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Research Opportunities	Supervisors
	Dr Aine Aventin
All aspects of neonatal and children's health Dr Boyle’s current work focuses on Pediatric and Neonatal Nursing, specifically the care of children, with a specific emphasis on premature babies and their families. She also has an interest in perinatal epidemiology, specifically in the risk of congenital anomaly at a population based level. Her older work explored multiple births and psycholeptic drugs as exposures. Her current project involves assisted reproductive technologies. Dr Boyle has worked with both EUROCAT and EUROmediCAT.	Dr Breidge Boyle
Palliative care Chronic illness Elder care Dementia Care Health Services Research The purpose of Professor Brazil's research is to assess and promote quality care for family carers and patients as they near the end-of-life. His research focusses on the structure, process, and outcomes in service delivery. As part of this work he examines how personal, social, and environmental factors affect care. This work is designed to assist in the development, evaluation and translation of new and innovative interventions to improve access, quality and outcomes in this population.	Professor Kevin Brazil
Intellectual and developmental disabilities Gender, health and education Health and social care systems and access Qualitative research designs and evaluation Professor Brown's main research focus is on the health needs and inequalities experienced by people with intellectual disabilities and their access to care services and the adjustments necessary to promote and enable equality of access to improve outcomes. Current research is on diabetes and adults with intellectual disabilities, trauma and adults with intellectual disabilities, health care transitions and young people with intellectual disabilities and mental health legislation and human rights.	Professor Michael Brown
The needs of carers of individuals living with a chronic illness The development of peer led interventions using the Experience Based Co Design Dr Carter's research focus is on communication and decision-making for family carers, the frail elder, and patients within palliative care, in particular, for individuals living with dementia and in the support of patients and family carers who are transitioning to palliative care. Her work also explores enhancing the provision of support for family carers of individuals living with dementia. The objective of this research focuses on the availability of peer support facilities and specifically on online peer support interventions.	Dr Gillian Carter
Learning disabilities Palliative and end-of-life care Old age and dementia. Dr Cithambaram's professional background is Learning disabilities, palliative and end-of-life care, old age and dementia. His doctoral research focused on end-of-life care needs of people with learning disabilities in which he developed a model of service delivery to meet the end-of-life care needs of people with learning disabilities. Dr Cithambaram's research interests focuses on improving health and wellbeing of older population in long term care settings and dementia.	Dr Kumaresan Cithambaram
all aspects of children and young people health, orthopedics and nurse education	Dr Sonya Clarke
In vitro and in vivo responses to novel ceramic or polymer biomaterials for orthopaedic applications such as synthetic bone substitutes or fracture fixation devices. Identifying novel bioactives with osteogenic activity, e.g. derived from natural products or marine organisms Optimising design of scaffolds to support bone tissue growth e.g. composition, mechanical properties, pore architecture, tortuosity, surface modifications to support resorption Addressing the challenges of applying stem cell therapies to bone repair e.g. patient variability in bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cell populations Outcomes for patients undergoing orthopaedic procedures, e.g. outcomes of joint replacement surgery for different patient groups, Interventions to enhance quality of life for patients living with long term orthopaedic conditions such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis etc. Patient attitudes to novel therapies such as bioresorbable polymer fracture fixation devices or stem cell therapies Dr Clarke’s research team is focused on the development of novel therapies for bone repair. In addition to investigating the patient predictors of adult stem cell response in bone repair, she also works collaboratively with colleagues in School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the School of Chemistry and Chemical engineering to understand the in vitro and in vivo response to novel biomaterials and novel bioactives that can support new bone formation. Bone, Osteogenic, Biomaterials, Tissue, Stem Cell, Joint, Orthopaedic, Polymer	Dr Susan Clarke
Care of the older person Primary health care topics Dr Coleman is co-ordinator for the year two Care Delivery module (February), and Pathway Leader for Specialist Practice- Nursing Care of the Older Person (levels 3 and 7 postgraduate). In addition, she contributes to three modules at level 3 in the postgraduate programme focusing on person centred dementia care. She is also a member of the simulation teaching team and she is one of two SWAN co-champions in the School of Nursing and Midwifery. Current scholarly activity focuses on innovative teaching and learning methods in person-centred dementia care and the role of simulated patients in supporting the development of communication skills and bereavement support in an undergraduate nursing curriculum.	Dr Deborah Coleman
Chronic disease self-management Preventative cardiology Palliative care in chronic illness Professor Fitzsimons' research is focused on improving care for people with chronic conditions, particularly in helping them better understand their illness, engage in effective self-management, embrace preventative strategies and achieve optimal end of life care. The purpose of this work is to help develop, test and translate innovative interventions to tackle complex health issues. She is also interested in supporting professionals to use evidence to enhance their practice and in the development of clinical practice guidelines.	Professor Donna Fitzsimons
Suicide prevention and postvention; supporting people bereaved after suicide Improving the evidence base for mental health services Digital mental health, co-design and implementation science methodologies I carry out public mental health research that explores how best to improve everyone’s mental health, through effective and accessible support and services. I have recently focused on improving support for those who have been affected by suicide. I’ve also worked to improve psychological and psycho-social support in cancer care. I am interested in research that empowers people through the use of digital technologies and co-design.	Dr Karen Galway
	Professor Kevin Gormley
Maternal mental health; Intervention design and evaluation, especially in relation to improving services for families when parents have mental illness and/or substance use problems; Experiences of children whose parents have mental illness; Support for parents who have mental illness and their children from the community and voluntary services; Grandparents needs and experiences when supporting adult children who have mental illness and who are parents; Strategies to promote effective inter-professional teamwork across services, sectors and agencies when supporting families affected by parental mental illness. Dr Anne Grant lead a recently completed study of Health and Social Care Professionals’ Family Focused Practice with Parents who have Mental Illness, their Children and Families in Northern Ireland. Dr Grant’s research activities focus on implementation, evaluation, and improving health professionals’ family focused practice with parents who have a mental illness or substance use problems, their children and families. Family focused practice refers to interventions which attempt to identify and address the needs of the whole family, including early intervention. Mental Health, Children, Adult, Parents, Grandparents, support, Illness, inter-professional	Dr Anne Grant
Supporting physiological birth through midwifer-led care and leadership; Enabling women to give birth in midwifer-led units; Continunity of midwifery carer; Midwifery education. Dr Healy’s research focuses on promoting physiological and positive birth and postnatal experiences by enabling women access to conducive birth settings and evidenced based care. Dr Healy leads a programme of research developing, implementing and evaluating the impact of co-produced evidenced based guidelines for the admission to Midwife-led Units (MLUs) along with a Pathway of Care for Normal Labour and Birth. She is co-project lead in the development of a regional guideline for Planning birth a Home and is an active research member in the EU COST Action IS1405 ‘BIRTH’. Her research methods have included surveys, systematic reviews (metasynthesis and meta-analysis), phenomenology and action research. The focus of her research is to improve the childbirth experiences and outcomes for women, their babies and partners. Midwifery, Midwife, Birth, Leadership, Education	Dr Maria Healy
Management of patients with Chronic Heart Failure Supportive and palliative care, with particular interest in heart failure Decision-making regarding deactivation of Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Dr Hill’s research focuses on the management of patients with chronic heart failure, specifically those in advanced stages. She leads a co-design European study to develop an innovative intervention to improve patient and family decision-making concerning Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators within palliative care. Dr Hill is interested in ways to improve self-care of patients with chronic heart failure. She is PI of QUB team in Passion-HF (PAtient Self-care uSIng eHealth in ChrONic Heart Failure), a European study that’s aims to increase responsibility and self-efficacy of patients with heart failure.	Dr Loreena Hill
Sexual health HIV care Developing interventions Dr Kelly holds a joint appointment as a Nurse Consultant in Sexual Health between the School of Nursing & Midwifery, Queen’s University and the South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust. As such, she is interested in developing networks across service, academic and strategic partners who aim to improve and protect the sexual health of our population.Her research interests include HIV, sexual health and sexual risk-taking behaviour. She also has a keen interest in Knowledge Translation of research.The findings from her PhD research on mens' and women’s experiences of HIV and pregnancy have been transformed into an internationally recognised educational intervention for Health Professionals on HIV and Pregnancy Care.	Dr Carmel Kelly
Paediatric neurodisability Rehabilitation. My research aims to improve the health, well-being and provision of clinical services for children and young people with physical disabilities, in particular, those with cerebral palsy. My work explores the efficacy of therapeutic interventions, the use of measurement tools and service provision for this population, as well as knowledge translation with allied health professionals that work with children with cerebral palsy and their families.	Dr Claire Kerr
Interventions and evaluations to improve the transition from children’s to adult services; Psychological aspect of care in oncology and palliative care nursing; Role of the Clinical Nurse Specialist in Oncology; Educational interventions for teaching oncology and palliative care nursing. Dr Kerr's research interests are in the broad field of oncology and palliative care. The main focus of recently completed research is the transition from children's to adult services for young adults with life-limiting conditions. Current research is focused on the acceptability and usefulness of a Healthcare Passport to young people with life-limiting conditions. Further research relates to exploring the use of mobile spaced learning as a digital platform in teaching symptom management in the undergraduate nursing programme. Palliative, Care, Oncology, Clinical, Nurse, Specialist, Teaching, Nursing	Dr Helen Kerr
Neurodisability and the criminal justice system Educational outcomes Concussion/Mild traumatic brain injury Dr Linden's work broadly explores the social and environmental factors which impact on the lives of children with neurodisabilities. This has primarily focused on brain injury and its long-term outcomes.	Dr Mark Linden
Relationship and Sexuality Education in Schools from early years to early adults (projects might cover identification of needs or programme co-design and evaluation; Addressing sexual consent with young people; Prison based relationship and sexuality education; Relationship and sexuality education with young people in secure care; Relationship and sexuality education for young people in care; Gender-sensitive and gender-transformative relationship and sexuality education in mixed sex classrooms; Engaging boys and young men in gender-transformative sexual and reproductive health and rights; How can men and boys be part of the solution to global, sexual and reproductive health and rights?; Men's experiences of termination of pregnancy decision making; Men's experiences of maternity services during a pandemic; Men's experiences of sexual and reproductive health and rights: A lifecourse approach. Professor Maria Lohan is Chair in Social Sciences and Health, School of Nursing & Midwifery and Theme Lead for Maternal and Child Health. She is also a Fellow of the Centre for Evidence and Social Innovation. Professor Lohan’s research team is dedicated to better understanding inequalities in health in society, especially in relation to improving men’s sexual health and involvement in reproduction and parenting. She leads a programme of research undertaking systematic reviews and developing and evaluating evidence-based educational and health care interventions to improve men’s sexual health and to enhance men’s involvement in reproductive health and parenting. The objective of this research is to generate new thinking on men’s roles in sexual health, reproduction and parenting. Gender, Health, Men, Sexual Health, Reproduction, Parenting	Professor Maria Lohan
Exploring the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of interventions to improve outcomes in health and wellbeing for parents, children, families and communities. Fiona Lynn is a lecturer in maternal and child health. Her research focuses on enhancing maternal and child health and wellbeing, with a particular interest in identifying and evaluating what works for families from the antenatal period through to the early years of childhood. She has experience of conducting economic evaluations alongside intervention-based studies (randomised controlled trials, cluster RCTs, pilot trials and feasibility studies). She also have experience in conducting evidence syntheses, including systematic reviews and meta-analyses.	Dr Fiona Lynn
Health and wellbeing of people with learning disabilities Intellectual and development disabilities Fathers’ and families' experiences of children with intellectual disabilities Qualitative research Dr Marsh's work explores the experiences of becoming a father of a young child with a learning disability, providing a better insight into gendered experiences of parenting and caring. The objective of this research is to generate new thinking on men’s roles as fathers of young children with learning disabilities as fathers, as parents and as carers.Other interests are in the management of constipation and more broadly in the improvement of health and well-being among people with learning disabilities.	Dr Lynne Marsh
Dr McConnell’s research interests focus on trends in the prevalence and characteristics of cerebral palsy over time, the efficacy of therapeutic interventions for the cerebral palsy population, and patient and public involvement in research. She is currently working as Research Fellow to the Northern Ireland Cerebral Palsy Register (NICPR) which aims to establish a systematic approach to the monitoring and surveillance of cerebral palsy in Northern Ireland and to support research into the condition.	Dr Karen McConnell
Educational research Clinical supervision Curriculum development Nursing leadership Ophthalmic and perioperative practice Dr McCutcheon’s work is primarily focused upon educational research of nurses and allied health professionals in higher education. The objective of her research is to assess the optimal methods of teaching and learning in nurse education.Her most recent study was a randomised controlled trial of online learning versus blended learning for teaching the principles of clinical supervision skills in the undergraduate nursing programme. She also conducts systematic reviews including Cochrane systematic reviews on health and healthcare.ment, evaluation and translation of new and innovative interventions to improve access, quality and outcomes in this population.	Dr Karen McCutcheon
Early warning systems (EWS) to recognise and respond to acture deterioration; Enhancing critical care education using digital technology; Family and patient involvement in escalation of care; Feasibility testing of protocols/interventions in critical care using co-design approach. Dr McGaughey's programme of research focuses on the recognition and management of patient deterioration in acute hospital wards. Her primary area of interest is the effectiveness of Rapid Response Systems(RRS). Funded research has focused on the impact of early warning systems and critical care education on the success of RRS interventions and family perceptions of deterioration and escalation of care. Her methodological expertise includes systematic reviews, realist reviews, scoping reviews; realist evaluation involving qualitative methods (interviews); documentary analysis (charts, audits) and surveys (national and international). Critical, Care, EWS, Early, Warning, Systems, Deterioration, Digital Technology, Co-Design	Dr Jennifer McGaughey
Mental Health Mental Health Nursing Qualitative approaches Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Thearpy (EMDR)	Dr Derek McLaughlin
Maternal and child health and midwifery specifically in relation to practice, education or improving clinical outcomes Dr McNeill’s research focuses on exploring and evaluating the links between pregnancy, birth or the postnatal period and the resultant clinical or social outcomes with a particular emphasis on public health. Jenny’s research also includes midwifery education; using and understanding review evidence and the preparation of midwives for public health roles.The objective of this research is to generate new understanding of how clinical outcomes in maternity care may be optimized and how midwifery education may contribute to improving practice.	Dr Jennifer McNeill
Children with complex healthcare needs/disability and their families; Children with palliative care needs and their families; Children's rights/participation; Researching with children. Dr McNeilly's work work focuses on disabled children and young people and their families, including those with complex and palliative care needs. Central to this work is exploring the experiences of these families and improving both health and social care service provision and outcomes for these families. Children, Child, Disability, Family, Healthcare, Rights	Dr Patricia McNeilly
Coping with side-effects of cancer treatment (focus on radiotherapy) Psycho-social aspects of living with cancer Dr Mc Sorley’s research mainly focuses on men with prostate cancer. Specifically measuring quality of life, coping and the side-effects of cancer treatment. She has experience in a wide range of methodologies both quantitative e.g. latent growth modelling) and qualitative (in-depth interviews and focus groups). She teaches into three modules in the third year undergraduate programme and is assistant module co-ordinator for Evidence based practice 3. In addition she contributes to the post graduate specialist practice programme in cancer care.	Dr Oonagh McSorley
Palliative care Mindfulness meditation The use of digital technology with clinical populations Digital educational interventions to deliver medical and nursing education Non-malignant life limiting diseases My research focuses on palliative care for people with non-malignant disease across various jurisdictions. My current work also explores the role of mindfulness meditation as a wellbeing intervention for both clinical and non-clinical populations. I also conduct educational research that explores the role of innovative digital technology in delivering effective nursing and medical education.	Dr Clare Mc Veigh
The care of older people Dementia care Palliative care Restrictive practice/restraint Dr Mitchell's research mainly focuses on older people living with chronic conditions. Over the past few years he has also been involved in research projects which have examined safe-staffing in care homes, the use of digital audits in long-term care facilities and the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions in dementia care. He is interested in qualitative research, particularly those with an ethnographic methodology. He has recently concluded an ethnographic project which focused on healthcare professional-patient communication about oral chemotherapy.	Dr Gary Mitchell
Quality of life research in people with end-stage kidney disease, and their carers Mindfulness for healthcare staff and/or patients and carers Dr Helen Noble’s research is focused on two areas; (i) improving the quality of life of people with end-stage kidney disease (and their carers) from diagnosis through to end of life. For example Dr Noble has been involved in the development of nephrology supportive and palliative care services; the implementation of advance care planning; the identification of cachexia as patients deteriorate and interventions to improve quality of life including reflexology, mindfulness and art. Integral to her programme of research is patient and public involvement. (ii) Mindfulness and its applicaiton in chronic disease and in healthcare education.	Dr Helen Noble
Palliative care Chronic illness Dr O’Halloran’s research focuses on organisational and clinical pathways for those with chronic diseases, or at the end of life; producing models of good practice for the implementation of complex interventions. Projects include an all-Ireland realist evaluation of transition to adult services for young people with life-limiting conditions; a realist evaluation of the Liverpool Care Pathway for the dying patient; and a feasibility study for a randomised controlled trial of advance care planning with older patients who have renal failure.	Dr Peter O’Halloran
Charting, monitoring, and understanding the development of learning and behaviour of term and pre-term infants Interventions to improve term and pre-term infants’ learning and social learning skills Developmental outcomes of Cerebral Palsy children Dr Perra's research revolves around the factors and causal mechanisms that may explain differences in children's behaviour development, including: Associations between parental mental health, parenting behaviour, and children's development; Learning and development of infants born preterm; Early interventions to improve preterm infants' learning and social learning; Development outcomes of Cerebral Palsy children.	Dr Oliver Perra
Supportive and palliative care, with a particular interest in exercise Exercise training in ovarian cancer Pre-habilitation in lung cancer Exercise to enhance the effectiveness of radiotherapy Dr Prue's research focusses on cancer prevention, survival and reduction of cancer-related symptoms. Her work explores the impact of exercise on cancer survival and symptom reduction and she is the Northern Ireland lead for amn International study on exercise and survival in prostate cancer. She is interested in cancer-related fatigue, and is involved in a trial investigating fatigue and chemokines during stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy for prostate cancer. Linked to her cancer prevention work, she has an interest in HPV-related cancers, and HPV vaccination.	Dr Gillian Prue
Cachexia in chronic illness; Development of complex healthcare interventions. Professor of Cancer and Palliative Care Director of Research Professor Reid's main research focus is on cachexia in chronic illness, most notable in: cancer, renal, and cardiac populations. She also has research interests in associated health services research; for example, she has current grant income on studies such as DIAdIC (European Commission H2020); Place of death within Northern Ireland – projections to 2040 (Marie curie); and Understanding the holistic experiences of living with a kidney transplant (British Renal Society / Kidney Care UK). She has completed local and international studies in these areas and has strong links with multi-disciplinary international collaborators. Chronic, Palliative, Care, Healthcare, Interventions, Illness	Professor Joanne Reid
Bioscience education for healthcare professions Cancer-related projects particularly those with a treatment/pharmacology or epidemiological focus Dr Rogers' current research focus is in the pedagogical spectrum of bioscience education. She also maintains an active interest in the field of molecular oncology and pharmacology, which was the subject of her PhD thesis. Her pedagogical work explores student engagement and novel modes of delivery for bioscience subjects in healthcare programmes, and aims to link the impact of engagement and content delivery with improved student attainment and experience.	Dr Katherine Rogers
Psycho-oncology Development of supportive and psychological supports for patients and carers Understanding the health and social care needs of minority groups Dr Santin's research is focused on all aspects of the cancer trajectory, from pre malignant, through malignant and end of life care and incorporating the increasingly important component of cancer survivorship. It not only aims to understand how we can improve cancer services but also how we can help cancer patients and their families to manage and adapt their behavior to promote quality and sustained survival and the prevention of cancer recurrence.	Dr Olinda Santin
Cardiovascular health Behavioural change Psychosocial intervention Psychometric evaluation. The focus of Dr Ski's research is on psychosocial aspects of cardiovascular disease. This primarily relates to the development and evaluation of interventions designed to support the mental health and wellbeing of patients and their families. Where possible she applies mixed-methods design and integrates qualitative and quantitative data to provide the most comprehensive evidence-base. In an effort to reduce the burden on current health services, a key driver of her research is to find innovative yet pragmatic solutions to complex health issues that impact on both policy and practice, and ultimately improve patient and carer outcomes.	Dr Chantal Ski
Education (Design, Simulation, Technologies etc); Maternity Care. Education, Simulation, Maternity, Care	Dr Janine Stockdale
Cardiovascular disease prevention Rehabilitation Psychosocial intervention Health outcome measurement Professor Thompson's research focuses on understanding the experiences, concerns and needs of people (patients, partners and families) with cardiovascular disease. He conducts mainly clinical trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses; designs and evaluates early brief interventions; and develops and validates patient-generated outcome measures. The objective of his research is to generate new thinking on, and novel interventions and care models for, coping with chronic cardiovascular disease.	Professor David R Thompson
Child and adolescent development across the life course Maternal mental health Maternal and child health Professor Mark Tomlinson is Professor of Maternal and Child Health in School of Nursing & Midwifery. Professor Tomlinson is the co-Director of the Institute for Life Course Health Research in the Department of Global Health at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. His scholarly work has involved a diverse range of topics that have in common an interest in factors that contribute to compromised maternal health, to understanding infant and child development in contexts of high adversity, to understand the impact of maternal depression on infant and child health and development, and how to develop community based home visiting intervention programmes.	Professor Mark Tomlinson
Older person’s nursing and dementia care, including support of carers and staff education. Qualitative approaches welcome. Professor Brown Wilson’s research focuses on practice improvement for older people, including those with dementia and their carers. Her areas of research include practice development in long term care and curriculum development in health care education. Her scholarly activity includes developing and implementing a consensus model of curriculum development in Australia and the UK. Christine is actively engaged embedding digital capabilities for health care students and is working with an Australian multi-university interprofessional research team investigating unintended outcomes of ePortfolio use.	Professor Christine Brown-Wilson
Chronic musculoskeletal conditions Developing qualitative methodology My area of interest is developing and evaluating interventions to support people with chronic illness, and there are two main strands. Chronic musculoskeletal conditions: a) musculoskeletal consequences of surgery for cancer, and their management; and b) playing-related musculoskeletal disorders in musicians. Qualitative research methodology: specifically, interviews and focus groups, and in how research is taught to undergraduate and post-graduate students Current projects: Walking for Health (WORtH) funded by Cross-border Healthcare Intervention Trials in Ireland Network (CHITIN) Inhaled Compliance Assessment (INCA) SafeTrad (Irish traditional musicians)	Dr Iseult Wilson

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