A principal research radiographer has been appointed clinical academic lead for healthcare science at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.
One of the first of its kind roles in the UK, Dr Carolyn Costigan is sharing the post with Dr Richard Simpson, principal clinical vascular scientist at the trust.
Carolyn has also been awarded a post-doctoral funding secondment to develop her own research. She says she intends to maintain one clinical session a week in fetal MRI.
"I am hugely grateful to the College of Radiographers for my doctoral funding and particularly for the support from Dr Rachel Harris, the Society's professional and education manager," Carolyn said.
The clinical academic lead post at Nottingham is a new role to support the chief scientist and further develop research capability and capacity across the 800 healthcare scientists in the hospital.
"I am very excited to be starting this post with Richard and hope our combined talents and experience will advance non-medical clinical academic careers in the trust," Carolyn said.
She and Richard will develop strategic plans, systems and policies supporting research, innovation and technology transfer across the trust, including initiating and developing research and development programmes and policies.
Nottingham University Hospitals has more than 15,000 staff and 1700 beds. It is one of the largest acute trusts in the UK.
Carolyn qualified as a diagnostic radiographer in Dublin before moving to the UK to complete an MSc in MRI. After working in the USA, Sheffield and Nottingham as a clinical radiographer, she moved to the Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre to pursue her interest in MR research.
She was appointed principal research radiographer in 2013 and she led a research group for radiographers. Carolyn's clinical interests include foetal and gastrointestinal MRI and she is vice chair of the SoR’s Magnetic Resonance Advisory Group (MRAG). Awarded the inaugural College of Radiographers Doctoral Fellowship in 2015, she has just completed her PhD on Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Coeliac Disease at the University of Nottingham.
Carolyn said, "My graduation date should be 24 July this year and in the next 12 months my three children will graduate from university too, so it’s been a busy household for the past few years!"