Research

Supervisor: Dr Nainal Shah ([email protected])

I have two areas of clinical research/leadership that FY academic trainee can be part of:

1. Validation of locally developed delirium assessment tool against NICE recommended tool.
2. Supporting quality improvement projects on trainees' chosen topic.

Supervisor: Mr Kunal Kulkarni ([email protected])

Exploring Patient Experience of Virtual Reality (VR) during Orthopaedic Surgery Under Spinal or Regional Anaesthesia: A Mixed-Methods Study. This pilot study aims to explore the feasibility and patient experience of using VR during awake orthopaedic surgery. Both qualitative (interview data) and quantitative measures (patient-reported pain, anxiety, satisfaction, intra-operative sedative requirement), will be collected. The findings will guide the development of subsequent research, including potential comparative studies evaluating immersive VR against other distraction strategies such as music or standard audiovisual screens.

Supervisor: Mr Edward Caruana ([email protected])

Thoracic Surgery spans a diverse spectrum of benign and malignant disease, and benefits from close collaboration and a degree of overlap with numerous other specialties, including Respiratory Medicine, Oncology and Critical Care.

My research interests are in pneumothorax, emphysema, diaphragm dysfunction, perioperative care (with an emphasis on pain), advanced lung cancer, surgical education and risk communication.

Supervisor: Dr Richard Packer ([email protected])

Evidence synthesis: systematic search strategies, use of the GWAS Catalog and OpenGWAS, PRISMA-informed screening, and critical appraisal of genetic association studies.

Core statistical genetics: GWAS design and interpretation, SNPs and linkage disequilibrium, heritability, polygenic scores, population stratification, and the multiple testing problem — taught from the ground up.

Causal inference: two-sample Mendelian randomisation, including instrument selection, the three core assumptions, and sensitivity analyses (MR-Egger, weighted median, leave-one-out) to test for pleiotropy.

Analytical tools: R and RStudio, the TwoSampleMR package, data visualisation, and command-line basics; version control with Git and reproducible analysis scripts.

Phenotyping concepts: how pain is captured in electronic health records and prescription data, and why phenotype definition drives what a genetic study can detect.

Translational interpretation: moving from a genetic signal to a candidate gene and a plausible drug target, including the use of functional annotation resources.

Professional skills: scientific writing and abstract preparation; presenting at group meetings and journal club within an active research team; collaborative working with statisticians, bioinformaticians and clinicians; scoping an analysis to fit a fixed timeframe.

Supervisor: Professor Dave Adlam ([email protected]) 

Research focuses on developing existing work on rare coronary artery phenotypes leading to heart attacks, specifically Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection and Coronary Aneurysms and Ectasia. We have hosted 3 dynamic academic FY1s in recent years, all of whom have succeeded in contributing to peer reviewed publication of their work.  My research interests include coronary artery diseases, coronary imaging and using large datasets to understand cardiovascular comorbidity. 

Supervisor: Professor Gerry McCann ([email protected])

My research programme is focused on using cardiac MRI and other imaging to better understand cardiovascular disease in vivo, developing and assessing novel treatments and implementing large multi-centre trials that change clinical practice. We have world-class imaging facilities funded by the BHF and NIHR. Currently active studies include lifestyle and drug interventions in diabetic cardiomyopathy, imaging and plasma biomarkers in aortic stenosis, validating novel methods of cardiac dysfunction. Studies due to commence include randomised trials in NSTEMI, Aortic stenosis and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. We have active collaborations with local machine learning experts, the “omics” group and diabetes researchers as well as numerous national and international collaborators.

Our group has published over 130 papers in the last 5 years including JAMA, NEJM and all the top cardiovascular journals. We have an outstanding track record in developing junior researchers – all of whom have had significant outputs and career progression. 

Supervisor: Professor Gerry McCann ([email protected])

Cardiorespiratory fitness improves cardiovascular health. However, endurance athletes appear to have a paradoxically increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), particularly after many years of high-volume training. The mechanisms underpinning this risk are not fully understood, but may relate to exercise-induced cardiac remodelling, including chamber dilatation, which has traditionally been regarded as benign and physiological.

As part of an ongoing study, we are inviting endurance athletes and non-athlete controls to undergo multimodal cardiovascular imaging, including cardiac MRI, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. The student will have the opportunity to gain supervised experience in the conduct and interpretation of these assessments, including exposure to cardiac MRI acquisition and analysis, and practical experience of cardiopulmonary exercise testing.

This project will assess the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiovascular adaptations to exercise in athletes with AF. This may help to better understand why increasing cardiovascular fitness predisposes some individuals to AF.
The student will be supervised by Professor McCann, an expert in cardiovascular imaging with a background in sports science, and Dr Susil Pallikadavath, who is an NIHR Doctoral Fellow leading the study.

Supervisor: Dr Matthew Graham-Brown ([email protected])

I work with both the renal research and cardiac imaging groups at the University of Leicester in the dept of Cardiovascular sciences. My research principle explores cardiovascular disease in patients with chronic kidney disease, patients on dialysis and those with a renal transplant. I run clinical trials exploring novel interventions to improve cardiovascular outcomes for these patient groups, including lifestyle and activity interventions, novel dialysis strategies and medications optimisation and work close with the imaging group on projects that test and refine imaging techniques to provide early diagnosis and improve disease risk stratification, with a particular focus on cardiac MRI. I have work looking at the use of digital health interventions to improve patient's ability to self-manage aspects of their health with a focus on implementation and I also support work looking to improve advanced care planning for patients with kidney disease.

Supervisor: Professor Bee Tan ([email protected])

Observational cohort studies, clinical trials and big data science in Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Reproductive Medicine and Reproductive Sciences, Endocrinology, Metabolic and Cardiovascular Health. My research includes both clinical and laboratory research.

Supervisor: Dr Aidan Bolger ([email protected])

Our research team has one of the UK's largest collection of pedigrees with familial bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) disease comprising 170 affected members from over 80 multigenerational families and approximately 700 sporadic patients. The BRAVE study focuses on the phenotype and genetic basis of BAV conditions and explores the developmental and embryological pathways involved.

The project will involve recruitment and phenotyping the cardiovascular manifestations of BAV. This will be done using echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging. The post holder will become familiar with the technical aspects of these imaging modalities and learn how to perform detailed analysis of the data their acquire. They will then link their findings to results of genetic analysis in the same patient population referencing whole exome sequencing data including variant filtering, familial segregation and applying polygenic risk scores. This work will be conducted as a member of a large multidisciplinary team of clinicians, physiologist and basic scientists.

Undertaking similar work in our group, the previous SFP doctor won Young Investigator of the Year award at the British Congenital Cardiac Association Annual Conference, contributed to high impact publication and went on to be offered an ACL.

Supervisor: Dr Hamish McAuley ([email protected])

This project will characterise frailty and impaired physical function as well as measuring muscle mass and health related quality of life among individuals both seen in selected chronic disease focussed outpatient's clinics and during the time of acute hospital admissions to develop a model for understanding the drivers of declining physical and muscle function among patients with chronic disease. This project will form part of a wider program developing phenotypic biomarkers to be used in predicting physical decline and readmissions to hospital as well as guiding novel therapies and interventions targeting deteriorating muscle and physical functioning using a biomarker drive precision medicine approach.

Supervisor: Professor Claire Meek ([email protected])

Claire Meek runs observational and interventional studies of women with diabetes in pregnancy, aiming to improve outcomes for mothers and babies, especially in under-represented groups. 

Subject areas: gestational diabetes, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, obesity, nutrition in pregnancy. 

Supervisor: Mr Tim Rattay ([email protected])

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, accounting for over 50,000 new cases per year. Thankfully, the vast majority of breast cancers are treatable. Approximately 800,000 women previously diagnosed with breast cancer were estimated to be alive in the UK in 2020 - a figure predicted to rise to over 1.2 million by 2030.

Surgery and radiotherapy are the most commonly used breast cancer treatments. However about 1 in 5 patients will experience moderate to severe side-effects (toxicity) from treatment. My main research interests are in the prediction and reduction of treatment toxicity in the breast. My research is focused on validating clinical and molecular predictors of toxicity as well as discovering new predictors through genome-wide association studies, Big Data and artificial intelligence (AI) approaches. I also have an interest in applying qualitative research methodology to explore patients’ views on breast cancer treatments . The goal is to improve treatment outcomes by reducing side-effects through personalised medicine approaches.

Supervisor: Dr Mervyn Thomas ([email protected])

The Ulverscroft Eye Unit (Ophthalmology Research Group) is a multi-disciplinary group led by Dr Mervyn Thomas (Clinical Lead). The research programme has five themes:

1. Advanced Imaging and Retinal Electrophysiology: We investigate normal and abnormal structure-function relationships in vivo across ophthalmic, neuro-ophthalmic, and genetic disorders through high-resolution imaging and retinal electrophysiology (Clinical focus).
2. Deep Learning: We develop deep learning strategies for image and video based analysis for clinical diagnostics and biobank-scale image-derived phenotype acquisition (Clinical and Computational).
3. Genotype-Phenotype Correlation: We undertake studies investigating the correlation between genotypes and phenotypes in ocular developmental disorders (Clinical focus).
4. Disease Modelling: We work in ocular and neurological disease modelling employing novel zebrafish models (Lab focus).
5. Education: We develop web-based modules and employ eye-tracking technology to analyse the interpretative behaviours of clinicians with varying levels of experience, aiming to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of clinical image analysis (Education focus)

We have a strong track record of training and developing junior doctors to develop their research and clinical portfolio. Our trainee doctors have secured prestigious fellowships such as NIHR ACF, NIHR DRF, MRC CRF, and NIHR CL. Notably, two of our junior doctors have secured posts in leading biopharmaceutical companies, Roche and Sandoz.

We welcome project discussions with trainee doctors that have an interest in a specific area within Ophthalmology, Neurology, Clinical Genetics or Clinical Education.

Supervisor: Dr Richard Packer ([email protected])

My research interests are in genetic epidemiology and data science. My work focuses on taking electronic healthcare records and studying specific measurements to generate phenotypes representing the spectrum of human disease (phenome). I then interrogate the genetic underpinnings of these phenotypes using phenome-wide association studies, genome-wide association studies and Mendelian randomisation techniques.

The potential project idea is to apply a phenome-wide association method I developed (DeepPheWAS) to the human leucocyte antigen (HLA) region. This region is well-known for its association with autoimmune and rheumatological diseases. Due to its complex genetic structure and high degree of variability, it is often excluded from routine genetic analysis. This has led to an obvious gap in the literature, with no authoritative characterisation of the pleiotropic effects of HLA variation. This exciting project intends to fill that gap. 

Aim: To characterise the pleiotropic effects of HLA variation on human disease.

I foresee the project having two initial objectives.

1. Perform a phenome-wide association study using the imputed HLA region in the UK Biobank. I have access to the imputed HLA region and have written the software for the phenome-wide association testing.
2. Explore the association results to understand the pleiotropic effects of HLA variation. I expect that there will be many associations beyond the expected autoimmune/rheumatologic disease. Some of these associations may be well known to co-occur with autoimmune disease, or some may be entirely novel. This element of the project is greatly enhanced by clinical training and understanding of human disease. At a minimum, there would be a good paper here.

Extensions: This project allows multiple extensions from the baseline described above, depending on the trainee's interests and skill development.

1. Extend the analysis to whole genome/exome sequencing data OR explore alternative imputation approaches. Sequenced data allows the direct measurement of HLA alleles, allowing for greater granularity in specific alleles' effects on disease and would be entirely novel for the field.
2. Extend the analysis of initial association results by exploring Mendelian randomisation methods to assess causality. Many HLA associations are statistically strong, which can be leveraged to understand better the causality between autoimmune/rheumatological conditions and other co-morbid diseases.

Expected output: With no extensions, this work should justify a good-quality journal article.

Training/skills development:  We would be able to provide training to people unfamiliar with Linux-based computing and the R language within the group. However, depending on the trainee's skill set and desire, the project can be tailored to focus more on clinical interpretation; the initial objectives would not require significant skill development but would leverage the clinical training. The trainee should leave the project equipped to handle large datasets, with a high likelihood of material sufficient for a manuscript for publication.

The group has experience of supporting clinical trainees in developing their academic skill sets and working with them to maximise output in limited research time.

Supervisor: Dr Richard Packer ([email protected])

Evidence synthesis: systematic search strategies, use of the GWAS Catalog and OpenGWAS, PRISMA-informed screening, and critical appraisal of genetic association studies.

Core statistical genetics: GWAS design and interpretation, SNPs and linkage disequilibrium, heritability, polygenic scores, population stratification, and the multiple testing problem — taught from the ground up.

Causal inference: two-sample Mendelian randomisation, including instrument selection, the three core assumptions, and sensitivity analyses (MR-Egger, weighted median, leave-one-out) to test for pleiotropy.

Analytical tools: R and RStudio, the TwoSampleMR package, data visualisation, and command-line basics; version control with Git and reproducible analysis scripts.

Phenotyping concepts: how pain is captured in electronic health records and prescription data, and why phenotype definition drives what a genetic study can detect.

Translational interpretation: moving from a genetic signal to a candidate gene and a plausible drug target, including the use of functional annotation resources.

Professional skills: scientific writing and abstract preparation; presenting at group meetings and journal club within an active research team; collaborative working with statisticians, bioinformaticians and clinicians; scoping an analysis to fit a fixed timeframe.

Supervisor: Dr Dimitrios Papamargaritis ([email protected])

My research focuses on how to best combine lifestyle, pharmacotherapy and bariatric surgery to help people living with obesity. I am currently studying the mechanisms of weight loss with the new obesity pharmacotherapies and I am also trying to identify potential treatments for postprandial hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia, a disabling metabolic complication after bariatric surgery. My research projects would be suitable for a clinical academic with interest in experimental medicine in the area of obesity, cardiometabolic health and type 2 diabetes.

Supervisor: Professor Claire Meek ([email protected])

Claire Meek runs observational and interventional studies of women with diabetes in pregnancy, aiming to improve outcomes for mothers and babies, especially in under-represented groups. 

Subject areas: gestational diabetes, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, obesity, nutrition in pregnancy. 

Supervisor: Professor Melaine Davies CBE ([email protected])

Multiple projects relating to Type 2 diabetes (of all groups, but highlighting special interest in adults with early-onset type 2 diabetes), Type 1 Diabetes and technology, Obesity, Lifestyle, Physical activity & behaviour change interventions. Within these areas, applicants will gain experience working across both our commercial and non-commercial research portfolio, within our NIHR Biomedical Research Centre Lifestyle Theme and our NIHR Commercial Research Delivery Centre. 

Professor of Diabetes Medicine/UHL Honorary Consultant Diabetologist. Co-Director of the Leicester Diabetes Centre with Professor Kamlesh Khunti.  NIHR Senior Investigator Emeritus & Director of the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre and co-chair of EASD/ADA’s Consensus Report on T2DM Management. Clinical Director of the NIHR Commercial Research Delivery Centre. Research interests include the causes, screening, prevention, self-management and treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus & studies include large global studies in the field of diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease.

Supervisor: Professor Bee Tan ([email protected])

Observational cohort studies, clinical trials and big data science in Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Reproductive Medicine and Reproductive Sciences, Endocrinology, Metabolic and Cardiovascular Health. My research includes both clinical and laboratory research.

 Supervisor: Professor Pratik Choudhary ([email protected])

Current work is based around developing a better understanding of the impact of low and high glucose levels measured by continuous glucose monitoring systems and trying to link these data with better use of electronic health records. I am also leading work looking at evaluating the benefits of diabetes technologies in people living with type 2 diabetes. I have led the development of hands on as well as online training for people with diabetes as well as care professionals to learn about how to use diabetes technologies.

Supervisor: Dr Meiling MacDonald-Nethercott ([email protected])

Our research interest is in precision vascular medicine, with a particular focus on developing biomarker-guided strategies to personalise antiplatelet therapy for patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Despite advances in revascularisation, many patients continue to suffer major adverse limb events, amputations, and death. Although antiplatelet therapy is the cornerstone of treatment, there is currently no routine method to monitor its effectiveness, and no standard strategy to identify patients who remain at high risk of thrombotic events.

This project aims to investigate how longitudinal changes in platelet function and glycaemic control (HbA1c) influence clinical outcomes following lower limb revascularisation. Using serial biomarker measurements alongside prospective clinical follow-up, we seek to identify clinically actionable biomarkers that can predict treatment response and enable targeted, personalised antithrombotic therapy.

Aim: To develop a precision medicine approach for patients with peripheral arterial disease by integrating biomarkers of platelet function and metabolic health.

Objectives
1. To analyse longitudinal changes in platelet function and HbA1c following lower limb revascularisation.
2. To examine the predictive value of these biomarkers for adverse limb and cardiovascular outcomes.
3. To apply statistical modelling to develop and validate a biomarker-guided clinical prediction tool.
4. To generate evidence supporting future personalised antithrombotic treatment strategies.

Our long-term vision is to translate these findings into clinical practice, delivering precision medicine that improves outcomes for patients with PAD.

Supervisor: Dr Hamish McAuley ([email protected])

This project will characterise frailty and impaired physical function as well as measuring muscle mass and health related quality of life among individuals both seen in selected chronic disease focussed outpatient's clinics and during the time of acute hospital admissions to develop a model for understanding the drivers of declining physical and muscle function among patients with chronic disease. This project will form part of a wider program developing phenotypic biomarkers to be used in predicting physical decline and readmissions to hospital as well as guiding novel therapies and interventions targeting deteriorating muscle and physical functioning using a biomarker drive precision medicine approach.

Supervisor: Professor Damian Roland ([email protected])

Scoring Systems (including Paediatric Observation Priority Score and National PEWS); Clinical Decision Making; Knowledge Translation; Social Media; Health Policy (Urgent and Emergency Care)

Supervisor: Dr Mohammed Elwan ([email protected])

I am offering a portfolio of six ED-focused projects suitable for Specialised Foundation Doctors. Each can be completed within a 4-month block using retrospective anonymised data, audit, or service evaluation, and requires no REC approval. Projects are flexible to trainee interests and include:

1. CT Head in Traumatic Brain Injury – audit of guideline adherence and diagnostic yield.
2. High-Sensitivity Troponin Pathways – evaluation of early discharge vs admission, and impact of incidental elevations.
3. AI in ED Triage – retrospective application of published AI models to triage data, assessing predictive accuracy.
4. CT Pulmonary Angiography in PE – appropriateness and yield of CTPA requests vs Wells/YEARS criteria.
5. Climate and ED Demand – correlating attendances with weather/air quality data.
6. Staffing vs Activity Modelling – analysis of historical demand patterns to identify rota–activity mismatches.

These projects will provide the trainee with experience in data analysis, clinical audit, quality improvement, and exposure to cutting-edge themes in emergency medicine. They are designed to be achievable, produce tangible outputs (audit presentation, conference abstracts, manuscripts), and align with current NHS research and service priorities

Supervisor: Dr Qadeer Arshad ([email protected])

Provide the fellow with the opportunity to participate in research that aims to investigate the brain mechanisms and novel treatment options for impaired movement and balance a range of ENT and neurological disorders. The supervisory team consists of Dr Qadeer Arshad and Professor Peter Rea.

Supervisor: Dr Farhad Peerally ([email protected])

Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Patient risk perception of treatment; Multi-disciplinary decision-making and access to biologic therapy 

Endoscopy: Safety in endoscopy

Quality and Safety in Healthcare: Exploring causes to adverse events in healthcare; Organisational learning from patient safety incidents; Resilient systems in healthcare; Applying high reliability principles in systems design.

Diagnostic delay in IBD across the primary–secondary care interface

Diagnostic delay is a recognised patient safety and quality concern in inflammatory bowel disease, with the primary–secondary care interface often identified as a key point where delay accumulates — through symptom interpretation in primary care, referral triage, and communication between clinicians. This theme invites qualitative exploration of how and why these delays occur, and where they might be mitigated.

• Clinician decision-making and symptom/red-flag interpretation in primary care
• The language, completeness, and clarity of referral documentation and advice & guidance exchange
• Patient experience and perception of the pre-diagnosis pathway
• Organisational or cultural factors shaping referral thresholds and triage timeliness
• Handover and communication practices at the primary–secondary care boundary

Supervisor: Dr Richard Packer ([email protected])

My research interests are in genetic epidemiology and data science. My work focuses on taking electronic healthcare records and studying specific measurements to generate phenotypes representing the spectrum of human disease (phenome). I then interrogate the genetic underpinnings of these phenotypes using phenome-wide association studies, genome-wide association studies and Mendelian randomisation techniques.

The potential project idea is to apply a phenome-wide association method I developed (DeepPheWAS) to the human leucocyte antigen (HLA) region. This region is well-known for its association with autoimmune and rheumatological diseases. Due to its complex genetic structure and high degree of variability, it is often excluded from routine genetic analysis. This has led to an obvious gap in the literature, with no authoritative characterisation of the pleiotropic effects of HLA variation. This exciting project intends to fill that gap. 

Aim: To characterise the pleiotropic effects of HLA variation on human disease.

I foresee the project having two initial objectives.

1. Perform a phenome-wide association study using the imputed HLA region in the UK Biobank. I have access to the imputed HLA region and have written the software for the phenome-wide association testing.
2. Explore the association results to understand the pleiotropic effects of HLA variation. I expect that there will be many associations beyond the expected autoimmune/rheumatologic disease. Some of these associations may be well known to co-occur with autoimmune disease, or some may be entirely novel. This element of the project is greatly enhanced by clinical training and understanding of human disease. At a minimum, there would be a good paper here.

Extensions: This project allows multiple extensions from the baseline described above, depending on the trainee's interests and skill development.

1. Extend the analysis to whole genome/exome sequencing data OR explore alternative imputation approaches. Sequenced data allows the direct measurement of HLA alleles, allowing for greater granularity in specific alleles' effects on disease and would be entirely novel for the field.
2. Extend the analysis of initial association results by exploring Mendelian randomisation methods to assess causality. Many HLA associations are statistically strong, which can be leveraged to understand better the causality between autoimmune/rheumatological conditions and other co-morbid diseases.

Expected output: With no extensions, this work should justify a good-quality journal article.

Training/skills development: We would be able to provide training to people unfamiliar with Linux-based computing and the R language within the group. However, depending on the trainee's skill set and desire, the project can be tailored to focus more on clinical interpretation; the initial objectives would not require significant skill development but would leverage the clinical training. The trainee should leave the project equipped to handle large datasets, with a high likelihood of material sufficient for a manuscript for publication.

The group has experience of supporting clinical trainees in developing their academic skill sets and working with them to maximise output in limited research time.

Supervisor: Dr Catherine John ([email protected])

Healthcare data represents an extraordinarily rich - and ever-growing - resource for understanding the determinants of health and disease.  In England, GPs and other healthcare practitioners working in primary care have recorded information about patients' health in computerised form since the 1990s, giving insight into changes in people's health over time.  This can contribute to our understanding of epidemiological questions about factors that contribute to disease onset, severity or progression (for example, amongst people with depression, assessing which factors are associated with treatment-resistant disease) but also questions about healthcare provision and inequalities (for example, understanding why, how and amongst which groups demand for appointments has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic).

Using a local Leicester-based cohort study with linked electronic healthcare data (EXCEED), you will be able to design and then answer a question of interest to you. You will develop skills for quantitative data management and analysis, as well as critiquing and appraising the literature, which will be invaluable in virtually any academic or clinical career.

You will be based in a multi-disciplinary group which spans public health, primary care, statistics, genetic epidemiology and analysis of “omics” data, including proteomics. You will be exposed to a wide variety of cutting-edge research methods and datasets, through weekly journal clubs and regular seminars.  If analysis of genetics and omics data is of interest to you, there will also be opportunities to gain experience of this.

Supervisor: Dr Maurice Dungey ([email protected])

We have a broad range of projects in the field of Oncology. Leicester is an internationally recognised centre for Mesothelioma research, this is a rare cancer associated with asbestos exposure. We will work to create a project and experience that will be most useful for the applicant. This can include wet-lab experience, bioinformatics, time on the oncology trials unit (Hope Centre) and experience of clinical trials clinics.

Recent large investigator-led clinical trials from our lab include: MiST 1-5, NERO, CONFIRM, VIM.

We also run industry-led trials including MITOPE and eVOLVE-Meso in Leicester.

Our next investigator-led umbrella trial will be SELECT, a molecularly-stratified phase II trial for patients with relapsed mesothelioma. This is due to open in 2025.

Data collected from these previous trials includes whole-exome sequencing, RNA, spatial transcriptomics and proteomics from the cancer tissue; we can then correlate these with clinical outcomes (treatment response, survival, toxicity).

Depending on your aims/preferences the project could include: using data collected from trials to analyse drivers of treatment response/resistance; collecting and analysing real-world data on immunotherapy response and toxicity; or a systematic review - ideas include creating a living systematic review of phase 2/3 trials and meta-analysing placebo/supportive care in randomised trials.

Supervisor: Dr Richard Packer ([email protected])

Evidence synthesis: systematic search strategies, use of the GWAS Catalog and OpenGWAS, PRISMA-informed screening, and critical appraisal of genetic association studies.

Core statistical genetics: GWAS design and interpretation, SNPs and linkage disequilibrium, heritability, polygenic scores, population stratification, and the multiple testing problem — taught from the ground up.

Causal inference: two-sample Mendelian randomisation, including instrument selection, the three core assumptions, and sensitivity analyses (MR-Egger, weighted median, leave-one-out) to test for pleiotropy.

Analytical tools: R and RStudio, the TwoSampleMR package, data visualisation, and command-line basics; version control with Git and reproducible analysis scripts.

Phenotyping concepts: how pain is captured in electronic health records and prescription data, and why phenotype definition drives what a genetic study can detect.

Translational interpretation: moving from a genetic signal to a candidate gene and a plausible drug target, including the use of functional annotation resources.

Professional skills: scientific writing and abstract preparation; presenting at group meetings and journal club within an active research team; collaborative working with statisticians, bioinformaticians and clinicians; scoping an analysis to fit a fixed timeframe.

Supervisor: Dr Richard Packer ([email protected])

Closing the gap: understanding unequal HPV vaccine uptake among young people with learning disabilities in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland

HPV vaccination prevents the majority of cervical cancers and reduces the risk of oropharyngeal cancer. It is offered to all Year 8 pupils through school-aged immunisation services, yet uptake is consistently lower among children and young people with learning disabilities. Why this happens is not understood locally: immunisation, education and special school records sit in separate systems, and no analysis has examined where uptake breaks down for this group.

This four-month project will produce the first local description of the problem. The trainee will complete a focused review of published barriers to vaccination in this population, then work with local public health colleagues and the school-aged immunisation service to analyse existing anonymised uptake data, comparing special and mainstream school settings across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Alongside this, they will map the delivery pathway and speak with immunisation staff to identify practical failure points.

Outputs will be a service evaluation report for local commissioners, a conference abstract, and a scoped proposal for future intervention work. Using existing routine data and staff-level scoping avoids lengthy ethics timelines, making delivery realistic within the block. The supervisor's established vaccination partnerships across LLR provide immediate access to the necessary data and stakeholders.

Supervisor: Dr Nainal Shah ([email protected])

I have two areas of clinical research/leadership that FY academic trainee can be part of:

1. Validation of locally developed delirium assessment tool against NICE recommended tool
2. Supporting quality improvement projects on trainees' chosen topic

Supervisor: Dr Hamish McAuley ([email protected])

This project will characterise frailty and impaired physical function as well as measuring muscle mass and health related quality of life among individuals both seen in selected chronic disease focussed outpatient's clinics and during the time of acute hospital admissions to develop a model for understanding the drivers of declining physical and muscle function among patients with chronic disease. This project will form part of a wider program developing phenotypic biomarkers to be used in predicting physical decline and readmissions to hospital as well as guiding novel therapies and interventions targeting deteriorating muscle and physical functioning using a biomarker drive precision medicine approach.

Supervisor: Miss Esther Moss ([email protected])

I am leading a group looking at different aspects of gynaecological cancer treatment. The group is involved in a wide range of areas including laboratory based research, (developing biomarkers to detect cancer recurrence), clinical research (developing new cancer/pre-cancer treatments, investigating risk factor associated with gynae cancer and the psychological impact of cancer), and the impact of surgery on the surgeon.

Supervisor: Dr Richard Packer ([email protected])

Closing the gap: understanding unequal HPV vaccine uptake among young people with learning disabilities in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland

HPV vaccination prevents the majority of cervical cancers and reduces the risk of oropharyngeal cancer. It is offered to all Year 8 pupils through school-aged immunisation services, yet uptake is consistently lower among children and young people with learning disabilities. Why this happens is not understood locally: immunisation, education and special school records sit in separate systems, and no analysis has examined where uptake breaks down for this group.

This four-month project will produce the first local description of the problem. The trainee will complete a focused review of published barriers to vaccination in this population, then work with local public health colleagues and the school-aged immunisation service to analyse existing anonymised uptake data, comparing special and mainstream school settings across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Alongside this, they will map the delivery pathway and speak with immunisation staff to identify practical failure points.

Outputs will be a service evaluation report for local commissioners, a conference abstract, and a scoped proposal for future intervention work. Using existing routine data and staff-level scoping avoids lengthy ethics timelines, making delivery realistic within the block. The supervisor's established vaccination partnerships across LLR provide immediate access to the necessary data and stakeholders.

Supervisor: Professor Martin Dyer ([email protected]) 

The Ernest and Helen Scott Haematological Research Institute in the University of Leicester develops and assesses new precision medicines for the lymphoid malignancies. My group focusses on the targeted therapy of lymphoid malignancies. We have a number of inter-related clinical and translational/reverse translational laboratory projects investigating the modes of action and efficacy of precision medicines, including bispecific antibodies and small molecule inhibitors. 

Supervisor: Dr Meiling MacDonald-Nethercott ([email protected])

Our research interest is in precision vascular medicine, with a particular focus on developing biomarker-guided strategies to personalise antiplatelet therapy for patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Despite advances in revascularisation, many patients continue to suffer major adverse limb events, amputations, and death. Although antiplatelet therapy is the cornerstone of treatment, there is currently no routine method to monitor its effectiveness, and no standard strategy to identify patients who remain at high risk of thrombotic events.

This project aims to investigate how longitudinal changes in platelet function and glycaemic control (HbA1c) influence clinical outcomes following lower limb revascularisation. Using serial biomarker measurements alongside prospective clinical follow-up, we seek to identify clinically actionable biomarkers that can predict treatment response and enable targeted, personalised antithrombotic therapy.

Aim: To develop a precision medicine approach for patients with peripheral arterial disease by integrating biomarkers of platelet function and metabolic health.

Objectives
1. To analyse longitudinal changes in platelet function and HbA1c following lower limb revascularisation.
2. To examine the predictive value of these biomarkers for adverse limb and cardiovascular outcomes.
3. To apply statistical modelling to develop and validate a biomarker-guided clinical prediction tool.
4. To generate evidence supporting future personalised antithrombotic treatment strategies.

Our long-term vision is to translate these findings into clinical practice, delivering precision medicine that improves outcomes for patients with PAD.

Supervisor: Dr Meiling MacDonald-Nethercott ([email protected])

Our research interest is in improving peri-operative outcomes for patients with chronic limb-threatening ischaemia (CLTI), with a particular focus on thrombotic risk and personalised antithrombotic therapy. Patients with CLTI undergoing lower-limb revascularisation remain at substantial risk of peri-operative arterial thrombosis, graft or intervention failure, major adverse limb events and cardiovascular complications. Fibrinogen is a central component of coagulation and clot formation and may provide a clinically accessible marker of a prothrombotic state; however, its peri-operative behaviour and potential value for risk stratification in CLTI are incompletely characterised.

This project will explore the role of fibrinogen testing across the peri-operative episode in patients undergoing revascularisation for CLTI. By examining fibrinogen measurements alongside clinical characteristics, procedural factors, antithrombotic treatment and subsequent thromboembolic outcomes, we aim to determine whether fibrinogen can identify patients at increased thrombotic risk.

The study will also explore the relationship between fibrinogen, use of anticoagulant/antithrombotic agents and clinical outcomes. This is intended as hypothesis-generating work to define a new research area and inform future prospective studies evaluating whether biomarker-guided optimisation of antithrombotic therapy could reduce thromboembolic complications after CLTI revascularisation.

Aim: To investigate the clinical utility of peri-operative fibrinogen level as a marker of thrombotic risk in patients undergoing lower-limb revascularisation for CLTI, and to explore its potential role in informing future personalised antithrombotic strategies.

Objectives
1. To characterise fibrinogen levels and, where serial measurements are available, peri-operative changes in fibrinogen in patients undergoing revascularisation for CLTI.
2. To examine associations between fibrinogen levels and thromboembolic outcomes, including early re-intervention, graft/stent thrombosis or occlusion, major adverse limb events, amputation and cardiovascular events.
3. To explore associations between peri-operative antithrombotic therapy—including anticoagulant and antiplatelet exposure—and thrombotic outcomes, accounting for relevant clinical and procedural factors.
4. To assess whether fibrinogen provides incremental prognostic information that could support future thrombotic risk stratification.
5. To generate preliminary data and hypotheses for a future prospective study or clinical trial evaluating biomarker-guided antithrombotic strategies in CLTI.

Long-term vision: to establish a programme of translational vascular research examining whether coagulation biomarkers can identify high-risk CLTI phenotypes and ultimately support safer, targeted and personalised antithrombotic therapy.

Supervisor: Dr Debasish Das ([email protected])

My main area of research interest is hepatology, specially advanced liver disease and palliative and end of life care of these patients.

Recently we published a Systematic Review as part of Leicester Link Research Project and a project on patient held records of their liver condition is currently underway. further projects on quality improvement and improving patient experience with liver conditions are in the pipeline

Supervisor: Dr Richard Packer ([email protected])

My research interests are in genetic epidemiology and data science. My work focuses on taking electronic healthcare records and studying specific measurements to generate phenotypes representing the spectrum of human disease (phenome). I then interrogate the genetic underpinnings of these phenotypes using phenome-wide association studies, genome-wide association studies and Mendelian randomisation techniques.

The potential project idea is to apply a phenome-wide association method I developed (DeepPheWAS) to the human leucocyte antigen (HLA) region. This region is well-known for its association with autoimmune and rheumatological diseases. Due to its complex genetic structure and high degree of variability, it is often excluded from routine genetic analysis. This has led to an obvious gap in the literature, with no authoritative characterisation of the pleiotropic effects of HLA variation. This exciting project intends to fill that gap. 

Aim: To characterise the pleiotropic effects of HLA variation on human disease.

I foresee the project having two initial objectives.

1. Perform a phenome-wide association study using the imputed HLA region in the UK Biobank. I have access to the imputed HLA region and have written the software for the phenome-wide association testing.
2. Explore the association results to understand the pleiotropic effects of HLA variation. I expect that there will be many associations beyond the expected autoimmune/rheumatologic disease. Some of these associations may be well known to co-occur with autoimmune disease, or some may be entirely novel. This element of the project is greatly enhanced by clinical training and understanding of human disease. At a minimum, there would be a good paper here.

Extensions: This project allows multiple extensions from the baseline described above, depending on the trainee's interests and skill development.

1. Extend the analysis to whole genome/exome sequencing data OR explore alternative imputation approaches. Sequenced data allows the direct measurement of HLA alleles, allowing for greater granularity in specific alleles' effects on disease and would be entirely novel for the field.
2. Extend the analysis of initial association results by exploring Mendelian randomisation methods to assess causality. Many HLA associations are statistically strong, which can be leveraged to understand better the causality between autoimmune/rheumatological conditions and other co-morbid diseases.

Expected output: With no extensions, this work should justify a good-quality journal article.

Training/skills development: We would be able to provide training to people unfamiliar with Linux-based computing and the R language within the group. However, depending on the trainee's skill set and desire, the project can be tailored to focus more on clinical interpretation; the initial objectives would not require significant skill development but would leverage the clinical training. The trainee should leave the project equipped to handle large datasets, with a high likelihood of material sufficient for a manuscript for publication.

The group has experience of supporting clinical trainees in developing their academic skill sets and working with them to maximise output in limited research time.

Supervisor: Professor Manish Pareek ([email protected])

• Ethnic inequalities in health
• Infection risk in underserved communities
• Tuberculosis identification in underserved communities
• Systematic reviews
• Data sciences

Supervisor: Dr Pranab Haldar ([email protected])

To understand the mechanisms of Mtb infection and the different clinical phenotypes that arise from this. Our objective is to develop better biomarkers and diagnostic tools for characterising Mtb infection states in a way that improves clinical management.   

Projects are available in the following areas:

•              Data Analysis
•              Systematic Reviews
•              TB-related Radiology
•              Participation in Prospective Clinical Studies

Supervisor: Dr Richard Packer ([email protected])

Closing the gap: understanding unequal HPV vaccine uptake among young people with learning disabilities in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland

HPV vaccination prevents the majority of cervical cancers and reduces the risk of oropharyngeal cancer. It is offered to all Year 8 pupils through school-aged immunisation services, yet uptake is consistently lower among children and young people with learning disabilities. Why this happens is not understood locally: immunisation, education and special school records sit in separate systems, and no analysis has examined where uptake breaks down for this group.

This four-month project will produce the first local description of the problem. The trainee will complete a focused review of published barriers to vaccination in this population, then work with local public health colleagues and the school-aged immunisation service to analyse existing anonymised uptake data, comparing special and mainstream school settings across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Alongside this, they will map the delivery pathway and speak with immunisation staff to identify practical failure points.

Outputs will be a service evaluation report for local commissioners, a conference abstract, and a scoped proposal for future intervention work. Using existing routine data and staff-level scoping avoids lengthy ethics timelines, making delivery realistic within the block. The supervisor's established vaccination partnerships across LLR provide immediate access to the necessary data and stakeholders.

Supervisor: Dr Hakeem Yusuff ([email protected])

I am the research lead on the intensive care unit at Glenfield hospital and my research interests include ECMO for cardiogenic shock, fungal infections in patients on extracorporeal support and ECMO related coagulopathy. In addition, as part of the UK ECMO research network, we are involved in collaborative projects with other ECMO centres. We are the host siter for the Protecting the right ventricle network (PRORVnet) through which we are coordinating research looking at strategies to manage right ventricular injury in critically ill patients. We have opportunities to be part of phase I and phase II studies both in critical care and anaesthesia.

Supervisor: Dr Sarah Seaton ([email protected])

I am the co-principal investigator of the Paediatric Intensive Care Audit Network (PICANet: https://www.picanet.org.uk/) that collects data from all Paediatric Intensive Care Units in the UK and Ireland. Students are encouraged to discuss potential projects at the earliest opportunity. Broadly, we are able to offer projects related to our healthcare improvement goals which currently include:

• Supporting organisations to understand factors associated with emergency readmission to PICU
• Reducing variation in specialised transport team mobilisation times and access to PICU
• Reducing rates and variations in unplanned extubations
• Understanding variation and predictors of length of stay and time of discharge

Supervisor: Professor Claire Meek ([email protected])

Claire Meek runs observational and interventional studies of women with diabetes in pregnancy, aiming to improve outcomes for mothers and babies, especially in under-represented groups. 

Subject areas: gestational diabetes, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, obesity, nutrition in pregnancy. 

Supervisor: Dr Harriet Walter ([email protected])

My research interests are in therapeutic drug development, the design and delivery of early phase clinical trials, and the development and assessment of novel therapies in B cell malignancies.

Within our group we offer the opportunity to be involved in both wet lab projects and clinically focused projects around ongoing studies conducted within the Hope Cancer Trials Centre. The project would be tailored to the individual.
Our laboratory work is focused on understanding the mechanisms underlying inherent resistance to CD20 therapies and small molecule inhibitors in high grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).  Each year approximately 5000 people per year will be diagnosed in the UK with high grade NHL.  Chemoimmunotherapy has transformed outcomes for patients with high grade NHL; however, 20-30% of patients either fail to respond or relapse early following CD20 targeted treatment requiring further treatment lines and often resulting in poorer clinical outcomes. Understanding the mechanisms underlying inherent resistance to CD20 therapies therefore represents a major unmet clinical need.  Within this work programme, we offer the opportunity to undertake a research project gaining wet lab experience utilising cell lines and patient samples focused on understanding why this differential response is seen. 

Clinically focused projects include the opportunity to undertake a project examining inclusivity within clinical trials or measures of social adversity in people with cancer receiving anti-cancer therapies to understand how these impact outcomes, not only response and survival but also toxicity.

Supervisor: Dr Maurice Dungey ([email protected])

We have a broad range of projects in the field of Oncology. Leicester is an internationally recognised centre for Mesothelioma research, this is a rare cancer associated with asbestos exposure. We will work to create a project and experience that will be most useful for the applicant. This can include wet-lab experience, bioinformatics, time on the oncology trials unit (Hope Centre) and experience of clinical trials clinics.  

Recent large investigator-led clinical trials from our lab include: MiST 1-5, NERO, CONFIRM, VIM. We also run industry-led trials including MITOPE and eVOLVE-Meso in Leicester.

Our next investigator-led umbrella trial will be SELECT, a molecularly-stratified phase II trial for patients with relapsed mesothelioma. This is due to open in 2025.

Data collected from these previous trials includes whole-exome sequencing, RNA, spatial transcriptomics and proteomics from the cancer tissue; we can then correlate these with clinical outcomes (treatment response, survival, toxicity).

Depending on your aims/preferences the project could include: using data collected from trials to analyse drivers of treatment response/resistance; collecting and analysing real-world data on immunotherapy response and toxicity; or a systematic review - ideas include creating a living systematic review of phase 2/3 trials and meta-analysing placebo/supportive care in randomised trials.

Supervisor: Professor Martin Dyer ([email protected])

The Ernest and Helen Scott Haematological Research Institute in the University of Leicester develops and assesses new precision medicines for the lymphoid malignancies). My group focusses on the targeted therapy of lymphoid malignancies. We have a number of inter-related clinical and translational/reverse translational laboratory projects investigating the modes of action and efficacy of precision medicines, including bispecific antibodies and small molecule inhibitors.

Supervisor: Mr Tim Rattay ([email protected])

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, accounting for over 50,000 new cases per year. Thankfully, the vast majority of breast cancers are treatable. Approximately 800,000 women previously diagnosed with breast cancer were estimated to be alive in the UK in 2020 - a figure predicted to rise to over 1.2 million by 2030. Surgery and radiotherapy are the most commonly used breast cancer treatments. However about 1 in 5 patients will experience moderate to severe side-effects (toxicity) from treatment.

My main research interests are in the prediction and reduction of adverse outcomes in breast cancer treatment.  My research is focused on validating clinical and molecular predictors of toxicity as well as discovering new predictors through genome-wide association studies, and Big Data and artificial intelligence (AI) approaches, and I am also interested in applying qualitative research methodology to explore breast cancer survivors’ views and experience of treatment and personalised medicine.  I work in a multi-disciplinary research team with surgeons, oncologists, nurses, clinical psychologists, geneticists, radiographers and medical physicists.  

Supervisor: Dr Sam Khan ([email protected])

Generating a 3D human tissue model to aid development of lung cancer treatment and prevention agents

Our group focuses on the preclinical and clinical development of cancer treatment and preventive therapies. Assessing the influence of drug interventions on the immune system in preclinical models remains challenging. Commonly used models have limitations which impact on translation to a clinical setting; Patient-derived organoids rely on cellular disassociation, which destroys the tumour microenvironment; Patient-derived xenografts are undertaken in immunocompromised mice, and replacement of the human stroma with mouse stroma is often observed which may influence drug activity and humanised mouse xenograft systems offer intact immune systems but are expensive, slow to develop and have engraftment limitations. To overcome these limitations and complement existing pre-clinical assays, we hope to culture and maintain patient tissues in short term cultures, termed patient-derived explants (PDEs). We are interested in how lung cancer treatment and prevention agents can modulate key cancer related pathways. 

MIRAGE: Multidimensional Liquid Biopsy Profiling for Prediction and Characterisation of Resistance to Cancer Immunotherapy and Guided Combined Therapies

The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), especially anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1), and anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA4), has revolutionalised oncology, becoming a new standard of care in first or subsequent lines across various solid cancer types. However, clinical response to ICI monotherapy remains limited, with often only 20% - 40% of patients responding to treatment, depending on cancer type and biomarker selection. Moreover, ICI-based combination immunotherapies have improved clinical efficacy, but come with increase toxicity and resistance remains an issue. 

Currently, there are no biomarkers available to predict sensitivity, resistance and/or toxicity in this setting. For effective longitudinal monitoring of patients, more information is needed on cancer evolution at the time of disease progression, which can be achieved through liquid biopsy analytes. This project aims to utilise liquid biopsy to identify potential  predictive biomarkers that will enable improved patient stratification for immunotherapy treatments. 

Supervisor: Dr Mervyn Thomas ([email protected])

The Ulverscroft Eye Unit (Ophthalmology Research Group) is a multi-disciplinary group led by Dr Mervyn Thomas (Clinical Lead). The research programme has five themes:

1. Advanced Imaging and Retinal Electrophysiology: We investigate normal and abnormal structure-function relationships in vivo across ophthalmic, neuro-ophthalmic, and genetic disorders through high-resolution imaging and retinal electrophysiology (Clinical focus).
2. Deep Learning: We develop deep learning strategies for image and video based analysis for clinical diagnostics and biobank-scale image-derived phenotype acquisition (Clinical and Computational).
3. Genotype-Phenotype Correlation: We undertake studies investigating the correlation between genotypes and phenotypes in ocular developmental disorders (Clinical focus).
4. Disease Modelling: We work in ocular and neurological disease modelling employing novel zebrafish models (Lab focus).
5. Education: We develop web-based modules and employ eye-tracking technology to analyse the interpretative behaviours of clinicians with varying levels of experience, aiming to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of clinical image analysis (Education focus)

We have a strong track record of training and developing junior doctors to develop their research and clinical portfolio. Our trainee doctors have secured prestigious fellowships such as NIHR ACF, NIHR DRF, MRC CRF, and NIHR CL. Notably, two of our junior doctors have secured posts in leading biopharmaceutical companies, Roche and Sandoz.

We welcome project discussions with trainee doctors that have an interest in a specific area within Ophthalmology, Neurology, Clinical Genetics or Clinical Education.

Supervisor: Dr Qadeer Arshad ([email protected])

Provide the fellow with the opportunity to participate in research that aims to investigate the brain mechanisms and novel treatment options for impaired movement and balance a range of ENT and neurological disorders. The supervisory team consists of Dr Qadeer Arshad and Professor Peter Rea

Supervisor: Professor Elizabeta Mukaetova-Ladinska ([email protected])

Ageing and cognitive impairment; Dementia in people with ethnic background; Validation of culture fair cognitive tests for dementia diagnosis; Risk factors for Neurodegenerative disorders in younger adults (<65 years of age); Blood and CSF dementia biomarkers; Neuroimaging to diagnose dementia

Supervisor: Dr Hamish McAuley ([email protected])

This project will characterise frailty and impaired physical function as well as measuring muscle mass and health related quality of life among individuals both seen in selected chronic disease focussed outpatient's clinics and during the time of acute hospital admissions to develop a model for understanding the drivers of declining physical and muscle function among patients with chronic disease. This project will form part of a wider program developing phenotypic biomarkers to be used in predicting physical decline and readmissions to hospital as well as guiding novel therapies and interventions targeting deteriorating muscle and physical functioning using a biomarker drive precision medicine approach.

Supervisor: Dr Richard Packer ([email protected])

Evidence synthesis: systematic search strategies, use of the GWAS Catalog and OpenGWAS, PRISMA-informed screening, and critical appraisal of genetic association studies.

Core statistical genetics: GWAS design and interpretation, SNPs and linkage disequilibrium, heritability, polygenic scores, population stratification, and the multiple testing problem — taught from the ground up.

Causal inference: two-sample Mendelian randomisation, including instrument selection, the three core assumptions, and sensitivity analyses (MR-Egger, weighted median, leave-one-out) to test for pleiotropy.

Analytical tools: R and RStudio, the TwoSampleMR package, data visualisation, and command-line basics; version control with Git and reproducible analysis scripts.

Phenotyping concepts: how pain is captured in electronic health records and prescription data, and why phenotype definition drives what a genetic study can detect.

Translational interpretation: moving from a genetic signal to a candidate gene and a plausible drug target, including the use of functional annotation resources.

Professional skills: scientific writing and abstract preparation; presenting at group meetings and journal club within an active research team; collaborative working with statisticians, bioinformaticians and clinicians; scoping an analysis to fit a fixed timeframe.

Supervisor: Professor Bee Tan ([email protected])

Observational cohort studies, clinical trials and big data science in Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Reproductive Medicine and Reproductive Sciences, Endocrinology, Metabolic and Cardiovascular Health. My research includes both clinical and laboratory research.

Supervisor: Professor Brad Manktelow ([email protected])

As part of my role, I lead the perinatal aspects of MBRRACE-UK, the national programme of work undertaking surveillance of maternal deaths, stillbirths and neonatal deaths.

MBRRACE-UK has collected information on all stillbirths and neonatal deaths across the UK since 2013. This includes clinical and sociodemographic data, and as well as the reported cause of death. Data are also available on all births over the same time period – although less detailed.

This data can be used to investigate current issues in perinatal medicine. Any project can be tailored to the interest of the trainee. Examples of possible projects include:

• Investigation of the determination and recording of cause of death in perinatal care.
• Investigation of perinatal mortality by ethnicity and sociodemographic status.
• The utility of audit data to drive improvements in the delivery of perinatal care.
• Understanding variations in perinatal mortality but service provision.

Supervisor: Professor Claire Meek ([email protected])

Claire Meek runs observational and interventional studies of women with diabetes in pregnancy, aiming to improve outcomes for mothers and babies, especially in under-represented groups. 

Subject areas: gestational diabetes, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, obesity, nutrition in pregnancy. 

Supervisor: Dr Mervyn Thomas ([email protected])

The Ulverscroft Eye Unit (Ophthalmology Research Group) is a multi-disciplinary group led by Dr Mervyn Thomas (Clinical Lead). The research programme has five themes:

1. Advanced Imaging and Retinal Electrophysiology: We investigate normal and abnormal structure-function relationships in vivo across ophthalmic, neuro-ophthalmic, and genetic disorders through high-resolution imaging and retinal electrophysiology (Clinical focus).
2. Deep Learning: We develop deep learning strategies for image and video based analysis for clinical diagnostics and biobank-scale image-derived phenotype acquisition (Clinical and Computational).
3. Genotype-Phenotype Correlation: We undertake studies investigating the correlation between genotypes and phenotypes in ocular developmental disorders (Clinical focus).
4. Disease Modelling: We work in ocular and neurological disease modelling employing novel zebrafish models (Lab focus).
5. Education: We develop web-based modules and employ eye-tracking technology to analyse the interpretative behaviours of clinicians with varying levels of experience, aiming to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of clinical image analysis (Education focus)

We have a strong track record of training and developing junior doctors to develop their research and clinical portfolio. Our trainee doctors have secured prestigious fellowships such as NIHR ACF, NIHR DRF, MRC CRF, and NIHR CL. Notably, two of our junior doctors have secured posts in leading biopharmaceutical companies, Roche and Sandoz.

We welcome project discussions with trainee doctors that have an interest in a specific area within Ophthalmology, Neurology, Clinical Genetics or Clinical Education.

Supervisor: Dr Sarah Seaton ([email protected])

I am the co-principal investigator of the Paediatric Intensive Care Audit Network (PICANet) that collects data from all Paediatric Intensive Care Units in the UK and Ireland. Students are encouraged to discuss potential projects at the earliest opportunity. Broadly, we are able to offer projects related to our healthcare improvement goals which currently include:

• Supporting organisations to understand factors associated with emergency readmission to PICU
• Reducing variation in specialised transport team mobilisation times and access to PICU
• Reducing rates and variations in unplanned extubations
• Understanding variation and predictors of length of stay and time of discharge

Supervisor: Dr Richard Packer ([email protected])

Closing the gap: understanding unequal HPV vaccine uptake among young people with learning disabilities in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland

HPV vaccination prevents the majority of cervical cancers and reduces the risk of oropharyngeal cancer. It is offered to all Year 8 pupils through school-aged immunisation services, yet uptake is consistently lower among children and young people with learning disabilities. Why this happens is not understood locally: immunisation, education and special school records sit in separate systems, and no analysis has examined where uptake breaks down for this group.

This four-month project will produce the first local description of the problem. The trainee will complete a focused review of published barriers to vaccination in this population, then work with local public health colleagues and the school-aged immunisation service to analyse existing anonymised uptake data, comparing special and mainstream school settings across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Alongside this, they will map the delivery pathway and speak with immunisation staff to identify practical failure points.

Outputs will be a service evaluation report for local commissioners, a conference abstract, and a scoped proposal for future intervention work. Using existing routine data and staff-level scoping avoids lengthy ethics timelines, making delivery realistic within the block. The supervisor's established vaccination partnerships across LLR provide immediate access to the necessary data and stakeholders.

Supervisor: Dr David Lo ([email protected])

Paediatric Respiratory Medicine - Asthma, Non-CF Bronchiectasis, Congenital Lung Malformations - clinical management and long term follow up

Supervisor: Dr Erol Gaillard ([email protected])

Childhood asthma including asthma diagnosis, monitoring of inhaler use, technology driven asthma care, severe asthma and biomarkers.

Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in cystic fibrosis, asthma and obesity

Supervisor: Professor Damian Roland ([email protected])

Scoring Systems (including Paediatric Observation Priority Score and National PEWS); Clinical Decision Making; Knowledge Translation; Social Media; Health Policy (Urgent and Emergency Care)

Supervisor: Dr Farhad Peerally ([email protected])

Theme 1: Quality and Safety in Healthcare
Exploring causes to adverse events in healthcare; Organisational learning from patient safety incidents; Resilient systems in healthcare; Applying high reliability principles in systems design.

Theme 2: Diagnostic delay in IBD across the primary–secondary care interface
Diagnostic delay is a recognised patient safety concern in inflammatory bowel disease, with the primary–secondary care interface often identified as a key point where delay accumulates — through symptom interpretation in primary care, referral triage, and communication between clinicians. This theme invites qualitative exploration of how and why these delays occur, and where they might be mitigated. It will include qualitative approaches such as semi-structured interviews or focus groups with GPs, gastroenterologists, and/or patients; discourse or thematic analysis of referral letters and clinical correspondence; or documentary analysis of pathway records. Findings would inform practical recommendations for referral pathway design, primary care education, or standardised communication tools, contributing to both IBD service quality and broader patient safety scholarship.

Theme 3: Access to urgent/flare care and self-management support in IBD
Timely access to specialist advice during a flare is a recurrent safety concern, with delayed escalation linked to avoidable harm and hospital admission. This theme explores how patients and clinicians navigate urgent access routes (helplines, virtual clinics, self-referral pathways) and how self-management support shapes when and how patients seek help.

Supervisor: Dr Catherine John ([email protected])

Healthcare data represents an extraordinarily rich - and ever-growing - resource for understanding the determinants of health and disease.  In England, GPs and other healthcare practitioners working in primary care have recorded information about patients' health in computerised form since the 1990s, giving insight into changes in people's health over time.  This can contribute to our understanding of epidemiological questions about factors that contribute to disease onset, severity or progression (for example, amongst people with depression, assessing which factors are associated with treatment-resistant disease) but also questions about healthcare provision and inequalities (for example, understanding why, how and amongst which groups demand for appointments has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic).

Using a local Leicester-based cohort study with linked electronic healthcare data (EXCEED), you will be able to design and then answer a question of interest to you. You will develop skills for quantitative data management and analysis, as well as critiquing and appraising the literature, which will be invaluable in virtually any academic or clinical career.

You will be based in a multi-disciplinary group which spans public health, primary care, statistics, genetic epidemiology and analysis of “omics” data, including proteomics. You will be exposed to a wide variety of cutting-edge research methods and datasets, through weekly journal clubs and regular seminars.  If analysis of genetics and omics data is of interest to you, there will also be opportunities to gain experience of this.

Particularly suitable for SFP doctors interested in careers in public health and/or general practice but projects could be developed that are relevant to virtually any specialty.

Supervisor: Dr David Lo ([email protected])

Paediatric Respiratory Medicine - Asthma, Non-CF Bronchiectasis, Congenital Lung Malformations - clinical management and long term follow up

Supervisor: Dr Pranab Haldar ([email protected])

To understand the mechanisms of Mtb infection and the different clinical phenotypes that arise from this. Our objective is to develop better biomarkers and diagnostic tools for characterising Mtb infection states in a way that improves clinical management.   

Projects are available in the following areas:

• Data Analysis
• Systematic Reviews
• TB-related Radiology
• Participation in Prospective Clinical Studies

Supervisor: Dr Mohammed Elwan ([email protected])

I am offering a portfolio of six ED-focused projects suitable for Specialised Foundation Doctors. Each can be completed within a 4-month block using retrospective anonymised data, audit, or service evaluation, and requires no REC approval. Projects are flexible to trainee interests and include:

1. CT Head in Traumatic Brain Injury – audit of guideline adherence and diagnostic yield.
2. High-Sensitivity Troponin Pathways – evaluation of early discharge vs admission, and impact of incidental elevations.
3. AI in ED Triage – retrospective application of published AI models to triage data, assessing predictive accuracy.
4. CT Pulmonary Angiography in PE – appropriateness and yield of CTPA requests vs Wells/YEARS criteria.
5. Climate and ED Demand – correlating attendances with weather/air quality data.
6. Staffing vs Activity Modelling – analysis of historical demand patterns to identify rota–activity mismatches.

These projects will provide the trainee with experience in data analysis, clinical audit, quality improvement, and exposure to cutting-edge themes in emergency medicine. They are designed to be achievable, produce tangible outputs (audit presentation, conference abstracts, manuscripts), and align with current NHS research and service priorities

Supervisor: Dr Richard Packer ([email protected])

My research interests are in genetic epidemiology and data science. My work focuses on taking electronic healthcare records and studying specific measurements to generate phenotypes representing the spectrum of human disease (phenome). I then interrogate the genetic underpinnings of these phenotypes using phenome-wide association studies, genome-wide association studies and Mendelian randomisation techniques.

The potential project idea is to apply a phenome-wide association method I developed (DeepPheWAS) to the human leucocyte antigen (HLA) region. This region is well-known for its association with autoimmune and rheumatological diseases. Due to its complex genetic structure and high degree of variability, it is often excluded from routine genetic analysis. This has led to an obvious gap in the literature, with no authoritative characterisation of the pleiotropic effects of HLA variation. This exciting project intends to fill that gap. 

Aim: To characterise the pleiotropic effects of HLA variation on human disease.

I foresee the project having two initial objectives.

1. Perform a phenome-wide association study using the imputed HLA region in the UK Biobank. I have access to the imputed HLA region and have written the software for the phenome-wide association testing.
2. Explore the association results to understand the pleiotropic effects of HLA variation. I expect that there will be many associations beyond the expected autoimmune/rheumatologic disease. Some of these associations may be well known to co-occur with autoimmune disease, or some may be entirely novel. This element of the project is greatly enhanced by clinical training and understanding of human disease. At a minimum, there would be a good paper here.

Extensions: This project allows multiple extensions from the baseline described above, depending on the trainee's interests and skill development.

1. Extend the analysis to whole genome/exome sequencing data OR explore alternative imputation approaches. Sequenced data allows the direct measurement of HLA alleles, allowing for greater granularity in specific alleles' effects on disease and would be entirely novel for the field.
2. Extend the analysis of initial association results by exploring Mendelian randomisation methods to assess causality. Many HLA associations are statistically strong, which can be leveraged to understand better the causality between autoimmune/rheumatological conditions and other co-morbid diseases.

Expected output: With no extensions, this work should justify a good-quality journal article.

Training/skills development: We would be able to provide training to people unfamiliar with Linux-based computing and the R language within the group. However, depending on the trainee's skill set and desire, the project can be tailored to focus more on clinical interpretation; the initial objectives would not require significant skill development but would leverage the clinical training. The trainee should leave the project equipped to handle large datasets, with a high likelihood of material sufficient for a manuscript for publication.

The group has experience of supporting clinical trainees in developing their academic skill sets and working with them to maximise output in limited research time.

Supervisor: Dr Richard Packer ([email protected])

Closing the gap: understanding unequal HPV vaccine uptake among young people with learning disabilities in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland

HPV vaccination prevents the majority of cervical cancers and reduces the risk of oropharyngeal cancer. It is offered to all Year 8 pupils through school-aged immunisation services, yet uptake is consistently lower among children and young people with learning disabilities. Why this happens is not understood locally: immunisation, education and special school records sit in separate systems, and no analysis has examined where uptake breaks down for this group.

This four-month project will produce the first local description of the problem. The trainee will complete a focused review of published barriers to vaccination in this population, then work with local public health colleagues and the school-aged immunisation service to analyse existing anonymised uptake data, comparing special and mainstream school settings across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Alongside this, they will map the delivery pathway and speak with immunisation staff to identify practical failure points.

Outputs will be a service evaluation report for local commissioners, a conference abstract, and a scoped proposal for future intervention work. Using existing routine data and staff-level scoping avoids lengthy ethics timelines, making delivery realistic within the block. The supervisor's established vaccination partnerships across LLR provide immediate access to the necessary data and stakeholders.

Supervisor: Dr Richard Packer ([email protected])

Evidence synthesis: systematic search strategies, use of the GWAS Catalog and OpenGWAS, PRISMA-informed screening, and critical appraisal of genetic association studies.

Core statistical genetics: GWAS design and interpretation, SNPs and linkage disequilibrium, heritability, polygenic scores, population stratification, and the multiple testing problem — taught from the ground up.

Causal inference: two-sample Mendelian randomisation, including instrument selection, the three core assumptions, and sensitivity analyses (MR-Egger, weighted median, leave-one-out) to test for pleiotropy.

Analytical tools: R and RStudio, the TwoSampleMR package, data visualisation, and command-line basics; version control with Git and reproducible analysis scripts.

Phenotyping concepts: how pain is captured in electronic health records and prescription data, and why phenotype definition drives what a genetic study can detect.

Translational interpretation: moving from a genetic signal to a candidate gene and a plausible drug target, including the use of functional annotation resources.

Professional skills: scientific writing and abstract preparation; presenting at group meetings and journal club within an active research team; collaborative working with statisticians, bioinformaticians and clinicians; scoping an analysis to fit a fixed timeframe.

Supervisor: Professor Gerry McCann ([email protected])

My research programme is focused on using cardiac MRI and other imaging to better understand cardiovascular disease in vivo, developing and assessing novel treatments and implementing large multi-centre trials that change clinical practice. We have world-class imaging facilities funded by the BHF and NIHR.

Currently active studies include lifestyle and drug interventions in diabetic cardiomyopathy, imaging and plasma biomarkers in aortic stenosis, validating novel methods of cardiac dysfunction.

Studies due to commence include randomised trials in NSTEMI, Aortic stenosis and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. We have active collaborations with local machine learning experts, the “omics” group and diabetes researchers as well as numerous national and international collaborators.

Our group has published over 130 papers in the last 5 years including JAMA, NEJM and all the top cardiovascular journals. We have an outstanding track record in developing junior researchers – all of whom have had significant outputs and career progression. 

Supervisor: Dr Pranab Haldar ([email protected])

To understand the mechanisms of Mtb infection and the different clinical phenotypes that arise from this. Our objective is to develop better biomarkers and diagnostic tools for characterising Mtb infection states in a way that improves clinical management.

Supervisors: Professor Matt Bown ([email protected]) and  Professor Thanos Saratzis ([email protected])

This project offers an Academic Foundation Programme doctor the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge vascular surgery research at the University of Leicester, aligned with an NIHR Professorship in improving care for people with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). These common vascular conditions are associated with high risks of cardiovascular events, limb loss, and premature death, yet most patients do not receive guideline-recommended therapy.

The doctor will focus on developing CIRCULIFE, a novel clinical intervention combining two NIHR-funded programmes (CHABLIS and CRISP) into a single evidence-based toolkit to optimise medical therapy, lifestyle support, and patient education. Work Package 1 will establish a dynamic evidence-review system and international dataset to ensure CIRCULIFE remains up to date. Work Package 2 will convene diverse patient and professional groups, ensuring the intervention reflects the needs of under-served communities. Work Package 3 will use surveys, workshops, and consensus methods to define the optimal structure, content, and delivery of CIRCULIFE across NHS and international settings. An AFP doctor will gain experience in literature review, qualitative research, patient involvement, and intervention design, contributing to research that aims to improve outcomes, reduce inequalities, and transform vascular care delivery in the NHS.

We have opportunities covering all aspects of vascular surgery in addition, please contact us if you are interested in discussing alternative projects.

Supervisor: Professor Jon Barratt ([email protected])

The Leicester IgA nephropathy group study the pathogenesis of this common kidney disease. We use cutting edge molecular and "omics" techniques in in vitro and in vivo models of disease to examine the pathological basis of the disease.  Our research is focussed on a bench to bedside approach to improving our understanding of the pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy a common global cause of kidney failure. We undertake basic laboratory work using both animal models and clinical human studies and are able to train interested academic Foundation doctors in a wide range of laboratory skills. We are also interested in understanding the patient journey and have a number of patient-focussed studies examining the impact of living with a rare disease.  We have a proven track record of converting aFY doctors to ACFs in a range of clinical specialties.

Supervisor: Professor James Burton ([email protected])

The Leicester Partnership for Kidney Health Research has a wide range of research projects and opportunities for clinical academics at all levels of training. Our current trials include basic research to look at circulating biomarkers of cardiovascular risk and muscle health in patients with kidney disease, new imaging techniques to assess cardiac function and interventions to improve patient outcomes (primarily cardiovascular) and clinical trials to improve quality of life for patients with advanced kidney disease and those on dialysis.

New team members would have a chance to experience all of these areas or to focus on one in particular and to gain insight into clinical academic training within a team that includes Academic Clinical Fellows and current PhD students.

Anyone joining the team would be able to get experience in how a clinical trial works and the governance of clinical research, as well as helping to recruit patients and collect data in our projects looking at: neuromuscular stimulation for people on dialysis as a way to impact on sarcopenia and frailty; interventions designed to assess and improve sleep disordered breathing, cognition and other symptoms; novel cardiac imaging techniques and the assessment of cardiovascular disease. We have strong ties with the Department of Population Health Sciences and so you would also be able to learn qualitative as well as qualitative research methods and the importance of cost effectiveness evaluation when designing health research.

Supervisor: Dr Haresh Selvaskandan ([email protected])

Primary glomerular diseases are the third leading cause of kidney failure worldwide. They can disproportionately affect young adults and progress more rapidly to kidney failure. Their heterogenous impact on glomeruli makes conventional methods of analysis (single cell sequencing, laser capture microdissection) prone to signal mixing, clouding mechanistic insights. Digital spatial profiling allows high resolution analysis of specific cell types within defined tissue regions. Our lab is one of the few in the world to routinely apply this methodology to kidney tissue. The SFP can gain comprehensive training in this methodology which will involve a combination of common wet laboratory methods and bioinformatic skills, and apply it to one of several glomerular diseases (IgA nephropathy, IgA vasculitis, lupus nephritis, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis) to better characterise the pathways driving disease. 

Alongside this, our group is developing an AI powered ChatBot to support patients with IgA nephropathy. The SFP can gain experience with qualitative research, centred around exploring views and attitudes among patients and clinicians with regards to the Chatbot, and explore it’s potential for broader use in other glomerular diseases. 

We are also conducting studies exploring the impact of loin pain in IgA nephropathy. The SFP could contribute to a literature review of pain in kidney disease and support with patient recruitment for this study.

Supervisor: Dr Hamish McAuley ([email protected])

This project will characterise frailty and impaired physical function as well as measuring muscle mass and health related quality of life among individuals both seen in selected chronic disease focussed outpatient's clinics and during the time of acute hospital admissions to develop a model for understanding the drivers of declining physical and muscle function among patients with chronic disease. This project will form part of a wider program developing phenotypic biomarkers to be used in predicting physical decline and readmissions to hospital as well as guiding novel therapies and interventions targeting deteriorating muscle and physical functioning using a biomarker drive precision medicine approach.

Supervisor: Dr Neil Greening ([email protected])

Areas in COPD research, particularly around acute exacerbations and looking at non-pulmonary consequences (e.g. muscle wasting)

Supervisor: Dr Pranab Haldar ([email protected])

To understand the mechanisms of Mtb infection and the different clinical phenotypes that arise from this. Our objective is to develop better biomarkers and diagnostic tools for characterising Mtb infection states in a way that improves clinical management.   

Projects are available in the following areas:

• Data Analysis
• Systematic Reviews
• TB-related Radiology
• Participation in Prospective Clinical Studies

Supervisor: Dr David Lo ([email protected])

Paediatric Respiratory Medicine - Asthma, Non-CF Bronchiectasis, Congenital Lung Malformations - clinical management and long term follow up

Supervisor: Dr Erol Gaillard ([email protected])

Childhood asthma including asthma diagnosis, monitoring of inhaler use, technology driven asthma care, severe asthma and biomarkers.
Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in cystic fibrosis, asthma and obesity.

Supervisor: Dr Hamish McAuley ([email protected])

This project will characterise frailty and impaired physical function as well as measuring muscle mass and health related quality of life among individuals both seen in selected chronic disease focussed outpatient's clinics and during the time of acute hospital admissions to develop a model for understanding the drivers of declining physical and muscle function among patients with chronic disease. This project will form part of a wider program developing phenotypic biomarkers to be used in predicting physical decline and readmissions to hospital as well as guiding novel therapies and interventions targeting deteriorating muscle and physical functioning using a biomarker drive precision medicine approach.

Supervisor: Dr Richard Packer ([email protected])

My research interests are in genetic epidemiology and data science. My work focuses on taking electronic healthcare records and studying specific measurements to generate phenotypes representing the spectrum of human disease (phenome). I then interrogate the genetic underpinnings of these phenotypes using phenome-wide association studies, genome-wide association studies and Mendelian randomisation techniques.

The potential project idea is to apply a phenome-wide association method I developed (DeepPheWAS) to the human leucocyte antigen (HLA) region. This region is well-known for its association with autoimmune and rheumatological diseases. Due to its complex genetic structure and high degree of variability, it is often excluded from routine genetic analysis. This has led to an obvious gap in the literature, with no authoritative characterisation of the pleiotropic effects of HLA variation. This exciting project intends to fill that gap. 

Aim: To characterise the pleiotropic effects of HLA variation on human disease.

I foresee the project having two initial objectives.

1. Perform a phenome-wide association study using the imputed HLA region in the UK Biobank. I have access to the imputed HLA region and have written the software for the phenome-wide association testing.
2. Explore the association results to understand the pleiotropic effects of HLA variation. I expect that there will be many associations beyond the expected autoimmune/rheumatologic disease. Some of these associations may be well known to co-occur with autoimmune disease, or some may be entirely novel. This element of the project is greatly enhanced by clinical training and understanding of human disease. At a minimum, there would be a good paper here.

Extensions: This project allows multiple extensions from the baseline described above, depending on the trainee's interests and skill development.

1. Extend the analysis to whole genome/exome sequencing data OR explore alternative imputation approaches. Sequenced data allows the direct measurement of HLA alleles, allowing for greater granularity in specific alleles' effects on disease and would be entirely novel for the field.
2. Extend the analysis of initial association results by exploring Mendelian randomisation methods to assess causality. Many HLA associations are statistically strong, which can be leveraged to understand better the causality between autoimmune/rheumatological conditions and other co-morbid diseases.

Expected output: With no extensions, this work should justify a good-quality journal article.

Training/skills development: We would be able to provide training to people unfamiliar with Linux-based computing and the R language within the group. However, depending on the trainee's skill set and desire, the project can be tailored to focus more on clinical interpretation; the initial objectives would not require significant skill development but would leverage the clinical training. The trainee should leave the project equipped to handle large datasets, with a high likelihood of material sufficient for a manuscript for publication.

The group has experience of supporting clinical trainees in developing their academic skill sets and working with them to maximise output in limited research time.

Supervisor: Dr Seth O'Neill ([email protected])

The School of Healthcare, University of Leicester, and UHL NHS trust have a core partnership through the Institute for Excellence in healthcare and Leicester Orthopaedics. Within this partnership we have a large variety of projects suitable for SFP's then focus on MSK complaints. Projects run the spectrum of methods and cover any disease within the MSK spectrum from trauma to overuse conditions(Osteoarthritis, arthroplasty, trauma, tendinopathy)  

Supervisor: Dr Harvinder Singh ([email protected]), Dr Veena Patel ([email protected]) and Dr Seth O'Neill ([email protected])

Proximal humerus fractures are the third most common fragility fracture in the UK, after hip and distal radius fractures. Their incidence is increasing, driven by an ageing population and rising rates of obesity. Both osteoporosis and obesity are highly prevalent in the UK and exert complex, and sometimes opposing, effects on bone health. Osteoporosis weakens bone strength and predisposes to fragility fractures, while obesity may confer partial protection through higher bone density but is also linked to impaired bone quality, altered biomechanics, and worse postoperative outcomes. The interplay between these two conditions in UK patients with proximal humerus fractures remains poorly understood.

This project will investigate how osteoporosis and obesity interact to influence the risk, management, and recovery of proximal humerus fractures in UK patients. Using a combination of national registry data, hospital datasets, and prospective clinical cohorts, the study will assess prevalence, treatment outcomes, complication rates, healthcare utilisation, and patient-reported function. Subgroup analyses will identify those most vulnerable to poor recovery or recurrent fracture.

Findings will inform NHS fracture care pathways, guide targeted prevention strategies, and improve treatment decision-making in an increasingly multimorbid UK population.

This research offers ACF applicants the chance to address a pressing clinical and public health challenge with high relevance to UK practice.

Two questions to ask:

1. Humerus fracture in UHL in last 12 months (type, site, mechanism of injury, Vit D levels, co-morbidities) against BMI; if >50 years old, please get the DEXA and will review the T scores
2. Humerus fracture and IMD status (just the post-code will give the IMD index) and ethnicity/gender  (are there any difference in the type of fracture and outcomes)

Supervisor: Dr Hamish McAuley ([email protected])

This project will characterise frailty and impaired physical function as well as measuring muscle mass and health related quality of life among individuals both seen in selected chronic disease focussed outpatient's clinics and during the time of acute hospital admissions to develop a model for understanding the drivers of declining physical and muscle function among patients with chronic disease. This project will form part of a wider program developing phenotypic biomarkers to be used in predicting physical decline and readmissions to hospital as well as guiding novel therapies and interventions targeting deteriorating muscle and physical functioning using a biomarker drive precision medicine approach.

Supervisor: Dr Richard Packer ([email protected])

Evidence synthesis: systematic search strategies, use of the GWAS Catalog and OpenGWAS, PRISMA-informed screening, and critical appraisal of genetic association studies.

Core statistical genetics: GWAS design and interpretation, SNPs and linkage disequilibrium, heritability, polygenic scores, population stratification, and the multiple testing problem — taught from the ground up.

Causal inference: two-sample Mendelian randomisation, including instrument selection, the three core assumptions, and sensitivity analyses (MR-Egger, weighted median, leave-one-out) to test for pleiotropy.

Analytical tools: R and RStudio, the TwoSampleMR package, data visualisation, and command-line basics; version control with Git and reproducible analysis scripts.

Phenotyping concepts: how pain is captured in electronic health records and prescription data, and why phenotype definition drives what a genetic study can detect.

Translational interpretation: moving from a genetic signal to a candidate gene and a plausible drug target, including the use of functional annotation resources.

Professional skills: scientific writing and abstract preparation; presenting at group meetings and journal club within an active research team; collaborative working with statisticians, bioinformaticians and clinicians; scoping an analysis to fit a fixed timeframe.

Bariatric Surgery

Supervisor: Dr Dimitrios Papamargaritis ([email protected])

My research focuses on how to best combine lifestyle, pharmacotherapy and bariatric surgery to help people living with obesity. I am currently studying the mechanisms of weight loss with the new obesity pharmacotherapies and I am also trying to identify potential treatments for postprandial hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia, a disabling metabolic complication after bariatric surgery. My research projects would be suitable for a clinical academic with interest in experimental medicine in the area of obesity, cardiometabolic health and type 2 diabetes.

Breast Surgery

Supervisor: Mr Tim Rattay ([email protected])

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, accounting for over 50,000 new cases per year. Thankfully, the vast majority of breast cancers are treatable. Approximately 800,000 women previously diagnosed with breast cancer were estimated to be alive in the UK in 2020 - a figure predicted to rise to over 1.2 million by 2030. Surgery and radiotherapy are the most commonly used breast cancer treatments. However about 1 in 5 patients will experience moderate to severe side-effects (toxicity) from treatment.

My main research interests are in the prediction and reduction of adverse outcomes in breast cancer treatment.  My research is focused on validating clinical and molecular predictors of toxicity as well as discovering new predictors through genome-wide association studies, and Big Data and artificial intelligence (AI) approaches, and I am also interested in applying qualitative research methodology to explore breast cancer survivors’ views and experience of treatment and personalised medicine.  I work in a multi-disciplinary research team with surgeons, oncologists, nurses, clinical psychologists, geneticists, radiographers and medical physicists.  

Colorectal Surgery

Supervisor: Dr Khalid Hureibi ([email protected])

This project will evaluate how patients with long-term bowel symptoms following colorectal cancer resection are currently assessed and managed within our institution and compare our practice with the 2025 BSG guidance. The project will examine whether bowel function is actively assessed during follow-up, whether validated symptom or quality-of-life measures such as the gastrointestinal symptom rating scale or EORTC QLQ-CR29 are used, whether the impact of bowel dysfunction on quality of life is documented, whether appropriate referral is considered for patients with significant symptoms, and whether recommended first-line measures such as dietary and fluid modification, bowel-habit advice, toileting measures, fibre supplementation and appropriate medication are offered and documented. The findings will identify areas where current practice differs from guideline recommendations and will be used to develop practical recommendations for improving follow-up, including a more structured assessment of bowel function, appropriate use of patient-reported outcome measures and a clear pathway for conservative treatment and onward referral.

Thoracic Surgery

Supervisor: Mr Edward Caruana ([email protected])

Thoracic Surgery spans a diverse spectrum of benign and malignant disease, and benefits from close collaboration and a degree of overlap with numerous other specialties, including Respiratory Medicine, Oncology and Critical Care.

My research interests are in pneumothorax, emphysema, diaphragm dysfunction, perioperative care (with an emphasis on pain), advanced lung cancer, surgical education and risk communication.

Vascular Surgery

Supervisors: Professor Matt Bown ([email protected]) and Professor Thanos Saratzis ([email protected])

This project offers an Academic Foundation Programme doctor the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge vascular surgery research at the University of Leicester, aligned with an NIHR Professorship in improving care for people with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). These common vascular conditions are associated with high risks of cardiovascular events, limb loss, and premature death, yet most patients do not receive guideline-recommended therapy.

The doctor will focus on developing CIRCULIFE, a novel clinical intervention combining two NIHR-funded programmes (CHABLIS and CRISP) into a single evidence-based toolkit to optimise medical therapy, lifestyle support, and patient education. Work Package 1 will establish a dynamic evidence-review system and international dataset to ensure CIRCULIFE remains up to date. Work Package 2 will convene diverse patient and professional groups, ensuring the intervention reflects the needs of under-served communities. Work Package 3 will use surveys, workshops, and consensus methods to define the optimal structure, content, and delivery of CIRCULIFE across NHS and international settings. An AFP doctor will gain experience in literature review, qualitative research, patient involvement, and intervention design, contributing to research that aims to improve outcomes, reduce inequalities, and transform vascular care delivery in the NHS.

We have opportunities covering all aspects of vascular surgery in addition, please contact us if you are interested in discussing alternative projects.

Supervisor: Dr Meiling MacDonald-Nethercott ([email protected])

Our research interest is in precision vascular medicine, with a particular focus on developing biomarker-guided strategies to personalise antiplatelet therapy for patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Despite advances in revascularisation, many patients continue to suffer major adverse limb events, amputations, and death. Although antiplatelet therapy is the cornerstone of treatment, there is currently no routine method to monitor its effectiveness, and no standard strategy to identify patients who remain at high risk of thrombotic events.

This project aims to investigate how longitudinal changes in platelet function and glycaemic control (HbA1c) influence clinical outcomes following lower limb revascularisation. Using serial biomarker measurements alongside prospective clinical follow-up, we seek to identify clinically actionable biomarkers that can predict treatment response and enable targeted, personalised antithrombotic therapy.

Aim: To develop a precision medicine approach for patients with peripheral arterial disease by integrating biomarkers of platelet function and metabolic health.

Objectives

1. To analyse longitudinal changes in platelet function and HbA1c following lower limb revascularisation.
2. To examine the predictive value of these biomarkers for adverse limb and cardiovascular outcomes.
3. To apply statistical modelling to develop and validate a biomarker-guided clinical prediction tool.
4. To generate evidence supporting future personalised antithrombotic treatment strategies.

Our long-term vision is to translate these findings into clinical practice, delivering precision medicine that improves outcomes for patients with PAD.

Supervisor: Dr Meiling MacDonald-Nethercott ([email protected])

Our research interest is in improving peri-operative outcomes for patients with chronic limb-threatening ischaemia (CLTI), with a particular focus on thrombotic risk and personalised antithrombotic therapy. Patients with CLTI undergoing lower-limb revascularisation remain at substantial risk of peri-operative arterial thrombosis, graft or intervention failure, major adverse limb events and cardiovascular complications. Fibrinogen is a central component of coagulation and clot formation and may provide a clinically accessible marker of a prothrombotic state; however, its peri-operative behaviour and potential value for risk stratification in CLTI are incompletely characterised.

This project will explore the role of fibrinogen testing across the peri-operative episode in patients undergoing revascularisation for CLTI. By examining fibrinogen measurements alongside clinical characteristics, procedural factors, antithrombotic treatment and subsequent thromboembolic outcomes, we aim to determine whether fibrinogen can identify patients at increased thrombotic risk.

The study will also explore the relationship between fibrinogen, use of anticoagulant/antithrombotic agents and clinical outcomes. This is intended as hypothesis-generating work to define a new research area and inform future prospective studies evaluating whether biomarker-guided optimisation of antithrombotic therapy could reduce thromboembolic complications after CLTI revascularisation.

Aim: To investigate the clinical utility of peri-operative fibrinogen level as a marker of thrombotic risk in patients undergoing lower-limb revascularisation for CLTI, and to explore its potential role in informing future personalised antithrombotic strategies.

Objectives

1. To characterise fibrinogen levels and, where serial measurements are available, peri-operative changes in fibrinogen in patients undergoing revascularisation for CLTI.
2. To examine associations between fibrinogen levels and thromboembolic outcomes, including early re-intervention, graft/stent thrombosis or occlusion, major adverse limb events, amputation and cardiovascular events.
3. To explore associations between peri-operative antithrombotic therapy—including anticoagulant and antiplatelet exposure—and thrombotic outcomes, accounting for relevant clinical and procedural factors.
4. To assess whether fibrinogen provides incremental prognostic information that could support future thrombotic risk stratification.
5. To generate preliminary data and hypotheses for a future prospective study or clinical trial evaluating biomarker-guided antithrombotic strategies in CLTI.

Long-term vision: to establish a programme of translational vascular research examining whether coagulation biomarkers can identify high-risk CLTI phenotypes and ultimately support safer, targeted and personalised antithrombotic therapy.

Supervisor: Dr Seth O'Neill ([email protected])

The School of Healthcare, University of Leicester, and UHL NHS trust have a core partnership through the Institute for Excellence in healthcare and Leicester Orthopaedics. Within this partnership we have a large variety of projects suitable for SFP's then focus on MSK complaints. Projects run the spectrum of methods and cover any disease within the MSK spectrum from trauma to overuse conditions(Osteoarthritis, arthroplasty, trauma, tendinopathy)

Supervisor: Mr Kunal Kulkarni ([email protected])

Exploring Patient Experience of Virtual Reality (VR) during Orthopaedic Surgery Under Spinal or Regional Anaesthesia: A Mixed-Methods Study. This pilot study aims to explore the feasibility and patient experience of using VR during awake orthopaedic surgery. Both qualitative (interview data) and quantitative measures (patient-reported pain, anxiety, satisfaction, intra-operative sedative requirement), will be collected. The findings will guide the development of subsequent research, including potential comparative studies evaluating immersive VR against other distraction strategies such as music or standard audiovisual screens.

Supervisor: Dr Harvinder Singh ([email protected]), Dr Veena Patel ([email protected]) and Dr Seth O'Neill ([email protected])

Proximal humerus fractures are the third most common fragility fracture in the UK, after hip and distal radius fractures. Their incidence is increasing, driven by an ageing population and rising rates of obesity. Both osteoporosis and obesity are highly prevalent in the UK and exert complex, and sometimes opposing, effects on bone health. Osteoporosis weakens bone strength and predisposes to fragility fractures, while obesity may confer partial protection through higher bone density but is also linked to impaired bone quality, altered biomechanics, and worse postoperative outcomes. The interplay between these two conditions in UK patients with proximal humerus fractures remains poorly understood.

This project will investigate how osteoporosis and obesity interact to influence the risk, management, and recovery of proximal humerus fractures in UK patients. Using a combination of national registry data, hospital datasets, and prospective clinical cohorts, the study will assess prevalence, treatment outcomes, complication rates, healthcare utilisation, and patient-reported function. Subgroup analyses will identify those most vulnerable to poor recovery or recurrent fracture.

Findings will inform NHS fracture care pathways, guide targeted prevention strategies, and improve treatment decision-making in an increasingly multimorbid UK population.

This research offers ACF applicants the chance to address a pressing clinical and public health challenge with high relevance to UK practice.

Two questions to ask:

1. Humerus fracture in UHL in last 12 months (type, site, mechanism of injury, Vit D levels, co-morbidities) against BMI; if >50 years old, please get the DEXA and will review the T scores
2. Humerus fracture and IMD status (just the post-code will give the IMD index) and ethnicity/gender (are there any difference in the type of fracture and outcomes)

Supervisor: Dr Harvinder Singh ([email protected])

Early mobilisation after elbow trauma: a prospective feasibility study of safety, rehabilitation practice and functional recovery.

Background and Rationale
Elbow trauma is common and can result in prolonged pain, stiffness and loss of function. The elbow is particularly vulnerable to post-traumatic stiffness, and prolonged immobilisation is a potentially modifiable risk factor. However, clinicians must balance the potential benefits of early movement against concerns about pain, fracture displacement, fixation failure and recurrent instability.
There is considerable variation in rehabilitation practice following elbow trauma, and the optimal timing of mobilisation remains uncertain. Recent NIHR-funded elbow trauma research has predominantly addressed the choice of surgical or non-operative treatment, creating an opportunity to investigate the subsequent rehabilitation pathway.

This project would provide a feasible introduction to clinical academic research while generating preliminary data for a subsequent ACF and larger NIHR-funded study.

Aim
To investigate the feasibility, safety and potential clinical benefit of an early mobilisation pathway following selected elbow trauma.

Objectives
To quantify current variation in mobilisation practice following elbow trauma.
To determine the feasibility of implementing a standardised early mobilisation pathway.
To assess the safety of early mobilisation.
To explore its effect on elbow function, stiffness, pain and return to normal activity.
To generate preliminary data and effect-size estimates for a future multicentre randomised controlled trial.

Supervisor: Dr Harvinder Singh ([email protected])

Midcarpal arthritis (SLAC/SNAC patterns) is commonly treated with midcarpal fusion once conservative management fails. While four-corner fusion (4CF) is the traditional standard, two- and three-corner fusion techniques have gained popularity, and recent systematic reviews/RCTs suggest broadly comparable clinical outcomes between constructs — yet the underlying biomechanical reasons for observed differences in non-union, hardware migration, and range of motion remain unclear.

This project uses finite element analysis (FEA), informed by patient-specific 4D-CT (4DCT) kinematic data from a cadaveric specimen to model and compare the biomechanical performance of 2-, 3-, and 4-corner fusion constructs fixed with headless compression screws. The trainee will help process CT-derived carpal bone geometry, build finite element models, and analyse stress distribution and displacement/rotation at the fusion interface under physiological loading in neutral, flexed, and extended wrist positions.

Findings will help clarify whether construct choice meaningfully affects biomechanical performance and implant loading, informing surgical decision-making for midcarpal arthritis. The trainee will work alongside senior hand/upper limb surgeons and a biomedical engineering collaborator, gaining exposure to orthopaedic biomechanics research methodology from imaging through to computational modelling and statistical analysis.

Supervisor: Dr Harvinder Singh ([email protected])

Measurement of shoulder movement is an important element in diagnosing a patient with a specific shoulder pathology. Currently, shoulder movements are only measured in the planes of movement such as flexion/extension, abduction/adduction, and internal/external rotation using goniometry but it is not possible to test complex, dynamic movements. Measurement of only extremes of movements of the shoulder joint provides a limited picture of the static ability of the joint to move in the orthogonal planes. Exploring alternate, feasible methods to measure the range of movement during the activity can provide greater insight into the total capacity of shoulder function, which can translate into improved recovery from shoulder impairments.

Our primary research question is: Whether the any mobile phone or computer camera using Kemtai software can be used to quantify range of movement of the shoulder, along with its velocity and smoothness, in patients with shoulder diseases such as arthritis, rotator cuff tear and frozen shoulder. Our secondary research question is: Whether the information gained from the cameras can be used to provide targeted treatment for patients with different shoulder diseases.

Supervisor: Dr Hamish McAuley ([email protected])

This project will characterise frailty and impaired physical function as well as measuring muscle mass and health related quality of life among individuals both seen in selected chronic disease focussed outpatient's clinics and during the time of acute hospital admissions to develop a model for understanding the drivers of declining physical and muscle function among patients with chronic disease. This project will form part of a wider program developing phenotypic biomarkers to be used in predicting physical decline and readmissions to hospital as well as guiding novel therapies and interventions targeting deteriorating muscle and physical functioning using a biomarker drive precision medicine approach.