{"id":1428,"date":"2025-02-13T18:37:55","date_gmt":"2025-02-13T18:37:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/autism-speech-language-therapy\/?page_id=1428"},"modified":"2026-09-02T14:11:50","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T13:11:50","slug":"research-team","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/autism-speech-language-therapy\/research-team\/","title":{"rendered":"Research team"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” fullwidth=”on” next_background_color=”#000000″ global_module=”322″][et_pb_fullwidth_menu global_parent=”322″ _builder_version=”3.0.106″ menu_id=”7″ submenu_direction=”downwards” fullwidth_menu=”off” background_layout=”dark” module_class=”main-navigation” \/][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”off” specialty=”off” transparent_background=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”off” custom_padding=”||0px|” prev_background_color=”#ffffff” next_background_color=”#ffffff”][et_pb_row allow_player_pause=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” parallax_1=”off” parallax_method_1=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” use_custom_gutter=”off” make_equal=”off” custom_margin=”||0px|” custom_padding=”||0px|” module_class=”breadcrumbs-row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Breadcrumbs (do not remove)” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” module_class=”breadcrumbs” custom_css_main_element=”border-bottom: 1px solid #ececed;” module_alignment=”left” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.17.6″]<\/p>\nAutism speech and language therapy<\/a><\/span><\/span>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”off” specialty=”on” transparent_background=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” parallax_1=”off” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_2=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”2″ prev_background_color=”#ffffff” next_background_color=”#1d1d1d”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_sidebar admin_label=”Left Nav Sidebar” area=”et_pb_widget_area_1″ orientation=”left” remove_border=”on” background_layout=”light” module_id=”left-nav-menu” show_border=”off” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ \/][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ specialty_columns=”2″][et_pb_row_inner admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column_inner type=”4_4″ saved_specialty_column_type=”2_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text: Dr Alexandra Sturrock” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” module_alignment=”left” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.17.6″]<\/p>\n

Research team<\/h1>\n

\"DrDr Alexandra Sturrock, MRCSLT<\/h2>\n

Principal Investigator<\/h3>\n

Alexandra has an internationally established academic profile on subjects of autistic children’s and adults’ language and communication needs (using quantitative and qualitative methods).<\/p>\n

She has an interest in assessing and supporting social communication for under-resourced groups (such as women and girls), and developing appropriate supports that fit in with community preferences.<\/p>\n

She brings clinical experience of working with autistic children in S&LT services and a passion for co-production and community dissemination.<\/p>\n

View Alexandra’s profile<\/a><\/p>\n

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[\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text: Alison Hunter” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” module_alignment=”left” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.17.6″]<\/p>\n

\"AlisonAlison Hunter, MRCSLT<\/h2>\n

Joint Principal Investigator<\/h3>\n

Alison is a highly specialist speech and language therapist with 33 years’ experience in the profession.<\/p>\n

She is currently a clinical lead in both paediatric community and mental health services in the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) and has 20 years’ accrued knowledge, working with autistic children and their families.<\/p>\n

She is also central to regional initiatives in clinical service development for autistic children. She is working on the Social Communication (assessment\/diagnosis) Pathway, joint lead on the Early-Years’ Autism Pathway steering group, and contributing to the Neurodevelopmental Pathway task finish group.<\/p>\n

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[\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text: Dr Kathy Leadbitter” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” module_alignment=”left” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.17.6″]<\/p>\n

\"DrDr Kathy Leadbitter<\/h2>\n

Co-investigator<\/h3>\n

Kathy has over 18 years’ experience conducting research into services for autistic children, and has been co-applicant on six NIHR grants, including large-scale impactful projects leading to change in clinical guidelines and practice.<\/p>\n

She brings expertise in working with the public, participatory research, evaluation of care packages and neurodiversity-affirming practice. She has several autistic family members and brings lived experience of navigating services.<\/p>\n

View Kathy’s profile<\/a><\/p>\n

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[\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text: Dr Katherine Twomey” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” module_alignment=”left” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.17.6″]<\/p>\n

\"DrDr Katherine Twomey<\/h2>\n

Co-investigator<\/h3>\n

Katherine will bring knowledge and skills to this project from the context of her experience as an autistic person and 12 years of leading quantitative research into child language development (ESRC International Centre for Language Development).<\/p>\n

She will apply this expertise to ensure scientific rigour in research design, data collection and analysis, but critically, assuring that autistic interpretation is integral in data analysis.<\/p>\n

View Katherine’s profile<\/a><\/p>\n

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[\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text: Carla Rohde” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” module_alignment=”left” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.17.6″]<\/p>\n

\"CarlaCarla Rohde, MRCSLT<\/h2>\n

Carla is a speech and language therapist, autistic advocate and the public co-applicant on this grant. She currently works as a Clinical Lecturer and BMedSci programme director at the University of Sheffield.<\/p>\n

Carla has a clinical and professional interest in accessible communication for all, which she is pursuing through her PhD, evaluating a novel programme for teaching medical students about communication differences in clinical groups.<\/p>\n

She has also contributed to a national e-learning resource on this subject, Communication Access UK<\/a>.<\/p>\n

View Carla’s profile<\/a><\/p>\n

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[\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text: Sarah Thorp” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” module_alignment=”left” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.17.6″]<\/p>\n

\"SarahSarah Thorp<\/h2>\n

Research Assistant (RA)<\/h3>\n

Sarah holds a BSc in Psychology and an MSc in Health Psychology. Her past experience includes working with youth mental health advocacy organisation and supporting young people with SEND and SEMH needs in both educational and community-based settings.<\/p>\n

As a Research Assistant on the project, Sarah will support all stages of the research process. She will be trained to interview autistic children and Speech and Language Therapists, and to use visually supported materials when interviewing children with complex language and communication needs. Sarah will contribute to all aspects of collecting, managing, analysing our data and meeting project deadlines under the primary supervision of Alexandra and Alison. She will also help set up and run the PPIE advisory groups with Carla.<\/p>\n

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[\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text: Young Autistic Adult (YAA) researcher” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” module_alignment=”left” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.17.6″]<\/p>\n

Young Autistic Adult (YAA) researcher<\/h2>\n

The YAA will be a member of the PPIE panel, but will also develop new researcher skills and contribute to analysis and interpretation of interview data, supported by Katherine, Kathy and Alexandra.<\/p>\n

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Public Patient Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) panel<\/h2>\n

The PPIE panel will oversee development of all materials and procedures, reflect and advise on recruitment and representative sampling, contribute to interpretation of results, and identify routes for public dissemination. This will be facilitated and co-ordinated by Carla.<\/p>\n

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[\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text: Steering group” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” module_alignment=”left” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.17.6″]<\/p>\n

Steering group<\/h2>\n

This group will run adjacent to the grant and offer impartial advice and support to ensure the team can best achieve the intended targets.<\/p>\n

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Contact Us<\/h4>\n

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The University of Manchester
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