Dr Christel McMullan MA, PhD

Dr Christel McMullan

Department of Applied Health Sciences
Research Fellow

Contact details

Telephone
+44 (0)121 414 7398
Email
c.mcmullan@bham.ac.uk
Twitter
@christel_UoB
View my research portal
Address
Murray Learning Centre
Department of Applied Health Sciences
College of Medicine and Health
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Christel is a Research Fellow in the Centre for Patient-Reported Outcomes Research (CPROR), Department of Applied Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham.

Her research draws on qualitative methodologies to inform process evaluations within clinical trials, the development and evaluation of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), and the implementation of electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) in clinical practice. Through these interconnected areas of expertise, she advances patient-centred research across a range of health conditions, including chronic conditions (inflammatory bowel disease, Long COVID), neurological conditions (traumatic brain injury), oncology and advanced therapies.

She is also the co-lead for the Qualitative Research Methods (Master of Public Health).

Qualifications

  • Fellow of Advanced Higher Education, 2021
  • Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE), University of Birmingham, 2021 (Distinction)
  • PhD in Education, Queen’s University Belfast, 2003
  • MA in Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Ulster, 1998
  • Diplôme d’Etudes Approfondies (MA) Anglo-Irish Studies, Université de Caen, France, 1997
  • Maitrise (PgDip) Anglo-Irish Studies, Université de Caen, France, 1996
  • Licence (BA Hons) English Language, Literature & History, Université de Caen, France, 1995

Biography

Christel obtained a first-class degree (‘Licence’ (= BA Hons) in English Literature and History in the University of Caen (Normandy, France) and the Ulster University (1995). She completed an MA in Peace & Conflict Studies from the Ulster University and her PhD in Education (“Island or Bridge? An ethnographic study of an integrated school in Belfast”) in Queen’s University Belfast (2004). Following her PhD, she gained experience in Qualitative Research in various areas (Education, Communication, Management, and Nursing) both in Queen’s University Belfast and the Ulster University (Northern Ireland).

 

Since moving to the University of Birmingham in 2014 and the Centre for Patient-Reported Outcomes Research in 2018, she has focused her work on PROM development, electronic Patient Reported Outcomes and using Qualitative Research in RCTs across a range of health conditions.

Teaching

Christel is the co-lead for the Qualitative Research Methods (Master of Public Health).

In addition, she teaches on the following programmes:

Postgraduate supervision

Christel is interested in supervising doctoral research students who are planning to use qualitative and/or PROMs/ePROMs within a range of clinical areas (chronic diseases, cancer, TBI, etc.)

If you are interested in studying any of these subject areas please contact Christel directly: c.mcmullan@bham.ac.uk.

For any general doctoral research enquiries, please email mds-gradschool@contacts.bham.ac.uk.

Research

Christel’s main research interest lie around qualitative methodologies to inform process evaluations within clinical trials, the development and evaluation of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), and the implementation of electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) in clinical practice. She collaborates with the NIHR Biomedical Research Council and Her work spans across a range of health conditions, including chronic conditions (inflammatory bowel disease, Long COVID), neurological conditions (traumatic brain injury), oncology and advanced therapies.

Current projects

  • The HALT Colitis trial (Does the addition of FMT to standard treatment in newly diagnosed mild to moderate ulcerative colitis reduce the need for therapy escalation? NIHR EME)
  • The PRO-CAR-T study (Development and feasibility testing of a digital platform to capture patient reported outcomes (PROs) for CAR-T precision cellular therapies, NIHR BTRU)
  • The HEAR-ALPORT study (Hearing Experiences in Alport Syndrome: Development and Initial Validation of Patient- and Observer-Reported Outcomes, Kidney Research UK)
  • The ChemoPRO Feasibility study (Electronic monitoring of cancer symptoms and treatment-related toxicity: A feasibility study of using the ChemoPRO® app in an oncology setting (System C)
  • The CHAPTER study (The Childbirth Acquired Perineal Trauma Study aims to optimise the care of women following childbirth related perineal trauma (CRPT), NIGHR Programme Grant)
  • The UNTANGLE study (Traumatic brain injury related changes in military veterans, Office for Veterans Affairs)

Previous projects

  • The TLC study (Therapies for Long COVID in non-hospitalised individuals, NIHR UKRI)
  • The Anthony Nolan study
  • The PRiORiTy study (Patient Reported Outcomes Research in Trauma, NIHR SRMRC)
  • The ChemoPRO usability study (Testing the usability of an ePRO platform with individuals with lived experience of cancer, CIS Oncology).
  • The PROmics study (Development an electronic capture system to assess quality of life and symptoms, both at the point of receiving therapy and on a longer-term basis following discharge from hospital, NIHR UKRI).
  • The STOP-COLITIS study (Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in achieving and maintaining remission for patients with ulcerative colitis, NIHR EME)
  • The ACCURE-UK study (Feasibility study for a trial of appendicectomy in ulcerative colitis, NIHR RfPB)
  • The Bluebelle study (Feasibility study of using post-surgical wound dressing types to prevent surgical site infection, NIHR HTA)

Other activities

  • Co-lead of Person-Centred Research Group (Department of Applied Health Sciences)
  • Co-lead of Qualitative Health Research Interest Group
  • Member of People and Culture Committee (College of Medicine and Health)
  • Member of Health Research Board Trials Methodology Research Network

Publications

Recent publications

Article

Sutton, E, McMullan, C, Reilly, H, Miller, C, Topping, A & Lees Deutsch, L 2026, '30-day readmission risk after hip fracture: a qualitative study in the Midlands, United Kingdom', BMC Geriatrics. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-026-07183-6

Quraishi, MN, Moakes, CA, Yalchin, M, Blackwell, C, Segal, J, Ives, NJ, Magill, L, Manzoor, SE, Gerasimidis, K, McMullan, C, Mathers, J, Horniblow, R, Loi, S, Kaur, M, Loman, NJ, Sharma, N, Hawkey, P, McCune, V, Quick, J, Nicholls, S, McMurray, C, Nicholson, B, Svolos, V, Raguideau, S, Kerbiriou, C, Oo, YH, Beggs, AD, Crees, N, Hansen, R, Hart, AL, Gaya, DR, Quince, C & Iqbal, T 2026, 'Mechanistic insights into FMT for the treatment of ulcerative colitis: analysis of the STOP-Colitis trial', Journal of Crohn's & Colitis. https://doi.org/10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjag006

Guan, N, Turner, G, Hotham, R, Lange, D, Brown, KR, McMullan, C, Hughes, SE, Aiyegbusi, OL, Matthews, K, Jackson, L, Yahyouche, A, Alder, Y, Jeyes, F, Buckland, L, Chong, A, Stanton, DE, Calvert, M & Haroon, S 2026, 'Self-management of long COVID symptoms with over-the-counter medicines and other non-prescribed therapies: a cross-sectional survey', BMC Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-28017-5

Hughes, S, Hughes, BMA, Haroon, S, Hathaway, E, Anderson, N, McMullan, C, Newnham, M, Taylor, C, Denniston, A, Backhouse, S, Filer, A, Raza, K, Scarisbrick, J, Anderson, C, Lee, M, Watts, L, Hodgetts-Morton, V, Hillman, S, Mughal, F, Day, E, Sami, T, Jesani, A, Jackson, T, Collis, P, Peipert, JD & Calvert, M 2026, 'Symptom burden in multiple long-term conditions: an AI-supported, mixed-methods concept elicitation study', Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, vol. 17, no. 7, 20542704261459717. https://doi.org/10.1177/20542704261459717

Shaw, KL, Hughes, SE, Aiyegbusi, OL, Ansell, J, Chakera, E, Chakraverty, R, Chatterley, M, Ferguson, P, Khatsuria, F, Lloyd, R, McMullan, C, Peipert, JD, Pyatt, L, Yarosh, V & Calvert, MJ 2026, 'The PRO-CAR-T™ study: achieving excellence in patient and public involvement and engagement', Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes, vol. 10, 70. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41687-026-01036-x

Khatsuria, F, McMullan, C, Shaw, KL, Walker, A, Ellis, H, Lloyd, R, Ferguson, P, Davies, EH, Nduka, I, Palaram, L, Ansell, J, Chakera, E, Chatterley, M, Pyatt, L, Richardson-Abraham, J, Chakraverty, R, Aiyegbusi, OL, Calvert, MJ & Hughes, SE 2026, 'Usability testing to improve the user experience of an electronic patient reported outcome system for CAR-T cell therapies', JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics.

CALIBRE Trial, Tripathi, D, Handley, K, Holden, L, Abdali, Z, Jowett, S, Mathers, J, Poyner, C, Richardson, P, Ferguson, J & Rowe, IA 2025, 'Clinical Trial: A Multicentre Randomised Controlled Trial of Carvedilol Versus Variceal Band Ligation in Primary Prevention of Variceal Bleeding in Liver Cirrhosis (CALIBRE Trial)', Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, vol. 61, no. 11, pp. 1740-1754. https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.70080

Millard, G, Pennington, A, McMullan, C, Markus, R, Mkandawire, G, van Goor, M & de Wildt, G 2025, 'Exploring men’s perceptions, experiences and beliefs on their role in maternal healthcare in rural southern Malawi: a qualitative study', BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, vol. 25, 1229. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-08367-5

Hughes, SE, Khatsuria, F, McMullan, C, Shaw, KL, Walker, A, Kinsella, F, Burns, D, Aiyegbusi, OL, Davies, EH, Ansell, J, Chakera, E, Craddock, C, Denniston, A, Lloyd, R, Ferguson, P, Chakraverty, R & Calvert, M 2025, 'Measure selection for an electronic patient-reported outcome (ePRO) system for CAR T-cell therapy patients: a modified Delphi consensus study', EClinicalMedicine, vol. 84, 103256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103256

McMullan, C, Haroon, S, Turner, G, Aiyegbusi, OL, Hughes, SE, Flanagan, S, Subramanian, A, Nirantharakumar, K, Davies, EH, Frost, C, Jackson, L, Guan, N, Alder, Y, Chong, A, Buckland, L, Jeyes, F, Stanton, DE & Calvert, M 2025, 'Mixed methods study of views and experience of non-hospitalised individuals with long COVID of using pacing interventions', Scientific Reports, vol. 15, 14467. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-96319-6

McMullan, C, Calvert, M, Hughes, S, Pyatt, L, Kern, B, Shaw, K, Asfaw, B, Besley, C, Buckingham, N, Ellis, H, Farrow, C, Mazza, M, Miller, R, Irvine, D, Jones, C, John, E, Sheikh, Y, Pugh, G, Yiallouridou, C & Aiyegbusi, OL 2025, 'Patient and caregiver experiences of CAR T-cell therapy for blood cancer in the UK: a qualitative study', The Patient - Patient-Centered Outcomes Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40271-025-00757-3

McMullan, C, Turner, G, Retzer, A, Belli, A, Davies, EH, Nice, L, Flavell, L, Flavell, J & Calvert, M 2025, 'Testing an Electronic Patient-Reported Outcome Platform in the Context of Traumatic Brain Injury: PRiORiTy Usability Study', JMIR Formative Research, vol. 9, e58128. https://doi.org/10.2196/58128

Slade, AL, McMullan, C, Haque, MS, Griffith, S, Marley, L, Quinn, D, O'Hara, ME, Horton, M, Calvert, MJ, Lim, HS & Lane, DA 2024, 'Development of a quality of life measure for left ventricular assist device recipients using a mixed methods approach', ESC heart failure. https://doi.org/10.1002/ehf2.14850

Review article

Rylands, AJ, Maruszczyk, K, Aiyegbusi, OL, Bouslouk-Marx, M, Collis, P, Illoh, O, Keeley, T, King-Kallimanis, BL, Martin, A, Mazza, GL, McMullan, C, Molsen-David, E, O’Connor, D, Peipert, JD, Roydhouse, J, Snyder, C, Yelland, E & Calvert, MJ 2026, 'Designing and Implementing Real-World Patient-Reported Outcomes—Emerging Recommendations: A Good Practices Report of an ISPOR Task Force', Value in Health, vol. 29, no. 6, pp. 921-931. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jval.2026.02.018

Khatsuria, F, McMullan, C, Aiyegbusi, OL, Shaw, KL, Iqbal, R, Kinsella, F, Wilson, K, Pyatt, L, Lewis, M, Weldon, SMR, Burns, D, Chakraverty, R, Calvert, M & Hughes, S 2024, 'Development of a conceptual framework for an electronic patient-reported outcome (ePRO) system measuring symptoms and impacts of CAR T-cell therapies in patients with haematological malignancies', The Lancet Oncology, vol. 25, no. 10, pp. e476-e488. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(24)00256-0

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