Research and development team (cystic fibrosis)

Shobonna joined the team in August 2017, shortly after the CF Trust awarded Southampton as a Clinical Trials Accelerator Platform Centre. Shobonna works closely with the hospital’s research and development department, Clinical Research Facility (CRF) CF Trust and European Cystic Fibrosis Society – Clinical Trials Network (ECFS-CTN), commercial sponsors, and other NHS sites.

Shobonna acts as the point of contact for patients and all research departments and sees studies through right from initial contact to sharing of study results.

Ben joined the team in May 2021, shortly after the CF Trust awarded Southampton an early phase grant, aimed to provide the infrastructure, resourcing and expertise to efficiently deliver phase 1 and 2 trials in the UK. Ben shares his time between supporting the coordination and delivery of CRF and CF studies, focusing on early phase studies. He has previously worked in a phase 1 unit in London as well as NHS hospital research teams.

Ben particularly enjoys working closely with the CF Trust to look at innovative ways of treating and managing CF with potential new treatments.

Lorraine completed her nurse training in Southampton and worked on the respiratory wards before joining the research team in 1999. Lorraine worked on the respiratory research portfolio for 15 years before specialising in cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis studies in 2015. In June 2021 Lorraine became a senior sister in the NIHR CF, splitting her working week between the ATIMP (advanced therapy medicinal products) team and the CF/bronchiectasis team, with a focus on early phase CF research. Lorraine is grateful to have been involved with the Vertex research since the start and to have see the life changing effects for so many people with CF.