Research Fellow in Structural Cardiology

Job overview

A full-time post as Research Fellow in Structural Interventional Cardiology is available now at the John Radcliffe Hospital. This post is suitable for candidates who have already commenced training in Interventional or Imaging Cardiology and are at SpR level.

Applications are invited from established trainees who are undertaking interventional or imaging training and want to gain experience in clinical research in the field. The appointment is whole-time, and Full GMC registration is required.

Main duties of the job

This post is tailored for candidates with an interest in academic medicine and clinical trial and outcome methodology. The successful applicant will lead and contribute to a robust portfolio of clinical research focusing on outcomes in transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and transcatheter mitral/tricuspid intervention, e.g. edge-to-edge repair (TEER). The post is tailored for candidates who have not yet undertaken a period of formal research training (MD/Ph) who may use this post to develop and apply for an externally funded fellowship.

While the role provides exposure to structural procedures and advanced cardiac imaging (echocardiography and CT) to facilitate data collection and analysis, the primary focus is the delivery of high-impact publications and the presentation of findings at international conferences. This is a dedicated research position and is not an approved clinical training post

Candidates are welcome to contact Dr Tom Cahill, Consultant Cardiologist or Professor Raj Kharbanda, Consultant Cardiologist. It is preferred that any contact is made after shortlisting.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Aims and Responsibilities of the Post

• The primary aim of this post is to provide comprehensive experience in the academic aspects of Structural Interventional Cardiology. A core responsibility involves the coordination and conduct of new and existing studies including observational research using existing datasets, and commercially sponsored clinical trials

Research Focus

• The successful candidate will lead a dedicated research portfolio focused on the. evolution of TAVI and mitral/tricuspid interventions (such as TEER). A central pillar of this role is the synthesis of large-scale evidence to answer critical questions regarding procedural safety, long-term durability, and patient selection.

The Research Fellow will be responsible for:

• Dataset Integration: Leveraging existing local Oxford databases, national registries (such as NICOR), and data from commercially sponsored clinical trials to work on clinical projects.
• Project Development: Designing and executing original research protocols, from hypothesis generation to statistical analysis, focusing on real-world outcomes in structural heart disease.
• Comparative Analysis: Utilizing multi-modality data—including advanced CT and Echocardiographic parameters—to evaluate the efficacy of emerging aortic, mitral and tricuspid therapies against established surgical and medical standards.
• Academic Output: Translating these data-driven insights into high-impact manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals and presenting findings at major international congresses (e.g., EuroPCR, TCT, ESC).

Training and Output

• This post is designed for trainees who are undertaking time out of a training program and wish to focus on high-impact research output, prior to undertaking a higher degree (MD/PhD). Active leadership in clinical research is an integral part of the post, alongside technical training in the interpretation of cardiac imaging (specifically echocardiography and CT) to support research analysis. As