A 12-month, full-time funded post as a Fetal Surgery Research Fellow is available at University College London Hospitals (UCLH) and University College London (UCL) starting in October 2025.
The Centre for Prenatal Therapy is a multidisciplinary collaboration of fetal medicine specialists, anaesthetists, obstetricians, paediatric surgeons, midwives, and theatre nurses dedicated to advancing fetal surgery in the UK. The Centre pioneered open fetal surgery in the UK in partnership with Professor Jan Deprest and UZ Leuven and is a hub for research innovation within the UCL Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women’s Health. It collaborates closely with Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, and KU Leuven, with the option of a Double PhD scheme between UCL and KU Leuven.
UCLH and UZ Leuven are specialist NHS England-commissioned Fetal Surgery Centres for open spina bifida, providing a high-quality service since 2019. Over time, open fetal surgery has evolved from formal hysterotomy to mini-hysterotomy. Fetoscopic spina bifida repair is also offered through a research program. The Centre collaborates with UK spina bifida charities and provides fetoscopic endoluminal tracheal occlusion (FETO) for congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), complex fetal anomaly care, and various invasive fetal procedures.
Clinical Duties
Comprehensive training in all clinical aspects of the role will be provided. The postholder will receive fetal ultrasound training at the Obstetric Ultrasound Unit and the Fetal Medicine Unit at UCLH, where they will hold an Honorary Contract. Additionally, there will be opportunities to gain further clinical fetal surgery experience at UZ Leuven, Belgium.
Routine Clinical Responsibilities Will Include
- Coordinating spina bifida patient referrals, appointments, assessments, and imaging.
- Managing the FETO service, including patient referrals, appointments, assessments, and imaging.
- Overseeing fetal surgery cases and patient follow-up.
- Collecting and analyzing data related to patient referrals, assessments, treatments, outcomes, and patient experiences.
Research Activities
The role focuses on clinical fetal surgery research, particularly in conditions such as congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and spina bifida. Key research areas include evaluating the implementation and outcomes of fetal surgery, fetal imaging, analyzing patient cohort outcome data, and exploring novel predictors of fetal surgery success, such as preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) and preterm birth. Patient acceptability of fetal interventions will also be studied.
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) is one of the most complex NHS trusts in the UK, serving a large and diverse population. We provide academically led acute and specialist services, to people from the local area, from throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. Our vision is to deliver top-quality patient care, excellent education, and world-class research.
We provide first-class acute and specialist services across eight sites:
University College Hospital (incorporating the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing)
National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals
University College Hospital Grafton Way Building
Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine
University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre
The Hospital for Tropical Diseases
University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street
We are dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of many complex illnesses. UCLH specialises in women’s health and the treatment of cancer, infection, neurological, gastrointestinal and oral disease. It has world class support services including critical care, imaging, nuclear medicine and pathology.
We are committed to sustainability and have pledged to become a carbon net zero health service, embedding sustainable practice throughout UCLH. We have set an ambitious target of net zero for our direct emissions by 2031 and indirect emissions by 2040.
For further details / informal visits contact: Name: Gemma Bearcroft Job title: Medical Staffing Officer Email address: gemma.bearcroft@nhs.ne
