Dr Gita Ramdharry (Honorary Associate Professor, Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, and physiotherapist and Consultant Allied Health Professional (AHP) at UCLH), has been awarded a £1.6 million NIHR Advanced Clinical and Practitioner Academic Fellowship to lead research in rare neurological diseases.
NIHR UCLH Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) spoke to Dr Ramdharry – who is based at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery at UCLH and the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology – about what the Fellowship will enable, how she got to this point, and her advice for AHPs interested in developing their career in research.
Can you tell us a bit about what this Fellowship will enable you to do?
Dr Ramdharry: The Fellowship from the NIHR gives me protected time over the next five years to lead major research projects in two rare neurological conditions, which will aim to improve rehabilitation for patients. I’ll bring on board a postdoctoral research physiotherapist to work alongside me. It’s a huge opportunity to advance rehabilitation research for people living with rare neurological conditions.
What will the projects involve?
One will be in Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease – an inherited nerve disorder which causes muscle weakness, loss of sensation and related symptoms, which slowly progresses over time. We will develop and test a blended physiotherapy programme (digital and in-person delivery) to help people improve their balance and reduce their risk of falls.
The other research project will focus on improving rehabilitation for patients with CANVAS (Cerebellar Ataxia, Neuropathy, and Vestibular Areflexia Syndrome) which causes complex balance issues. We will do early-stage research to understand the mechanisms behind these balance issues, so that we can design targeted, effective, evidence-based rehabilitation strategies.
We hope to see initial results from the project stream in CANVAS first, followed by results from the project stream in CMT disease. Ultimately, the aim is to create adaptable frameworks for rehabilitation research that we can apply to other rare neuromuscular conditions.
How did you get to this point?
The Translational Neuroscience (TN) theme at the UCLH Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) has been instrumental. Through the BRC TN theme, I have had one day a week of protected time since 2019, which has enabled me to stay research-active, develop as an investigator and, importantly, develop my Fellowship application.
Without that time from the BRC, I wouldn’t have been able to apply for the Fellowship. The dedicated time gave me headspace to think and write, which is essential when you’re trying to establish yourself as a clinical academic.
Aside from time, the BRC also supported my patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) work over the years through small grants. I received PPIE funding that helped me engage patients in the design of the Fellowship work – something that’s essential for NIHR applications. That input shaped aspects of the research that I wouldn’t have considered otherwise.
I am also grateful to support I received from the Centre for Nurse, Midwife and AHP-led Research (CNMAR) at UCLH, through mentorship, encouragement, strategic advice, and mock interviews in preparation for the NIHR panel scrutiny.
What advice would you have for AHPs who are interested in developing their career in research?
There are more opportunities now compared with when I was getting started. The NIHR has created fellowship pathways specifically for AHPs, nurses, and other non-medical health professionals. So for anyone curious, I would recommend looking into these pathways – and see which might be relevant for whatever stage of career you are at.
In order to develop successful funding applications for research, you also need protected time. There are schemes that can help with this, such as NIHR pre-application awards, and BRC internships. These give you the chance to develop solid ideas with experienced supervisors for research projects.
Also, don’t underestimate the importance of PPIE from the start. It’s essential not just as a requirement of funding applications, but for shaping research that really makes a difference.
Links
- NIHR Fellowships and career support for AHPs, pharmacists and healthcare scientists.
- BRC Translational Neuroscience theme.
- BRC PPIE support.
- Centre for Nurse, Midwife and AHP Research (CNMAR).
- Dr Ramdharry’s UCL Profile
- For any AHPs interested in approaching the BRC for support, please contact the theme lead and operations manager for the relevant theme. Access details of all BRC themes.