#LetsTalkLabs - How do clinical trials work?

Laboratory or lab-based research is often the first step in research that makes a difference. However, we don’t talk enough about it, so #LetsTalkLabs!

To spark more conversations about this aspect of research, we have partnered with research advisory groups BRAG and Voice Up, people from Greater Manchester and researchers on #LetsTalkLabs, an initiative funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and NIHR Manchester Clinical Research Facility (CRF).

Khumbo is a mother of one from South Africa now living in Manchester and is part of Woman Arise, a Manchester-based not-for-profit organisation serving, empowering and inspiring women and young people.

Read more below about why her #LetsTalkLabs, her perspective on laboratory-based research and more.

Why did you decide to join Let’s Talk Labs?

When I was pregnant, I participated in a clinical trial, but I didn’t finish it. I was influenced by what others said and had a lot of fear surrounding it. Back home in Africa, clinical trials often have negative connotations due to past incidents, so I was curious to investigate the process. How are clinical trials chosen? How safe are they? What’s the thinking behind them? To my surprise, a lot of it isn’t what I thought. Going through this project gave me a deeper understanding, though I feel I’ve only touched the surface of what clinical trials are really about.

Another reason I joined was to learn more about video-making, especially in the context of health research. I want to help raise awareness in communities, particularly among people of African heritage, who might not be fully aware of important health issues. I hope to be a ‘myth buster’ and share valuable information.

What do you think of laboratory research?

What have you discovered about laboratory research?

We talked a lot about diabetes and stroke in people of African heritage and the barriers to accessing proper treatment. In my experience and in our day and age, I feel misinformation plays a really big part in stopping people from accessing healthcare and also taking part in clinical trials. This is why for me it’s very important to raise awareness of these topics.

Meeting researchers was something that is not part of my daily life and it made me realise that they’re regular people, just like us. Meeting them gave me a new perspective and made me more curious.

What are you taking away from getting involved in Let’s Talk Labs?

This project has benefitted me in different ways. I’ve developed a renewed curiosity about research and want to interrogate other researchers and explore what they’re doing. I’m also interested in contributing to research in the future.

Taking part not only expanded my understanding of laboratory research but also deepened my knowledge of filmmaking. Often we see videos on TikTok or social media, and you think, wow, the person just took out a camera and this is how it came out. But it’s not as easy! I learnt how much planning and thought goes into it – from understanding your audience and developing your story or questions in our case to deciding what is the message you want to share. This process leads you to reflect and interrogate, meaning that what started off with is not what you end up with.

Overall, the project has broadened my understanding of the link between laboratory work and clinical trials. I’ve also learnt a lot about how to create meaningful stories through film and how to gather and present that information effectively.

Find out more about how laboratory-based research makes a difference on Facebook and X. Visit our opportunities page to find out how you can have your say in research and benefit people in the future.