Clinical Research Coordinator

**Position**

Clinical Research Coordinator

**Appointing Organisation**

Tata Translational Cancer Research Centre

Tata Medical Center, Kolkata

**The Tata Medical Center and the Tata Translational Cancer Research Centre**

The Tata Medical Center (TMC) is a multispecialty institution for tertiary cancer care. At TMC,

clinical and research activities are integrated to provide state-of-the-art care for patients with

cancer. This integration is enabled by the Tata Translational Cancer Research Centre (TTCRC),

TMC’s research institution. At TTCRC, a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, scientists, academics

and industry professionals collaborate to develop a systems medicine approach in cancer

research. This approach is focussed on developing innovative, indigenous, cost-effective and

equitable strategies to improve cancer diagnosis; develop personalised treatments and, identify

prognostic and predictive disease biomarkers. These strategies are multi-dimensional and involve

an iterative integrated pathway that include clinical trials, high-throughput laboratory studies,

sophisticated data analytics, hypothesis-driven pre-clinical studies and evidence-based clinical

translation.

**The Position and the FORE Research Group**

Applications are invited for the position of Clinical Research Coordinator within the Functional

Oncology Research (FORE) group at TTCRC. The FORE group employs functional precision

medicine strategies to develop personalised therapies for patients with cancer. Central to this is

the development of suitable _ex vivo_ disease models and the use of drug response profiling to

identify effective drug treatments. Using this approach, the FORE group has developed novel

combination chemotherapy treatments for patients with very high risk acute lymphoblastic

leukaemia (PATH or Precision Approach protocols for Treatment of Haematological

Malignancies). The PATH protocols currently represent the standard of care for treatment of

patients with very high risk acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (VHR-ALL) at TMC. Plans are

underway to introduce and evaluate the PATH protocols as recommended strategy for VHR-ALL

patients across the Indian Collaborative Childhood Leukaemia (ICiCLe) ALL clinical trials

network. The FORE group's activities are intricately intertwined with those of other TTCRC

research groups.

**Roles and Responsibilities**

The Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC) will play a pivotal role in the FORE group. The CRC

will work closely with the FORE group, with TTCRC’s Clinical Research Unit and with clinical

colleagues to implement, monitor, evaluate and report the treatment of patients on the PATH

protocols. This includes

(a) Identifying patients potentially eligible for treatment on the PATH protocols

(b) Facilitating protocol discussions and consent for treatment with patients and families

(c) Assisting in preparation of treatment protocols

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(d) Diligently tracking patients treated on the PATH protocols, including their scheduled follow
- ups, unscheduled hospital visits, hospitalisations, and serious adverse events / reactions

(e) Maintaining a comprehensive database for patients treated on the PATH protocols, integrating

data from clinical and laboratory studies (including diagnostic and research laboratory data)

(f) Maintaining close interactions with clinical and research teams involved in the management

of ALL in general, and VHR-ALL in particular.

(g) Assuming responsibility for data analysis and preparation of reports, in real-time and at regular

intervals

Since VHR-ALL patients represent a subset of patients receiving treatment for ALL, the CRC will

also have the following additional responsibilities

(h) Prospective data capture and tracking of patients receiving ALL treatment, working closely

with colleagues in TTCRC’s Clinical Research Unit

(i) Assisting clinicians with patient supervision, including outpatient reviews and discussions at

multidisciplinary team meetings

**Minimum required qualifications/experience**

(a) Master’s degree in a biomedical science field or a related field

(c) Advanced Beginner competency in managing spreadsheets

(d) Beginner-level competency in data analysis and statistical tests

**Necessary qualities**

(a) Integrity, motivation, enthusiasm

(b) Focus and commitment in carrying out tasks and duties

(c) Excellent organisational skills, scrupulous time management, attention to detail

(d) Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team

(e) Clarity in career and professional development goals

**Desired qualities**

(a) Clinical research experience

(b) Familiarity with statistical analysis software / programmes

**Appointment and Reporting**

The initial term of appointment to the position is 12 months. Performance will be appraised midway

through the appointment. Following completion of the 1-year probationary period, appointment

would be renewed for an additiona