Dr Puvanendran Tharmanathan
Senior Research Fellow (Associate Professor)
Profile
Biography
Puvan is an experienced methodologist at York Trials Unit. Puvan is a pharmacist by background, with a keen interest in drug optimisation, including as relates to antimicrobial resistance. He is and has been co-investigator on a range of studies across various clinical areas (see Research tab), providing a strong foundation to apply methods in developing interdisciplinary studies, innovate new strategies within these, and publish in respected peer-reviewed journals (see Publications tab). This has also been consolidated through involvement in methodological studies, particularly as relates to Trials within Cohorts. Puvan has experience supervising MSc and PhD students from a range of backgrounds, in particular clinicians still in practice while undertaking their degrees.
He is an experienced advisor on the NIHR Research Support Service Hub delivered by University of York and Partners. He was an advisor on the NIHR Research Design Service previously and has a good understanding of the UK applied health and social care research landscape. He has contributed as committee member to UK national research initiatives and strategic priorities. This includes Remote Methods of Trial Delivery and Handling end-of-participation events in clinical trials Research.
Puvan welcomes enquiries for:
- Research grant collaboration.
- Research training facilitation, also representing the NIHR Research Support Service.
- Study oversight group membership, he serves on Trial Steering Committees for active NIHR multi-centre UK national studies presently.
- Research degree supervision and mentoring.
Qualifications
- PhD Public Health and Epidemiology
- MSc Evidence-based medicine
Research
Overview
Puvan's research interests include interim analysis and methods used by data monitoring committees, participant-reported outcome measures and methods for evidence synthesis and meta-analysis.
Projects
- BioDrive AFS - an RCT investigating the impact of a biomarker-driven Antifungal Stewardship strategy on antifungal drug use and health-related quality of life for patients with acute leukaemia
- EXTEND - An RCT determining the effectiveness of longer antibiotic courses in improving intra-abdominal infection patient outcomes
- FIRST
- PROFHER 2 - A RCT assessing the effectiveness of Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty versus Hemiarthroplasty versus Non-surgical care for acute three and four-part fractures of the proximal humerus in older adults
- REASCENT: A proof of principle trial to treat active Systemic sclerosis via interferon inhibition, piloting recruitment from the STRIKE database and implementation of a TwIC.
- RIVIVAL
Completed
- DISC - An RCT comparing injections of collagenase to surgical correction in the treatment of moderate Dupuytren's contracture
- HERO- Hydroxychloroquine Effectiveness in Reducing symptoms of hand Osteoarthritis
- PROMOTE- A pragmatic, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial of methotrexate to treat painful knee osteoarthritis
- YLST - Yorkshire Lung Screening Trial
Research group(s)
Supervision
- MSc Dissertation supervision
- PhD supervision
Teaching
Postgraduate
- PhD and MSc dissertation supervision
Previously:
- Lecturer Applied Health Research module on Systematic Reviews
- Lecturer Applied Health Research module on the Introduction to the design and conduct of clinical trials
- Lecturer on Evidence-Based Practice Module (CPD Level 6)
