Research
My research has focussed on improving the treatment of epilepsy in the UK and worldwide, and in particular on the assessment of interventions and outcomes in epilepsy. I have also had the opportunity to make a contribution to translational and genomics research through the collection of genomic, MR imaging and other biomarkers alongside prospective outcome data.
I've led the largest multi-centre randomised controlled trials worldwide assessing clinical and cost effectiveness of treatments for epilepsy (SANAD Trials) and am coordinating editor of the Cochrane Epilepsy Group. I lead the UKs National Audit of Seizure Management in Hospitals NASH and the European Union funded sister project EuroNASH, I’m also the Person Centred Complex Care lead for the NIHR North West Coast Applied Research Collaboration ARC NWC, the NHS England Epilepsy pathway lead, currently Secretary General of the European Academy of Neurology, and an NIHR Senior Investigator
Research groups
Research grants
An international target trial emulation study assessing the mortality and morbidity risks of valproate withdrawal and developing a causal prediction model of the safest alternatives for young men and women with epilepsy
EPILEPSY RESEARCH INSTITUTE UK (UK)
August 2024 - August 2027
An international cohort study assessing the morbidity and mortality risks of valproate withdrawal in men and women aged 16–54 years with epilepsy
THE ACADEMY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES (UK)
May 2024 - April 2026
Seizures and Epilepsy in nursing and care HOMes pilot study
EPILEPSY ACTION (UK)
May 2023 - March 2024
Supplement to_Supporting the ambulance service to safely convey fewer patients to hospital by developing a risk prediction tool: Risk of ADverse Outcomes after a Suspected Seizure (RADOSS) (RADOSS)
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
November 2022 - July 2025
Developing patient-centred, feasible alternative care for emergency department users with epilepsy. A model for service design
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
February 2019 - November 2021
Development of methodology and computationally efficient software for the analysis of PGx exome sequencing studies of complex "time-to-event" outcomes
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
April 2018 - January 2023
Clinically effective treatments for central nervous system disorders in the NHS, with a focus on epilepsy and Movement Disorders.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
January 2018 - June 2020
National Audit of Seizure Management in Hospitals (NASH3)
UCB PHARMA LTD (UK)
May 2018 - October 2024
EpiBioNet: Identifying imaging network biomarkers of antiepileptic drug treatment outcome
EPILEPSY RESEARCH INSTITUTE UK (UK)
December 2018 - May 2020
Functional and genomic analyses of novel epilepsy mutations
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
March 2017 - April 2020
Research Capability 2017/18
THE WALTON CENTRE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST (UK)
November 2017 - March 2018
Brain architecture and function at epilepsy diagnosis: markers of pharmacoresistance and cognitive dysfunction
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
May 2019 - August 2025
CIVIC DATA CO-OPERATIVE
LIVERPOOL CITY REGION COMBINED AUTHORITY (UK)
June 2020 - March 2026
Service delivery interventions for people with epilepsy and for people with epilepsy and intellectual disability
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
September 2021 - April 2023
Pharmacological management of post-traumatic seizures
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
December 2019 - May 2026
NIHR Senior Investigator Award
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
April 2022 - March 2026
SPRING: Seizure PRophylaxis IN Glioma
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
August 2018 - March 2024
European Study on the Burden And Care of Epilepsy - ESBACE
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
September 2015 - February 2019
MICA: Towards using historical data for research prioritisation in children
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
March 2015 - February 2018
NIHR ARC 2 national social care implementation projects
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK), LCCG - LIVERPOOL CLINICAL COMMISSIONING GROUP (UK)
October 2019 - March 2026
are2Care: PED4PED - People with Epilepsy sharing Data for care with Paramedics and Emergency Department staff
UK RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
February 2019 - March 2020
North West Research Design Services
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
April 2010 - September 2018
Department of Health Sponsored chair in pharmacogenetics.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
September 2007 - March 2019
The role of resilience for good quality of life in epilepsy and factors promoting such resilience
BRITISH EPILEPSY ASSOCIATION (UK)
February 2009 - February 2011
Pharmacogenetics of GABAergic mechanisms of benefit and harm in epilepsy.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
February 2005 - November 2010
A pragmatic randomised controlled trial comparing the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of levetiracetam and zonisamide versus standard treatments for epilepsy: a comparison of Standard And New Antiepileptic Drugs (SANAD-II)
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
June 2012 - November 2019
Core support for UK based Cochrane Collaborative Review Groups: Epilepsy.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
April 2004 - March 2023
The role of multidrug transporters in causing pharmacoresistance in epilepsy
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
January 2010 - January 2013
North West Coast CLAHRC
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK), LCCG - LIVERPOOL CLINICAL COMMISSIONING GROUP (UK), MERSEY CARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST (UK)
January 2014 - June 2021
North West Hub for Trial Methodology Research (NWHTMR)
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
October 2008 - August 2014
Discriminant Function Analysis for Longitudinal Data: Applications in Medical Research (DiALog)
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
October 2014 - September 2017
MerseyBeat - Best Evidence, Application and Translation of research
LIVERPOOL PRIMARY CARE TRUST (UK)
March 2008 - September 2019
Exploring oxidative stress pathways in epilepsy
REPUBLIC OF IRAQ MINISTRY OF EDUCATION🚩
October 2014 - September 2017
Clinical and cost effectiveness of interventions for epilepsy in the NHS
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
June 2011 - May 2015
A systematic review of randomised controlled trials assessing the beneficial and harmful effects of treatments for epilepsy in people with a learning disability: the development of clinical guidelines and recommendations for research.
THOMAS BAILEY'S CHARITY
October 2004 - December 2005
Cochrane Epilepsy Review Group.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
April 2001 - March 2004
Refractory Juvenile Myoclonoc Epilepsy Cohort (ReJuMEC)
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
January 2009 - June 2011
Using routine data in large multicentre clinical trials
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON (UK)
September 2014 - August 2017
The Role of Multidrug Transporters in causing Pharmacoresistance in Epilepsy
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
January 2013 - August 2013
Epilepsy Pharmacogenomics: delivering biomarkers for clinical use (EpiPGX)
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
October 2011 - September 2016
Seizure first Aid training For Epilepsy (SAFE) for people with epilepsy who attend emergency departments and their carers: A follow-on study to develop and pilot SAFE.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
May 2015 - August 2019
Multi-centre randomised control trial comparing the clinical and cost effectiveness of trans-foraminal epidural steroid injection to surgical microdiscectomy for the treatment of chronic radicular pain secondary to prolapsed intervertebral disc herniation. (NErve Rootblock VErsus Surgery; NERVES)
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
June 2014 - December 2020
Defining patient preferences and priorities for treatment options and outcomes in epilepsy
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
June 2011 - February 2014
Health economic evaluations in epilepsy: Developing a preference-based outcome measure.
EPILEPSY RESEARCH INSTITUTE UK (UK)
August 2009 - January 2011
Models for selection bias, applied to controlled trials and observational studies of antiepileptic drugs.
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
September 2005 - March 2009
A systematic review of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of neuroimaging assessments used to visualise the seizure focus in people with refractory epilepsy being considered for surgery.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
June 2003 - April 2004
North West Research Design Services (Phase 2).
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
April 2015 - September 2018