How we work
Swansea Trials Unit (STU) works with health and social care professionals and researchers to develop research projects that improve the health and wellbeing of people within Wales and beyond. We are a UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC) registered clinical trials unit with knowledge and expertise in the design and conduct of high quality, multicentre randomised trials as well as other well-designed research such as such as cohort studies, quasi-experimental research, qualitative research, surveys. We will help you decide on the most appropriate design and research question.
Planning a research project
We welcome proposals to work in partnership on new research projects as co-applicants. If you are preparing to apply for funding and would like to include our staff in your team, you first need to send us a brief description of your proposal, by completing the online form
We recommend that you approach us as early as possible. If you would like to contact us before sending in your proposal, please email us
New proposals are considered by the STU Executive Committee who meet on a regular basis. If the executive committee considers that further discussion of the proposal is recommended, a meeting will be arranged with you to discuss the scientific basis of the proposal and potential study design.
STU as a co-applicant
Clinical trials units are an important factor in any research funding application. For clinical trials, most major funding bodies expect that you will be supported by a registered clinical trials unit.
STU involvement should start at the research design stage. STU support of funding bids requires the inclusion of a senior staff member and usually a STU statistician as co-applicants.
If you already have funding for your research project, a review and decision will be made based on the quality of the research and funds available and what support is required. STU cannot provide you with cost estimates for your proposal unless we have confirmed involvement and discussed your proposal with you.
Please note that STU reserves the right to decline requests for support and the reasons will be discussed with the applicant.
How can we help you and your funding application?
After an initial discussion and where there is a commitment to include STU staff as co-applicants, advice will be made available on all aspects of bid writing. We can offer a broad range of support including:
- Focusing ideas and refining the research question(s)
- Building an appropriate research team
- Involving patients and carers in all stages of the research process
- Overall research design, project management, database development and data management, regulatory requirements
- Choice and application of research methodologies for a d quantitative approach e.g. strategy, independent and dependent variables, statistical analysis
- Choice and application of research methodologies for a qualitative approach e.g. scope of design, sampling, data comparison and analysis approach
- Choice and application of health economic objectives and methods e.g. tailored data collection, identification of confounders, analytical technique.
- Patient Reported Outcomes Measures (PROMs)
- How to conduct literature searches and undertake systematic reviews
- Identifying the resources required for a successful project
- Identifying suitable funding opportunities
- Signposting researchers to other sources of research expertise and support, including identifying possible research partners