Introduction

I am currently Principal Research Associate with the Stroke Research Group. A clinician by background, I worked as a junior doctor in and around the Oxford area prior to moving to Newcastle upon Tyne. In Newcastle, I have worked in medical teaching and research, joining the Stroke Research Group in 2006.

Qualifications

MD                                                                           Newcastle University 2010

Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Education               Newcastle University 2006

MRCP                                                                       Royal College of Physicians 2001

BM BCh                                                                    Oxford University 1998

BSc (Hons) 1st class                                                  St Andrews University 1995

Previous positions

Teaching and Education Fellow, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Specialist Registrar, Oxford Deanery

Senior House Officer posts, Oxford and London

House Officer posts, Oxford region

Research expertise

I have worked as a researcher in stroke medicine since July 2006. During this time I have built up knowledge and expertise in the design, management and analysis of clinical trials. For my MD, I co-ordinated a 12 centre randomised controlled trial which evaluated the effectiveness of botulinum toxin for the treatment of upper limb spasticity after stroke. Since completion of my MD (2010) I have been involved in the design, conduct and analysis of further clinical trials to evaluate stroke care.

Current research

I have input into the following on-going research projects:  

1. A trial to Evaluate an eXTended RehAbilitation service for Stroke patients (EXTRAS). This is a multicentre randomised controlled trial led by Professor Helen Rodgers and funded by NIHR HTA. http://research.ncl.ac.uk/extrastrial/

2. Robot Assisted Training for the Upper Limb after Stroke (RATULS). This is a multicentre randomised controlled trial led by Professor Helen Rodgers and funded by NIHR HTA. http://research.ncl.ac.uk/ratuls/

3. Paramedic Acute Stroke Treatment Assessment (PASTA). This is a multicentre randomised controlled trial led by Dr Chris Price and funded by NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research. https://research.ncl.ac.uk/pasta/

4. Protocol development and clinical trial feasibility evaluation of a wrist-worn accelerometer to monitor, prompt and report impaired upper limb activity during self-supervised rehabilitation after stroke. This project is led by Dr Chris Price and funded by The Stroke Association.

5. Development and clinical trial feasibility evaluation of auditory rhythmical cueing to improve gait and physical activity in community dwelling stroke survivors. This project is led by Dr Sarah Moore and funded by The Stroke Association.

6. Purines for Rapid Identification of Stroke Mimics (PRISM). The project is led by Dr Chris Price and funded by Innovate UK.

7. Electrical bioimpedence cerebral spectroscopy detection of large vessel occlusion amoungst patients with symptoms of acute stroke. This project is led by Dr Chris Price and funded by MRC Confidence in Concepts.

8. Development of a standardised set of metrics for monitoring performance in randomised controlled trials. This project is led by Professor Diane Whitham from Nottingham University.

Current research grants held

1. A trial to Evaluate an eXTended RehAbilitation service for Stroke patients (EXTRAS).

Chief Investigator: Helen Rodgers.

Co-investigators: Robin Cant, Mark Deverill, Avril Drummond, Gary Ford, Anne Forster, Denise Howel, Anne-Marie Laverty, Chris McKevitt, Peter McMeekin, Chris Price, Lisa Shaw

Funding: NIHR HTA 01.10.2012 – 28.02.2018

2. Robot Assisted Training for the Upper Limb after Stroke (RATULS).

Chief Investigator: Helen Rodgers.

Co-investigators: Lydia Aird, Sree Andole, David Cohen, Jesse Dawson, Janet Eyre, Tracy Finch, Gary Ford, Steven Hogg, Denise Howel, Niall Hughes, Hermano Igo Krebs, Anne-Marie Laverty, Chris Price, Lynn Rochester, Lisa Shaw, Laura Ternent, Duncan Turner, Luke Vale, Frederike van Wijck, Scott Wilkes.

Funding: NIHR HTA 01.01.2014 – 31.08.2019

3. Protocol development and clinical trial feasibility evaluation of a wrist-worn accelerometer to monitor, prompt and report impaired upper limb activity during self-supervised rehabilitation after stroke.

Chief Investigator: Chris Price

Co-investigators: Madeline Balaam, Katie Brittain, Lianne Brkic, Thomas Ploetz, Helen Rodgers, Lisa Shaw, Frederike van Wijck. 

Funding: The Stroke Association 01.01.2015 - 31.12.2017  

4. Development and clinical trial feasibility evaluation of auditory rhythmical cueing to improve gait and physical activity in community dwelling stroke survivors.

Chief Investigator: Sarah Moore

Co-investigators: Alan Godfrey, Allen Lambert, Sue Lord, Chris Price, Lynn Rochester, Helen Rodgers, Lisa Shaw.

Funding: The Stroke Associate 01.07.2017 - 30.06.2020

5. Purines for Rapid Identification of Stroke Mimics (PRISM).

Chief Investigator: Dr Chris Price

Co-investigators: Nick Dale, Gary Ford, Sara Graziadio, Chris Imray, Dennis Lendrem, Everad Mascarenhas, Peter McMeekin, Christine Roffe, Lisa Shaw, Craig Smith.

Funding: Innovate UK 01.08.2017 - 31.07.2020

6. Electrical Bioimpedence Cerebral Spectroscopy detection of large vessel occlusion amoungst patients with symptoms of acute stroke.

Chief Investigator: Dr Chris Price

Co-investigators: Anand Dixit, Dip Mitra, Helen Rodgers, Lisa Shaw, Philip White

Funding: MRC Confidence in Concepts 01.04.2018 - 31.12.2018

Other professional activities

Council member and treasurer for the Society for Research in Rehabilitation

Associate Editor for the journal 'Trials'