Clinical Trial Masterclass Series
Presented by PaCCSC, this free online four-part Masterclass Series is for new and emerging clinician researchers to increase knowledge, make connections, and get involved in clinical research in palliative care.
Is this Masterclass Series for me?
If you are a clinician or researcher in any health discipline, and you are interested in building your knowledge and understanding of clinical trials, this free online Masterclass Series is for you. You can sign up to one or more classes in the four-part series – it’s up to you!
PaCCSC members and non-members are welcome and all are encouraged to attend.
What will I learn?
You’ll learn about a typical clinical trial lifecycle, what support is available to progress your new trial idea, how to develop a clinical trial protocol and how to critically appraise literature. Click on each Masterclass link below to find out more.
Our experienced trials coordination team at the IMPACCT Trials Coordination Centre (ITCC) will guide you through the steps to take your new trial idea from concept to operationalisation to closure and results dissemination.
What is PaCCSC?
The national Palliative Care Clinical Studies Collaborative (PaCCSC) builds clinical research capacity and develops collaborative cross-disciplinary high-quality clinical trials in palliative care.
Our work contributes to the evidence base for clinical decision making and better quality-of-life outcomes for people living with life-limiting illnesses and their families.
This Masterclass Series is funded by the NSW Ministry of Health.
Download an event flyer:
Clinical Trial Masterclass Series (PDF, 337KB)
Masterclass series
Masterclass 1 | The average clinical trial lifecycle
Tues 2 May 2023
3PM-4PM AEST
Presented by Belinda Fazekas.
Masterclass 1 will give you an overview of the entire clinical trial process, taking you through every aspect from the spark of the new trial idea to seeking funding, getting your trial started, conducting monitoring, data management and dissemination of findings.
Belinda, National Project Officer, leads the IMPACCT Trials Coordination Centre team and has over 15 years’ experience in the conduct of clinical trials in palliative care and cancer symptom management.
Join Masterclass 1 to gain an understanding of how to bring your clinical trial idea to life.
Masterclass 2 | Support for your new clinical trial concept
Tues 16 May 2023
3PM-4PM AEST
Masterclass 2 will be presented by Dr Vanessa Yenson, Research Assistant-Writer. You’ll learn about the support available to you as a member of the Palliative Care Clinical Studies Collaborative.
Vanessa has extensive clinical trial knowledge and writing expertise. Her role is to work with investigators to prepare grant and ethics applications, clinical trial protocols and other clinical trial documents.
Join Masterclass 2 to find out how we can support your research journey.
Masterclass 3 (Part A & B)
Part A | Developing your protocol
Tues 30 May 2023
3PM-4:30PM AEST
Part B | Tips, tricks & pitfalls
Fri 2 June 2023
3PM-4:30PM AEST
Masterclass 3 will be presented in two parts by Belinda Fazekas and Dr Charmain Strauss.
In Part A, Belinda will lead a deep dive into the process of developing your clinical trial protocol, which is the bedrock of your clinical trial, and will inform everything else you will do to roll out your study.
In Part B, Belinda and Charmain will delve into the more complex protocol items, helping you to avoid re-inventing the wheel by providing tips and tricks to enable you evade common pitfalls encountered by early career researchers.
Join Masterclass 3 to benefit from Belinda and Charmain’s experience in running successful clinical trials.
Masterclass 4 | Critical appraisal skills: How to win friends and influence patient care
Wed 28 June 2023
3PM-4:30PM AEST
Critical appraisal is an essential skill to evaluate the quality and relevance of published research that may inform your new clinical trial idea.
Masterclass 4 will be presented by Dr Wei Lee, Associate Professor Ann Dadich and Misbah Faiz. Wei, Ann and Misbah present an engaging and interactive masterclass to improve your critical appraisal skills and help you find out if your trial idea has already been researched, what the outcome was, and whether the quality of the research was adequate or needs further investigation.
Join Masterclass 4 to gain the skills you need to undertake meaningful critical appraisal related to your clinical trial idea.
Presenters
Belinda Fazekas
Belinda leads the IMPACCT Trials Coordination Centre team at UTS. She has over 15 years’ experience in the conduct of clinical trials within palliative care and cancer symptom management.
Belinda oversees the implementation of clinical trial protocols including protocol and form design, data management, ethics submissions, and reporting. She is responsible for the development of recruitment strategies, key performance indicators, and standard operating procedures, and for the development of data management and monitoring plans.
Dr Vanessa Yenson
Dr Vanessa Yenson is the CST Research Assistant-Writer. She assists CST clinical trial researchers to develop clinical trial protocols, generate literature reviews and prepare grant applications and ethics submissions. She provides research, writing, and editing support to help convert new study ideas into clinical trials.
Vanessa is a member of the Sydney Health Partners Consumer Advisory Working Group, which was formed on the recommendation by the Statement on Consumer and Community Involvement in Health and Medical Research (2016). She uses her experience as a cancer survivor, immunologist, and clinical trials writer to advocate for a strong consumer voice in the preparation, implementation, and dissemination of all health and medical research, including clinical trials.
Dr Charmain Strauss
Dr Charmain Strauss supports the National Project Officer with the provision of coordinated trial management and processes including the development of clinical trial implementation resources, providing education and training to clinical sites on the study protocol, data collection worksheets and case report form completion and data entry.
She collaborates with study and site investigators to implement new studies, assists with protocol design, regulatory and ethics applications, and local recruitment. Charmain has over seven years' laboratory and academic experience, having completed her PhD in molecular biology and genetics.
Dr Wei Lee
Dr Wei Lee is a palliative care physician, currently undertaking a doctoral program at University of Technology Sydney, exploring depression in the end-of-life setting under the supervision of Professor David Currow, Professor Meera Agar, and Professor Brian Draper.
He is the coordinating principal investigator for SKIPMDD, a phase II pilot feasibility study assessing the feasibility of subcutaneous ketamine infusion in treating major depressive disorder in palliative patients.
Misbah Faiz
Misbah Faiz is a Senior Multicultural Health Advisor at South Western Sydney Local Health District’s Multicultural Health Service. She supports work undertaken by the Multicultural Heath Service to ensure that people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds can access safe, high-quality and person centred healthcare.
Misbah is also a pharmacist and previously worked at the Sydney Partnership of Health, Education, Research and Enterprise (SPHERE) as the Palliative Clinical Academic Group Project Officer where they manage a portfolio of work aimed at making evidence-based palliative care ‘usual business’ though collaborative transdisciplinary research.
Associate Professor Ann Dadich
Associate Professor Ann Dadich is an internationally recognised expert in health service management, notably knowledge translation and the processes through which knowledge coalesces to promote quality care, with the Western Sydney University School of Business. She holds editorial appointments with leading academic journals, and is Deputy Director of the Sydney Partnership for Health, Education, Research and Enterprise Knowledge Translation Strategic Platform.
Ann serves on the Australian Consortium for Social and Political Research Incorporated Executive Committee; is a Board member of the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management (ANZAM), chairs the ANZAM Research Committee and the ANZAM Health Management and Organisation Conference Stream; and convenes the ANZAM Health Management and Organisation Special Interest Group.
