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Our Staff

Dr William Whiteley
Research Champion - Stroke

Dr William Whiteley is a Reader in Neurology at the Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh and a consultant neurologist in NHS Lothian, working with patients with TIA and stroke.  His work seeks to elucidate the mechanisms for prevention of disability due to stroke and dementia through the design, delivery and analysis of epidemiological studies and clinical trials.  Of particular interest are: the contribution of vascular risk factors to dementia; the very long term follow-up of randomized trials; clinical diagnosis; and the better use of large electronic health record datasets for more efficient clinical trials and cohort studies.

 

Claire McFarlane
Manager, NRS Stroke Research Network

Claire has over 25 years nursing experience in patient care and clinical research (academic and commercial research).

In 2000 Claire joined the Clinical Trials Unit (Glasgow Royal Infirmary) as a Clinical Events Monitor for the PROSPER Study, a five-year international commercial trial studying the use of a statin in older adults. 

In 2002 - 2004, Claire enrolled in a post-graduate course – Certificate in Clinical Research at Liverpool John Moores University/Institute of Clinical Research (ICR), graduating in 2004. She has been involved in the design, set-up and management of clinical trials in various projects.  Claire has also worked as a freelance Clinical Research Associate for TowerMains Ltd CRO (UK Project Office) and also within Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS.

In 2006, Claire took up the role of setting up the Stroke Research Network alongside Professor Peter Langhorne.  She is part of a small coordinating centre based at Glasgow Royal Infirmary and her remit covers the whole of Scotland. The SRN compromises 20 CSO SRN funded research nurses covering 24 sites (acute stroke units) across Scotland. As Manager she is responsible for operationally managing the SRN research portfolio which includes national and international clinical trials.

 

Karen McBurnie
Network Senior Research Administrator, NRS Stroke Research Network

Karen joined the NHS in August 2001 as a Research Nursing Assistant in the Clinical Investigation & Research Unit (CIRU), Western Infirmary, Glasgow which was headed up by Professor Gordon McInnes.  The CIRU was a purpose-built research facility designed to support commercial and academic research studies, mainly concerning hypertension, cardiovascular and diabetes.   Karen’s role within the CIRU was to provide nursing, laboratory and administrative support to the research team.  

In June 2008 Karen joined the Stroke Research Network as Research Administrator.  During the first year of employment within SRN Karen gained a diploma in Business, Administration & IT at her local college.   Karen administrates and manages the SRN portfolio of studies and provides administrative support to the network manager, executive committee and research nurses.

From 2010 – 2014 Karen was seconded to work part-time for Professor Peter Langhorne as the UK coordinator for the INTERSTROKE research study – an international case-control study investigating ‘The Importance of Conventional and emerging Risk factors for Stroke in Different regions of the World and in Different Ethnic Groups’.

NRS Stroke Research Network
Cuthbertson Building
Glasgow Royal Infirmary
G4 0SF
Tel 0141 414 6596