Dr Karen Vinall-Collier

Profile

Dr Karen Vinall-Collier BSc (Hons), MSc, PhD. I gained my BSc (Hons) and MSc in Psychology and Psychological Research Methods from Lancaster University in 2006 and MSc (Teesside University) and PhD (University of Leeds, School of Medicine) in Health Psychology in 2013. I am a Lecturer in Behavioural Sciences for Dental Public Health within the Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds.

I joined the University of Leeds as a Research Officer in 2008 in Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine whereby I undertook my PhD part-time alongside this role of a multi-centre study of the processes of care undertaken in Rheumatology clinics throughout the UK. Upon successful completion of this project I joined the team in the Academic Unit of Health Economics working on systematic reviews including cost-effectiveness and project managment befroe I joined the School of Dentistry as a Lecturer in Behavioural Sciences in the Department of Dental Public Health in 2013.

From my Phd work I have been an invited speaker and Chair at the following national and international conferences and educational events: Invited Chair at British Health Professional in Rheumatology conference 2013 “Patient initiated exchange: a random occurrence?” Invited speaker and workshop facilitator Yorkshire Rheumatology Multidisciplinary Group study day 2011 “Understanding the patient perspective”. Invited Chair at British Health Professionals in Rheumatology conference 2011 “Mind the gaps: making way for patients’ concerns”. Oral presentation at the BPS Division of Health Psychology Annual Conference, 2011 “Do nurse specialists do it differently? Comparison of a CNS and Consultant led consultations”. Invited speaker at European Rheumatology Nurses Meeting, 2010 (Rome). 

Responsibilities

• Module Lead Social Sciences Related to Dentistry
• Chair of Dental Research Ethics Committee
• Athena Swan Subgroup Lead - Mentoring and Career Development

Research interests

Co-Applicant NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research Programme. Caring Optimally: promoting effective Mouth Minutes in care homes (COMMIT study)

Co-Applicant NIHR Research for Patient Benefit. toothPASTE – empowering families of young children with autism to establish good oral health habits

Co-Principle Investigator NIHR CRN Yorkshire & Humber Strategic Priorities Funding. RESTART COVID and Us – Public Engagement Programme to support the Restart and Vaccination programmes targeting underserved communities supporting equity of access to participation in research.

Co Principle Investigator White Rose Collaboration Fund. Understanding ‘Raised in Yorkshire’ (RiY): its wider influence on health and life opportunities and its potential for scalability.

Co-Applicant Better Start Bradford Innovation Fund. Improving the oral health of young children (aged 0-4 years old) through collaborative working with early-years settings - opportunities and challenges.

Co-Applicant OHI PreViser Award. PREPARED– PrevEntion oPtions and oRal hEalth in PAtients at Risk of developing rhEumatoiD Arthritis

Co-Applicant ESRC Impact Acceleration Account. Partnerships for Social Justice. 

Co-Applicant OHI PreViser Award. Pre-HOMESTIE STUDY / Preliminary study of how to maintain dental care for independent dwelling older people.

Co-Applicant P&G funded intervention study. CREATIVE- ChildREn’s Toothbrushing InterVention bEhavioural change

Co-Applicant Colgate Robin Davies DCP Award 2018- Oral and Dental Research Trust.  A mixed methods evaluation of the Leeds City Council’s oral health promotion intervention, Choose the Cup Campaign.

Co- Applicant EU Horizon 2020 grant. ADVOCATE – Added value for Oral Care. UCC Advocate | Advanced Value for Oral Care (advocateoralhealth.com)

Co- Applicant Health Education Authority grant. Preparing for Amalgam Phase Down – Understanding the needs of GDPs and commissioner to support NHS adoption and diffusion of non-amalgam alternative innovations

Co-Applicant Proctor &Gamble. CREATIVE (ChildREn’s Toothbrushing InterVention bEhavioural change)

NIHR HTA. AKI Diagnostics – The future for diagnostic tests of acute kidney injury in critical care: evidence synthesis, care pathway analysis and research prioritisation

Other awards: 

University of Leeds Helath Services Innovation Hub Engagement Excellence Fellowship – To identify barriers and facilitators to achieving good oral health for the most vulnerable and excluded people in the city of Leeds

Athena Swan Academic Development Fund 

Travel bursary EULAR (European League Against Rheumatism) 

Division of Health Psychology postgraduate conference bursary, British Psychological Society 
Educational Bursary, British Health Professionals in Rheumatology 
Travel bursary, British Health Professionals in Rheumatology 
Travel award, Qualitative Methods In Psychology Section, British Psychological Society 
Travel bursary, Health Psychology Post-grad conference, British Psychological Society 
 

Qualifications

• PhD School of Medicine (University of Leeds, 2013)
• MSc Health Psychology (University of Teesside, 2007)
• MSc Psychological Research Methods (Lancaster University, 2006)
• BSc (Hons) Psychology (Lancaster University, 2005)

Professional memberships

• BMC Oral Health Editorial Board Member

Student education

Module Lead Social Sciences Realted to Dentistry

Athena Swan Subgroup Lead – Mentoring and Career Development 

Module team involvement:

Final Year Project (years 4 & 5) 

MSc Dental Public Health – Principles of Dental Public Health 

MSc Dental Public Health – Research Project

Teaching on other modules: 

MSc Research Methodology and Ethics 

MSc Translation of Oral Systemic 

Research groups and institutes

• Health services research