Toni Bifulco
Professor in Health & Social Care
Department of Health & Social Care
Royal Holloway, University of London
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Toni's research has been in identifying lifetime social factors associated with mental health in the community. This includes issues of childhood neglect and abuse, support, self-esteem, life events, coping and attachment styles. She has extended her research interests to applied work in health and social care. This is focused both on mental health services and also children's services and she is commissioned by PCTs, social services and voluntary organisations.
Amanda Bunn
Senior Researcher
Department of Health and Social Care
Royal Holloway, University of London
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Amanda is a Research Psychologist working in the Lifespan Research Group carrying out both applied evaluations and research analysing data from a Medical Research Grant on intergenerational transmission of risk. She also runs her own research and stress management business and has a strong interest in eclectic methods integrating health, social care, psychology and entrepreneurial applications.
Angela Clow (Academic Leader)
Professor
Department of Psychology
University of Westminster
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Angela is a founder member of the Psychophysiology and Stress Research Group (PSRG), which has an international reputation in the study of salivary cortisol and the secretory immune system in relation to mood and susceptibility to infection. Angela has recently been involved with a BBC1 series called 'The Stress Test'. She is currently developing well-being measurements tools with WestFocus partners.
Phil Evans
Professor
Department of Psychology
University of Westminster
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Phil read Natural Sciences (Experimental Psychology) for his first degree and completed his PhD at the University of Wales at Cardiff. He has published widely, including three books and over 70 articles and chapters. His major current research interest is investigating levels and reactivity of secretory immunoglobin A, as an immune system parameter, in relation to stress manipulations, psychosocial variables and health status.
Denise Forte
Principal Lecturer in Gerontology
Faculty of Health and Social Care Sciences
Kingston University and St George’s, University of London
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Denise has wide research interests including relationship, intimacy and sexuality in older people, well-being and intergenerational work, rehabilitation in care homes and medication management in older people. Her work enables her to instil into practitioners the need to challenge assumptions and develop practices that involve older people as central characters in their own care decisions.
Cathrine Fredhoi
Research Fellow
Department of Psychology
University of Westminster
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Cathrine has worked full-time with WestFocus related activities. She has worked as the Health Network Co-ordinator and as a researcher on the Well-being in Older People project. Cathrine is based at the University of Westminster where she works closely with the Psychophysiology and Stress Research Group. She is also taking a PhD, investigating Well-being in Older People. Cathrine is currently on maternity leave and is expected to return during 2008.
Frank Hucklebridge
Professor
Department of Psychology
University of Westminster
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Frank is a founder member of the Psychophysiology - Stress Research Group. His main research interest is in the physiological responses and correlates of human psychosocial stress. His interests include both acute stress challenge responses and associations with chronic enduring-situational or occupational stress. A particular interest is the connection of the immune system with stress physiology.
Catherine Jacobs
Research Officer in Mental Health
Department of Health & Social Care
Royal Holloway, University of London
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Catherine has worked as a research psychologist in the Lifespan Research Group for nine years, examining psychosocial factors in intergenerational transmission of risk from mother to offspring. She has a particular interest in attachment style and is a trainer in interview measures for psychosocial risks. Catherine’s involvement in WestFocus includes training practitioners in research methods and disseminating information on well-being in older life.
Costas Karageorghis
Reader in Sport Psychology
School of Sport and Education
Brunel University
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Costas has published 120 scholarly articles in the area of applied sport psychology. He is head of sport psychology at Brunel University and a visiting lecturer at Oxford University. Costas is accredited by the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences in research and scientific support. His main health-related research interests are the impact of music on rehabilitation and the motivational dynamics of exercise.
Ava Lorenc
Research Assistant and MPhil/PhD Candidate
Centre for Complementary Healthcare and Integrated Medicine (CCHIM)
Thames Valley University
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Ava works within CCHIM as an MPhil/PhD student, under the supervision of Professor Nicola Robinson. She is working on the SOS (Solutions on Stress) WestFocus project, focusing on using complementary medicine for stress for teenagers. Ava's research focuses on the use of complementary medicine with children.
Catherine Loveday
Principal Lecturer in Cognitive Neuroscience
Harrow School of Computer Science
University of Westminster
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Catherine’s research over the last 14 years has focussed on the cognitive and biological changes that occur in normal and abnormal ageing. She has also published work relating to cognition in a number of other clinical populations, including hydrocephalus, eating disorders and ADHD and has current projects in the assessment of the cognitive aspects of music therapy.
Justin McPhee
Thames Valley University
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Justin is a consultant who has worked in the health, criminal justice, education, business and social care fields in varying capacities since 1991. He has worked within a range of professional environments including NHS hospitals, the Probation Service, prisons, Social Services, the Police, universities; and voluntary and corporate organisations. He has experience in designing, managing, delivering and evaluating programmes for people with complex health and social needs, which reflect both his practitioner and academic interests. Justin's academic background is in sociology and medical sociology and he is also trained in person-centred and psychodynamic counselling.
Theresa Nash
Senior Lecturer and Researcher in Primary Care
Faculty of Health and Social Care Sciences
Kingston University and St George’s, University of London
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Theresa's current research, teaching and practice is focused on adolescent health, including the 'lived experience of youth' and the effectiveness of Relationship and Sex Education. She is an elected representative on the RCN Adolescent Health Forum. Theresa has a background in Public Health Nursing and maintains her clinical practice as a sexual and reproductive health advisor for Lewisham PCT.
Nicky Robinson
Professor of Complementary Medicine & Head
Centre for Complementary Healthcare and Integrated Medicine (CCHIM)
Thames Valley University
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Nicky is an experienced academic as well as a qualified Acupuncturist registered with the British Acupuncture Council. As well as CAM her academic specialisms include epidemiology, health services research and public health. Nicola has a keen interest in complementary medicine and its assimilation into mainstream health care. Her recent appointment as Independent Chair of the General Naturopathic Council will facilitate the regulatory work carried out by the Prince of Wales's Foundation for Integrated Health.
Adina Rusu
Research Assistant and PhD Candidate
Department of Health & Social Care
Royal Holloway, University of London
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Adina is a clinical psychologist and counsellor, trained in cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy. Her doctorate is focused on cognitive biases in chronic pain and depression. Her major research interests include issues of health psychology such as social support, stress management and coping with chronic illnesses. She is currently working on a WestFocus project, focusing on stress management techniques for teenagers (Solutions on Stress – SOS) for the Children and Young People’s network.
Alice Thacker
Senior Lecturer
Department of Mental Health - Learning Disability
St George's, University of London
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Alice is a Speech and Language Therapist whose main research interest is the development of equitable and accurate assessment of patients who do not use conventional spoken language. She initiated a programme that recruits and employs actors with learning disabilities as simulated patients in the training and assessment of medical students. This won a BUPA Foundation Communication Award in 1998.
Tony Towell
Professor
Department of Psychology
University of Westminster
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Tony’s current research interests include the social and biological factors associated with pain experience, the psychophysiology of attention and memory and factors associated with the development and treatment of eating disorders. He is also involved in a number of projects investigating lifestyle factors and health. He currently also holds the post of Honorary Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street.
