Stephen Saich

Stephen is our senior clinical research project manager for the COVID-19 vaccine trials delivered in the Wessex Region over the three vaccine hubs (Southampton, Bournemouth and Portsmouth). This includes academic and commercial trials as well as the upcoming national priority vaccine trial that UHS will be sponsoring. He leads the CRF project management team in their management of these trials, acting as primary point of contact for the research teams, sponsors and support departments.

Stephen leads on the set up of the vaccine hubs at the university at the start of the pandemic alongside the senior nursing team. Through the recent months this work has grown to consist of multiple clinical trials and replicating the success of the Southampton vaccine trial model at other hubs within the region. 

He has over 5 years of experience in vaccine trials since starting at the NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility (CRF) in 2015. His duties include managing the growing project management team that will soon consist of 15 experienced study managers, coordinators and trial administrators that are in post to support investigators and clinical research sponsors with the set-up of complex early phase and experimental medicine research within the facility.

Stephen joined the NIHR Southampton CRF after graduating from University of Southampton in 2015 as a Trial Administrator. He has worked in the department for five years in a variety of trial management roles – experience in regulatory submissions, budget management and grant submissions, research management, trial operations and logistics in a variety of portfolios.