My research areas are swallowing, speech and language function.  

In swallowing, I work in the areas of both typical swallowing and the breakdown in swallowing, including rehabilitation approaches for impaired swallowing.  This research is translational and involves close collaborations with Dr Ben Hanson in Mechanical Engineering at UCL and colleagues working in clinical practice.  Two PhD students currently work with Dr Hanson and myself in this area (Kim Edmunds and Emma Branch) with funding from UK research councils and Fresenius-Kabi Ltd.  Our current research focus is in perception of commercial fluid thickeners and experiences in using thickeners. 

In speech, my work focuses on changes people with Parkinson's disease experience.  I am currently working on a project with, amongst others Profs Cath Sackley (UEA) and Clarke (U of Birmingham) in a phase II RCT examining Speech and Language Therapy in people with Parkinson's disease coordinated through Birmingham CTU.  This project is funded through the Dunhill Medical Trust.

In language function, I am collaborating with Prof Magid Bahkeit and Dr Peter Hansen (U of Birmingham) and Speech Therapy colleagues to examine the effect of speech and language therapy combined with Pramipexole in people with chronic aphasia through fMRI and functional speech outcomes.  This research is funded by the Birmingham Community Healthcare Trust.  I am also collaborating with Prof Sackley to examine the effect of speech and language therapy in aphasia at an earlier stage of intervention.