Current Research Projects
The ScaleUp4Rehab project (with 13 European partners)
Lead Partner: Dr Remco Hoogendijk, Sint Maartens Kliniek Nijmegen, Netherlands.
UCC Lead: Prof. Joseph McVeigh.
This project is funded by Interreg NWE €10.78 million (total budget). This project aims to scale up the use of VR in rehabilitation across Europe. The project consists of 3 WPs. WP1 will develop and build a virtual rehabilitation clinic. WP2 consists of a series of pilot studies, conducted across Europe, exploring the feasibility of using the virtual clinic to deliver rehabilitation interventions in different conditions. WP 3 (UCC leads) focuses on building capacity for the use of VR among students and clinicians. This WP includes implementing VR into the physiotherapy curriculum.
The NET-RMDs research group: Networks of Fatigue and Pain in Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases
Lead Partner: Dr Fernando Estévez-López (PI), University of Almería and Harvard University
UCC Lead: Prof. Joseph McVeigh.
This project is a partnership with colleagues in Harvard University, USA, University of Granada Spain, Utrecht University, the Netherlands, University of Coimbra, Portugal and Ulster University, UK. People with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases have been surveyed across five countries (n=2547) to explore the impact of pain and fatigue in Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases. The study was funded by the European League Against Rheumatism (to FE-L).
Falls Management Exercise Programme: Improving Reach, Effectiveness, VaLue and SustAiNability in IrelanD. Case Studies for Learning (acronym: FaME Ireland)
Lead Researcher: Ruth McCullagh
Lead Co-investigators: Prof Dawn Skelton, GCU; Prof Frances Horgan, RCSI and Dr Éidín Ní Shé, RCSI
This project is a partnership with colleagues in Harvard University, USA, University of Granada Spain, Utrecht University, the Netherlands, University of Coimbra, Portugal and Ulster University, UK. People with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases have been surveyed across five countries (n=2547) to explore the impact of pain and fatigue in Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases. The study was funded by the European League Against Rheumatism (to FE-L).
PD-Life : All -Island Parkinson's Disease Research Hub
Lead Researcher: Prof Suzanne Timmons, Head of the Centre for Gerontology and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine
Lead Co-investigator: Dr Ruth McCullagh, Senior Lecturer in Discipline of Physiotherapy
Led by Prof Suzanne Timmons, UCC and Dr Miihalis Doumas, QUB, PD‑Life is the first ever all‑island Parkinson’s disease research hub, with the core aim to improve wellbeing and quality of life for people living with Parkinson’s across the island. It is a multidisciplinary collaboration across 5 universities (UCC, QUB, TCD, UL, UU), Parkinson's Ireland and Parkinson's UK (NI). The embedded collaborative research projects align with the Parkinson's Ireland research priorities, exercise, mental health, stigma, gender, culture, with wearable technologies. Through 8 work packages, the projects will support 9 PhD, 1 MSc and 7 postdoctoral researchers, working together across shared thematic projects and will develop research-training toolkits to support future researchers.
Dr Ruth McCullagh is the Lead of the Exercise and Dance Work package. The work package will support 2 postdoctoral and 2 PhD researchers to explore the effects and acceptability of dance, and exercise with / without motivational techniques. A protocol for a definitive trial comparing dance, exercise and exercise-motivation, along with toolkits and videos to support dance instructors will be generated from the work package.
This four-year project is funded by the North-South Research Programme Award (4 million).
Internal PhD Projects
Technology and prehabilitation in total knee arthroplasty
PhD Candidate: Niamh Coveney
Supervisor: Prof. Joseph McVeigh,
Co-supervisors: Prof. Denis Martin (Teesside University), Dr Brona Fullen (University College Dublin), Mr David Murphy (School of Computer Science and Information Technology UCC), Prof. May Cleary (School of Medicine UCC/University Hospital Waterford)
The effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions on adults living with Long COVID
PhD Candidate: Aaron Cole
Supervisor: Prof. Joseph McVeigh
Co-supervisors: Dr Brona Fullen (University College Dublin), Prof. Denis Martin (Teesside University, UK), Mr David Murphy (School of Computer Science and Information Technology UCC), Dr Deepak Ravindran (Central Reading Primary Care Network, UK).
Behaviour change interventions for community-based physical activity engagement in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
PhD Candidate: Ciara Hanrahan
Supervisor: Prof. Joseph McVeigh
Co-supervisors: Dr Julie Broderick (University College Dublin), Prof. Terry O’Connor (School of Medicine UCC/Mercy Hospital Cork), Prof Thierry Troosters, (Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium)
The design, development and evaluation of dementia training for physiotherapists
PhD candidate: Trish O’Sullivan
Supervisor: Prof. Joseph McVeigh
Co-supervisors: Prof. Tony Foley (School of Medicine UCC), Dr Suzanne Timmons (School of Medicine UCC/Mercy Hospital, Cork), Dr Kate Lawler (La Trobe University, Australia)
Virtual Reality in the management of shoulder pain
PhD candidate: Niamh Brady
Supervisor: Prof. Joseph McVeigh
Co-supervisors: Prof. Jeremy Lewis (Central London Community Healthcare NHS), Dr Karen McCreesh (University of Limerick)
Effectiveness of social prescribing in the management of community dwelling adults with musculoskeletal pain
PhD Candidate: Declan O’Sullivan
Supervisor: Prof. Joseph McVeigh
Co-supervisor: Dr Janas Harrington (School of Public Health UCC), Prof. Lindsay Bearne (City St George’s University of London, UK)
Self-management of shoulder pain
PhD candidate: Aidan O’Shea
Supervisor: Prof. Joseph McVeigh
Co supervisors: Prof. Jonathan Drennan (UCD), Prof. Helen Slater (Curtin University), Dr Chris Littlewood (Salford University), Prof. Julius Sim (Keele University)
Flow in virtual reality: impact on rehabilitation outcomes
PhD Candidate: Eoghan O’Riain
Supervisor: Prof. Joseph McVeigh
Co supervisors: Dr Brona Fullen (University College Dublin), Mr David Murphy (School of Computer Science and Information Technology UCC), Prof. Denis Martin (Teesside University, UK)
External PhD Projects
Epidemiology and moderators of injury in Gaelic football
PhD Candidate: Thomas Dekker
Supervisor: Kieran Collins (Technological University Dublin)
Co supervisors: Dr K O’Sullivan (University of Limerick), Prof Catherine Blake (University College Dublin). Prof. Joseph McVeigh
Exploring patients’ journey across the total knee arthroplasty care pathway: The influence of different health service systems
PhD Candidate: Ammar Suhail
Supervisor: Dr Catherine Hanratty (Ulster University, UK)
Co supervisors: Professor Ciara Hughes (Ulster University, UK), Dr Michael Mansfield (University of Birmingham), Dr Christopher Keating (Thomas Jefferson University), Prof. Joseph McVeigh
Predictors of Surgical Outcomes in Knee Osteoarthritis
PhD Candidate: Una McConville
Supervisor: Dr Catherine Hanratty (Ulster University, UK)
Co supervisors: Prof. Ciara Hughes (Ulster University), Dr Michael Mansfield (University of Birmingham), Prof. Joseph McVeigh