Oxford University Hospital and University of Oxford

Laurent Servais is a Professor of Paediatric Neuromuscular Diseases at the MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre and Invited Professor of Child Neurology at Liège University.

After graduating from Louvain Medical School, Brussels, Belgium in 1999, he completed a PhD in Neuroscience (cerebellar electrophysiology in alert living mice) from Free University of Brussels, Belgium, followed by residencies in child neurology at the Free University of Brussels and Robert Debré Hospital, Paris. In 2008, he took a position in neuromuscular disease and clinical research at the Institute of Myology in Paris, where his interest and expertise in neuromuscular diseases flourished. He was subsequently appointed Head of Clinical Trials and Database Services. Most recently, he served as Head of the Institute of Myology’s I-Motion (Institute Of Muscle-Oriented Translational Innovation), and Head of the Neuromuscular Centre in Liège, Belgium. He has joined the MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre and the University of Oxford as of September 2019.

Laurent has been involved as principal investigator in numerous clinical trials to test treatments for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

He is the leader of the newborn screening programme for SMA in southern Belgium where they are conducting a medico-economic analysis of newborn screening. His main research expertise covers the development of innovative outcome measures, including connected devices for real-life patients’ evaluation.

Dr Stefen Brady is a Neurologist and Specialist Neuromuscular Consultant. He studied medicine at Trinity College Medical School in Dublin, Ireland and completed his higher specialist neurology training in Yorkshire. He trained in muscle diseases with Dr David Hilton-Jones at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford and with Prof. Mike Hanna and Prof. Janice Holton at MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases in London. 

Dr Brady was an MDUK funded Clinical Fellow. He was awarded a DPhil by the University of Oxford for his thesis, A Clinicopathological Study of Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM), in 2014. Following his clinical fellowship, he was funded by Myositis UK to complete a Senior Clinical Research Fellowship at the MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases in London.

Dr Brady has worked as a Specialist Neuromuscular Consultant since 2016. He leads the multidisciplinary Oxford Adult Muscle Service and works for the nationally commissioned NHS Highly Specialised Services for Rare Mitochondrial Disorders in Oxford.

Sithara Ramdas has been a Consultant Paediatric Neurologist at Oxford Children’s Hospital since 2016, and Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer with the University of Oxford since 2018. She completed her higher specialist training in Paediatric Neurology and sub-specialisation in neuromuscular disorders at the King’s College Hospital and the Evelina Children’s Hospital, London.

She undertakes full time clinical practice in Paediatric Neurology. Her areas of specialist interest are in Neuromuscular Disorders and Neuroimmunology. She leads a specialist Multi-disciplinary Paediatric Neuromuscular Clinic which is the regional neuromuscular service covering Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Wiltshire.  She also works in the National Highly Specialised Service for Congenital Myasthenia Syndromes and Neuromyelitis Optica.

She leads the research and clinical trials in the paediatric neurology department.

Laura Chiverton is the Clinical Research and Operations Manager for STRONG, led by Professor Laurent Servais at the MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre, University of Oxford. She manages a portfolio of academic and industry led studies in the paediatric neuromuscular field and oversees the groups projects. 

Laura began working in research as a nurse in 2019 and has experience managing a portfolio of neuromuscular and renal research trials. 

Since my Masters degree in Physiotherapy obtained in June 2013, I started to work in September 2013 as Physiotherapist at the Institute of Myology; a centre specialized in care and research in adult and paediatric neuromuscular diseases. Over the course of my career, I have participated in the creation of the I-Motion Institute, and was the Physiotherapy Coordinator for an international natural history study in Myotubular Myopathy. 

I am also a part of the ActiMyo team, composed of engineers and clinicians. This innovative device uses magneto-inertial sensors to permit movement, gait and activity analysis in uncontrolled environments, and one of its application has been qualified by the European Medical Agency as a clinical endpoint in clinical trials in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. My role is to give a physiotherapy point of view and input, and to train the physiotherapists conducting the clinical trials. Since 2018, I’m a Master trainer and consultant for scales and outcome measures used in neuromuscular clinical trials and clinics.

After more than six years of collaboration with Laurent Servais in Paris, I decided to join his team within the MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre, a partnership between the University of Oxford and Muscular Dystrophy UK to drive the development of new therapies and increase national clinical trial capacity in neuromuscular diseases. .  

Hayley is a Specialist Neuromuscular Physiotherapist, at Oxford University Hospitals. She sees a large cohort of patients with neuromuscular conditions, who access Oxford as their tertiary centre for neuromuscular and respiratory care.

She supports the Oxford diagnosis specific multidisciplinary clinics, which run on a weekly basis and also provides outreach support to general neurology clinics and offers community and hospital visits as required.

Within her role she supports patients in their orthopaedic and respiratory management, offering input during planned and unplanned admissions and linking in with other members of the wider multidisciplinary team and community therapists.

She is also a part of the Oxford Congenital Myasthenia Service. This is a nationally funded service, which includes both paediatric and adult patients. She is currently working on projects in collaboration with other specialist physiotherapy colleagues, on the application of outcome measures and exercise advice in this patient cohort.

As an Assistant Clinical Trial Manager at the Oxford (JR Hospital), my role is to support the set-up and coordination of our clinical research portfolio, including natural history studies & also clinical trials of an investigational medicinal product and gene replacement therapy. This includes early approvals, start-up, and maintenance and close out of clinical studies. I also support the studies at a very early stage from feasibility to costing negotiations to the set-up and monitoring delivery of research, ensuring research studies that are conducted adhere to Good Clinical Practice (GCP).

Erica Puri, Clinical Research Facilitator Manager and Senior Nurse/Midwife for STRONG, Led by Professor Laurent Servais at the MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre, University of Oxford. 

I have 3 years of experience working in research on Studies across many specialities including Obstetrics and gynaecology, neonatology, paediatrics, and emergency care. Was lead research Midwife for SMA-NBS and decided to join the STRONG team in 2024. My role is very dynamic as I am both clinical and also manage the smooth running of the CRF

Since completing my MSc in Neurological Rehabilitation in 2014, I have held various roles in research and research support services at both Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) and Oxford Brookes University. I’ve been involved in studies investigating the effects of exercise, physiotherapy, and interventions such as brain stimulation on motor function, activity, and participation in children and adults with chronic neurological conditions.

In January 2024, I began working as a Research Physiotherapist with STRONG. This role has given me the opportunity to enter the neuromuscular conditions field and conduct research within the very neat and well-structured environment of clinical trials. As part of my responsibilities, I carry out motor function assessments for individuals with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Angelman syndrome, and Myasthenia Gravis.
I am also involved in an exciting new collaborative research project, ACESMA, led by STRONG. This study explores the feasibility, acceptability, and potential benefits of an optimised physiotherapy service for children with SMA in the UK. My role includes delivering hands-on physiotherapy sessions and supervising physiotherapy students undertaking paediatric research placements. 

Matthew Woods is a Research Physiotherapist for STRONG (Specialised Translational Research Oxford Neuromuscular Group). Since completing his Masters degree in Physiotherapy Matthew has practiced in a variety of acute and community settings in both NHS and private practice. From 2024 he has been involved with a large portfolio of clinical trials and natural history studies, performing physiotherapy assessments and clinical outcome measures on condition such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Angelman Syndrome, and Nemaline Myopathy. 

Rebecca has been a Family Care Advisor at the John Radcliffe Hospital since July 2016, working mainly with the paediatric neuromuscular service but also with the mitochondrial team. She shares the mitochondrial FCA role with her colleague, Heather Ryan, tending to concentrate on paediatric work. She graduated as an Occupational Therapist from Northumbria University in 1992, and gained an MA in Play Therapy from the University of York in 2003. She has worked mainly in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), though she has also worked in learning and physical disabilities and in community paediatrics. Before her current role she spent 14 years as a Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist in CAMHS in Swindon.

As a Clinical Trial Manager for STRONG (Specialised Translational Research Oxford Neuromuscular Group), my role is to coordinate many clinical trials in the area of paediatrics neuromuscular disorders, from study set-up to close-out. My day-to-day tasks include arranging visits with families, processing bloods and biopsies, ISF maintenance, patient reimbursements, and other administrative tasks in the lifecycle of a clinical trial. In this role I have learned a great deal and I enjoy the variety that each day brings.

Sarunas Nevelka is a Clinical Trials Manager for the STRONG (Specialised Translational Research Oxford Neuromuscular Group) team. His main duties include trial site set up, ISF (Investigator Site File) maintenance, document version control, amendment management, completing the Case Report Forms, biological sample lab processing and shipping, patient visit scheduling, reimbursements, and other administrative tasks. He has joined the STRONG team in Autumn 2024 after gaining extensive clinical trial experience coordinating clinical trials in Oxford Cancer and Haematology Centre, Churchill hospital. His main interests include setting up new and exciting trials and providing support for trial patients and their families.

I am a Master's-level Children’s nurse with over 15 years of experience across various fields in Nursing, including Paediatric Intensive Unit’s, Emergency pathways, Training and Facilitating Nursing Students and Acute Children's care. For nearly two years, I have been part of the STRONG team, contributing to neuromuscular trials by performing key research procedures such as venepuncture, cannulation, ECGs, administration of IMP’s, patient safety monitoring etc. I manage the day to day running of clinical trial schedules within our CRF from the start to finish of the patient visit. Additionally, I also play a crucial role in coordinating clinical trials, arranging visits, and liaising with families, technicians, and clinicians to ensure smooth and efficient study operations