My research interest lies in improving knowledge on the survival of cancer patients through developing statistical methodology to better describe, present, and understand variation in patient outcomes. For instance, I supervised a PhD thesis on defining and measuring 'undertreatment' in elderly lung cancer patients using data from the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry (NICR) and employing a causal inference mediation methodology.

I was a principal investigator on a Health Foundation project to generate the 'Route-to-Diagnosis' flag for each cancer patient in Northern Ireland (NI) using NHS datasets; this flag is being included as a key evaluation metric for the NI Department of Health's imminent Cancer Strategy for Northern Ireland 2021-2031.

I lead a project with the United Kingdom and Ireland Association of Cancer Registries Analysts' Group to determine the lower-threshold patient number required for estimating robust survival estimates, in order to facilitate survival comparisons on finer scale (e.g. between Trusts). Related to this, is funnel plot methodology I have developed to present and compare [international] survival estimates of varying precision.

In a PhD proposal presently advertised, I would like to explore the potential of applying causal inference methodology to the NICR's Monitoring Care of Cancer Patients audit datasets in order to provide a cancer treatment evidence-base for patients that are not well-represented in current research, such as those who are elderly or have rare cancers.

I have previously worked as a statistician in the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry, and on CONCORD, an international cancer survival research group based in the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.