The group focuses on two clinical conditions, namely bladder and bowel control, and pressure ulcers, both of which can be highly detrimental to the quality of life of the individual and constitute a major burden on their carers and the finances of the Health Service.
Programme leads
Professor Dan Bader, Professor of Bioengineering and Tissue Health
Professor Mandy Fader, Professor of Continence Technology
The former conditions affect around 3 million people in the UK. Despite improvements in treatments for incontinence many individuals rely on continence products and devices to contain leakage. Our goal is to improve the quality of life of people with long-term incontinence through research which focuses on:
Pressure ulcers generally develop in individuals who are immobile and insensate, particularly in soft tissues overlying bony prominences. The aetiology of the condition is multi-factorial as have been revealed by recent technological innovations involving multi-scale approaches from cell models to patient-based studies. Our goals are to:
Research approaches
Our research is multi-disciplinary in nature and encompasses professionals in nursing, bioengineering and medical disciplines, in association with health service researchers, health economists and user groups. We have well established collaborations with colleagues at University College London and Eindhoven University of Technology, and are continuing to develop links with other world-leading groups in North America, Asia Pacific and Europe.
Our approaches include:
Both quantitative and qualitative techniques are employed, with mixed methods being an essential ingredient in clinical trials.