Dr Laurie Cave

Profile

I am a qualitative and mixed methods research fellow and a registered dietitian specialising in clinical care and research in paediatric long-term conditions. Having worked in public health nutrition and as a paediatric dietitian for many years, I completed a Health Education England (HEE)/National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded MRes at the University of Leeds in 2017. Following awards of pre-doctoral bridging funding, I commenced a HEE/NIHR Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowship in 2019 based in the School of Healthcare. My multi-method PhD project focused on early development of a digital behavioural intervention to support children with cystic fibrosis in self-care of their diet and gut. In April 2023, I joined the qualitative and mixed methods research group based in the Leeds Institute of Clinical Trials Research (LICTR). Projects I am currently working on:

• EMERALD, a mixed methods study developing and evaluating an intervention to improve outcomes following an emergency laparotomy.
• Recover Together, a mixed methods feasibility study of a co-produced education intervention to improve recovery after bowel cancer surgery.

I also co-lead the Leeds Unit for Complex Intervention Development seminar programme and am a member of the LICTR Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE), and Diversity and Inclusion in Trials Working Groups. 

Research interests

I am interested in research that informs evidence-based clinical practice, particularly with a focus on diet and/or the gut. I have a long-standing interest in supporting nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals to conduct research alongside their clinical roles and am currently a Council for Allied Health Professions Research (CAHPR)/NIHR Research Champion for the Yorkshire and Humber region. I am passionate about meaningful PPIE and making research more accessible and inclusive, and combine these interests in my role as an expert member on a Health Research Authority Research Ethics Committee. 

Qualifications

• PhD Applied Health Research
• MSc Clinical Research Methods
• PGDip Dietetics
• MSc Human Nutrition
• BSc (Hons) Biochemistry

Professional memberships

• Health and Care Professions Council
• British Dietetic Association

Student education

I currently contribute to teaching on self-management of long-term conditions and PPIE and am mentoring several early career researchers in the areas of paediatric long-term conditions and diet-related research. 

Research groups and institutes

• Leeds Institute of Clinical Trials Research
• Surgical Interventions, Diagnostics and Devices Division