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Sarah’s research aims to explore how transoral surgery affects swallowing and communication in the first six weeks following surgery for cancer of the oropharynx (part of the throat directly behind the mouth that helps you speak and swallow).

Sarah’s research will provide:

• In depth analysis of early post operative changes to function (speech and swallowing) which will allow clinicians to delineate which patients benefit functionally from transoral surgery thereby facilitating the complex treatment decision-making process

• Evidence on the impact of surgical technique (transoral laser microsurgery vs transoral robotic surgery) which will guide policy and clinical decision making

• Greater understanding of functional changes which will improve pre-treatment education, thus reducing anxiety and engagement (patients and carers) in the post-operative period.

• Qualitative data to enhance the understanding of oropharyngeal dysfunction, highlighting the timing and nature of functional problems, alongside patient and carer priorities.  This will optimise care pathways and efficient clinical management. It will also enhance understanding of patient experience of functional assessments and data collection processes.

• a set of core outcome measures, which has been identified by an international panel of experts (clinicians and patients), aiming to reduce heterogeneity in future research data, allowing for comparisons amongst observational studies, strengthening the evidence available to clinicians.

• Supervisors: Professor Jo Patterson,

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Shamah’s research aims to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of screening tests for detecting aspiration in patients with head and neck cancers.  Throughout thesis, Shamah presents three different studies. An initial systematic review will be conducted to assess the diagnostic accuracy of swallowing screening tools for detecting aspiration among head and neck cancer patients. Using existing data, the second study will evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the 100mL Water Swallow Test for detecting aspiration will be compared with videofluoroscopic swallowing evaluations for patients with HPV+ Head & Neck Cancer. The final study will use a modified water swallow test to screen people treated for head and neck cancer for aspiration.

Supervisors: Joanne Patterson, Michelle Lawton, Jenan Altamimi, Andrew Schache

Taran Malhotra is a Lead Clinical Scientist in Reconstructive Science at the Liverpool Head and Neck Centre and Clinical Tutor at Manchester Metropolitan University. With over 15 years’ clinical experience, she specialises in prosthetic rehabilitation and 3D virtual surgical planning (VSP), combining innovation with a strong focus on the psychosocial needs of patients living with facial differences.

Taran is the first in her speciality to receive NIHR funding through the Pre-doctoral Clinical and Practitioner Academic Fellowship (PCAF). Her current research project, FACES, focuses on co-designing a person-centred and co-designed psychosocial intervention for individuals with head and neck cancer who use facial prostheses. She is a peer reviewer for the British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (BJOMS) and an invited contributor to two major surgical textbooks.

Nationally, Taran serves as Research Officer for the Institute of Maxillofacial Prosthetists and Technologists (IMPT), promoting research engagement and interdisciplinary collaboration. She is also an accredited supervisor with the Academy of Healthcare Science (AHCS). Internationally, she has provided vocational training in India and Sri Lanka, delivering specialist education in digital surgical planning and prosthetic rehabilitation to multidisciplinary teams.

Her research leadership is grounded in clinical expertise, inclusive co-design, and a deep commitment to improving outcomes for an often-overlooked patient group.

TBA