Biobank Assistant/ResearcherNHS

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has become available at the RNOH for an individual interested in supporting clinical research within the NHS.

The Histopathology Department is looking for a full-time Band 3 Biobank Assistant to join our research team. The role may involve identifying and approaching patients face-to-face to obtain consent to use their samples for research purposes. The applicant will also ensure that biobanked samples (including blood, plasma, slides, wax blocks, frozen tissues, and DNA/RNA) are logged for ongoing research projects. In particular, they will be responsible for selecting, preparing and scanning slides and linking them to clinical data as part of a cutting-edge digital pathology and machine learning (artificial intelligence) project.

Main duties of the job

The role will allow you to:

• acquire valuable NHS experience
• gain confidence in speaking to patients
• consent eligible patients for the Biobank
• use databases and spreadsheets to log, track and anonymise patient samples and data
• support Biobank research across a range of clinical projects
• learn about cancer, sarcoma and other diseases
• collect blood samples by phlebotomy and process them to extract plasma

Support and full training in consenting patients and/or phlebotomy (as necessary) will be provided and for all components of the job in which the candidate does not have experience. The successful candidate will need to become vaccinated against Hepatitis B. Excellent communication and organisation skills are required.

Job description

• Selecting, preparing and scanning slides for digital pathology projects.
• Using databases and spreadsheets to collect and organise clinical data and to log and track research samples.
• Preparing samples to be sent by courier, or receiving them from collaborators.
• Pseudonymising and storing patient and clinical trial samples appropriately.
• Identifying, using hospital databases, patients eligible to be approached for donating their tissue for research.
• Seeking consent from patients in person or otherwise.
• Collecting patient samples from operating theatres for research purposes
• Processing blood by centrifugation and aliquoting the component parts of the sample.
• Preparing blood packs and consent forms for colleagues.
• Taking blood samples from patients (phlebotomy) for research: training to be provided.
• Working flexibly between Stanmore and Bolsover St sites as required to contact patients.
• Attending Biobank team meetings.
• Administrative duties: scanning patient consent forms, pulling and archiving wax blocks and slides.
• Any other duties required to maintain the operation of the Biobank.

About us

RNOH Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust (RNOH) is the largest orthopaedic hospital in the UK and a global leader in our field. We provide a dynamic working environment where we support frontline staff to implement improvements so that we can realise our vision of being a world leading neuro-musculoskeletal hospital providing the best patient care and staff experience in the NHS, delivering world leading research, and offering a strong foundation of education, training and career progression. Our dedicated staff come from diverse backgrounds, and our patients benefit from the wide range of experience they bring to the trust. RNOH brings unrivalled expertise together in one place allowing us to deliver some of the world's most complex and innovative care to our patients. RNOH is rated good by the CQC and covers two sites, one in central London and one in Stanmore - which has recently opened The Stanmore Building, a new, state-of-the-art inpatient facility. For more information, please access the following link: https://www.rnoh.nhs.uk/