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LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE & TROPICAL MEDICINE
DEPARTMENT OF NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASE
EPIDEMIOLOGY
Cochrane Heart Group
FURTHER PARTICULARS
THE SCHOOL
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is one of Europe’s leading
schools of Public Health and a leading postgraduate institution worldwide for
research and postgraduate education in global health.
Part of the University of London, the London School is the largest institution of its
kind in Europe with a remarkable depth and breadth of expertise encompassing
many disciplines. The School was ranked one of the top 3 research institutions in
the country in the Times Higher Education’s 'table of excellence', which is based
on the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). In 2009, the School became
the first UK institution to win the Gates Award for Global Health.
The School’s environment is a rich multicultural one: there are around 3500
students from 100+ countries following 24 taught masters courses delivered
either in London or through distance learning, and about 400 undertaking a
research degree. Over 40% of these students are from non-European countries.
Alumni are working in more than 180 countries. The School has about 1600 staff
drawn from over 74 nationalities.
There are research collaborations with over 100 countries throughout the world,
utilizing our critical mass of multidisciplinary expertise which includes clinicians,
epidemiologists, statisticians, social scientists, economists, molecular biologists,
immunologists, ophthalmologists, anthropologists, virologists, pharmacologists
and nutritionists. At any one time around 100 School staff are based overseas,
particularly in Africa and Asia. We have a strong commitment to partnership with
institutions in low and middle income countries to support the development of
teaching and research capacity.
The School has expanded greatly in recent years. Its research funding now
exceeds £67M per annum, much of it from highly competitive national and
international sources. The commitment of staff to methodological rigour,
innovative thinking and policy relevance will ensure that the School continues to
occupy a leadership position in national and global health, adapting quickly to
new challenges and opportunities.
Mission
To improve health and health equity in the UK and worldwide; working in
partnership to achieve excellence in public and global health research, education
and translation of knowledge into policy and practice.
THE FACULTY
The Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health (EPH) houses a large group
of epidemiologists, demographers, statisticians and nutritionists working on
issues of major public health importance in the UK and globally. EPH has
approximately 330 staff members organised into four research departments.
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Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Department of Medical Statistics
Department of Non-Communicable Disease Epidemiology
Department of Population Health
The Faculty has a teaching programme consisting of ten MSc courses:
Epidemiology, Demography and Health, Medical Statistics, Public Health in
Developing Countries (run jointly with the Faculties of Infectious & Tropical
Diseases and Public Health & Policy), Nutrition for Global Health, Reproductive &
Sexual Health Research, Veterinary Epidemiology (run jointly with the Royal
Veterinary College), Global Mental Health (run jointly with Kings College London Institute of Psychiatry) and the Distance Learning courses in Epidemiology and
Clinical Trials. The Faculty also has approximately 149 research students
studying for an MPhil, PhD or DrPH degree. The Head of Faculty is Professor
John Edmunds.
THE DEPARTMENT
The Department of Non-Communicable Disease Epidemiology is the main
focus of research on the epidemiology of non-communicable diseases at the
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. While most of our studies have
been in the UK or other high income countries, we have a growing programme of
research on non-communicable diseases in low and middle income countries,
including India and parts of the former Soviet Union. Research interests range
from genetic susceptibility to disease, through metabolic and endocrine disease
mechanisms to personal behaviours and the population health effects of changes
in national diets and drinking behaviours. Themes include determinants of ethnic
variation in disease risk; adverse drug reactions; epidemiology of ageing; foetal
and childhood origins of adult disease; determinants of reproductive outcomes;
cardiovascular disease; growth factors and cancer risk; natural history of genital
human papillomavirus (HPV); time trends in cancer survival; non-communicable
diseases in low and middle income countries. The department has considerable
methodological strength and experience, particularly in the analysis of genetic
association studies and the conduct and analysis of large scale longitudinal
cohort and record linkage studies. We work closely with colleagues in other
departments and faculties and have excellent collaborative links with researchers
in other institutions around the world. Funding comes from a wide variety of
sources including the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust and Cancer
Research UK. The Department head is Prof. Liam Smeeth.
The Cochrane Collaboration
Coronary heart disease is the most common cause of death in most countries of
the world and a large amount of information about its prevention, treatment and
rehabilitation is published every year. Keeping up to date with the sheer volume
of material is extremely difficult for clinicians and policy makers. This leads to
delays in applying effective interventions, or removing ineffective ones, and
results in substantial loss of potential health gain.
The techniques of systematic review and meta-analysis are able to overcome
these problems by synthesising the best available evidence in an unbiased way.
The expertise that has developed in the Cochrane Collaboration over the last
decade since its inception in 1992 has enabled much progress to be made in both
the scientific methodology of conducting reviews and their dissemination and use
by health professionals. Of particular importance is the need to be aware of the
potential pitfalls of summary results produced from trials suffering methodological
weaknesses and to examine the sources of heterogeneity between trials. The
Cochrane Collaboration approach ensures that high quality reviews are
conducted and that commentaries are included which can highlight problems and
aid interpretation of reviews.
The work of the Cochrane Collaboration is published by John Wiley Publishers
each quarter in the Cochrane Library (a CD-rom and on the Internet), which
comprises Cochrane systematic reviews, abstracts of other published systematic
reviews and a database of randomised controlled trials.
Cochrane Heart Group
The Cochrane Heart Group was established in July 1998 with the aim of
preparing, maintaining and promoting the access of systematic reviews of the
effects of interventions for treating ischaemic and all other heart diseases and
preventing cardiovascular diseases. We have 26 Editors and 1028 authors across
5 continents who contribute to the Cochrane Heart Group. Since its inception the
Heart Group has been one of the leading Review Groups within the Collaboration,
and currently ranks in 5th position among the 53 review groups. The editorial
group based at the LSHTM is co-ordinated by Professors Juan P. Casas and
Shah Ebrahim and also includes the Managing Editor Dr Fiona Taylor, the Deputy
Managing Editor Diane Horsley the Trial Search Coordinator, Nicole Martin, and
the systematic review specialist Dr Alma Adler. In addition, we recently launched
a Satellite group based at the Northwestern University in Chicago, USA, whose
mission is to support existing US-based review authors to prepare and up-date
their Cochrane reviews and to advocate the use of evidence-based practice in
cardiovascular clinical practice guidelines in the US.
In addition to the Heart Group, there are two Cochrane Review Groups (Injuries
and, Eyes and Vision) also based at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical
Medicine, which makes of this a unique opportunity to integrate and share
experiences and expertise across review groups.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Description
Post:
Research Fellow (0.5 FTE)
Responsible to:
Professor Juan P. Casas
Grade:
Grade 6 Academic Pathway, 0.5 FTE
The Research Fellow’s tasks are as follows:
Systematic reviews
 Read and synthesize editorial comments for authors. Work with the Coordinating Editor, Deputy and Managing Editor to prepare editorial comments
on draft protocols and reviews.
 Check compliance with editorial comments. Work with the Co-ordinating
Editor, deputy and Managing Editor to assess reviewers’ responses to
editorial and peer review comments.
 Check methodological rigour of submitted protocols and reviews. Work
with the Co-ordinating Editor, Deputy and Managing Editor to assess
compliance with Cochrane Collaboration editoral procedures. Audits submitted
systematic reviews for quality control and consistency of reporting.
 Update Heart Group’s reviews. Assist reviewers and other members of the
Cochrane Heart Group with the updating of existing reviews (including critical
appraisal of studies and data extraction).
 Promote the profile of the Cochrane Heart Group. Assist the Managing
Editor in preparing articles for scientific journals, presentations at professional
and lay meetings
 Conduct research on systematic review. Take a lead in undertaking
systematic reviews on behalf of the Cochrane Heart Group.
 Obtain grant proposals. Collaborate with other researchers in
methodological research and to bid for NHS R&D health technology
systematic reviews of relevance to heart disease.
Teaching
 Contribute to the teaching of systematic reviews and Cochrane
Collaboration methodology for post-graduate students and on short
courses
 Undertake appropriate training in teaching methods as required by the
LSHTM
Citizenship
 Contribute to general activities of the Department, the Faculty and School
that help to promote the objectives of the LSHTM.
 Contribute to the management of the Unit and the Department as
appropriate.
Any other duties that may be required which are consistent with the nature and
grade of the post.
Person specification
Essential
 A post-graduate degree in a relevant discipline
 Experience of systematic reviewing, critical appraisal, or evidence based
health care
 Statistical knowledge in conducting meta-analysis
 Experience of using software for synthesis research (e.g. Stata, RevMan)
 Excellent writing skills
 Ability to work well as part of a team
Desirable
 Background in cardiovascular disease research
 Experience of conducting Cochrane systematic reviews, or use of Cochrane
software
 Post-graduate teaching experience
 Health care background
 Preparing research grant applications
Salary and Conditions of Appointment
This is a part-time post at 0.5 FTE. It is available immediately until 30th March
2015. The salary will be on the Academic pathway, Grade 6 £36,018 - £40,904
pro rata, per annum, depending on qualifications and experience (inclusive of
London weighting) and will be subject to LSHTM's terms and conditions of
service. Membership of the Universities Superannuation Pension Scheme (USS)
is available.
APPLICATIONS
Applications should be made on-line at our website at jobs.lshtm.ac.uk. The
closing date is 05 January 2014 and the reference for this post is RFSR. Online
applications will be accepted by the automated system until midnight on of the
closing date. Any queries regarding the application process may be addressed to
[email protected] or telephone 0207 927 2086.
The supporting statement section should set out how your qualifications,
experience and training meet each of the selection criteria. Please provide one or
more paragraphs addressing each criterion. The supporting statement is an
essential part of the selection process and thus a failure to provide this
information will mean that the application will not be considered. An answer to
any of the criteria such as "Please see attached CV" will not be considered
acceptable. Please note that if you are shortlisted and are unable to attend on
the interview date it may not be possible to offer you an alternative date.
Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the post with Prof Juan P.
Casas before applying ([email protected]).
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is committed to being
an equal opportunities employer.