Monday 31 March 2025
Professor Jacky Smith, Director of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Manchester Clinical Research Facility (CRF) has announced she will be stepping down from this role in the coming months.
Prof Smith has been Director of the Manchester CRF – and its predecessor organisations – since 2015. She successfully led the £20.6 million NIHR funding award for 2022-29 – a 24% uplift and the largest funding award given to a CRF by the NIHR – to boost the delivery of early phase and innovative clinical trials across Greater Manchester (GM).
This included the expansion of Manchester CRF facilities into six hospital sites: The Christie, Manchester Royal Infirmary, North Manchester General Hospital, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Salford Royal Hospital and Wythenshawe Hospital.
Prof Smith said:
“I am incredibly proud of what Manchester CRF has achieved over the last 10 years – from single CRFs to now working together across GM to operate in six NHS teaching hospitals.
“Through this collaboration, we provide our diverse communities with even more opportunities to take part in clinical research and I would like to thank all my colleagues, research participants and public contributors who have supported me in this shared goal over the last decade.
“It has been a difficult decision to step down as Director, but I know Manchester CRF will continue to go from strength to strength in delivering new trials and treatments to help improve health outcomes.”
Prof Smith, who is also Honorary Consultant at Wythenshawe Hospital, part of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, and Professor of Respiratory Medicine at The University of Manchester, is one of the country’s leading clinical academics in the field of cough. She is also Inflammation Cluster Lead for the NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre.
Continuing in her clinical and other research roles, Prof Smith will also remain in a strategic advisory capacity for Manchester CRF and continue as Deputy Clinical Lead for the UKCRF Network.
Manchester CRF will now begin the formal process of appointing a new Director.