Contact the CRF
How to get in touch
If you are interested in working with us or would like to know more about NIHR Royal Free CRF, please contact us.
By phone:
020 7794 0500 ext 32038
By email:
· General enquires - rf.crf@nhs.net
· Portfolio and studies - rf-tr.crf-studies@nhs.net
· Quality Assurance - rf-tr.crf-qa@nhs.net
· Research and Development Department - rf.randd@nhs.net
Our leadership team
Professor Tim Meyer, NIHR Royal Free CRF director 
Professor Meyer has overall responsibility for the running of the CRF. He has extensive experience of managing research infrastructure having been director of the North London Cancer Research Network, cancer lead for the NIHR ULCH CRF and director of the UCL Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC). His main research focus is drug development for hepatocellular carcinoma, and he has a track record of translational laboratory research and early-phase clinical trials.
Kate Blackstone, NIHR Royal Free CRF general manager 
Kate has worked in clinical research in complex public health organisations in the United Kingdom and Australia for more than a decade. Her research experience covers administration, ethics, governance, business, operations, and workforce development. Kate is a member of the UKCRF Network Senior Management Team, is the deputy lead for the Network’s Workforce Development Theme and is an active member of the Network’s managers’ group.
Nia Voase, NIHR Royal Free CRF lead research nurse 
Nia has worked in clinical research since 2005, when she started as the clinical trial co-ordinator for the Cystic Fibrosis Gene Therapy group based at Imperial College London and Royal Brompton Hospital. Her next role involved setting up the Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit (BRU) as clinical research facility manager in 2010, before becoming its clinical governance manager. Nia was the nursing manager at Dasman Diabetes Research Institute in Kuwait before relocating back to the Royal Free Hospital where she originally trained to take up the position of CRF lead research nurse.
Lucy Southworth, NIHR Royal Free CRF quality assurance manager 
Lucy has more than 20 years’ experience working in clinical trials at large teaching and district general NHS trusts. She has worked within teams hosting and sponsoring clinical research, across both commercial and non-commercial portfolios. Her background as a pharmacy technician provides substantial knowledge of the management of Investigational Medicinal Products (IMP) and the necessary quality management to ensure patient safety and data integrity. Lucy is an active member of the UKCRF Network’s Quality Assurance work group.