Dr Shenaz Ahmed

Profile

Shenaz Ahmed is an Associate Professor in Public Health at the Leeds Institute of Health Sciences.

Her research interests are in ethnicity and health; psychological, social and ethical aspects of genetics/genomics; and the development of interventions to support healthcare decision-making. She has expertise in global health research, particularly in low-middle income countries.

Responsibilities

• MBChB Integrated Core Unit Co-lead: Research Evaluation and Special Studies Year 1

Research interests

Shenaz’s research interests are in understanding the psychological, social and ethical aspects of genetic, genomic and prenatal testing.  Her research focuses on how to facilitate autonomous decision-making, particularly in diverse cultural groups and settings, and mainly in low-middle income countries. Her research includes exploration of attitudes towards prenatal/genetic screening tests and termination of pregnancy for various conditions; experiences of genetic conditions/disability (thalassaemia, Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis); the role of religious, cultural and social influences; and the development of interventions, training and educational materials to support decision-making.  Shenaz currently leads an international collaborative research network on the psychosocial aspect of genomic technologies (Hong Kong, China and Pakistan).

Shenaz uses various research methods and has expertise in global health research, and qualitative methods using interviews, focus groups and Q-methodology.

Her current research includes the development of an intervention to support relatives of children with Beta-thalassemia major in Pakistan to make informed decision about cascade screening (GtR (ukri.org)).  This research includes collaborators from the Punjab Thalassaemia Prevention Project (https://ptpp.punjab.gov.pk) and the Thalassaemia Society of Pakistan (http://thalassaemia.org.pk).  Shenaz also holds an Honorary Associate Professor research position at Fatima Jinnah Medical University, Lahore, Pakistan. (http://www.fjmu.edu.pk).

Qualifications

• PhD – University of Leeds (2001)
• BSc Psychology (Hons, first class) – University of Leeds (1998)

Professional memberships

• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Student education

Shenaz is co-leads for the ’Research Evaluation and Special Studies Year 1’ module, an Integrated Core Unit on the MBChB (undergraduate medical degree).  She also lectures on conducting qualitative research on the ‘Health Research Postgraduate Certificate’ programme.

Shenaz has led modules on the Master in Public Health programme on ‘Promoting Health’ and ‘Culture, Ethnicity and Diversity’, and on the Health Research Postgraduate Certificate programme on ‘Applied Qualitative Health Research’.

Research groups and institutes

• Psychological and Social Medicine
• Health services research

Current postgraduate researchers

• Mr