About PowerTrial
We do things differently...
PowerTrial was established as a spin out company from Newcastle University by the joining of minds of an academic clinician and a web company.
We're a bit different to most 'EDC' companies...
PowerTrial has produced many bespoke systems for clients with complex requirements. Examples of the innovative projects that we've done for clients in the past include:
- Integration with other healthcare databases
- System deployment within the UK NHS secure network environment
- Allowing patients to see their own data securely
- Direct patient input to web data collection
- SMS/text notifications to patients and investigators
- Capturing feedback from patients directly from SMS/text messages
PowerTrial has also provided consultancy for several large clients, including the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) in the UK. We continue to work closely with colleagues in the Newcastle Clinical Trials Unit.
So why are we different?
- we know that software for clinical research doesn't need to be expensive. Symphony is revolutionary in it's pricing: no other clinical research software offers such fantastic value for money.
- we want to make life easier, not more complex. We pride ourselves on ease of use and minimal training requirement. Web software should serve the user, not the other way round.
- everything in one place. We're not 'EDC' or 'CTMS': we just offer you one integrated tool to get the job done.
Meet the team
Steve O'Brien
Steve is a Clinical Senior Lecturer at Newcastle University and Consultant Haematologist at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle, UK. Following graduation and general medical experience in Manchester, his training in haematology was undertaken at the Hammersmith Hospital in London where he subsequently completed a PhD from Imperial in the molecular biology of leukaemia. He continues to have an active clinical trial portfolio and is Chief and Principle Investigator on a number of active studies including the NCRN SPIRIT studies. Steve was the lead author on the IRIS study, the pivotal trial demonstrating the efficacy of imatinib in chronic myeloid leukaemia.
Steve founded PowerTrial out of frustration with available clinical research software. It was inaccessible for most researchers, especially in academia, because of the cost. He's been a pioneer in trying to make web software for clinical research more accessible and more affordable.
Steve has advised the UK National Institute for Health Research (Department of Health) on the development of national research information management systems and has been involved with NICE and other national bodies.
A keen climber, Steve has been up Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn and tortures his family regularly with painful 'dad rock' renditions on his beloved Gibson 335.
Tim Mather
If Rachael is the Lady Penelope of PowerTrial, Tim is the ' Brains' of the team, being our Director of Software Development. Tim has been the principal architect of Symphony and has come up with most of our cool web technology. Tim originally trained in computing at Northumbria University and for a while was a developer of GP expert web systems at SCHIN. Tim has developed many of our bespoke systems, keeps up to date with the latest web technologies and is a Web 2.0 and open source zealot. When not throwing his GSXR600 down Northumbrian country lanes he's never happier than tramping through bogs looking for local wildlife...
Orange Bus
We also work with a great bunch at Orange Bus. They help us with extra web development, a rather cool place to work, moral support and buy the odd round at our local. Thanks guys!
