Our team

The BEARS multi-disciplinary team is jointly led by Deborah Vickers, University of Cambridge and Dan Jiang, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, who have worked with co-applicants and collaborators to develop this proposal informed by patient opinions and feedback

Dan JiangCo-chief Investigator

Dan is professor of Otology and Hearing Implant Surgery at Kings College Hospital and Consultant Hearing Implant Surgeon at Guy's and St Thomas'

Deborah VickersCo-chief Investigator

Debi is principal research fellow at the University of Cambridge leading the "Sensory Optimisation Utilising Neuroscience for Devices" SOUND lab and honorary research fellow at Guy's and St Thomas'.

Caroline Clarke Health Economist

Caroline is a Senior Health Economist at University College London (UCL) and is responsible for the cost-effectiveness evaluation of BEARS compared to usual care, which will use information from our clinical trial participants on their quality of life and on the treatment pathways that they follow.

Sandra DriverClinical Lead Speech and Language Therapist

Sandra works as a clincian at Guy's and St Thomas' Hearing Impant Centre

Nick FreemantleDirector of UCL Comprehensive Clinical Trials Unit

Nick works at University College London and works with complex trials

Pádraig KitterickAssociate Professor in Hearing Sciences

Padraig works at Nottingham University

Sarah SomersetResearch Fellow in Hearing Sciences

Sarah works at the University of Nottingham and is responsible for adapting and validating the York Binaural Hearing Related Quality of Life questionnaire for use in young people.

Merle MahonAssociate Professor in Language and Cognition

Merle works at University College London (UCL). She is the UCL lead for the BEARS project and is responsible for the qualitative aspects of the research.

Lorenzo PicinaliReader in Audio Experience Design

Lorenzo works at Imperial College London and is in charge of the development of the BEARS applications.

Christine RoccaTeacher of the Deaf and Music Therapist

Chris works at Guy's and St Thomas' Hearing Implant Centre

Stuart RosenProfessor in Speech and Hearing Science

Stuart works at University College London

Marina Salorio - CorbettoResearch Associate

Marina is a Research Associate at Cambridge University. She supports Patient & Public Involvement and works on the development and evaluation of the BEARS games and applications.

Sarvesh ThiruchelvamPatient Co-Applicant

Sarve is a bilateral Cochlear Implant User supporting the PPI and patient engagement throughout the trial

Nejra Van ZalkDevelopmental Scientist

Nejra works at Imperial College London

Helen CullingtonProfessorial Fellow and Principal Clinical Scientist

Helen works at the University of Southampton Auditory Implant Service. She has previously designed and rolled out a webapp for people with cochlear implants.

Giorgos DritsakisPatient & Public Involvement Coordinator

Giorgos is a Researcher at the University of Cambridge. He has worked in clinical research for more than 10 years. His main role is to coordinate the involvement of patients and clinicians in the project.

Bhavisha ParmarResearch Audiologist

Bhavisha is a Research Audiologist at the University of Cambridge. She is involved in Patient & Public Involvement, development of tests to assess the effectiveness of the BEARS games and clinical support with the BEARS clinical trial.

Frances EarlyHealth Psychology Researcher

Frances works at Addenbrooke's Hospital and leads the qualitative aspects of the process evaluation component of the project.

Kevin SumDeveloper

Kevin works on the development and evaluation of the BEARS games and applications.

Adam PedleyResearch Fellow in Hearing Sciences

Adam works at the University of Nottingham and is responsible for adapting and validating the York Binaural Hearing Related Quality of Life questionnaire for use in young people.