Spotlight On: Dr Gabriella Lindergard

My name is Gabriella Lindergard and I am currently in an Integrated Clinical Academic Training (ICAT) post, working jointly between the University of Manchester and MFT Research and Innovation.

My path in research

Prior to my current role, I was the Lead Research Nurse for the Infectious Diseases (ID) Research Department at North Manchester General Hospital (NMGH) for nine years. ID Research was a very active research team with over 30 ongoing clinical trials within the ID speciality including HIV, Hepatitis B and C and, for the last three years, COVID-19. We delivered studies for large global pharmaceutical companies as well as for national and international universities.

When NMGH joined Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) in April 2021, I was interested in getting more involved in research within the Trust and was encouraged by the close research links that MFT has developed with the University of Manchester.

I have a background in academic research in parallel with my nursing role, my first degree being a BSc (Hons) in Parasitology from the University of Glasgow, followed by a MSc in Applied Parasitology and Medical Entomology from Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and a PhD in Infection and Immunity from the University of Glasgow.

During my MSc and PhD, I was involved in several field studies, where my nursing experience proved to be very useful. Following my PhD, while a postdoctoral fellow at Cornell University in the USA and then at the University of Edinburgh, I often thought about how I could practically combine my nursing skills and experience with my academic interests and research expertise. So, when we relocated to Manchester from Edinburgh in 2013, I decided to return to nursing and was fortunate to be offered the position of a Research Nurse in Infectious Diseases at NMGH. I was lucky to be encouraged by Professor Andy Ustianowski to keep my connections with the academic world, while he also taught me a huge amount about clinical research (which can be rather different from work in a university lab!)

About the ICAT Programme

The University of Manchester and Health Education England’s Integrated Academic Training (ICAT) Programme has been in place since 1997, with the aim of offering postdoctoral support for medical clinicians. Only in recent years has it also been open for nurses, midwifes and allied health professionals (AHPs) with a higher degree, but very few registered nurses have applied for the programme. The post holder is expected to spend 50 per cent of their time on clinical work and 50 per cent undertaking research and developing academic skills. It is supported for four years, during which time it is expected that the post holder will have applied for external fellowship or funding.

Nationally, there is a lack of academic career opportunities for nurses, midwives and AHPs, especially after having completed a PhD. The ICAT role can play a part in filling this gap and provide a scaffolding for developing academic and personal skills necessary for the road to an independent researcher.

Supporting NMAHPS in research

The ICAT role I have undertaken is a collaboration between the University of Manchester and MFT Research and Innovation (R&I), working with Michelle Briggs, Clinical Professor of Nursing, and Janette Dunkerley, R&I Assistant Chief Nurse.

I have been in post for six months now and one of my main aims is to be visible and encourage and support more nurses develop their academic research skills, as well as being a link at across the Trust to provide practical advice and guidance for research interested NMAHPs (nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals).

The Manchester Clinical Academic Centre (MCAC), where I am a member of the leadership team, plays a big part in this. MCAC is a place for anyone interested in academic work and can offer information and peer support.

The MCAC has been developed in partnership with MFT and the University of Manchester and will have a positive effect on promoting research activity within the Trust which will ultimately lead to improvements in research delivery performance, better health outcomes for patients and more opportunities for clinical academic careers for nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals.

My next steps in research…

Aside from the evolving work within MCAC leadership team, I am active as a NMAHP Research Champion both at NMGH and within R&I, a local lab manager for the ID research lab at NMGH, and currently the Principal Investigator for three ID studies. 

My current research interest involves studying interactions between HIV infection and the microbiome, including how the infection itself and antiretroviral medication affects an individual’s gut microbiome. I was very recently awarded a Clinical Lecturer Starter Grant, which is very exciting as it provides the resources needed to kick start my clinical research projects.