Lieutenant and Research Nurse Matthew Lindsley shares his experiences and public service role.
By Neuro-Oncology Branch Staff
May 26, 2020
As many of us adjust to working from home and the changing societal conditions, it is important to recognize those who continue working outside the home to keep the rest of us safe.
Our very own Matthew Lindsley is a Lieutenant in the United States Public Health Service and was recently deployed to aid in the COVID-19 response mission in Washington state for an extended number of weeks.
As a research nurse specialist for the NCI Center for Cancer Research's Neuro-Oncology Branch (NOB), Lindsley helps patients with brain and spine tumors who come to NIH for treatment. Lindsley leads the coordination of several clinical trials, from developing the study until all the patients have finished treatment and the study is complete. He also serves as a care provider for the patients and monitors their medical concerns and needs between appointments.
To ensure that all the clinical trials are performed with integrity and achieve the goals of the research protocol, Lindsley reviews the study requirements in detail and collaborates with the physicians, scientists, and nurses in the NOB to collect, document, and submit data from participants. “My role requires knowledge of standard clinical care, expertise about the research protocol, and problem-solving skills,” Lindsley says.
Lindsley has coordinated clinical studies for investigational treatments such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and vaccines—as well as non-treatment studies to review brain tumor images and learn about the patient’s disease trajectory.
His involvement in a breadth of work at our clinic makes him a valuable member of the research nurse team, which he says is the part of his role he values most. “To be surrounded by upbeat colleagues who bring their expertise to the table—and willingly share it—makes me feel so appreciated,” Lindsley says. “I enjoy celebrating milestones with patients and families and sharing profoundly personal life events with them.”
In the three years he has worked at NIH, Lindsley says he is motivated everyday by his patients who have an unrelenting spirit not to give up, regardless of their disease and treatment challenges. “From an initial interaction through email or over the phone, to arrival and enrollment on a trial, I find purpose in guiding patients and their care takers through the research process,” he says.
Lindsley has found it is impossible to not reflect on life during this time. He has noticed that most people simply want to help someone else or contribute to science.
Through Lindsley’s COVID-19 deployment support mission, he is extremely thankful for his colleagues who have stepped in to maintain his workload during his absence. As a Branch, we are wholeheartedly thankful for his service and are grateful for his safe return.