Meet the team

Research Nurses

Amanda McLenaghan

I am a Diabetes Research Nurse. I am one of five nurses involved in the trial, and have an area of responsibility covering North Bristol and South Gloucestershire PCTs. In my previous life, I was a Practice Nurse, specialising in Diabetes.

I love walking my dog, skiing, and enjoy a good book when I get the time!!

Jeremy Bright

I am a local; born in Bristol, then moved to Stinchcombe, completed secondary education in Cheltenham and nurse education at Gloucester Royal. I have spent 6 years in diabetes research in London and have come back to join the Early ACTID team.

I am excited to be involved with this research as it is of fundamental interest to all those diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. The findings of the study could have far reaching consequences for NHS policy as it has the potential to change the treatment of diabetes in the future.

Catherine Thompson

I am the research nurse in Musgrove Park hospital in Taunton. I have previously worked as a ward sister, nurse tutor, and as a personal trainer I have run my own fitness business. I enjoy outdoor pursuits such as walking, cycling, running, skiing and horse riding - although I have had little opportunity to do the latter recently.

Anne Polet

I am the research nurse for the south Bristol area, also covering Weston hospital when required. My background is in renal disease and diabetes, and I have had over twenty years experience of working with renal patients in secondary care. My interest in diabetes developed from it being the main cause of renal failure in the UK, and I completed my diabetes diploma a few years ago.

Out of work I relax by walking my golden Labrador, kayaking and challenging walks both in this country and abroad.

Research Dietitians

Clare England

I am a Research Dietitian working on the Early ACTID study. I am seeing people who volunteer from the Bristol area at the BRI, Southmead and Frenchay as well as people in Weston.

This is a second career forme as I was a theatre lighting and sound technician for ten years. I escaped to dietetics because I wanted to work more social hours and I love food. It should be no surprise then that my main interests are playing in the kitchen and eating out although I enjoy going to the theatre, hill walking and historical re-enactment.

Liz Paxton

My name is Liz Paxton and I am a Registered Dietitian. I am working 4 hours a week on the Early ACTID Study together with Janet Gorton. We give dietary advice to volunteers in the study at Taunton and Bridgwater Hospitals. We also run Education Days for people with diabetes and their partners together with our nurse colleagues. I have worked at Taunton & Somerset Hospital for 17 years, specialising in diabetes for the last 10 years.

Outside of work I am a farmer's wife living in Devon with 600 sheep, 100 cows, 6 chickens, 4 ducks, 2 sheepdogs and 2 cats!

Janet Gorton

I am a research dietitian working on the Early ACTID study and along with my colleague Liz Paxton, give dietetic care to patients recruited in the Taunton/Bridgwater area.

Karen Coulman

I am a research dietitian and deliver the Early ACTID dietetic intervention in the Cheltenham and Gloucester area.

Research Staff

Dr Rob Andrews

Dr Colin Dayan

I am a Consultant Senior Lecturer in Medicine at the University of Bristol, and head of clinical research at the Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology. I see patients for their clinical review visits at Weston hospital and in North Bristol.

Alastair Norcross

I am the Study Co-ordinator responsible for designing/maintaining the data collection systems and ensuring the study runs smoothly on a day-to-day basis. I am based in the Early ACTID study office, part of the Joint Clinical Research Unit, at the Bristol Royal Infirmary. I have worked in Bristol University for the past 8+ years, originally working on family based studies and randomised controlled trials (RCTs) from the laboratory aspect and more recently have taken the role of study coordinator.

My interests outside work include most things technological, martial arts, radio comedy and writing music.

Ashley Cooper

I am the head of the Exercise and Health sciences department and my research investigates the relationships of physical activity, physical fitness and health. I use minute-by-minute accelerometry to investigate physical activity in both children and adults. In adults I am involved in intervention studies to investigate the efficacy of physical activity in illness management. This work includes the Early-ACTID study, which is a major investigation of the efficacy of lifestyle change in the management of type 2 diabetes.

Kate Fitzsimons

My role within the Early ACTID trial involves assisting with the design of the diet and exercise protocols, developing the participant record file, overseeing the measurement of participants’ physical activity and fitness, and analysing collected data.

I am currently examining the relationship between physical activity, fitness and metabolic outcomes in type 2 diabetes for my PhD. In particular, I am interested to see whether fitness level influences how people with type 2 diabetes respond to physical activity.

After qualifying with an MSc in Exercise and Health Sciences at the University of Bristol, I worked on various projects as a research associate. The largest project was funded by the Department of Health, and involved reviewing the evidence for new national public health messages for the promotion of physical activity.

Lisa Treeby

I am currently working on the Early ACTID trial, providing secretarial support to the rest of the research team. I am based at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton, where I have been working as a Medical Secretary for the past 4 years.

My interests include eating out, dancing, skiing holidays, as well as holidays in the sun!

Claire Durant

Hi, I'm Claire Durant. I'm a star. No really, I am. Everyone says so.

Professor Tim Peters

I am The Professor of Primary Care Health Services Research and Deputy Head of Department of Community Based Medicine. My full-time academic career started with the University of Bristol in1982 when I joined as a Research Assistant. After 6 years lecturing in medical statistics at the University of Wales College of Medicine, I returned to Bristol University in 1992, where I now hold my title. My research interests involve applied health services research, principally in a primary care setting, over a variety of substantive areas - in particular, mental health, obstetrics, cardiovascular disease and urology. My responsibilities on Early ACTID include various aspects of the study design, its conduct and analysis of the results once the study is completed. Outside of work, horse riding and ownership take up all of my spare time.

Professor Debbie Sharp

I am currently Professor of Primary Health Care in the University of Bristol, I have held this post for the last 10 years. I am the Head of the Academic Unit of Primary Care. This unit comprises some 50 people, based in Cotham House with Psychiatry. A wide range of primary care research is undertaken, with a particular emphasis on randomised controlled trials of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. It is my role to provide the academic primary care input, using my experience of undertaking RCTs in primary care and encouraging collaboration from GPs and practice nurses. When I am not running large trials I am busy with my family or horse.

Dr Alan Montgomery

I have a background in sport and exercise physiology, graduating from the University of Glasgow in 1992 (BSc) and the University of St Andrews in 1996 (PhD). Since moving to Bristol in 1996 I have been involved in several large, community-based randomised controlled trials, and via fellowships from the MRC and Department of Health, have managed to complete Masters degrees in Epidemiology (1999) and Medical Statistics (2004). In addition to research and teaching responsibilities, I am the Director of Graduate Studies for the Department of Community Based Medicine.

As part of the Early ACTID research team, I have responsibility for aspects of study design and data analysis. Outside of work I am a keen watcher of, and participant in sport, though sadly the desire to be able to walk on a Monday morning means that rugby is no longer on the participant list!

Dr Katrina Turner

Dr Alice Malpass