Claire recently joined the Epidemiology Group as an interdisciplinary PhD student researching sex and gender differences in the diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of people with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).
Tell us a bit about yourself
I’ve had perhaps an unconventional journey to arrive at where I am today. In a past life, I worked as a project controls manager on oil and gas projects, and then as a project manager delivering mass-participation sporting events. During the pandemic, I started wondering if I could do something more impactful with my life (as many others did!) which resulted in me enrolling in the MSc Clinical Nutrition programme at the University of Aberdeen. My studies gave me a profound appreciation for the scientific method and using mixed methods approaches to develop meaningful solutions to complex interdisciplinary problems. I’ve spent the last ten years living in the Middle East and am very happy to have returned to the UK, although I’m still acclimatising to the vast difference in temperature!
What will you be investigating while you are in Aberdeen?
My PhD aims to identify whether men and women with PsA have different rates and lived experience of diagnosis, treatment response, and associated health, social and economic outcomes. This builds on emerging literature which suggests that women have disproportionately worse outcomes compared to men, but we don’t know why. It seems these differences can’t be explained solely by biological sex, and it is likely that gender is a causal factor. By exploring clinical, biological, structural and social determinants that affect people with PsA, I hope that my research will contribute to the reduction of health inequalities for people living with inflammatory arthritis.
Why did you choose Aberdeen?
In a nutshell: my supervisors. I was supervised by Dr Heather Morgan during my master’s research project and absolutely loved working with her. She’s the yin to my yang. Heather encouraged me to work up a PhD proposal and apply for funding, and enthusiastically supported me through that gruelling process. Heather is an incredible social scientist, and I know she will continue to push me outside of my comfort zone in the very best way.
During my master’s, I became aware of Professor Gareth Jones and the work of the Epidemiology Group. As an internationally recognised research centre with academic and clinical experts who share my research interests, collaborating with the Group appealed greatly. I have a keen interest in rheumatic disease, chronic pain, health disparities, and the intersection of these topics so Heather introduced Gareth and I, and the rest is history, as they say!
Having now been working in the group for three months, I feel confident in saying that I made the right decision; Heather and Gareth’s support and guidance, along with that of the wider Epi Group team, has exceeded my expectations - I feel very at home here.
Are you involved in any other research?
Not actively at the moment, although I am working with my MSc supervisors to publish the findings from my PGT research project which was entitled Body Weight Management in Adults with Psoriatic Arthritis: A Mixed-Methods Study.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Aside from cooking and eating different foods from around the world, I enjoy travelling and experiencing new cultures. I’m also hoping there will be enough snow during winter here, so I can go skiing in the Cairngorms.