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The perils of academic travel

Traveling long distances for work is key to many academic jobs.  However, traveling during the Festive Season has its challenges.  Getting your tickets in time from the university-appointed travel agency is one of them.  Getting tickets to go to Heathrow took me a week, due to range of minor human errors and my family forbidding me to work on Christmas Day and Boxing.  Having received the bus tickets on the day of travel, the coach to Heathrow broke down half way, raising my anxiety level.

In Nepal, travel issues are usually traffic issues. In the dry season Kathmandu is dusty and polluted (one of my colleagues said it is the fifth most polluted city in terms of air quality in the world). Outside Kathmandu on the Highway to India the scary bits are the narrow winding roads with little opportunity to overtake slow moving lorries going up the mountains, but people still do.  The pictures show the equivalent of the M1 or M6 in the UK.  Not quite what one would expect a Highway to look like.  And it really does not that we recently submitted a paper about road traffic injuries in Nepal.  Sometimes know less is better!

First publication of 2019

NHS, Publishing, writing

Having had the pleasure of announcing the last BU publication yesterday, today we received an email that our paper ‘Design errors in vital sign charts used in consultant-led maternity units in the United Kingdom’ has been accepted by the International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia.  This paper is led by FHSS Visiting Faculty Gary Smith and Richard Isaac and has as co-authors Vanora Hundley, Lisa Gale-Andrews and Edwin van Teijlingen as well as two further BU Visiting Professors: Mike Wee and Debra Bick.

Final publication of 2018

PG research, Publishing, student research, writing

Congratulations to Orlanda Harvey on the publication of her paper ‘Shades of Grey’: The Ethics of Social Work Practice in Relation to Un-prescribed Anabolic Androgenic Steroid Use. Orlanda Harvey is a PhD student in the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences with a research interest in image and performance enhancing drug (IPED) use.  Her paper will be published in Practice: Social Work in Action.  

This paper highlights ethical dilemmas that social workers face when assessing risk in relation to those using substances. It explores how legislation and societal factors can impact not just on people’s choices and decisions but also on their ‘vulnerability’ and access to services. Vulnerability, a contested term, is linked, in this paper, to assessment of risk. There are ethical issues that arise when assessing risk with people who use Anabolic Androgenic Steroids (AAS) from both service user and professional perspectives. These ethical issues concern a person’s right to choose whilst making potentially harmful decisions. The paper argues that using substances such as AAS in and of itself does not suffice to make a person vulnerable but this does not mean that people using AAS are not in need of support. It suggests that there may be some groups of people who are more at risk to starting AAS use and that social workers should be aware of these. It also recommends the need for further qualitative research to understand the reasons for starting use and support to help people stop using AAS.

Well done!

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

‘4*’ paper to end the year…

Research assessment

Aligning with BU’s 2025 Medical Science strategy and the proposed department of Medical Sciences, research findings to be published in Nature Communications describe a potential new target for the control of kidney failure in diabetics. BU (co-lead authorship), in collaboration with clinicians and scientists at the universities of Bristol, Edinburgh, Cambridge, Hong Kong, Toronto, Northwestern (Chicago), Otago in New Zealand, MRC Harwell and the pathology department in Glasgow (phew!), we have identified a metabolic signature in the kidney’s filtration cells (known as podocytes) that links insulin resistance to kidney failure. This is important because it details a mechanism which might be ‘tweaked’ in patients suffering from diabetic nephropathy – one of the most common causes of kidney failure in the world.

Paul S. Hartley.

CHAIN – Contact, Help, Advice and Information Network

Knowledge Exchange, NHS

CHAIN is an online mutual support network for people working in health and social care. It gives people a simple and informal way of contacting each other to exchange ideas and share knowledge.

Members use CHAIN in all sorts of ways, from highly proactive networking to more passive ‘horizon-scanning’.
CHAIN also provides a simple mechanism for ideas which emerge in one context to be shared with fellow-members across boundaries of organisations, professions, and territories which makes the network unique.

Joining is free, and open to anyone working in these areas. You can see recent examples of feedback here, as well as a snapshot report here, of the network’s reach.

Follow CHAIN updates on Twitter; @CHAIN_Network ; Find them on Facebook; Connect with CHAIN on LinkedIn.

Recruiting Researcher for AHRC funded project

Awarded & submitted bids

The Law Department is seeking to recruit an experienced and enthusiastic researcher to work on an AHRC funded project designed to create Mass Grave Protection Guidelines.

The project will address the question of how best to protect Mass Graves to secure truth and justice for survivors. The project will do this by bringing together experts and stakeholders from the forensic sciences, criminal investigations, legal profession, NGOs, international organisations, security sector and survivor groups. Through a process of consultations and round-table discussions with these experts, Mass Grave Protection Guidelines will be developed and, once finalised, translated and disseminated to stakeholders.

Ideal candidates should demonstrate excellent legal research, organisational and communication skills. Prior knowledge of research project management is desirable.

This post is available part-time and fixed term basis for 21 months. The Project foresees the following working pattern throughout the 21-month period:

  • Months 0-6 at 0.4 FTE
  • Months 07-16 at 0.2 FTE
  • Months 17-21 at 0.4 FTE

For further information and discussion, please contact Dr. Melanie Klinkner, Project Principal Investigator.

NHS research cost attribution and funding update – support on offer at BU

Guidance, NHS

You may have seen an earlier post regarding recent developments, surrounding changes to the way that NHS research costs will be attributed and funded.

Acord specialists working within Local Clinical Research Networks (LCRN) are available to assist researchers in completing the SoECAT.
However, there is also further guidance and support on offer at BU. Email Research Ethics with any queries you may have, as well as requests for any guidance surrounding NHS research and associated procedures.

From one NIHR Fellowship to another!

Awarded & submitted bids, NHS

From one NIHR Fellowship to another!

This week I complete my 3-year, 100% FTE NIHR Career Development Fellowship. After the Christmas holiday I then start on a new NIHR Clinical Trials Fellowship.

If you’re not familiar with NIHR fellowships you can find out more here: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/our-research-community/NIHR-academy/nihr-training-programmes/fellowship-programme.htm. The NIHR have re-packaged their fellowship programme and so the Career Development Fellowship is no longer available, as it has been superseded with an Advanced Fellowship.

The Career Development Fellowship has been a career-changing experience. It not only provides you with funding to lead a multidisciplinary team to conduct a research project of importance, but the opportunity to undertake a training and development programme. This has enabled me to further develop my skills and expertise in clinical trial research methods so that I can undertake larger, more complex studies, and therefore go on to produce much higher quality work with greater impact.

The new fellowship that I will start in January 2019 is a Clinical Trials Fellowship. These are designed to provide further advanced research methods training in clinical trials. They provide hands-on experience with several trials at different phases of progression and are to be based in a clinical trials unit. For me, I will be based at PRIMENT, the Clinical Trials Unit at UCL with expertise in trials conducted in primary care and to do with mental health, including my area of dementia. This will help consolidate the experience I have gained so far and training from completing an MSc in Clinical Trials, with further hands-on experience in dementia trials at a leading trials unit.

I can highly recommend NIHR fellowships and happy to discuss them with colleagues interested in applying for one.

Dr Samuel Nyman

Changes to the way that NHS research costs will be attributed and funded

Guidance

We have been informed by MRC of changes to the way that NHS research costs will be attributed and funded. You may already be aware but the Department of Health and NIHR have introduced a new attribution tool called the Schedule of Events Attribution Tool (SoECAT) which will now be mandatory for any researcher wishing to access resources within the NHS for their study. The Pilot stage for the project began on 1st October 2018 and there are three main changes;

1.  Any researcher applying to a funding call that opened from 1st October will be required to submit a SoECAT with their proposal or with their second stage proposal if applying to a 2-stage application process.

2.  All current research projects accessing resources within the NHS will be asked to migrate onto the new SoECAT system.

3.  A ‘high threshold’ is being introduced where the portion of NHS costs attributed to Excess Treatment Costs (ETC) will in future be reassessed for value to the NHS before these ETC are funded. This threshold is set at more than 1M per study or 20,000 per patient.

There are Acord specialists working within Local Clinical Research Networks (LCRN) who are available to assist researchers in completing the SoECAT. It is anticipated that these Acord specialists will be in high demand and while DH is training more Acord specialists they advise that researchers wishing to access this resource do so early during preparation of their proposals.

During this Pilot stage MRC are working with DH and NIHR to devise appropriate ways of working for MRC applicants and will be able to update their Guidance for Applicants in early 2019.

Next steps for researchers undertaking/planning to undertake clinical studies;

1.  Contact your Acord specialist within your LCRN for more information and to discuss completion of the SoECAT.

2.  While they are updating MRC guidance more information can be found here on the NIHR web-site.

If you have any questions, please contact your LCRN Acord specialist.

 

RKEO alternative 12 days ‘to’ Christmas – 11 REFs a piping

On the eleventh day to Christmas, my RKEO friend gave to me, 11 REFs a piping.

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the exercise for assessing the volume and quality of research in UK HEIs. As with its predecessor (the RAE), the results of the REF are used by HEFCE to determine the annual quality-related research (QR) grant distributed from HEFCE to HEIs in England.

We have a dedicated REF2021 site on the blog, which will bring you all the latest news. You can also find here development sessions available for each of the UoAs that BU intends to submit to. Book your place now!

Successful Away Day for the Centre for Midwifery, Maternal and Perinatal Health

Fusion, HSS Our 9 Research Entities, international, NHS

CMMPH held its annual away day on the 12th December and was led by the Centre leads, Professors Edwin van Teijlingen and Susan Way. It is an opportunity for BU staff, PGR students and Visiting Faculty to come together and share their research development and impact over the previous year. Time is also given to thinking ahead to ensure the Centre is meeting its aims of promoting the health and wellbeing of women, babies and their families by enhancing practice through education, research and scholarship.

The morning started with an update about EDGE, an NHS IT platform that provides a governance framework for tracking NHS research studies. Doctoral students whose studies require NHS ethics approval will have their research tracked through this system. Other discussions included an update on REF and BU2025, developing a publications strategy and match-funded PhD studentships.

  

Luisa Cescutti-Butler                            Malika Felton

Several PGR students presented their work to date, ranging from rising caesarean section rates in hospitals in Nepal (Sulochana Dhakal working towards Probationary Review); acute and chronic effects of slow and deep breathing upon women who have pregnancy-induced hypertension (Malika Felton working towards Major Review); updating the understanding perineal practice at the time of birth by midwives (Sara Stride working towards Probationary Review) and women’s experiences of caring for their late preterm babies (Dr Luisa Cescutti-Butler recently awarded doctorate). The presentations were all excellent and produced a lot of questions and discussion. Well done to all those who presented.

 

Sulochana Dhakal                                                 Sara Stride

The afternoon was used as an opportunity to think ahead about future collaborative research, how this fits in with the Centre aims and objectives as well as meeting the university’s ambitions to be a world class organisation.

The day was really enjoyable with a lot of positive feedback.

 

Edwin and Sue

RKEO alternative 12 days ‘to’ Christmas – 10 funders funding

On the tenth day to Christmas, my RKEO friend gave to me, 10 funders funding.

I’m going to be lazy here and list seven that are all research councils, although you may see this as one as they all come under the banner of UKRI (with Innovate UK and Research England thrown in for good measure).

There are seven research councils who receive funding from the Government’s science budget. These are AHRC, BBSRC, EPSRC, ESRC, MRC, NERC and STFC. The research councils fund high quality research that has an impact on the growth, prosperity and wellbeing of the UK. Some projects may include international partners. Their focus tends to be on more theoretical rather than applied research. In addition to research project funding, money may also be available to hold seminar series and support training and career development of researchers.

You can find links to all seven, plus their funding opportunities, strategy, delivery plan, funding guidance, impact reports, and much more in the one place here.

You’re getting more than you bargained for here (takes the tally to 11) with the many charities that BU submits funding applications to. The four main ones are British Academy, Leverhulme Trust, Wellcome Trust and the Royal Society. Click here for more information on all of these.

And going back to the third day of Christmas, find out all you need to know about Horizon 2020 here.European Union - Horizon 2020

 

UPDATED: HE Policy update for the w/e 21st December 2018

Student Engagement

Grade Inflation

New report on Grade inflation by the Office for Students

The report has already been criticised for the obvious reason – it describes as “unexplained” all improvements in student degree outcomes that are not linked to prior attainment or student background.  The UUK/QAA report last month said improvement was “unexplained” if it wasn’t attributable (according to their methodology) by improvements in SSR, expenditure as well as UCAS scores.  And they are running a consultation.

The language used by the OfS is also reflective of the mood music at the moment – it’s “spiralling” grade inflation.  Nothing to do with hard work improving outcomes, particularly for those from backgrounds that haven’t always had straightforward access or a straightforward road to success university. (more…)

Deadline today: Research funding panels – call for Chairs and Deputy Chairs

Today (Wednesday 19 December at 5pm) is the deadline for expressions of interest from the professoriate to act as Chairs / Deputy Chairs for the new Funding Panels:

  • Acorn Funding Panel
  • Charity Impact Funding Panel
  • Doctoral Studentship Funding Panel
  • GCRF Funding Panel
  • HEIF Funding Panel
  • Research Impact Funding Panel

In line with our organisational value of inclusivity, we particularly welcome female applicants and those from an ethnic minority, as they are often under-represented within BU management committees.

Full details are available on the Staff Intranet – https://staffintranet.bournemouth.ac.uk/news/news/thismonth/researchfundingpanelscallformembers.php

 

Congratulations to Dr. Mariam Vahdaninia

NHS, Publishing, writing

Congratulations to Dr. Vahdaninia in FHSS on the publication of her PhD paper ‘ω-3 LCPUFA supplementation during pregnancy and risk of allergic outcomes or sensitisation in offspring: a systematic review and meta-analysis’ which has been accepted by the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. This journal is published by Elsevier and has an Impact factor of 2.6.

This paper addresses the increasing global trend in allergic diseases over the past last two decades with children suffering the highest burden. The increasing burden of allergic conditions is an important public health concern and understanding how to prevent the development of allergic diseases is a vital area of research. In this paper, the authors have assessed the effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acids in randomised controlled trials that have supplemented pregnant women during pregnancy for prevention of allergic diseases in children. Their results have shown that intake of omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy can reduce the risk of sensitisation to egg and peanut in children. These findings have important implications in research since food allergies are common in children and are a key risk factor for developing sensitisation to aero-allergens and allergic respiratory diseases later in life.

The publication is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anai.2018.12.008

Congratulations!

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen