New Director of Research post for Imperial Academic Health Science Centre

Professor Jonathan Weber appointed to new combined role across Trust and College

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Imperial College London have appointed a Director of Research for its Academic Health Science Centre (AHSC). The post combines Professor Jonathan Weber’s two separate roles as director of research at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and the Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College London and will enable him to drive forward translational research within the AHSC.

This key role will mean greater co-ordination between the two organisations and will play a critical part in developing the research reputation of the Imperial AHSC both within the UK and internationally. The AHSC brings together the College and Trust, ensuring they are run hand-in-hand and meaning that new scientific discoveries in the College may be translated as rapidly as possible from ‘bench to bedside’. The AHSC aims to be at the forefront of medical innovation, harnessing Imperial College’s world-class academic medical research and ensuring provision of the best healthcare in the world.

Jonathan Weber first came to St Mary’s in 1982 to set up the UK’s first dedicated HIV clinic. He then worked at the Institute of Cancer Research before moving to the Hammersmith Hospital in 1988. Since 1990, he has been Jefferiss Professor of communicable diseases and genito-urinary medicine at Imperial College London and has undertaken extensive research on HIV and AIDS, HTLV-I and other sexually transmitted diseases. As Director of Research for the AHSC, he will now be responsible for guiding the ground-breaking research that will entrench the AHSC as one of the world’s leading biomedical research centres.

Professor Jonathan Weber, Director of Research at Imperial AHSC, said:

“This post is fundamental to the AHSC and shows its central position within both the College and the Trust strategy. It formalises the linkage of our research between the two organisations and facilitates translating the College’s internationally renowned scientific excellence into the clinic. This close relationship between the Trust and the College is central to our AHSC and distinguishes us in the UK.

“My immediate objectives are to increase the number of research studies that we undertake across the Trust, and to make more opportunities for patients to engage with and contribute to our research across our hospitals. Speeding up the process of undertaking clinical trials will be one of the most important processes to address.

“It is extremely important that we are able to involve all our patients in our research strategy and ensure that all who wish are able to access new therapies and devices. We will need to be constantly vigilant in ensuring that our clinical trials are efficiently designed and professionally completed. Excellent communication about our research with our patients needs to remain a high priority for the AHSC.

“Keeping attention and focus on the quality and quantity of our research is a high priority, especially in a time of great service change, as the NHS goes through a reorganisation process.”

Professor David Taube, Director of Imperial Academic Health Science Centre said:

“I am delighted that Jonathan is combining his two pervious roles to lead research at Imperial Academic Health Science Centre. His new role is crucial at this time when our organisations work even more closely to drive translational research towards new discoveries, leading to better care for patients.

“Jonathan has an international reputation as a clinical academic and translational researcher in HIV. He has shown his success through securing the 2012 reaccreditation of our Trust and College as the largest of the UK’s eleven NIHR Biomedical Research Centres - the most outstanding NHS and university research partnerships in the country.”