In Conversation With Dr Nick Probert, Medical Director & Lead Principal Investigator at EMS Healthcare

As a GMC-registered specialist and Fellow of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine, Nick's career has taken him from surgical wards to start-up boardrooms to global organisations. He joined EMS Healthcare in 2025 as Medical Director and Lead Principal Investigator. 

What brought you to EMS Healthcare and this role?

The model - community-based research represents an innovative and effective approach to providing a large number of patients with access to new treatments. It was evident to me that the EMS Healthcare team is highly capable, possesses a strong culture, and is deeply passionate about this unique delivery method.

I have observed for years how research tends to concentrate in the same academic centres, postcodes, and patient demographics. Today, the industry expects research to be accessible to a diverse range of participants, providing licensing authorities with confidence that a drug is effective across the entire spectrum of patient populations. EMS Healthcare meets this need by bringing research directly into purposely selected communities. Complementing this approach is a dedicated professional team that ensures every participant consultation is meaningful, alongside operational standards that maintain data integrity without sacrificing patient convenience.

In the new era of research, that kind of high-touch, high-reach model isn't a nice-to-have. It's what meaningful trial delivery actually looks like.

What does holding both the Medical Director and Lead Principal Investigator titles actually mean in practice?

It means I'm never too far removed from the clinical reality of what we're delivering. I'm not reviewing studies from a distance; I'm embedded in them, from initial feasibility through to last patient visit. That continuity matters for the integrity of the study and for the trust of the communities we work in.

What does a typical day look like?

No two days look the same, which is part of what keeps this role interesting. I might start the morning reviewing a protocol amendment, speak to study participants in the afternoon, and end the day deep in the latest outcomes data on GLP-1 therapeutics.

The questions I'm always asking are: Does this serve our stakeholders: the patient, our staff and our clients? And how can we reduce timelines without compromising on delivery.

What excites you most about the work right now?

The GLP-1 space is genuinely extraordinary. We're watching molecules that started as type 2 diabetes treatments reveal themselves as cardiovascular and metabolic protectors, with neuroprotective potential emerging too. In clinical research we're seeing first-hand how the complexity of these trials is evolving - we aren't just measuring glycemic targets or BMI anymore. That's a remarkable thing to be close to.

How do you switch off?

I have a lot of fun with a friend of mine managing our under 10s football team. It's a great way for me to be amongst our local community and share experiences with the boys and my son. I've enjoyed developing my skills as a coach too; completing the UEFA C diploma and I'm considering doing the UEFA B.

Providing guidance and leadership here is really rewarding, especially when we win! Fostering a positive culture amongst the boys, parents and other coaches is key to our success in developing the team, winning trophies and creating happy memories.

Is there a philosophy that shapes how you approach your work?

Research only has value if it reaches the people who need it. It sounds obvious, but it's absolutely key to everything that we do. That reach goes beyond innovative access; it's about building a partnership with patients to help them through the challenges and ultimately completing the study successfully with them. Every decision I make, from site selection to protocol design, gets filtered through this question: does this bring us closer to participants?

Nick will be at the GLP-1 Based Therapeutics Summit in Boston in April. Get in touch to arrange a meeting ahead of the event: Connect with Dr Nick on LinkedIn.