In Long Covid
I am passionate about finding solutions because I understand the impact that this will have on people’s lives.
Professor Faghy (Far-he) leads the COVID-19/Long COVID research group at the University of Derby (UK) and has an established record in designing and delivering research projects to increase the understanding of COVID-19 sequalae and the wider impacts upon functional status and quality of life. Professor Faghy led the University of Derby Long COVID research team to success in attaining the 2024 Nature Inclusive Health Research Award, for their project ‘Profiling the Determinants of Long COVID’. In addition to leading several clinical investigations, Professor Faghy has integrated qualitative and mixed-methods approaches into his research to capture the lived experiences of individuals—an essential aspect of advancing knowledge and shaping effective responses to the pandemic. This has resulted in several compelling outputs, such as publications in high-impact journals and policy briefs. Professor Faghy has delivered the UKs’ first Phase 1 trial in intravenous antiviral therapy, an exciting step forward towards finding meaningful treatments for patients with Long COVID. Professor Faghy’s team are based within the Biomedical and Clinical Exercise Science group at the University of Derby, the COVID-19/Long COVID research group is supported by academics with extensive expertise in clinical research on chronic diseases and a commitment to translating research into real-world outcomes that enhance patient care.
We learn from the patients who are living with Long COVID every day.
Dr Rebecca Owen is part of the Long COVID research group at the University of Derby and has been involved in numerous clinical investigations, which has yielded several academic publications in valuable journals and international conferences. Dr Owen was part of the research team recognised internationally for its excellence and patient-centred focus, winning the 2024 Nature Inclusive Health Research Award, positioning the team as a key contributor to shaping ongoing responses to the health challenges posed by COVID-19.
Dr Owen’s research focuses on understanding symptomology and recovery trajectory, to inform and develop support mechanisms and interventions for Long COVID and prioritises patient involvement and engagement and the lived experience. She is currently involved in several international projects aiming to increase understanding and awareness of Long COVID, where she works closely with patient groups. At the centre of Dr Owen’s research is the patient voice and the lived experience of Long COVID, considering the impact of the condition on quality of life and functional status.
Dr Kane says ‘The Long COVID Clinic is uniquely placed to research patients with moderate and severe disease. There are no commissioned NHS services for patient at the more severe end of the spectrum, therefore they remain under-studied. Additionally, NHS colleagues are unable to prescribe off-label therapy due to strict rules. By studying the impact of repurposed drugs within a holistic model of care, we hope to be able to influence future NHS guidelines and service delivery. Professor Faghy, Dr Kane and Dr Owen’s Editorial, Long COVID – Integrated Approaches to Chronic Disease Management?, published in The American Journal of Medicine, underscores the critical importance of a multidisciplinary approach to managing Long COVID, advocating for collaboration among specialists to enhance patient outcomes. View editorial
The clinic has ethics to publish the impact of interventions and will be working with collaborative partners such as Professor Resia Pretorius (South Africa), Professor Doug Kell (Liverpool) and Professor Caroline Dalton (University of Sheffield).
Patient experience and involvement is central to our research. In their joint study, Long COVID quality of life and healthcare experiences in the UK (Quality of Life Research), Faghy and Owen provided essential insights into the lived realities of Long COVID patients. They highlighted critical gaps in healthcare experiences and the ongoing challenges of managing symptoms, informing future patient care strategies. Access the publication
Their qualitative investigation published in BMJ Open captured daily symptom fluctuations and emotional impacts faced by patients, offering rich data to inform therapeutic and supportive interventions. Read the BMJ Open study
Dr Kane and Professor Faghy were part of a core team that led a Delphi consensus project involving 178 expert clinicians, researchers, and patients from 28 countries. The consensus paper, published in Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials, establishes recommendations for Long COVID diagnosis, treatment, research and social issues aimed at clinician, researchers and policy makers. Explore the Delphi consensus paper
From 2015 we have developed a portfolio of research activity that brings together the exercise physiology and clinical sciences to broadly improve patient outcomes. Our pre-pandemic research in community acquired pneumonia was interesting as we got to see the benefit of working with clinical teams but importantly to see firsthand the impact we could have when working with patients. We were interested in recovery and why some people following acute infection did not return to their baseline status following treatment and we were looking for ways to investigate and improve this. At the end of 2019, we were in the process of writing/submitting research funding bids when COVID-19 hit, it was early in the process that our clinical team alerted us to similar trends of people not recovering and we quickly started to change and implement the plans that we had developed. In truth, it is the patients we work with that inspire us.
I think this is quite a simple one to answer really, we are passionate about finding solutions because we understand the impact that this has on people’s lives. With that knowledge and a belief that we can make a difference, the passion, drive and motivation come easy.
Our research is very different because we know and do not consider ourselves to be the experts. We learn from the patients who are living with Long COVID every day. They are the ones who know what is happening and we create an environment where we learn and work together to make sure we answer the questions that matter. This allows us to combine the lived experience and the clinical science together in a rich approach that helps us make informed decisions about research and interventions. Arguably another thing that sets us apart in research is that we know we don’t/won’t have the knowledge to cure Long COVID on our own so we are truly collaborative and will work with anyone who can help us achieve the answers/interventions that can improve the lives of the many millions impacted by this condition.
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