BAPEN Conference How to Succeed in Research – but you do have to try!


A clear, early message to the Science and Research Committee, under the Chairmanship of Professor John McLaughlin, was that healthcare professionals in BAPEN would like to undertake a research project, but were often not entirely clear how to go about this, or what opportunities existed. This symposium was, therefore, arranged as a forum to present experiences of researchers in a variety of roles, as well as illustrating some key sources of potential funding. The function of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) was a strong theme throughout the session. The session was opened by Professor Sarah


Andrew, Dean of Applied and Health Sciences, University of Chester, addressing how to start and run a successful research project. Sarah set the scene brilliantly, running through a series of sporting analogies under the theme of ‘Know the Game’. By use of metaphors such as ‘contestants’, ‘equipment’, ‘rules’, ‘handicap’ and others it was easy to understand the framework and challenges facing researchers at all levels.


A treble act followed from Imperial College. Gary Frost, Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics,


offered insight and advice from his extensive experience on NIHR Fellowship panels. Key messages were: the need to seek advice from many sources; communicate extreme clarity in the application; and seek peer review by fresh eyes. Dr Mary Hickson, Senior Lecturer, offered good practical advice at ‘local level’, particularly emphasising the need to source good intelligence such as RDInfo (www.rdinfo.org.uk). Mary also highlighted her book Research Handbook for Health Care Professionals (Blackwell). Ms Liesl Wandrag, a current NIHR Fellow in the same group, described her own journey to a current NIHR Fellowship. Liesl’s key messages for a successful application were distilled into ‘Person, Place, Project, Preparation, Pounds and Package’. Charlotte Harden from Sheffield Hallam provided an engaging personal account of a different funding stream, the Knowledge Transfer Partnership, a scheme by which Academic Institutions and Industry work together towards shared research goals supported by Research Council funding (http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/business/people-


information/knowledge-transfer-partnerships.aspx). Charlotte is undertaking a PhD into novel lipid- based satiety applications that might be commercialised. The session was closed by Dr Dawn Biram from the NIHR Trainees Co-ordinating Centre in Leeds. Dawn delivered an excellent overview of all the funding streams available via NIHR, which has generated many new opportunities, particularly for nurses and allied healthcare professions (http://www.nihrtcc.nhs.uk/cat/). These are core groups in BAPEN for whom little funding was previously available.


Through questions and answers it was made clear that BAPEN’s Research and Science Committee was keen to support and advise anyone planning to submit an application. The research database set up by Anne Holdoway, elected as a BAPEN Executive Officer at Conference, was flagged as an invaluable resource to seek expert support, advice or mentorship and commended to the audience at the close of the session.


Reporting by John McLaughlin


Awards at Conference


Winner of the 2010 BAPEN Nutricia Research Award


Stephanie Wakefield, a Specialist Upper GI Dietitian, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, St Mary's Hospital, London, was this year’s recipient of the BAPEN Nutricia Research Award.


Stephanie wins £15,000 to undertake her research project and received a paid place at this year’s BAPEN Conference. Stephanie’s research project, entitled:


'The prevalence of micro-nutrient deficiencies in upper gastro-intestinal cancer patients after treatment with surgery and chemotherapy' is a cross sectional cohort observational study; patients on the upper gastrointestinal cancer database who remain cancer-free will be invited to participate. They will have a blood sample taken and take part in an interview at their out-patient appointment.


Currently there is insufficient evidence to make recommendations on vitamin and mineral intakes in this patient group. This study aims to provide us with information as to whether there is an increased risk of deficiency and whether we should routinely be advocating supplementation and screening following treatment. Reporting by Dr Gary Hubbard


Nutricia Award winner Stephanie Wakefield GI Dietitian at St Mary’s Hospital, London with Professor John McLaughlin (left), Chair of BAPEN’s Research & Science Committee, and Dr Gary Hubbard (right) of Nutricia.


BAPEN In Touch No.59 December 2010


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