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. 

Jacky runs a multi-disciplinary research team whose focus is on understanding mechanisms underlying pathological cough and a regional clinical service seeing patients with refractory chronic cough.

Jacky also held the post of Medical Director at Manchester CRF’s Wythenshawe Hospital site but leaves this role to focus on the role of CRF Director. As Manchester CRF Director she leads four CRF sites across Manchester. 

Dr Alex Horsley,  Deputy Director at the Wythenshawe site becomes Medical Director of Manchester CRF at Wythenshawe Hospital. Alex is a leading expert in cystic fibrosis (CF). His main work focuses on novel technologies and clinical applications for lung clearance index (LCI), and how this relates to clinical outcomes and imaging.

Professor Andrew Wardley is Medical Director of Manchester CRF at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, a role he has held since the NIHR Manchester CRF was formed in 2017. Andrew is a Consultant at The Christie and Honorary Professor in Medical Oncology and has an international reputation for breast cancer research.

The following interim appointments have also been confirmed as permanent appointments:

Medical Director at Manchester CRF at Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI) is Dr Ben Parker. Ben is a Consultant Rheumatologist at the MRI. He also holds the post of Training Lead for the NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre and Manchester CRF.

Medical Director at Manchester CRF at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital is Dr Simon Jones. Simon is a Consultant in Paediatric Inherited Metabolic Disease at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital (RMCH).