Abby O'Connell

Abby has worked in trial management for over 9 years and is currently the senior trial manager at Exeter Clinical Trials Unit, where she has been since 2020. Prior to that Abby was at the Bristol Trials Centre for 5 years. She has managed a broad range of trials and healthcare research studies, including phase 3 CTIMPs, surgical trials, diagnostic test trials and rehabilitation complex interventions. Abby has a particular interest in CTU operations, including process development and enhancement, and in training and nurturing junior trial management staff to fulfil their potential.

 Prior to embarking on a career in trial management, Abby was a lab-based scientist for 11 years having gained a BSc Biology (Hons) and subsequently a PhD in the immunopathology of type 1 diabetes. It was while working as a post-doc in a lab group that included a team of enthusiastic research nurses that she was inspired to pivot into trial management, and she’s never looked back.