Dr Henrik Gollee An academic from Biomedical Engineering has been awarded a major research fellowship which will support his work into new respiratory support for people who have sustained high-level spinal cord injury.

Dr Henrik Gollee was awarded the Royal Academy of Engineering/Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellowship in April. This scheme is for scientists who would benefit from a period of full-time research without teaching and administrative duties for a period of up to one year, reimbursing the University for a teaching replacement.

This fellowship will support Dr Gollee's research to develop novel engineering approaches which provide respiratory support for people with tetraplegia (high-level spinal cord injury). In addition to partial or complete paralysis of all four limbs, tetraplegia affects the breathing muscles, leading to reduced respiratory function which can result in serious health complications and affect the patients' quality of life.

In close collaboration with clinical partners at the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit at Glasgow's Southern General Hospital, Dr Gollee will develop novel techniques based on abdominal muscle stimulation and integrate these into clinical treatment, with a view to optimise respiratory function throughout the various stages of spinal cord injury. The goal is to maximise health benefits for the user, reducing associated morbidity and transforming clinical practice.

First published: 15 April 2011

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