Meet the Speakers
Dr Catherine McKenzie (Associate Professor in Critical Care Pharmacology, University of Southampton): Turning Setbacks into Growth
Dr Catherine McKenzie provided an honest and deeply insightful account of her research career, drawing from her experiences leading the DALI β-lactam project. She emphasised that research often involves unexpected hurdles, including delays in funding, ethical approvals, and manuscript rejections. However, she framed these setbacks as part of the research process rather than failures.
Her key messages included:
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Start with a clear, clinically relevant question. Using structured approaches like the PICO format helps focus research design and maintain relevance to practice.
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Prioritise simplicity and clarity. Projects that directly address real-world clinical questions are more likely to succeed and have meaningful impact.
- Don’t fear rejection: “Be determined. Accept feedback. Keep going.”
Dr Catherine McKenzie highlighted that research engagement strengthens clinical decision-making, builds confidence, and opens new professional pathways in both academia and practice.
Dr Zoe Edwards (Clinical Research Lead, Affinity Care PCN): Accessible Routes into Primary Care Research
Dr Edwards offered a highly practical roadmap for pharmacy professionals seeking to get involved in research within the primary care setting. Drawing on her leadership at Affinity Care PCN, she outlined several entry points:
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Supporting GP practices to register as Participant Identification Centres (PICs) allows pharmacists to contribute to national research studies by identifying eligible patients.
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Engaging with NIHR-supported intervention studies enables pharmacists to participate in existing research projects while gaining valuable experience.
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Developing local practice-based projects empowers pharmacists to explore questions directly relevant to their service populations, often supported by research networks or Clinical Research Networks (CRNs).
Dr Zoe Edwards emphasised that many pharmacists underestimate the value of their frontline experience as a basis for research questions that can directly improve patient care.
Chinyere Okoli (Global Medical Affairs Scientific Director, ViiV Healthcare): Industry Perspectives on Collaborative Research
Chinyere Okoli provided valuable insight into how pharmacists can engage with the pharmaceutical industry as research collaborators. Through her work at ViiV Healthcare, she demonstrated how partnerships between industry and frontline practitioners can lead to high-quality, patient-centred research:
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Pharmacists offer clinical credibility, practical knowledge of patient pathways, and an understanding of real-world treatment challenges.
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Industry increasingly values practice-based expertise to inform drug development, implementation research, and real-world evidence generation.
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Collaborative research initiatives provide pharmacists with opportunities to contribute to large-scale studies that have global health impact.
Her message underscored the growing recognition of pharmacists’ role as clinical scientists who bridge the gap between product development and patient outcomes.
Together, these speakers illustrated the breadth of opportunities available to pharmacy professionals interested in research from grassroots projects to large-scale academic-industry collaborations and the importance of resilience, curiosity, and cross-sector engagement.