PhD Projects
The HRB-TMRN has supported three cohorts of PhD scholars, whose research is focused on methodology questions relevant to randomised trials. The network also includes affiliate PhD scholars, whose doctoral research in trials methodology is funded by other sources. Select a name to read the scholar’s profile, where available.
HRB-TMRN PhD Scholars - Cohort 3 (2021-2026)
| Scholar | Project title | Supervisors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kathleen Hannon Trinity College Dublin | Developing a model for conducting Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) activities in maternal and neonatal clinical trials | Prof Valerie Smith (UCD) Prof Déirdre Daly (TCD). External Advisory Committee: Dr Linda Biesty (University of Galway) Prof Katie Gillies (University of Aberdeen) | Ongoing |
| Parastoo Niloofar University of Galway | Translational statistics in clinical trials | Prof John Newell (University of Galway) Dr Alberto Alvarez-Iglesias (University of Galway) Dr Shirin Moghaddam (University of Limerick) Dr Amir Jalali (University of Limerick) Prof Marion Campbell (University of Aberdeen) Dr Beatriz Goulao (University of Aberdeen) | Ongoing |
| Marci Kay Livingston University of Limerick | Participation of people with lived experience in the development of Core Outcome Sets | Prof Katie Robinson (University of Limerick) Dr Elaine Toomey (University of Galway) | Ongoing |
| Ellen Murphy University College Cork | How retention is communicated during the lifecycle of a clinical trial | Prof Frances Shiely (UCC) Prof Katie Gillies (University of Aberdeen) | PhD awarded 2025 |
| Emer Gunne University College Dublin | Digital Technologies in Clinical Trials | Prof Peter Doran (UCD) Prof Michael Keane (UCD) Dr Sinead Holden (UCD) | PhD awarded 2026 |
| Simone Lepage University of Galway | The Kid’s Trial: An online randomised trial co-created with children | Prof Declan Devane (University of Galway) Dr Laura Flight (University of Sheffield) | PhD awarded 2026 |
Affiliate PhD Scholars
Affiliate scholars are PhD researchers in trials methodology whose doctoral work is funded outside the HRB-TMRN scholarship programme. We gratefully acknowledge their contribution to the network and the funders who support their work.
| Scholar | Project title | Supervisors | Funder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sindhu Augustine University College Dublin | Attitudes and Perceptions of Parents of Children with Cancer Regarding Childhood Cancer Clinical Trials | Dr Patricia Fox (UCD) Prof Eilish McAuliffe (UCD) with guidance from Dr Cormac Owens (Children's Health Ireland at Crumlin) | — |
| Johanna Pope University of Galway | Vulnerability to misinformation in the Irish setting | Prof Declan Devane (University of Galway) | Evidence Synthesis Ireland, funded by the Health Research Board (HRB) |
| Mengqi Li University of Galway | Informed Health Choices - Cancer | Prof Declan Devane (University of Galway) Dr Marie Tierney (University of Galway) | Irish Cancer Society; College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Galway |
| Kara McLoughlin University of Limerick | CREAT-ED: Development of a Core Outcome Set for research studies with older adults in the Emergency Department | Prof Katie Robinson (University of Limerick) Prof Rose Galvin (University of Limerick) Dr Elaine Toomey (University of Galway) | Health Research Board (HRB) - CREAT-ED study |
| Nirdesh Bakshi University of Galway | Improving Inference in Clinical Trials with Missing Data with a focus on Clustered Randomised Trials | Dr Neil O'Leary (University of Galway) | — |
| Katarina Medved University College Cork | Engagement and Retention of Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Contributors in Cancer Clinical Trial PPI Activities | Prof Frances Shiely (UCC) Prof Patricia Kearney (UCC) Dr Laia Raigal (UCC) Dr Alice Biggane (Pfizer, UK) | SPHeRE PhD Scholar (Structured Population and Health-services Research Education programme, funded by the HRB) |
| Amelia Philips University of Galway | Using behavioural science to improve recruitment and retention of health policymakers in trials of knowledge translation (KT) interventions | Dr Elaine Toomey (University of Galway) Prof Molly Byrne (University of Galway) Prof Shaun Treweek (University of Aberdeen) | SPHeRE PhD Scholar (Structured Population and Health-services Research Education programme, funded by the HRB) |
| Éle Quinn University of Galway | The People's Review | Dr Sinéad Hynes (University of Galway) Dr Chris Noone (University of Galway) Dr David Moher (University of Ottawa) | Evidence Synthesis Ireland, funded by the Health Research Board (HRB) |
| Xuenan Pang University of Galway | The effectiveness of different ways to communicate summary evidence from systematic reviews to the public and the use of artificial intelligence in evidence synthesis methods | Prof Declan Devane (University of Galway) | Evidence Synthesis Ireland, funded by the Health Research Board (HRB) |
Cohort 2 (2017-2021)
| Scholar | Project title | Supervisors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiona Quirke University of Galway | COHESION: Core Outcomes in Neonatal Encephalopathy | Prof Declan Devane (University of Galway) Prof Eleanor Molloy (TCD) Dr Patricia Healy (University of Galway) | Completed |
| Gloria Emmanuel Trinity College Dublin | Exploring recruitment to randomised trials within current clinical care pathways: A Qualitative Case Study | Prof Valerie Smith (TCD) Dr Louise Daly (TCD) | Completed |
| Vivienne Hanrahan University of Galway | Recruiting women during pregnancy and childbirth to clinical trials - the barriers and enablers for trial recruiters (The ENCOUNTER Study) | Dr Linda Biesty (University of Galway) Prof Katie Gillies (University of Aberdeen) | Completed |
| Lydia O'Sullivan University College Dublin | Informed Consent in Clinical Trials | Prof Peter Doran (UCD) Prof Eilish McAuliffe (UCD) | Completed |
| Courtney McDermott University College Dublin | A comparison of statistical methods to compensate for missing data in clinical trials | Prof Ricardo Segurado (UCD) | Completed |
Cohort 1 (2014-2018)
| Scholar | Project title | Supervisors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aislinn Conway University of Galway | Methods of disseminating and translating research findings to health care professionals and other stakeholders | Prof Declan Devane (University of Galway) Prof Mike Clarke (Queen's University Belfast) Prof Shaun Treweek (University of Aberdeen) | Completed |
| Caroline Hurley University College Cork | Risk-adapted approaches to the management of academic clinical trials | Prof Frances Shiely (UCC) Prof Joe Eustace (UCC) | Completed |
| Jessica Power Trinity College Dublin | The role of context in the implementation of healthcare interventions | Dr Fiona Larkin (TCD) Prof Eilish McAuliffe (UCD) | Completed |
| Marina Zaki University College Dublin | Barriers and facilitators to statistical rigour in academic-led clinical trial design, conduct, monitoring, analysis, reporting and dissemination of findings | Prof Eilish McAuliffe (UCD) co-supervisors Dr Marie Galligan (UCD), Prof Declan Devane (University of Galway) | Completed |
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