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Staff Profile

Professor Jeremy Parr

Professor of Paediatric Neurodisability

  • Telephone: +44 (0) 191 282 5966
  • Address: Population Health Sciences Institute
    Faculty of Medical Sciences
    Newcastle University
    Royal Victoria Infirmary
    (Sir James Spence Institute)
    Newcastle Upon Tyne
    NE1 4LP
    United Kingdom
Background

Introduction

I am a Paediatric Neurodisability clinical academic undertaking translational research that aims to improve health and quality of life. I am the Donald Court Chair in Child Health, and a Deputy Dean of the Newcastle University Population Health Sciences Institute.


My research starts with understanding more about neurodevelopmental conditions and identifying people's strengths and needs across the lifespan. I then apply that new knowledge and carry out clinical trials and intervention studies to reduce the effects of disability, and improve health and quality of life. I am also involved in using new knowledge to change health services - making services better for people with neurodevelopmental conditions, and professionals.

My clinical work is for two local NHS Trusts. 1. Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust at the Great North Children's Hospital in the Regional Neurodisability service (Regional Dysphagia/Feeding clinic) and 2.  Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust in the Regional Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis, management and intervention service, where I lead multidisciplinary assessments of children with ASD (the Complex Neurodevelopmental Disorders Service).

 

Qualifications 

MB ChB (1996)

MD (Broader Autism Phenotype, 2007)

CCT in Paediatric Neurodisability, and Paediatrics (2007) 

 

National committee roles

Member of the Executive Committee of the British Academy of Childhood Disability (2007-present)

Chair of the British Academy of Childhood Disability Strategic Research Group (2012-present)

Trustee, The Castang Foundation: http://castangfoundation.org.uk/ (2014-present)

Member, the Children's National Study Group

Member, the RCPCH Research Consultation Committee


Previous national committee roles and positions

Co-Chair of the Research Autism Scientific Advisory Committee (2012-2017)

Chair, the Autistica Physical health and ageing study group (2018-2022)

Member of the Autistica Discover Steering Committee (2017-2022)

Expert adviser to The National Autism Project (2015-17)

Nov 2006 – May 2009 Consultant and Honorary Senior Lecturer, Paediatric Neurodisability, Great Ormond Street Hospital and the Institute of Child Health, London

Sept 2008 – May 2009 Senior Academic Research Fellow and Honorary Consultant Paediatrician University of Oxford and Oxford Children’s Hospital

Research

Clinical Trials and other intervention studies

I led the The Drooling Reduction Intervention Trial (DRI), a 15 site multicentre trial of the effectiveness of Glycopyrronium vs Hyoscine to treat drooling in children with neurodisability. The results of the study can be found here:  https://adc.bmj.com/content/archdischild/103/4/371.full.pdf.  The study results have been used by organisations to support licences for new medications to treat drooling

I lead a programme of research focused on Virtual Reality Treatment for children and adults with autism and specific phobia: The results of our NIHR funded research can be found at: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/press/articles/latest/2019/02/blueroomforovercomingphobiasinautism/

Together with Chief Investigator Professor Peter Sullivan (University of Oxford), I lead The Dolphin Nutritional Intervention Trials. These trials investigated the feasibility and effects of nutritional supplementation of babies with or at risk disability or at risk of disability. Follow up studies of the 100 children recruited are underway. Results from the trials can be found here:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/dmcn.13914 and at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/dmcn.13586

I am part of the PACT consortium (Chief Investigator Professor Jonathan Green, University of Manchester). I was part of the team that was funded by the MRC and identified the long term improvements from the PACT therapy for young children with autism. The results can be found here: http://research.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/pact/

I lead the Personalised Anxiety Trial for autistic adults (PATA) that has recruited autistic adults around Newcastle: https://research.ncl.ac.uk/neurodisability/ourstudies/pat-a/

I co lead two studies focusing on interventions to improve physical health for autistic adults:

1. https://research.ncl.ac.uk/neurodisability/ourstudies/improvingthehealthofolderautisticpeople/

2. Design and trial of health checks for autistic adults


Together with colleagues nationally and internationally, I am part of research teams delivering a number of other clinical trials:

The research team at Newcastle University are delivering the CUES study, which focuses on Intolerance of Uncertainty (CI Jacqui Rodgers): https://research.ncl.ac.uk/neurodisability/ourstudies/copingwithuncertaintyandasd/

The PACT consortium are involved in PACT-G, which investigates the effects of the PACT therapy on primary school age children. Further information can be found here: http://research.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/pactg/AboutPACT-G/

Guided self help autistic adults with depression: https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/bmjopen/7/12/e019545.full.pdf

I am part of a large international consortium focused on clinical trials of medications for people on the autism spectrum. Arbacofen for children on the autism spectrum: https://www.aims-2-trials.eu/

Prophylactic antibiotics to prevent chest infections for children with Neurodisability (CI: McNamara, University of Liverpool)


Preparing for future clinical trials:

I lead the NIHR funded FEEDS project that aims to identify the interventions, outcomes and measures that could be used in future clinical trials: https://research.ncl.ac.uk/neurodisability/ourstudies/feedsreview/

I was a member of the NIHR funded MeASURe group who have published a systematic review of measurement tools used to measure progress and outcome in young children in ASD: https://njl-admin.nihr.ac.uk/document/download/2003030

I was a member of the NIHR funded Standing Frames research group who aimed to identify whether there should be clinical trials of standing frame use for children with cerebral palsy: https://njl-admin.nihr.ac.uk/document/download/2021305



Autism Spectrum Database-UK/Daslne

I lead the Autism Spectrum Database-UK, which is a database of families of children with ASD, who have shown interest in participating in research. The database has two main aims: 1. To increase families access to research; and 2. To increase the number of families available to be recruited to researchers studies, resulting in improved research capacity. ASD-UK has been funded by the UK autism charity Autistica since 2010. In 2019, Newcastle University and Autistica ageed to work in formal partnership to increase the number of research opportunities for children and families, autistic adults and their relatives.

More than 5000 families have now joined the research databases. Information for families and researchers can be found at http://www.asd-uk.com/. Further information can be found at: http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/9/e008625.full.pdf html


Autism Spectrum Lifecourse: Adulthood and Ageing

I lead a programme of research about the Autism Spectrum in adulthood and older age. The programme includes a national longitudinal cohort study focused on the lives of more than 2000 autistic adults and 1000 relatives of autistic people. See https://research.ncl.ac.uk/adultautismspectrum/ for more information about the cohort study. Information about other projects in the programme can be found at: https://research.ncl.ac.uk/adultautismspectrum/cohortprojects/


Autism Genetics

My autism genetics interests relate to how genes thought to be important in the development of autism spectrum disorder relate to people's everyday characteristics, and the clinical use of genetic testing for people on the autism spectrum - with a focus on how genetic information can help improve autistic people's health, and mental health

Since 2011, I have led the International Molecular Genetic Study of Autism Consortium (IMGSAC). Data and family DNA are stored housed in Newcastle. I lead IMGSACs role in:

The Autism Genome Project Consortium, a consortium of researchers from Europe and North America

UK10k, a consortium of international researchers focused on how genes affect health

The Psychiatric Genetics Consortium, an international consortium focused on how genes affect mental health - for example anxiety and depression



Research focused on health services

I am part of the Newcastle led, multisite Research Programme regarding 'Transition': How can health services contribute most effectively to facilitating successful transition of young people with complex health needs from childhood to adulthood?

I lead a project focused on investigating the methoids and measures used to diagnose autism in UK adults. More information can be found at: https://research.ncl.ac.uk/neurodisability/ourstudies/methodsofdiagnosisforascinadults/




Publications