I focus on cancer prevention and reduction of cancer-related symptoms in both clinical and population-based research. My cancer prevention work is divided into two strands – physical activity and HPV vaccination. I am also interested in biological mechanisms of cancer-related fatigue, and interventions to reduce fatigue. 

In 2003, I graduated from the University of Ulster with a first class honours degree in Physiotherapy. Following this I commenced a PhD in the area of cancer-related fatigue. This involved designing and completing a prospective, longitudinal survey investigating the fatigue experience of gynaecological cancer patients. Now that I am at QUB, I have been given the opportunity to work with CCRCB to identify infammatory markers of cancer-related fatigue in men with prostate cancer receiving radiotherapy in order to improve the understanding of the pathophysiology of fatigue and improve targeted therapy for the symptom. 

As a Senior Lecturer in Chronic Illness, I focus on cancer prevention, survival and reduction of cancer-related symptoms in both clinical and population-based research. As a physiotherapist, I have an interest in ‘exercise as medicine’ and the role of physical activity in cancer prevention and survival. I am involved in a global Movember study on exercise and survival in advanced prostate cancer and have recently completed a Cancer Research UK (CRUK) study on physical activity in adolescents (STEALTH). I am in the early phases of developing an exercise programme for people with pancreatic cancer undergoing chemotherapy and am supervising a PhD project examining ways to implement exercise programmes with women with ovarian cancer. 

I collaborate on the SPORT High-Risk Trial (PI Dr Jain) exploring fatigue and circulating chemokines during stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy for prostate cancer. 

I have recently been awarded EU Horizon 2020 funding for a large European wide multi-centre project aimed at evaluating the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and mechanisms of action of two psychosocial and educational interventions aimed at improving the quality of life of patients with advanced cancer and their family caregiver. I am currently involved in a Cochrane review of the effectiveness of psycho-social interventions in this population. We have also developed an online resource designed by carers for carers and aimed to improve the health and wellbeing of families affected by cancer in Northern Ireland. The resource has been implemented regionally and has been evaluated as an acceptable and cost effective method to support the needs of families and carers. Additionally, I am involved in an international project in partnership with clinical and academic partners in Vietnam to adapt the resource for a Vietnamese population

Linked to my cancer prevention work, I have a growing interest in HPV-related cancers, and methods of enhancing HPV vaccination uptake.

Leadership roles:

Internal:

Academic lead for Student Experience 

Academic co-ordinator for peer mentoring

Chair of the Teaching Excellence Student Support Group 

Member of the School research ethics committee

Member of CCRCB engagement committee

External:

Member of the management committee of the Men's Health Forum in Ireland (MHFI)

Executive Committee Member of Global Action on Men's Health

Member of National Cancer Research Institute Supportive Living with and Beyond Cancer Executive group; Chair of Acute Care and Toxicity workstream. 

Current Graduate Supervision:

The development of a psychosocial intervention to support caregivers in post-treatment cancer survivorship

Realistic evaluation of effective commectivity using digitial technology in disaster management in hospitals. 

NURSE-LED MOBILE PHONE INTERVENTION TO PROMOTE SELF-MANAGEMENT IN TYPE 2 DIABETES IN GHANA: A RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Implementation of an exercise intervention for women with ovarian cancer 

Currently funded research projects:

I am responsible for teaching undergraduate nurses Health and Wellbeing, which is an amalgamation of life and social sciences. I lecture on the cardiovascular system, the musculskeletal system and pain. 

Given my background in physiotherapy I also teach on the Postregistration CPD Orthopaedics and fracture trauma nursing course. 

I am the School Student Support Officer and Chair the Teaching Excellence Student Support Group. 

I am the academic co-ordinator for the peer mentoring system within the School of Nursing and Midwifery.

Profiled in QUB publication 'DNA of Innnovation' November 2015