ORCHID Annual Report 2024 - Flipbook - Page 2
About this report
In the pages that follow you will read about the work of ORCHID and those
directly working in the centre.
• From the Research Faculty you will read about studies and outputs led by
the Strategic Management Team, we report here on our publications,
conference abstracts and new studies, including grant income.
• From the Clinical Academic Faculty, you will read about the range of
predoctoral and post-doctoral work that seeks to answer clinical
questions and improve the patient experience. We report on the nature of
these studies and outputs.
New to this report, we show the breadth of methodologies used by
researchers at GOSH.
Senior Management Team
Dr Lucy Alderson
Dr Lucy Alderson champions clinical outcome research with a
focus on AHPs and the wider group of Health Care
Professionals. Lucy9s research journey has focused on the
development and application of reliable and valid functional
outcome measures in the clinical setting, with a special interest
in gait and mobility.
The GOSH-ICH gait centiles that emerged from her PhD and Post-Doc work
support functional outcome research undertaken by colleagues in different
specialties across the hospital. Gait outcomes which demonstrate improvement
post-transplant in rare metabolic and mitochondrial diseases like MNGIE, and in
orthopaedic limb lengthening outcomes, are two examples of early work
presented to colleagues. Both demonstrate the use of these gait outcomes to
identify clinical change in outcome associated with novel therapeutics and
surgery.
The use of gait measurements to describe natural history of Vincristine Induced
Peripheral Neuropathy (VIPN), and the impact of reduction in pulsed vincristine
during maintenance has remained a focus. With presentation at International
Society of Oncology in paediatrics in October 2024 in Hawaii, and ongoing work
on the broader publication exploring genetic and pharmacology risk factors
alongside motor outcomes.
Activity and participation outcomes were also explored in a study using
wearable devices to track physical activity in boys with haemophilia. A
necessary study, as impairment-based measurements become less sensitive
to more subtle deterioration in function associated with advances in medical
therapeutics for boys with haemophilia. The SPACE study has also run
through this year: A qualitative study into physical activity in children and young
people with cancer due to complete data collection in June 2025.
As a research leader in Physiotherapy and across the AHP team Lucy has
continued to work with stakeholders to champion research at all levels from
case note review and service improvement audits to support for AHP Clinical
Academics. The GOSH GOLD series of short animations and podcasts to
support early researchers is integrated within the AHP band 6 development
programme. These education packages are available to all trust staff via
GOLD, and we hope they will lay the foundations for AHP and nursing
researchers of the future.
She has continued to support students at both Masters and PhD. Working with
colleagues and MSc students at GOSH ICH and the Advanced Physiotherapy
MSc UCL to explore patient experience alongside motor outcomes in children
and young people with Spina Bifida, particularly focusing on physical activity,
readiness for self-management and transition. Supervisory support for the
medium to long-term Outcomes study for children undergoing SDR undertaken
by Deepti Chugh as part of her PhD.
Digital profile:
ORCiD ID: 0000-0002-3181-5857
Google Scholar:
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Sx3DhDEAAAAJ&hl=en
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lucy-Alderson-3
Dr Graeme O’Connor
Dr Graeme O'Connor is a clinical academic in paediatric
dietetics (0.5WTE) and the Biomedical Research Centre (BRC)
lead for clinical academic careers (0.5WTE). Dr O9Connor
holds an honorary contract at the Institute of Child Health and
University College London where he supervises PhD students.
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