Professor Jennifer Freeman

My roles include:-

1. Associate Head of School (Research) 

2. Chair of the School Of Health Professions Undergraduate Ethics Committee.

3. Teaching and curriculum development for undergraduate and masters degree programmes within the School of Health Professions. 

4. Supervision of Masters and PhD students. I am very happy to discuss PhD opportunities within the field of physiotherapy and rehabilitation.

3. Lead of the Rehabilitation Research Group (within the Peninsula Institute of Health and Care Research), which holds monthly research group meetings.

4. Research: My research is focused predominately within the field of neurological rehabilitation, with particular expertise in the design and implementation of clinical trials in the rehabilitation of people with Multiple Sclerosis .  

Examples of recently completed / ongoing research include:

• A multi-national, multi-centred 4 -armed RCT evaluating exercise and cognitive rehabilitation in people with progressive MS (COGEX trial)
  
• A multi-centred service evaluation/ scoping review and national online survey to develop a telerehabilitation toolkit for the assessment of people with physical impairments
• A multi-centred RCT investigating the clinical and cost effectiveness of a standing frame programme in people severely disabled by MS (SUMS Trial) 
• A multi-centred feasibility RCT to investigate use of web-based technology for exercises in people with MS (WEBPaMS trial). 
• A series of studies evaluating falls risk and the development of falls management interventions for people with MS (including the BRiMS trial)
  
• A series of studies which are evaluating the clinical and cost effectiveness of a dynamic elastomeric fabric orthosis in the management of lumbo-pelvic pain in peri and post-partum women (including the EMaPP trial). 
  

Qualifications

2001 Certificate in Teaching and Learning, University of Plymouth

1997 Doctorate of Philosophy Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London

1983 Bachelor of Applied Science (in Physiotherapy), with distinction, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia

Professional membership

Member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists 1988 - present (Fellow since 2013)

Council of Health Professions 1987 - present

Association of Physiotherapists Interested in Neurology 1988 - present

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy 2000 - present

Roles on external bodies

A selection of roles on external bodies over the past five years include: 

Executive Board Member European“Rehabilitation in MS network for Best Practice and Research: RIMS (2014-2021)

Mentor for the NIHR Fellowship Scheme (2014 – ongoing).

Mentor for the Neurology MS Academy (2020 - ongoing).

Progressive MS Alliance “Wellness in Progressive MS” group (2018-2021)

Panel Member of the Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) for the RfPB South West region (2018 - ongoing)

Member of the UK MS Register Operational Delivery Committee (2020 - ongoing)

Member of Therapists in MS Working Group (2012 - ongoing)

Member of committee for updating NICE Guidelines on MS Management (2020 - 2022) 

Teaching interests

1. Teaching at degree and masters level.

• Physiotherapy, with a special interest in adult neurology
• Evidence based practice / research methodology 
• Outcome measurement

2. Supervision of masters and PhD students, using both quantitative and qualitative approaches, systematic and scoping reviews.

Research interests

My research programme centres on the development and evaluation of complex rehabilitation interventions; reflecting the priority given by health services to providing evidence based management. My research predominately involves the design and implementation of randomised clinical trials. Qualitative work is invariably integral to the development of these trials from their outset, as is working closely with patients and carers to design studies and translate their findings into practice. My research programme reflects this continuum, extending from undertaking systematic and scoping reviews, utilising a variety of qualitative methods for both developmental and evaluative purposes, and designing and undertaking both single and multi-site clinical trials.

I collaborate closely with others to ensure, where appropriate, the integration of mechanistic work and health economics analysis. I have a particular interest in the field of adult neurology, and more specifically multiple sclerosis (MS). A key focus is on the rehabilitation of impaired mobility and balance, a cardinal feature of many neurological conditions. My collaborative research is strongly grounded in my longstanding area of clinical expertise in neurological physiotherapy, for which I have an ongoing weekly NHS clinical commitment to ensure the relevance of my research.

As of February 2022  I have 157 outputs, 132 publications are in peer-reviewed academic journals, a co-authored clinical handbook in my subject area of Multiple Sclerosis, and a number of chapters in core physiotherapy and rehabilitation textbooks.

Research groups

• Centre for Health Technology
• Rehabilitation

Research degrees awarded to supervised students

PhD awarded to: 

Grants & contracts

In the past 5 years I have been instrumental in obtaining over 2 million pounds of research funding related to collaborative rehabilitation research. My research is funded by a broad spectrum of funding bodies which include: NIHR Medical Research Council, NIHR Research for Patient Benefit Scheme, Health Technology Assessment, and charitable bodies including the MS Society and Parkinsons UK. 

Freeman JA (PI), Marsden J, Jones R, Kent B, Demain S, Gunn H, Logan A. Development and Evaluation of a Training Package to support the Remote Assessment and Management of People with Movement Impairment and Disability. Funded by the UK RI-NIHR (MRC Section) Covid-19, July 2020. Amount Funded: £274,625

Freeman (PI), Shawe, Hawton, Hoskings, Cameron. Evaluating the Management of chronic Pelvic girdle Pain following pregnancy (EMaPP): A randomised controlled feasibility trial. Funded by NIHR: Research for Patient Benefit. November 2020. Amount funded: £249,997

Feinstein A, DeLuca J, Dalgas U, Rocca M, Cutter G, Freeman J, Feys P, Brichetto G, Inglese Amato, Chataway J. Improving cognition in people with Progressive Multiple Sclerosis: A Multi-Arm, Randomized, Blinded, Sham Controlled Trial of Cognitive Rehabilitation and Aerobic Exercise”. Funding Body: MS Society of Canada , 2018-2022. Amount Awarded: $5million 

Marsden J, Eva-Bamiou D, Creanor S, Freeman J, Harris C, Hawton A, Pavlou M. Vestibular Rehabilitation in Multiple Sclerosis: improving vertigo, mobility and quality of life of people with MS. Funded by: MS Society of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2018-2022. Amount awarded: £299,931

Hawton A, Green C, Goodwin E, Boddy K, Freeman J, Thomas S, Chataway J. Ensuring effective treatments are available to people with Multiple Sclerosis: addressing the value for money issue. Funded by: MS Society of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2018-2021. Amount awarded: £159,590

Freeman J (PI), Gunn H, Paul L, Marsden J, Renfrew L, Andrade J, Green C, Creanor S, Marshall B. Barton A, Ewings P, Vickery J, Zajicek J. Balance Right in Multiple Sclerosis (BRiMS): A guided self-management programme to reduce falls and improve quality of life, balance and mobility in people with Multiple Sclerosis. Funding Body: Health Technology Assessment. 2016-2018. Amount funded: £348,832  

Freeman JA, Hendrie W, Jarrett L, Marsden J, Creanor S, Hawton A, Barton A, Zajicek J. A multi-centre randomised controlled trial to assess the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of a home-based self-management standing frame programme in people with progressive MS, May 2015 - 2018. Funding Body : NIHR RfPB. Amount Awarded : £343,761.00