I am Deputy Head of Department for Medical Science and Public Health and Programme Lead for MSc Health Research. In addition, I am a co-applicant on two clinical trials funded by NIHR Research for Patient Benefit. This involves working with several interdisciplinary teams, including academics from Bournemouth and other universities, Clinical Trials Units and NHS health professionals on such diverse topics as management of hip osteoarthritis and treatment of burns scars.

My external engagement activities include being a national selection committee member for the HEE/NIHR Pre-doctoral Clinical and Practitioner Academic Fellowship award. While within BU I am an academic representative on the Science, Technology and Health Research Ethics Panel.

For over 15 years I have carried out research projects related to human health. My main area of interest relates to how integration of information from visual, vestibular and proprioception systems (as measured by perception of vertical) is affected by clinical conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and diabetes. Above normal errors and high individual variability are possible indicators of neurological complications suggesting the test may be a useful screening tool in other conditions such as falls in older adults.

Other research studies have related to functional testing (e.g. balance, movement performance) related to musculoskeletal disorders. These have involved working closely with clinical colleagues to design, execute and analyse the results from the research projects.

With a background in Biology, my academic career has covered teaching Anatomy and Physiology (animal and human) as well as Research Methods to undergraduate students from a range of Biological and Health Science disciplines in South Africa and the UK. I have also supervised to completion a range of undergraduate and postgraduate taught MSc projects as well as PhD students.

I have a keen interest in Public Engagement in Research which has developed throughout my career. In this capacity, I co-founded Café Scientifique Bournemouth in 2012 and have been the academic lead for events since then. I have also taken part in a variety of events such as the Science Tent at Bestival music festival.

Research

Although my PhD was in the relationship between physiology and behavior in male frogs, for over 10 years I have carried out research projects related to human health. My main area of interest relates to how integration of information from visual, vestibular and proprioception systems (as measured by perception of vertical) is affected by clinical conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, diabetes and ageing. Above normal errors and high individual variability are possible indicators of neurological complications suggesting the test may be a useful screening tool in other conditions such as falls in older adults.

Other research studies have related to functional testing (e.g. balance, movement performance) related to musculoskeletal disorders. These have involved working closely with clinical colleagues to design, execute and analyse the results from the research projects.

I am currently a member of several interdisciplinary teams, including academics from Bournemouth University and NHS health professionals, funded by NIHR and the Burdett Trust for Nursing.

Publications

Grants

Outreach & engagement

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