Dr Camilla Rhead
Guts UK/Dr Falk F1/F2 Research Grant Winner 2018
Title of project: An Analysis of The Incidence of Bacterial Infection, Antibiotic Use and Resistance in Patients with Decompensated Liver Disease
Dr Camilla Rhead is a Foundation Year 2 Doctor working in Acute Medicine at the North Middlesex Hospital, London. Her twelve-month research project will take place at the Institute of Liver and Digestive Health, Royal Free Hospital/University College London
Dr Rhead explains:
‘The rates of liver disease are rising inexorably, representing a significant health problem. Bacterial infection is a major cause of liver disease related hospital admissions and death, which has resulted in clinicians tending to over-prescribe antibiotics in these patients. However this has led to a increase of antimicrobial resistance which in turn has meant an increased empirical treatment failure. As antibiotic resistance is as a direct result of inappropriate use, in order to develop effective strategies for improving antibiotic prescribing we must first assess the scale of the problem. My project will involve using data from a large national study (ATTIRE) to look the types of infections developed by patients with end stage liver failure and the antibiotics that are being used to treat them. The aim of the research would be to create a clearer understanding of this field and to develop guidelines for treating these patients in the future.
‘I’m currently a foundation year two doctor planning to pursue a career in Gastroenterology. I will be taking a year out next year before commencing my core medical training which has given me the opportunity to get involved with this research.’
Dr Rhead’s Supervisor Dr Alastair O’Brien comments:
‘Dr Rhead is an excellent junior doctor with great drive to perform clinical research. After working with me on several projects she now wishes to use data from my large scale clinical trial, ATTIRE (Albumin To prevent Infection in chronic liveR failure) to examine the burden of bacterial infection in patients admitted with advanced liver disease at a national scale. This is an excellent idea and much needed work.’
It's an honour to have been awarded a Dr Falk Core Research Grant and I am lucky to be able to work with such an enthusiastic team of researchers. The grant will allow me to undertake research in a field I find incredibly interesting, develop my core research skills and help me on my journey to becoming a Gastroenterology trainee.
Dr Camilla Rhead