Projects per year
Overview
Profile summary
As Director of PenCTU, I have responsibility for the management and strategic direction of PenCTU. I take primary responsibility for the programme of independent, externally funded clinical trials and related research projects. I ensure that all trials in PenCTU are conducted according to appropriate regulatory, scientifically rigorous and evidence-based standards. I lead and co-ordinate research activities of the Medical Statistics Group. I act as senior statistician on projects, contributing to setting the research agenda and leading the statistical and methodological elements, developing and managing staff and attracting sustained and major funding through bids and reputation. The Statistical Consultancy Service run statistical clinics for staff and students . I work collaboratively with academics, clinicians and other health services researchers providing statistical expertise and leadership. My work focuses on bringing together the knowledge of a range of experts from different specialisations to help identify and answer key research questions. I support the development and delivery of clinical and applied health and social care research. I have significant experience of leading contributions to the planning and design, conduct, statistical analysis and reporting of clinical trials, and other well designed studies. PenCTU supports the development and delivery of clinical and applied health and care research, offering a range of services, from pre-application methodological support to full study delivery.
Professional memberships
• Science Council (2012) – Chartered Scientist (2012-2020)
• Senior Fellowship of HEA (SFHEA) (2020)
Roles on external bodies
- External Examiner for LSHTM MSc in Clinical Trials
- Associate Editor for Trials (April 2019-date)
- Statistical Editor of Health & Social Care in the Community (2016-date)
- Editorial board member for BMJ Open
- Statistical Advisory Board member for BMJ Open
- NIHR Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) funding Committee (2021-date)
- Investigator Initiated Clinical Trials programme - Swiss National Science Foundation (2022-date)
- Grant Review Panel for the Multiple Sclerosis Society (2015-date)
- Vice Chair of Catalyst Awards for Multiple Sclerosis Society (2022-Date)
- Swiss National Science Foundation / IICT evaluation panel (2022-date)
- Member of the Royal Society’s International Exchanges Panel (2023-date)
- Health Services Research Initiative Panel for Arthritis UK (2016-2021)
- Cochrane Member (2019-date)
- Chair and member of numerous Trial Steering Committees (TSCs) and Data Monitoring Committees (DMCs)
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- 1 Similar Profiles
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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A novel way to understand and communicate the burden of Antipsychotic Prescribing for Adults across Specialist Intellectual Disability Services in England and Wales
Shankar, R. (PI - Principal Investigator) & Allgar, V. (CoI - Co-Investigator)
1/04/23 → 30/06/24
Project: Research
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NutRition IntervEntion For MalnouRished OldEr AdultS in Care Homes (The REFRESH Trial)
Hickson, M. (PI - Principal Investigator), Byng, R. (CoI - Co-Investigator), Allgar, V. (CoI - Co-Investigator) & Muriuki, E. (RF - Research Fellow)
NHS National Institute for Health Research
1/01/25 → 31/12/28
Project: Research
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CANnabidiol impact on challenging behaviour in Adults with Intellectual Disability with Lennox Gastaut and Dravet syndrome ( CANABID-LD ): a naturalistic case-control study
Shankar, R. (PI - Principal Investigator) & Allgar, V. (CoI - Co-Investigator)
1/02/25 → 31/01/27
Project: Research
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Neuropsychiatric Research Register for people with Intellectual Disabilities and Epilepsy
Shankar, R. (PI - Principal Investigator) & Allgar, V. (CoI - Co-Investigator)
1/08/23 → 31/07/25
Project: Research
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Reducing Antipsychotics in People with Intellectual Disabilities
Shankar, R. (PI - Principal Investigator) & Allgar, V. (CoI - Co-Investigator)
NHS National Institute for Health Research
1/06/23 → 30/11/24
Project: Research
Research output
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An open-label, clinical feasibility study of the efficacy of Remdesivir for Long-COVID
Neilens, H., Allgar, V., Sands, K.-A., Chynoweth, J., Lord, A., Aspinall, P. J., Hambly, H., Barnett, A., Skipper, L., Bewick, T., Maidment, I., Razak, H. A., Ashton, R., Strain, D., Knapp, K. & Faghy, M. A., 4 Mar 2026, Research Square Platform LLC.Research output: Working paper / Preprint › Preprint
Open Access -
An open-label, clinical feasibility study of the efficacy of Remdesivir for Long-COVID
Neilens, H., Allgar, V., Sands, K.-A., Chynoweth, J., Lord, A., Aspinall, P. J., Hambly, H., Barnett, A., Skipper, L., Bewick, T., Maidment, I., Razak, H. A., Ashton, R., Strain, D., Knapp, K. & Faghy, M. A., 1 May 2026, In: Pilot Feasibility Stud.. 12, 1, 87.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Downloads (Pure) -
A pre-operative two-week very low-calorie diet to reduce steatosis before liver resection (RESOLVE): A multi-centre randomised controlled feasibility trial
Chynoweth, J., Sorrell, L., Neilens, H., MacCormick, A., Allgar, V., Aspinall, P. J., Parkin, T., Murphy, P., Takhar, A. S., Fenwick, S. W., Frampton, A. E., Dhakshinammorthy, V., Puckett, M. & Aroori, S., Apr 2026, In: European Journal of Surgical Oncology. 52, 4, 111504.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Time to Splenic Embolisation in Trauma Patients Arriving at a Major Trauma Centre In-Hours or Out-of-Hours: A UK Multicentre Study
Jenkins, P., See, A., Barnett, A., Wilson, E., Kotecha, D., Sorrell, L., Allgar, V., Smith, J. E. & Roobottom, C., 16 Jan 2026, In: CardioVascular and Interventional Radiology. 49, 7, p. 1402-1410 9 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Correction to: Navigating the complexities of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) from risk factors to outcome: insights from the UK Biobank cohort (BMC Nephrology, (2025), 26, 1, (168), 10.1186/s12882-025-04090-7)
Kar, D., Byng, R., Sheikh, A., Nath, M., Zabeen, B., Kar, S., Banu, S., Khan, N., Acharjee, D., Islam, S., Allgar, V., El-Wazir, A., Song, S., Verma, A., Kadam, U. & de Lusignan, S., Dec 2025, In: BMC Nephrology. 26, 1, 239.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate
Open Access
Datasets
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Dementia-PersonAlised Care Team (D-PACT) intervention
Musicha, C. (Creator), Oh, T. (Creator), Ukoumunne, O. (Creator), Goldsmith, K. (Creator), Byng, R. (Creator), Iliffe, S. (Creator) & Allgar, V. (Creator), University of Plymouth, 5 Dec 2023
https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/foh-datasets/10/
Dataset
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Realist informed mixed methods evaluation of the Dementia-Personalised Aligned Care Team intervention (D-PACT): a complex intervention for individuals with dementia and carers
Musicha, C. (Creator), Oh, T. (Editor), Ukoumunne, O. C. (Contributor), Goldsmith, K. A. (Contributor), Byng, R. (Editor) & Allgar, V. (Supervisor), University of Plymouth, 29 Apr 2025
DOI: 10.24382/813381ef-bf85-4291-9168-51b65b43b314, https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/foh-datasets/20/
Dataset
File