Ruth McCaffrey

As Senior Programme Manager for CureHeart, my role is to support the investigators to deliver on this exciting programme of work and oversee all the operational aspects of the programme. CureHeart aims to deploy innovative gene editing tools to develop novel treatments for genetic heart muscle diseases, collectively called cardiomyopathies. This international programme is led by Prof Hugh Watkins, involves international academic and industrial partners, and is funded by a £30m award from the British Heart Foundation.

Prior to this, I worked for over 10 years as the Research Strategy Coordinator in the Radcliffe Department of Medicine (RDM) where I was responsible for research strategy planning and development in RDM. I was part of the Senior Leadership team in RDM and provided strategic advice, support and guidance on research development and policy to the Head of Department, and support to the Heads of the RDM Divisions, lead administrators, PIs and researchers. I developed the research facilitation support in RDM and led a small team that provided the support to researchers. I also oversaw the Communications and Public Engagement provision in RDM and I was responsible for establishing and delivery of support around researcher Career Development.

 Previous roles at the University of Oxford have included working as Research Facilitator managing the BHF Centre of Research Excellence and Senior Project Manager in the Department of Clinical Pharmacology (now part of Oncology). Prior to joining the University of Oxford, I worked as a Scientific Programme Officer in Science Foundation Ireland (the Irish equivalent of the Research Councils).

 My research career included working as postdoctoral researcher in Seattle, USA, where my research focused on HIV vaccine development. I hold a PhD in Developmental Genetics from the University of Cambridge.

I am a mentor in the RDM Mentoring Scheme and I am a Harassment and Bullying Advisor in RDM as well.