Meet James & Austin

Transforming child health outcomes through research

Thanks to donations, we have invested over £200,000 to fund the Jeremy Neil Allen Clinical Research Fellowship at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. The fellowship gives doctors at Leeds Children’s Hospital a year-long opportunity to receive specialist training at the Leeds Children’s Clinical Research Facility.

Dr James Coley is a Paediatric Trainee and started his Clinical Research Fellow role funded by the charity in September 2024. James is involved in a range of national and international trials giving children with various conditions the opportunity to take part in research.

Current studies at Leeds Children’s Hospital include potential new treatments for neurological disease, supporting research into childhood cancer, and trials for children with cystic fibrosis.

James also has a role in educating clinical colleagues, including working closely with staff on the Neonatal Unit to support their research and help improve outcomes for some of the hospital’s smallest patients. In addition, he organises emergency clinical training for the children’s research team, and is in the process of organising a research study day in the summer.

“It can be really difficult for busy clinical teams to find time to prioritise research, and through my dedicated role I can support staff to integrate research into patient care. I love working with our young patients and their families.
The children show so much resilience despite the challenges they face with their health conditions, and it’s important to me that we can make their hospital experience the best it can possibly be.
“It’s important that as many departments as possible across Leeds Children’s Hospital give young people the chance to participate in research.
Although not every study is going to lead to a breakthrough, every study is like a brick in a wall, helping to build understanding that has the potential to benefit children taking part in trials and future generations of patients to come.”

- Dr James Coley

James has ambitions to become a paediatric respiratory sub-specialist and plans to lead his own research project in the future, he said:

“For me, this opportunity offers a stepping stone that opens doors to continue research into the future. I’d like to be able to incorporate research alongside a clinical role and champion research whatever department I work in.”

One of the young patients who James works closely with is 11-year-old Austin, who was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) in November 2015, at just two years old. Austin’s mum Maxine initially thought he had a virus and took him to hospital, where he spent the next month having tests.

Three years ago, Austin began a trial at the Leeds Children’s Clinical Research Facility, with his family travelling over 8 hours each week. Now, Austin has received over 130 infusions, he has a better understanding of his condition and knows he will lose the ability to walk, telling his mum he takes part in the trials because, “I want to help boys in the future to walk longer.”

For Austin’s family, the opportunity to participate in clinical trials has been a lifeline, offering hope to other families to find better treatments and eventually a cure. Austin’s current trial ends in September, but Maxine says if he chooses to continue to take part in research trials, they will continue to visit hospitals up and down the country.

Maxine, Austin’s Mum said:

“From the moment Austin was diagnosed, our world changed. Nothing could have prepared me for the grief of knowing his life would be cut short. But through the darkness, clinical trials gave us hope. The support from the team in Leeds has been incredible; they’ve become like family. Research is vital, not just for medical breakthroughs, but for families like ours to feel less alone. Austin is paving the way, and we’re so proud of him."

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Leeds Hospitals Charity is a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities, and all research and innovation grant funding is awarded in line with its policies and principles.

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