anxiety

 by Tom Q

Rising Star Dr. Yvonne Chun

I began my clinical research career with the stroke research group at the University of Edinburgh in 2014. After being awarded the Chief Scientist Office of Scotland Clinical Academic Fellowship, I conducted an observational study on the subtypes of anxiety disorders after stroke. I found that phobic disorder was the predominant anxiety subtype post-stroke. This led to the development and pilot testing of a telemedicine guided self-help cognitive behavioural therapy for anxiety after stroke (TASK-CBT) in a randomised controlled trial (TASK-I RCT). I presented the results of TASK-I RCT for the first time at the OPSYRIS conference in Glasgow in October 2018. I am hoping to take my work forward and evaluate TASK-CBT in a large definitive TASK-II RCT.

I am currently completing my clinical training as a geriatrician and stroke physician. My current research interests include applying evidence-based innovative digital technology to improve stroke care, empower stroke patients, and expedite the generation of robust evidence through efficient and high-quality clinical trials. My ongoing work includes developing an automated conversational agent for stroke patients, using actigraphy as clinical outcome measure in stroke trials, and efficient digitised clinical trial design e.g. TASK-II RCT.

My publications can be found here: https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/yvonne-chun(81691fe9-b14c-401c-852e-c8895461eaaa)/publications.html

Rising Star Dr. Yvonne Chun

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 by Tom Q

Glasgow 2018

On Friday 5th of October 2018, OPSYRIS hosted their anual UK meeting in the historic and scenic University of Glasgow.

The University of Glasgow hosted the 2018 OPSYRIS annual meeting

There were a wide range of topics presented. These included depression treatment, post stroke anxiety, using home based tools for assessment and setting up a specialist stroke psychology clinic.

Glasgow 2018 OPSYRIS meeting on research into stroke psychology.
Presentations, oral and poster, covered a wide range of research topics

Speakers came from every corner of the country including those from the Universities of Cambridge, Edinburgh, East Anglia, Manchester, Cardiff, Birmingham, Nottingham and several from the host city.

One of several useful talks during the meeting

Among those presenting were keynote speaker Dr. Shirley Thomas from the University of Nottingham discussing the BEADS trial looking at behavioural activation for post-stroke depression. The rising star award this year was won by Dr. Yvonne Chun at the University of Edinburgh who has contributed valuable work on anxiety after stroke.

Rising Star Yvone Chun and keynote speaker Professor Shirley Thomas show awards
Rising Star Dr. Yvonne Chun and keynote speaker Professor Shirley Thomas show awards at Glasgow OPSYRIS conference for psychological research into stroke

A welcome addition was a “how to” section with experts giving advice on  getting published, gaining grant funding and combining research with a clinical post. To this end invited speaker Dr Alan Carson, Associate Editor of the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry presented on getting published.

“How to…” sessions provided valuable information for researchers and practioners including getting funding, setting up a clinic and combining research and clinical work

The meeting was praised for creating a friendly and open environment for presenting work, asking questions, discussions and networking that participants found enjoyable, inspiring, informative and applicable to their practice and research.

OPSYRIS Glasgow post meeting
Participants of the OPSYRIS meet up in “The Friendly City” of Glasgow

However, it was the first OPSYRIS meeting arranged by the current team and much valuable feedback was taken post event and used for future events. There was much aniticipation for the next UK event at Oxford in 2019.

OPSYRIS Chair Dr. Terry Quinn closes the meeting in Glasgow 2018 as participants look forward to the following meeting in Oxford 2019

Thankfully many of the speakers shared their presentations online and can be found on the shared drive for OPSYRIS research Glasgow 2018. If you have problem accessing the contents please contact OPSYRIS.

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