The Fellowships will allow the researchers to study various musculoskeletal conditions.
Colin Forde, DPhil student
“Kneecap (patellar) dislocations mainly affect active teenagers and young adults. To help recover, patients are routinely referred to physiotherapy. However, the most effective physiotherapy approach is unknown and, unfortunately, many patients don’t recover fully. During my NIHR Doctoral Fellowship I will lead a study that will determine if a full-scale trial comparing rehabilitation approaches for people after a recent kneecap dislocation is feasible. I will also complete a bespoke training programme that will provide me with the skills and experiences to support my development as an applied health researcher.”
Shiraz Sabah, DPhil student
“Revision total knee replacement is complex, expensive surgery and whilst some patients benefit a great deal, this is not true for all. The SORE knee study will explore revision total knee replacement practices in the UK. We will focus on the treatment of patients with unexplained pain, who experience among the poorest outcomes from surgery.
The NIHR doctoral research fellowship will provide an excellent opportunity for me to grow as a surgeon-scientist and I am looking forward to improving care for this patient group.”
Markos Valsamis, NIHR Research Fellow
“This NIHR Doctoral Fellowship is an excellent opportunity to improve the evidence base around shoulder replacements. I will be analysing data from both the National Joint Registry as well as NHS hospital data to gain valuable information for patients, doctors and health service commissioners. The aim of this study is to improve the outcomes of patients having shoulder replacements by guiding patient selection, evaluating the cost-effectiveness of different types of shoulder replacement and informing NHS provision.”
Justin Wormald, DPhil student
“This NIHR Doctoral Research Fellowship has been essential in allowing me to pursue my DPhil research, which will improve our understanding of wound infection, and its prevention, in hand trauma surgery. My research consists of two observational research workstreams and a feasibility randomised clinical trial of antimicrobial sutures. I’m very grateful to the NIHR for their support which has been invaluable as an early career researcher.”
Abhi Singh, Departmental Researcher
“The NIHR Doctoral Research Fellowship will allow me to work towards improving the newborn screening pathway for detection of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). My research will focus on developing national consensus around core parameters used in the assessment of ultrasound hip images. I will also design computer models to enhance the acquisition/interpretation of ultrasound images and thoroughly assess their ability to enhance clinical practice.”
Rakhshan Kamran, DPhil student
“Through my NIHR-funded DPhil research, I am aiming to implement a national measurement program for gender-affirming services in the UK to measure patient-reported outcomes. I will be implementing a patient-reported outcome measure (PROM), called the GENDER-Q. This will ensure that the gender-affirming care provided is patient-centred and the voices of patients are captured and used to drive care decisions. This will also allow for comparative effectiveness and cost effectiveness research to take place to compare between different gender-affirming treatments.”