Health Sciences Research Centre Programme
How to find us: Please follow this link to find us at media city: http://www.salford.ac.uk/mediacityuk/location
Tuesday 3rd July
Virtual Reality: Virtual Reality and Mental Health (03/07/18, 09:30-10:30, Media City 2.03)
While offering great potential in mental health, Virtual Reality (VR) is a powerful tool that could be counterproductive if used bluntly. This talk looks at the incentives and hurdles to take up and use of VR with vulnerable populations. It is given by someone who has developed and studied the use of VR for over two decades. VR can provide tailored, controllable and repeatable stimuli to which people react as if it were real, even when knowing it’s not. This capability has application across understanding, diagnosing, treating and living with a range of mental and psychological problems. For example, within therapy it has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of both phobias and PTSD and is being used as an aid to reminisce in dementia. Yet using a technology that blurs boundary between what is real and what is not, should not be used carelessly with those whose condition also blurs this boundary. The talk describes our investigation of how VR exposure therapy works with the mind and fits within the way health professional work with the vulnerable. It concludes with a description of how this understanding has helped to develop a novel VR exposure therapy used within the NHS to treat some of the victims of the Manchester Arena attack.
Biomedical Engineering: Rehabilitation Technologies and Biomedical Engineering Research @ Salford (03/07/18, 10:30-11:30, Media City 2.03)
Rehabilitation Technologies and Biomedical Engineering is a thriving, cross-school research group, jointly led by Professors David Howard (Computing, Science and Engineering) and Laurence Kenney (Health Sciences). We focus on the design and development of new rehabilitation technologies aimed at assisting functional movement, together with novel methods for their evaluation. Our current research is supported by ~£1.9 million in external grants from NIHR, EPSRC and charities. We will demonstrate some of our latest research, which includes:
- Controlled energy storage and return in prosthetic limbs to improve amputee gait.
- A novel and rigorous approach to assessing stability of people using walking aids.
- A flexible and easy to setup controller for upper limb functional electrical stimulation (FES).
- Novel approaches to understanding user-assistive device interaction (with psychologists Galpin, Gowen and Bowen)
- Award winning research on monitoring assistive device use outside of the clinic.
Foot and Ankle: Foot health and industry – from our lab to your feet (03/07/18, 11:30-12:00, Media City 2.03)
Healthy feet are central to keeping mobile and poor foot health can lead to very significant loss of independence. Caring for poorly feet can be expensive too: 1% of the entire NHS budget goes on care of feet affected by diabetes. Without knowing it we make foot health choices each and every day, when we choose our socks and footwear, and then go about our daily activities. Common but often significant foot problems can be adequately managed with the need for a health professional, but equally the input of professionals and can life saving in some cases – literally. Our research has sought to connect what we know about foot health, foot biomechanics and foot disease to the design, development and use of footwear and insoles, and over the counter foot health treatments too. Working with leading global foot health brands, UK footwear manufacturers, and supporting the design of footwear for children and use in unique workplaces, we aim to help everyone make better foot health choices each day.
Occupational Therapy: Occupational Therapy at Salford – How we are contributing to the evidence base (03/07/18, 13:00-14:00, Media City 2.03)
Occupational therapy facilitates health and well-being through the therapeutic use of meaningful and purposeful activities. We believe that occupational balance and justice enables individuals of all ages to achieve their full potential in their everyday lives and communities. A high proportion of our research has an emphasis on improving health and well-being in later life, for example, managing widowhood and care-giving, safe moving, handling and positioning to increase independence and functional performance in activities of daily living. As an emerging group we are involved in a range of projects within the School of Health Sciences, across the University and with partners in the public, private and voluntary sectors.
This session will provide an overview of our research topics including innovations in moving and handling training (research informed teaching), development of the new Tissue Viability Seating Guidelines and the The Home Modification Process Protocol, Service user engagement in occupational therapy and exploring the roles of fathers who have an adult with a learning disability. Practical demonstrations of pressure mapping systems used in a number of studies exploring the impact of different seating and bed surfaces on pressure ulcer development risk and comfort are available.
Equity, Health and Well-being: Putting communities in charge of alcohol: a health champion model (03/07/18, 14:00-15:00, Media City 2.03)
The session will start with a brief overview of the research of the Equity, Health and Wellbeing research group. An interactive discussion will follow, which will look at issues around developing community capacity to influence health behavioural change. It will outline how an asset based community development (ABCD) approach to improving health outcomes is being implemented across Greater Manchester and how it is being evaluated. It will explore the barriers and facilitators to implementing an ABCD approach to improving health outcomes. Experienced researchers will discuss current work underway. They will show some short films that have been made of the experience of professionals and volunteers developing knowledge and skills as alcohol health champions and the benefits experienced to date. The researchers will canvas the views and opinions of those attending the event, about the role of stakeholders, laypeople and community organisations in championing healthy lifestyle changes.
Clinical Rehabilitation: Development of an online self-management platform for people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal conditions (mskhub.com) (03/07/18, 15:00-16:00, Media City 2.03)
Patient information and education have been shown to improve pain and self-efficacy and increase overall quality of life in people with chronic musculoskeletal conditions (MSCs). Informed patients are better able to distinguish and manage symptoms, use treatments effectively, access services needed, manage work and cope better with the psychological impact of their conditions. However, there is a need to improve the access to high quality specialist health information for people with rheumatic and MSCs. This presentation by Dr Yeliz Prior will provide an insight into the development and testing of an online self-management platform, the MSKHUB.com for people with rheumatic and MSCs. This platform aims to facilitate access to (i) valid and reliable health information (ii) evidence-based Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) (iii) advice on self-help, assistive technologies and rehabilitation and (iv) peer support, and will be freely accessible for people with rheumatic and MSCs.
Wednesday 4th July
Knee Biomechanics: Using clinical biomechanics in knee injury and disease (04/07/18, 09:30-10:30, Media City 2.03)
Objective data collection is important in determining where an individual’s functional impairments lie in musculoskeletal research. This can be either in terms of the risk of injury, rehabilitation from injury or in the treatment of degenerative disease. The talk will give an overview of the knee biomechanics and injury research programme at the University where we are investigating risk factors for injury, risk mitigation programs and also rehabilitation approaches (therapeutic and also assistive devices) in the management of musculoskeletal and degenerative disorders. Utilising clinical biomechanics where we collect movement and loading data on individuals helps us to determine which tasks, strategies and treatments are best suited to the individual.
Virtual Reality: Virtual Reality and Mental Health (04/07/18, 10:30-11:30, Media City 2.03)
While offering great potential in mental health, Virtual Reality (VR) is a powerful tool that could be counterproductive if used bluntly. This talk looks at the incentives and hurdles to take up and use of VR with vulnerable populations. It is given by someone who has developed and studied the use of VR for over two decades. VR can provide tailored, controllable and repeatable stimuli to which people react as if it were real, even when knowing it’s not. This capability has application across understanding, diagnosing, treating and living with a range of mental and psychological problems. For example, within therapy it has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of both phobias and PTSD and is being used as an aid to reminisce in dementia. Yet using a technology that blurs boundary between what is real and what is not, should not be used carelessly with those whose condition also blurs this boundary. The talk describes our investigation of how VR exposure therapy works with the mind and fits within the way health professional work with the vulnerable. It concludes with a description of how this understanding has helped to develop a novel VR exposure therapy used within the NHS to treat some of the victims of the Manchester Arena attack.
PGR Director for Health Sciences: Director and student presentations (04/07/18, 11:30-12:30, Media City 2.03)
Occupational Therapy: Occupational Therapy at Salford – How we are contributing to the evidence base (04/07/18, 13:00-14:00, Media City 2.03)
Occupational therapy facilitates health and well-being through the therapeutic use of meaningful and purposeful activities. We believe that occupational balance and justice enables individuals of all ages to achieve their full potential in their everyday lives and communities. A high proportion of our research has an emphasis on improving health and well-being in later life, for example, managing widowhood and care-giving, safe moving, handling and positioning to increase independence and functional performance in activities of daily living. As an emerging group we are involved in a range of projects within the School of Health Sciences, across the University and with partners in the public, private and voluntary sectors.
This session will provide an overview of our research topics including innovations in moving and handling training (research informed teaching), development of the new Tissue Viability Seating Guidelines and the The Home Modification Process Protocol, Service user engagement in occupational therapy and exploring the roles of fathers who have an adult with a learning disability. Practical demonstrations of pressure mapping systems used in a number of studies exploring the impact of different seating and bed surfaces on pressure ulcer development risk and comfort are available.
ICZ Director Talks: Caitriona O’shea, ICZ Sport Director (04/07/18, 14:00-15:00, Media City 2.03)
Diagnostic Imaging: How can medical imaging research benefit patients? (04/07/18, 15:00-16:00, Media City 2.03)
Medical imaging examinations, X-rays and CT scans, involve the use of radiation. The use of radiation carries with it well known risks but these are necessary in order to diagnose illness and disease. The amount of radiation used during a medical imaging examination must be balanced against the need to produce images of sufficient diagnostic quality. Balancing radiation dose and image quality can be a difficult task and is affected by the type of imaging technology, disease under investigation and the size or characteristics of the patient. Within the Directorate of Radiography at the University of Salford, we have a well-established portfolio of research which seeks to improve the diagnosis of disease whilst minimising any associated risks. Our research portfolio focuses specifically into the areas of conventional radiography, CT scanning and digital mammography. Our research group has published in leading international journals and we have a number of Masters and Doctoral students undertaking projects within these areas.
Thursday 5th July
Psychology: Applications of psychology to real world, contemporary issues (05/07/18, 09:30-10:30, Media City 2.03)
The Psychology team at the University of Salford has a diverse range of interests and expertise. Our focus is applying psychology to real-world problems in order to maximise performance and wellbeing. The research we conduct is often multi-disciplinary and many members of the team have experience of working with non-academic partners. This session will provide an overview of our research topics and strengths within the areas of Applied Social Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Developmental Psychology, and Health. We will also provide a demonstration of how we are using research techniques such as eye tracking to explore issues within health, education, and the media.
Equity, Health and Well-being: Putting communities in charge of alcohol: a health champion model (05/07/18, 10:30-11:30, Media City 2.03)
The session will start with a brief overview of the research of the Equity, Health and Wellbeing research group. An interactive discussion will follow, which will look at issues around developing community capacity to influence health behavioural change. It will outline how an asset based community development (ABCD) approach to improving health outcomes is being implemented across Greater Manchester and how it is being evaluated. It will explore the barriers and facilitators to implementing an ABCD approach to improving health outcomes. Experienced researchers will discuss current work underway. They will show some short films that have been made of the experience of professionals and volunteers developing knowledge and skills as alcohol health champions and the benefits experienced to date. The researchers will canvas the views and opinions of those attending the event, about the role of stakeholders, laypeople and community organisations in championing healthy lifestyle changes.
Diagnostic Imaging: How can medical imaging research benefit patients? (05/07/18, 13:00-14:00, Media City 2.03)
Medical imaging examinations, X-rays and CT scans, involve the use of radiation. The use of radiation carries with it well known risks but these are necessary in order to diagnose illness and disease. The amount of radiation used during a medical imaging examination must be balanced against the need to produce images of sufficient diagnostic quality. Balancing radiation dose and image quality can be a difficult task and is affected by the type of imaging technology, disease under investigation and the size or characteristics of the patient. Within the Directorate of Radiography at the University of Salford, we have a well-established portfolio of research which seeks to improve the diagnosis of disease whilst minimising any associated risks. Our research portfolio focuses specifically into the areas of conventional radiography, CT scanning and digital mammography. Our research group has published in leading international journals and we have a number of Masters and Doctoral students undertaking projects within these areas.
ICZ Director Talks: Andrew Spencer, ICZ Health, Wellbeing & Society Director (05/07/18, 14:00-15:00, Media City 2.03)
SPARC Parallel Session Talks 3.4 (05/07/18, 14:30-15:30, Media City 2.03)
Psychology: Applications of psychology to real world, contemporary issues (05/07/18, 15:00-16:00, Media City 2.03)
The Psychology team at the University of Salford has a diverse range of interests and expertise. Our focus is applying psychology to real-world problems in order to maximise performance and wellbeing. The research we conduct is often multi-disciplinary and many members of the team have experience of working with non-academic partners. This session will provide an overview of our research topics and strengths within the areas of Applied Social Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Developmental Psychology, and Health. We will also provide a demonstration of how we are using research techniques such as eye tracking to explore issues within health, education, and the media.