LhARA Steering Group meeting #3

3^rd July 2020 10:00 GMT

Present: KL, KK, SG, CB, CH, CW, JPa, JPar, JC, PA, RMcL, AP, TKW

Summary of actions

• KL: Set up series of meetings with leads at partner organisations to discuss preparation of R&D programme.
• KL/CB: Consider meeting between Imperial (and other) ion-accelerator experts with the relevant experts in CLF.
• KL/KK: to collaborate on the development for a proposal for such a meeting on the timescale of November 2020.
• KL: Ensure one representative per group at the next LhARA SG meeting.
• KL: Raise NIHR engagement with K.Gleeson.
• KL: Seek PPI representative for SG.
• KK, JPar, CW, KL: Make relevant contact with local PPI groups as described in item 4.
• KL&JPar: Write to CTRAD w/s 4 chair (KK) to ask how we might work together to raise awarenents of our programme among the patient and clinician communitites.
• KK, JPar, CW, KL, SG: Make relevant contact with local clinician groups as described in item 4.
• KL: Write to J.Clarke to ask for support to reach out to relevant industry.
• PA: Make contact with MTC to see how to make contact with relevant industry. PA/KL will cooperate in drafting a letter.
• KL: Review proposed w/p structure and skills matrix taking into account comments under item 4.
• KL/RMcL: Liaise to generate small group to coordinate development of instrumentation aspects of the programme.

Notes

1. Notes of last meeting and actions arising:
   • KL: Set up series of meetings with leads at partner organisations to discuss preparation of R&D programme.
     • Ongoing. Need to step up the priority of this activity as we prepare the EPSRC proposal.
   • KL/CB: Consider meeting between Imperial (and other) ion-accelerator experts with the relevant experts in CLF.
     • Stands. This meeting is necessary and, probably, should include Strathclyde and Belfast. Agreed, morph action to include all.
   • KL/KK to collaborate on the development for a proposal for such a meeting on the timescale of November 2020.
     • Stands. Agenda item.
   • KL Send out diary invitation straight away to get it into the diary.
     • Done.

2. Update on progress: KL
   See slides which contain a brief status report as well as the provocation of the discussion for agenda item 4.

3. Discussion of SG composition: KL/All
   • We agreed to re-set the SG composition to include one representative per group, the work-package managers (once they are defined), and co-opted members as required. KL will work towards proper representation at the next SG meeting.
   • JPar noted that it would be important to make sure that groups were represented in the meeting and insitute Directors may need to be encouraged to delegate appropriately.

4. ​EPSRC Transformative Healthcare Technologies call: KL/All
   • Dealing with feedback from our 2019 submission:
     "Engagement with patients, clinicians and industry could have been strengthened"
     • Patient engagement:
       • Actions taken to date include engagement with the PPI group at CXH in London. These contacts will be taken forward.
       • We agreed:
         • Make local contacts by partner:
           • KK: Manchester
           • JPar: Liverpool
           • CW: Glasgow -- JPar will help with introduction to Anthony Chalmers, ex chair of CTRAD
           • KL: Will contact K.Prise in Belfast to see whether/how contact to PPI can be made.
         • With local contacts made we'll try and coordinate broader activity, Perhaps K.Gleeson (CXH) may take a role here.
         • CTRAD: important to bring Workstreams 1 and 4 into the patient- and clinician-engagement activities. KL&JPar will write to KK in her capacity as W/s4 chair to ask for help in this regard.
         • NIHR: Various local groups, including one in London with which K.Gleeson is in contact. Seek to exploit NIHR. KL will raise possibility with K.Gleeson.
       • General comment from SG: need to ask what is important to patients. We discussed co-opting a PPI member to our SG. KL agreed to ask the author of the Lay Summaries of the pre-CDR and the publication if he would be willing to play this role.
     • Clinician engagement:
       • Within Imperial Trust and College contacts with clinicians and medical physicists good and being strengthened. We discussed the need to develop links with clinicians at the various partner institutes. We agreed:
         • SG: Birmingham
         • JPar: Liverpool
         • KK: Manchester (perhaps in collaboration with N. Burnett)
         • CW: Glasgow -- JPar will help with introduction to Anthony Chalmers, ex chair of CTRAD
         • KL: Contact K. Prise and M. Borghesi re clinician contact in Belfast.
     • As in the case of patient engagement we agreed to contact CTRAD to seek support in reaching out. KL/JPar will write to the KK to seek support in this endeavour.
     • Industrial engagement:
       • Some contacts made at time of preparation of last meeting and need to push forward to enhance the industrial engagement going forward. After discussing how to proceed we agreed:
         • KL: Will write to J.Clarke to ask for support to reach out to relevant industry.
         • PA: Will make contact with MTC to see how to make contact with relevant industry. PA/KL will cooperate in drafting a letter.
       • Possible engagement: Teledyne-E2V; Oxford Instruments, FMD-Oxford, STFC engagement team.
       • We noted the possibility that we should get a person to coordinate our industrial engagement.
   • Slides to initiate discussion of (done under 2 above):
     • Scope: we agreed to target first radiobiology exposures on LhARA within the 5-year scope of the bid.
     • We discussed the w/p structure. KK pointed out that it needed to map explicitly to the EPSRC priority deliverables. KL will take a second look at the proposed w/p structure and propose a revision.
     • Stakeholders from whom we should be seeking support; --All--
       • TKW proposed to make a diagram showing expertise required vs expertise available. KL will coordinate the creation of such a diagram. This diagram will also be valuable in negotiations with partners.

5. Follow-up discussion of dedicated advanced diagnostics and instrumentation for the in vitro and in vivo end stations: KL/all
   • KL reported that R.McLauchlan (CXH) had agreed to take an overview/coordinating role in this area. RMcL explained the vision to bring people together to understand what the opportunities are and how to bring the activity together into a coherent programme.
   • PA pointed out the need to take a staged approach with an initial focus on making sure the beam delivered is appropriate.
   • JPar pointed out that Liverpool has a Centre for Pre-Clinical Imaging.
   • We agreed to work towards a small sub-group to guide the development of the meeting and subsequently guide the development of the activity. KL/RMcL will liaise to bring this about.

6. DONMs
   
   • 04 Sep 2020; 10:00 BST

7. AoB
   
   • None.

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Agenda

1. Notes of last meeting and actions arising:
   • KL: Set up series of meetings with leads at partner organisations to discuss preparation of R&D programme.
     • Ongoing. Need to step up the priority of this activity as we prepare the EPSRC proposal.
   • KL/CB: Consider meeting between Imperial (and other) ion-accelerator experts with the relevant experts in CLF.
     • Stands. This meeting is necessary and, probably, should include Strathclyde and Belfast.
   • KL/KK to collaborate on the development for a proposal for such a meeting on the timescale of November 2020.
     • Stands. Agenda item.
   • KL Send out diary invitation straight away to get it into the diary.
     • Done.

2. Update on progress: KL
   

3. Discussion of SG composition: KL/All

4. ​EPSRC Transformative Healthcare Technologies call: KL/All
   • Dealing with feedback from our 2019 submission:
     "Engagement with patients, clinicians and industry could have been strengthened"
     • Patient engagement:
       • Actions taken to date;
       • Need for local action by partner;
       • Subsequent coordination
     • Clinician engagement:
       • Actions taken to date;
       • Need for local action by partner;
       • Subsequent coordination
     • Industrial engagement:
       • Actions taken to date;
       • Discussion of next steps
   • Slides to initiate discussion of:
     • Scope;
     • Initial discussion of work packages;
     • Stakeholders from whom we should be seeking support;
   • Next steps discussion

5. Follow-up Discussion of dedicated advanced diagnostics and instrumentation for the in vitro and in vivo end stations: KL/all

6. DONMs
   
   • 04 Sep 2020; 10:00 BST

7. AoB
   

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