Here's who works in the Research and Development team and how to contact them.
- Professor Mark Hayward, Director
mark.hayward5 @nhs.net - Professor Clara Strauss, Assistant Director
clara.strauss @nhs.net - Dr Anna-Marie Bibby-Jones, Equality, Lead for Diversity and Inclusion in Research
anna-marie.bibby-jones @nhs.net - Taffy Bakasa, Research Manager (Maternity leave until autumn 2026)
taffy.bakasa1 @nhs.net - Sarah Styles, Research Manager
sarah.styles11@nhs.net - Victoria Hare, Lead for Applied Research Collaboration Kent, Surrey and Sussex (ARC KSS)
victoria.hare4 @nhs.net
- Sam Robertson, Lead for Service User and Carer Involvement in Research - sam.
robertson6 @nhs.net - Julia Fountain, Lead Co-ordinator for Service User and Carer Involvement in Research - julia.
fountain4 @nhs.net - Lucy Walsh, Co-ordinator for Service User and Carer Involvement in Research - lucy.
walsh20 @nhs.net - Chloe Elsby-Pearson, Co-ordinator for Service User and Carer Involvement in Research - c.
elsby-pearson @nhs.net
- Matthew Smith, Research Governance Manager E: spft.researchgovernance@
nhs.net - Lucy Brocklesby, Research Governance Officer E: spft.researchgovernance@
nhs.net - Craig Peachey, Business Manager (Research Finance) E: c.
peachey @nhs.net
- Aparajita Pandey, Mental Health Clinical Research Delivery team lead. E: aparajita.
pandey1 @nhs.net - Joanna Pooley, Clinical Research Practitioner E: joanna.
pooley @nhs.net - Dr Leanne Bogen-Johnston, Clinical Research Practitioner E: l.
bogen-johnston1 @nhs.net - Ruby Warden, Clinical Research Practitioner E: ruby.
warden1 @nhs.net - Rosalind Byles, CRN Research Assistant. E: r.
byles @nhs.net
- Natalie Portwine, Clinical Research Delivery Team Leader - natalie.
portwine @nhs.net - Tamsin Eperson, Clinical Research Practitioner - t.
eperson @nhs.net - Elise Armsby-Wise, Clinical Research Practitioner - e.
armsby-wise (maternity leave)@nhs.net - Katy Seedhouse, Clinical Research Practitioner - katy.
seedhouse @nhs.net - Atsuko Fujisawa, Clinical Research Practitioner - atsuko.
fujisawa1 @nhs.net - Sarah Edgar, Clinical Research Practitioner - sarah.
edgar8 @nhs.net - Lynda Trumpess, Administrator - lynda.
trumpess @nhs.net
General email monitored by the team: spft.DementiaResearchUnit@
See more about the work of the Dementia Research Unit here
Melanie Thomas, Centre for Dementia Studies Business Manager - melanie.
Research Clinics Team
Evelin Vogel - Research Clinics Project Manager
E: evelin.
Eating Disorders (SPIRED) Clinic
Clinic Lead: Dr. Amy Brown
Clinic Research Assistant: Cat Papastavrou-Brooks
E: spft.
Immunopsychiatry Clinic
Clinic Lead: Dr. Alessandro Colasanti
Clinic Research Assistant: Zaynah Mahmood
E: spft.
Mental Health Support Teams in Schools Clinic (MHST)
Clinic Lead: Dr. Mary John, Dr. Clare Dixon, Dr. Faith Orchard, Dr Kathryn Lester
Clinic Research Assistant: Zaynah Mahmood
E: spft.
Neurodivergent Brain-Body Clinic
Clinic Leads: Dr Jessica Eccles, Prof. Hugo Critchley, Rebecca Dew
Clinic Research Assistant: Faylee Kirk
E: spft.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Clinic
Clinic Lead: Prof. Clara Strauss
Clinic Research Assistant: Libby Warman
E: spnt.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Clinic
Clinic Lead: Dr. Nick Grey
Clinic Research Assistant: Hazel Ashment
E: spft.
Sussex Psychosis (Paranoia) Experiences and Recovery (SuPER) Clinic
Clinic Lead: Prof. Kathy Greenwood
Clinic Research Assistant: Faylee Kirk
E: spft.SuPERclinic@nhs.net
Sussex Voices Clinic
Clinic Lead: Prof. Mark Hayward
Clinic Research Assistants: Hazel Ashment, Rebeca Boariu
E: spft.
- Ian Laskey, Research Support Team Manager - ian.
laskey2 @nhs.net - Jane Shiers, Administrator - spft.
researchadmin @nhs.net - Paula Bellers, Research Communications Lead - spft.
research @nhs.net
Our partnerships help us to have a coordinated approach to research.
We collaborate with a wide range of research partners, such as other NHS trusts and universities, including the Centre for Dementia Studies, based at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, to improve the quality of life for people with dementia.
We are part of the Health Research Partnership, a collaboration between Brighton and Sussex Medical School and other NHS organisations, to support and grow high-quality research in the region. This partnership focuses on building shared research infrastructure, growing research capacity, and fostering strong partnerships.
We are part of the NIHR Commercial Research Delivery Centre (CRDC). This network ensures we are well-placed to deliver commercial research for the people of Sussex. The CRDC provides a single, coordinated entry point for commercial sponsors looking to conduct clinical research across acute, mental health, community, and primary care settings.
Through these collaborations, we share expertise and develop and deliver research studies to address issues that affect people who use our services. We host the Applied Research Collaboration Kent, Surrey & Sussex (ARC KSS). ARC KSS works with local providers of NHS services, care services, NHS commissioners, local authorities, universities, private companies and charities to conduct applied health and care research that addresses the specific health or care issues in our region.
