Dr Liang Liu

Dr Liu collaborates closely with clinicians and academic partners and has completed a large number of clinical and health related research projects ranging from case series, cohort study, and survey using Delphi tailored method, mixed method research, randomised clinical trials and systematic review and meta-analysis. 

Her current research interest focus on primary and secondary research pressure ulcer management and education,  patients benefit and evidence based nursing practice. She leads a number of externally funded research projects in collaboration with internal and external colleagues, NHS Trusts and patients group charities as a Principal Investigator.  Her research has received recognition and support from prestigious institutions such as British Skin Foundation, Burdett Nursing Trust, Rosetree Trust, Hospital Saturday foundation, UKRI via MDVSN plus (Medical Device and Vulnerable Skin Network plus, EPSRC-NIHR partnership), Society of Tissue Viability Society (SoTV) and local university RKE incentive research funding. One standout among her research projects, funded by the esteemed medical research charity Rosetree Trust, stands as a NIHR portfolio study involving patients with newly spinal cord injury, which Middlesex university is a leading sponsor. Her extensive network of research collaborations encompasses renowned institutions including  Royal College of Nursing, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Queen Mary University of London, University of Bath and  Southampton, and Imperial College London. Her research were also well received and supported by Spinal Injury Association, the Association for Spinal Injury Research Rehabilitation and Reintegration (ASPIRE). She published over 60 peer-reviewed journal papers, supplements and book chapters. She also has considerable experience in conducting systematic review and meta-analysis.

She was selected for REF 2014 and REF 2021 submissionsand submitted maximum number of 5 highly rated outputs as a first author alongside her external research funding for REF 2021 as a narrative report.

Successful  external grant award:

£39,766 (Grant holder) funded by British Skin Foundation Research Award as a Principal Investigator in collaboration with London Spinal Cord Injury Centre, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust. Co-investigators are: Dr Sarah Knight, Professor Helen Allan, Ms. Jacinta Kelly. The project is entitled as’ Managing the Risk of Pressure Ulcers in people with Spinal Cord Injury.’ The grant was awarded in April 2023.  

£6,540 (Grant holder) funded by Burdett Trust for Nursing grant as a Principal Investigator in collaboration with Faculty of Science and Technology, Middlesex University.  Co-investigators are Ms Jacinta Kelly, Dr Mariachiara Di Cesare, Professor Helen Allan, Professor Michael Traynor. The project is entitled as 'Healthcare assistants’ knowledge, attitudes and experiences of preventing pressure ulcers: a mixed method study'. March 2020

£48k (Joint Grant holder MDX £24k ) funded from UKRI via MDVSN plus (Medical Device and Vulnerable Skin Network plus, EPSRC-NIHR partnership) as a Principal investigator in MDX,  in collaborating with Queen Mary University London.  The project is entitled ‘Early Detection of Pressure Injury Using Novel Wireless Epidermal Textile Sensors in Wheelchair users Living with Spinal Cord Injury’. December 2018 - December 2019

£18,491 (Grant holder)As a Principal investigator in collaboration with London Spinal Cord Injury Centre, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust. Co-investigators are Dr Angela Gall, Ms Rachel Deegan, Dr Sarah Knight, Professor Michael Traynor and Professor Helen Allan. The project is entitled ‘A pilot study to evaluate early interventions for pressure ulcer prevention in people living with spinal cord injury. May 2017.

£2,000 (Grant holder) funded by Hospital Saturday Funds Charity in February 2015. As a principal investigator in collaboration with Spinal Cord Injury Unit with to carry out the study using motion sensors to monitor pressure relief activities during sitting in people, living with spinal cord injury.

£500 (Grant holder) I was awarded for a prize from INSPIRE foundation as a Principal Investigator for a grant application on early pressure ulcer prevention using electrical stimulation in Spinal Cord Injury in February 2019.

£1,000  (Grant holder) was awarded for a sponsored travel grant by Tissue viability Society  in March 2018 to present a research paper entitled as ‘Concordance to ‘pressure relief’ for pressure injury prevention in people with spinal cord injury- mixed method' at EWMA conference May 2018.

£600 (Grant holder) was awarded for an educational grant from Tissue viability Society in December 2018.  To present a research paper entitled as ‘Early education using text messaging for pressure ulcer prevention in newly discharged spinal cord injury people'.

£400 (Grant holder) an educational grant was awarded from Tissue viability Society in May 2018.  To present a study at TVS annual conference April 2018. 'To develop and test reliability, and validity of a questionnaire to evaluate concordance to ‘pressure relief’ for pressure injury prevention in people with spinal cord injury'

£2,060 (Grant holder) Department of Adult, Child and Midwifery R&D funding as a principal Investigator. Co-investigators are Ms Jacinta Kelly, Professor Helen Allan, Dr Mariachiara Di Cesare and Mrs Rachel Deegan. The aim of project is to explore Healthcare Assistants’ knowledge, attitudes and experiences of preventing pressure ulcers.  December 2019 -July 2020

£5,951 (Grant holder)Department of Adult, Child and Midwifery R&D funding as a Principal Investigator. Sacral nerve root stimulation implant versus conventional surface FES for Pressure ulcer prevention in spinal cord injury, December 2013- August 2014

£11,005 (Grant holder)1-year grant funded by Department of Adult, Child and Midwifery R&D funding as a Principal Investigator.   An exploration of the extent and role of adherence to 'pressure relief' regimen for pressure ulcer prevention in people living with spinal cord injury. November 2014 -July 2015

£5,700. As a co-Investigator  (PI-Professor Sue Dyson), £2000 incentive funding was awarded by Department of Adult, Child and Midwifery R&D funding the project was entitled as ‘Building social capital through volunteerism: an exploration of the extent and role of student volunteering in the undergraduate student population: a comparative study’ November 2017-August 2018

£6,625 as a co-Investigator (PI-Professor Sue Dyson) £6,625 was awarded by Department of Adult, Child and Midwifery R&D funding as a co-Investigator.  The project was entitled as ‘Building social capital through volunteerism: an exploration of the extent and role of student volunteering in the undergraduate student population: a pilot project’. October 2013- August 2014

£330k funded by Local Education and Training Boards (LETBs) as a co-investigator with Professors Sue Dyson and Michael Traynor. (The project covered 4 parts, Middlesex University secured one of them ‘Sage and Thyme’ part). The project was entitled as ‘Evaluation of the implementation of the SAGE & THYME foundation level communication skills model’. October 2013-October 2014.

£25,000 1-year grant funded by BUPA to conduct a multi-national Developmental Dysplasia Hip as a Co-Investigator (DDH) survey. February 2010- January 2011

Awards winning

An educational grant worth £600 was awarded by Society of Tissue Viability for presenting the research project on pressure ulcer prevention among healthcare support workers at SoTV conference 2023. (April 2023)

£500 prize awarded by INSPIRE for a grantapplication using electrical stimulation for pressure ulcer prevention inSpinal Cord Injury. (January 2019)

£600 prize warded by TVS for presenting  a research paper (May 2019)

Awarded for an Educational grant by Tissue Viability Society (March 2018)

£400 prize for the best abstract by British Transplantation Society (Jan 2012)Awarded for best clinical paper prize at 29th Annual EPOS Meeting, Zagreb (Croatia) (April 2010)

Awarded for a PhD research fellowship at Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (May 2003)

Awarded for the best research posters prize in cardiovascular research symposium (March 2002)

Dr. Liu has taught a wide rangeof postgraduate and undergraduate modules since joining Middlesex University in2013. She supervises postgraduate students enrolled in MPhil/PhD, Master/Doctorate of Professional (M Prof/D Prof), Master by Research programmes as a Director ofStudy (DoS). Additionally, she teaches 'Research Method' modules and  serves as an academic supervisor for studentsenrolled in MA/MSc in Health & Social Care.

Since January 2021, she has beena Research Degree Coordinator (RDC) (now called PGR lead) in the Department of Nursing and Midwiferywithin the Faculty of Health, Social Care, and Education, following two yearsin a deputy role. As a PGR lead, she collaborates with supervision teams and thefaculty/university research degree administration team to support students fromthe initial application assessment stage through to the completion of theirdoctorate journey. She chairs panels and serves as an independent reviewer forPhD registration (review stage 1), PAP and transfer (review stage 2), and vivaacross faculties.

In alignment with theuniversity's new postgraduate research development initiatives, Dr. Liuinitiated and worked with the Directors of CCRNM to develop nursing andmidwifery discipline-specific training and workshops as part of the PGRtraining programme within the department. She hosts and leads the 'ResearchMethodology and Ethics Application within NHS' session, and hosts theuniversity's 'Kickstart Research Training' on 'Research and Research integrity , co-hosts the 'Research Questions and RefiningYour Topic'. She also co-hosts the university's 'Research Enhancement Series: Preparing for your transfer/viva panel(s)'.

Dr. Liu served as a full Trusteefor the Society of Tissue Viability Society (SoTV) from May 2019 to September2022 and continues in her role as a Trustee Associate from September 2022onwards. As a Trustee of SoTV, she plays a key role in organising the society'sannual conference programme and reviewing educational grant applications tosupport healthcare professionals in attending wound care conferences, includingthe European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (EPUAP) and the European WoundManagement Association (EWMA).Dr. Liu has been actively involved in supportingand promoting the education of nursing students and healthcare support workersin wound management. She initiated and led/chaired special fundamental sessionsfor nursing and allied healthcare professional students at the TVS/EWMA 2020and SoTV 2022 conferences.

She is also a member of theconference organising committee for the Research Student Summer Conference atMiddlesex University for RSSC 2019, RSSC 2021, RSSC 2022, and PRSC 2023.

Dr Liu is  a core team member of the DProf programme viathe Specialist Validated Pathway (SVP) within Health discipline, and has beeninvolved in planning DProf programme units/modules and application assessmentssince January 2022."

The undergraduate modules she hastaught include:NIP3330 Dissertation/NIP3331 Extended Essay module for 3rd-yearpre-registration nurses pursuing a BSc degree (Nursing & Midwifery andMental Health)Module MMY2203 Research Methods for 2nd-year Midwifery students. ModuleBMS3686 Principles of Rehabilitation Engineering for 3rd-year BiomedicalEngineering students.