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Staff Profiles

Dr Sandra Galvin

B.Sc.,PhD

Contact Details

Contract Research Appointment
School of Nursing & Midwifery
NUI Galway

E: sandra.galvin@nuigalway.ie
 
researcher

Biography

I am the National Programme Manager for the Health Research Board - Trials Methodology Research Network (HRB-TMRN) www.hrb-tmrn.ie. The goal of the HRB-TMRN is to improve the conduct and reporting randomised trials in Ireland, through a suite of network activities. I have been involved in the network since its inception in 2014, and I am responsible for its strategic development and expansion. 

My previous research experience focused on the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance of bacterial pathogens. I hold a BSc in Microbiology from University College Cork and a PhD in Bacteriology from NUI Galway. 

Research Interests

Current Postdoctoral Research:

I have recently (2014) joined the School of Nursing and Midwifery in NUI Galway as the Coordinator for the Health Research Board - Trials Methodology Research Network (HRB-TMRN) www.hrb-tmrn.ie. The goal of the HRB-TMRN is to improve the conduct and reporting clinical trials in Ireland. To accomplish this I am involved in coordinating the provision of a range of activities such as educational events and liaising with experts in this area to provide a direct support service to trialists and researchers in the field. 

Previous Postdoctoral Research:
I am currently working in the Discipline of General Practice, School of Medicine, NUIG (2012 - 2015) as a postdoctoral research fellow. My current research is funded by the Health Research Board under the Interdisciplinary Capacity Enhancement program. The aim of this research award is to increase capacity in population health and provide a training framework for postdoctoral researchers. The research project  will involve the design and implementation of a complex intervention with GP's in the west of Ireland with regard to antimicrobial prescribing. This research is being carried out by a multidisciplinary scheme that includes the areas of Social Marketing and Health Economics. 

Central to this research is the issue of the development of antimicrobial resistance in bacterial pathogens. Appropriate and prudent use of antimicrobials can assist in curbing the spread of resistance in bacterial populations. Urinary tract infections are a common presentation at GP's and may require antimicrobial treatment. The proposed intervention will involve multiple components to create sustainable behavioral change. 

In 2010, I joined the Department of Clinical Microbiology in the Royal College of Surgeons as a postdoctoral researcher and was based in Beaumont Hospital Dublin. In this role, I investigated the environmental spread of common multiresistant bacterial pathogens. As I worked directly with the Infection Prevention and Control Team, this research provided direct benefits to the patient and provided a greater insight into the effects of environmental contamination. 

I was also involved in evaluating the effects of  various bio-decontamination systems for routine use within the hospital setting, including hydrogen peroxide and the development of a novel plasma bio-decontamination system. 

Doctoral Research: 

My PhD research was carried out in the Discipline of Bacteriology, School of Medicine, NUIG (2006 - 2010). I investigated the role of the wider aquatic environment in the spread of multiresistant bacterial pathogens that represent faecal contamination of water supplies. I also used molecular epidemiological methods to investigate the spread of these pathogens in various water systems such as rivers, bathing waters and effluent. This research highlighted the high proportion of multiresistant bacteria present in hospital effluent and the ability for these organisms to survive waste water treatment.  

Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
(2016) 'The cost effectiveness of the SIMPle intervention to improve antimicrobial prescribing for urinary tract infection in primary care'
Gillespie P, Callan A, O’Shea E, Duane S, Murphy AW, Domegan C, Galvin S, Vellinga A (2016) 'The cost effectiveness of the SIMPle intervention to improve antimicrobial prescribing for urinary tract infection in primary care'. Journal Of Public Health, [Details]
(2016) 'Intervention to improve the quality of antimicrobial prescribing for urinary tract infection: a cluster randomized trial'
Vellinga, A,Galvin, S,Duane, S,Callan, A,Bennett, K,Cormican, M,Domegan, C,Murphy, AW (2016) 'Intervention to improve the quality of antimicrobial prescribing for urinary tract infection: a cluster randomized trial'. Canadian Medical Association journal, 188 :108-115 [DOI] [Details]
(2015) 'Improving antimicrobial prescribing in Irish primary care through electronic data collection and surveillance: a feasibility study'
Sandra Galvin, Aoife Callan, Martin Cormican, Sinead Duane, Kathleen Bennett, Andrew W. Murphy, Akke Vellinga. (2015) 'Improving antimicrobial prescribing in Irish primary care through electronic data collection and surveillance: a feasibility study'. BMC Family Practice, 16 (77) [DOI] [Details]
(2015) 'Improving antimicrobial prescribing in Irish primary care through electronic data collection and surveillance: a feasibility study'
Galvin, S,Callan, A,Cormican, M,Duane, S,Bennett, K,Murphy, AW,Vellinga, A (2015) 'Improving antimicrobial prescribing in Irish primary care through electronic data collection and surveillance: a feasibility study'. BMC Family Practice, 16 [DOI] [Details]
(2014) 'The Economic Cost Of Urinary Tract Infections In The Community: Results From Ireland'
A. Callan, E. O'Shea, S. Galvin, S. Duane, O. Corry, A. Vellinga (2014) 'The Economic Cost Of Urinary Tract Infections In The Community: Results From Ireland'. Value In Health, 17 (7 (A 468)) [Details]
(2014) 'The Economic Cost Of Urinary Tract Infections In The Community: Results From Ireland'
A. Callan, E. O'Shea, S. Galvin, S. Duane, O. Corry, T. SIMPle Team, A. Vellinga (2014) 'The Economic Cost Of Urinary Tract Infections In The Community: Results From Ireland'. Value In Health, 17 (7) [DOI] [Details]
(2014) 'Supporting the Improvement and Management of Prescribing for urinary tract infections (SIMPle): Protocol for a cluster randomised trial'
Duane, S., Callan, A., Galvin, S., Murphy, A. W., Domegan, C., O'Shea, E., Cormican, M., Bennett, K., O'Donnell, M. and Vellinga, A. (2014) 'Supporting the Improvement and Management of Prescribing for urinary tract infections (SIMPle): Protocol for a cluster randomised trial'. Trials, [DOI] [Details]
(2013) 'Supporting the improvement and management of prescribing for urinary tract infections (SIMPle): protocol for a cluster randomized trial'
Duane, S,Callan, A,Galvin, S,Murphy, AW,Domegan, C,O'Shea, E,Cormican, M,Bennett, K,O'Donnell, M,Vellinga, A (2013) 'Supporting the improvement and management of prescribing for urinary tract infections (SIMPle): protocol for a cluster randomized trial'. Trials, 14 [DOI] [Details]
(2012) 'Enterococcus faecium of the vanA Genotype in Rural Drinking Water, Effluent, and the Aqueous Environment'
Morris, D,Galvin, S,Boyle, F,Hickey, P,Mulligan, M,Cormican, M (2012) 'Enterococcus faecium of the vanA Genotype in Rural Drinking Water, Effluent, and the Aqueous Environment'. Applied And Environmental Microbiology, 78 :596-598 [DOI] [Details]
(2012) 'HANDHELD COLD ATMOSPHERIC AIR PLASMA PEN AND IN VITRO STUDIES OF M.R.S.A., C. difficile and A. baumannii DECONTAMINATION'
Niall O’Connor, Orla J. Cahill, Sandra Galvin , Cormac McDonnell , Niall Stevens , Neil O Hare , Hilary Humphreys, Stephen Daniels (2012) 'HANDHELD COLD ATMOSPHERIC AIR PLASMA PEN AND IN VITRO STUDIES OF M.R.S.A., C. difficile and A. baumannii DECONTAMINATION'. Ieee Transactions On Plasma Science, [DOI] [Details]
(2012) 'Evaluation of vaporized hydrogen peroxide, Citrox and pH neutral Ecasol for decontamination of an enclosed area: a pilot study'
Galvin S, Boyle M, Russell RJ, Coleman DC, Creamer E, O'Gara JP, Fitzgerald-Hughes D, Humphreys H (2012) 'Evaluation of vaporized hydrogen peroxide, Citrox and pH neutral Ecasol for decontamination of an enclosed area: a pilot study'. J Hosp Infect, 80 (1):67-70 [DOI] [Details]
(2010) 'Enumeration and characterization of antimicrobial-resistant E. coli in effluent from municipal, hospital and secondary treated sources'
Galvin, S.,Boyle, F.,Hickey, P.,Vellinga, A.,Morris, D.,Cormican, M. (2010) 'Enumeration and characterization of antimicrobial-resistant E. coli in effluent from municipal, hospital and secondary treated sources'. Appl Environ Microbiol, [Details]
(2016) 'Using qualitative insights to change practice: exploring the culture of antibiotic prescribing and consumption for urinary tract infections'
Duane, S,Domegan, C,Callan, A,Galvin, S,Cormican, M,Bennett, K,Murphy, AW,Vellinga, A (2016) 'Using qualitative insights to change practice: exploring the culture of antibiotic prescribing and consumption for urinary tract infections'. BMJ Open, 6 [DOI] [Details]
(2016) 'Using qualitative insights to change practice - Exploring the culture of antibiotic prescribing and consumption for urinary tract infections'
Duane, S; Domegan, C ; Callan, A; Galvin, S; Cormican, M; Bennett, K; Murphy, A. W; (2016) 'Using qualitative insights to change practice - Exploring the culture of antibiotic prescribing and consumption for urinary tract infections'. BMJ Open, [Details]
(2016) 'Using qualitative insights to change practice: exploring the culture of antibiotic prescribing and consumption for urinary tract infections'
Sinead Duane, Christine Domegan, Aoife Callan, Sandra Galvin, Martin Cormican, Kathleen Bennett, Andrew W Murphy, Akke Vellinga (2016) 'Using qualitative insights to change practice: exploring the culture of antibiotic prescribing and consumption for urinary tract infections'. BMJ Open, 6 [DOI] [Details]
(2015) 'Intervention to improve the quality of antimicrobial prescribing for urinary tract infection: a cluster randomized trial'
Vellinga, A; Galvin, S; Duane, S; Callan, A; Bennett, K; Cormican, C; Domegan, C; Murphy, A.W; (2015) 'Intervention to improve the quality of antimicrobial prescribing for urinary tract infection: a cluster randomized trial'. CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne, [DOI] [Details]
(2014) 'Cold atmospheric pressure plasma and decontamination. Can it contribute to preventing hospital-acquired infections?'
N. O'Connor, O. Cahill, S. Daniels, S. Galvin, H. Humphreys (2014) 'Cold atmospheric pressure plasma and decontamination. Can it contribute to preventing hospital-acquired infections?'. Journal Of Hospital Infection, 88 (2) [Details]
(2014) 'What is the best method? Recovery of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing Escherichia coli from inanimate hospital surfaces'
Claro, T; Galvin, S; Cahill, O.J.; Daniels, S; Humphreys, H; (2014) 'What is the best method? Recovery of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing Escherichia coli from inanimate hospital surfaces'. Infection control and hospital epidemiology : the official journal of the Society of Hospital Epidemiologists of America, [Details]
(2014) 'Supporting the Improvement and Management of Prescribing for urinary tract infections (SIMPle): Protocol for a randomised control trial'
Duane, S; Callan, A; Galvin, S; Murphy, AW; Domegan, C; O’Shea, E; Cormican, M; Bennett, K; O’Donnell, M; Vellinga, A; (2014) 'Supporting the Improvement and Management of Prescribing for urinary tract infections (SIMPle): Protocol for a randomised control trial'. Trials, 14 [DOI] [Details]
(2014) 'Dispersal patterns of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) on eight acute hospital wards'
Creamer, E; Shore, AC; Deasy, EC; Galvin, S; Dolan, A; Walley, N; McHugh, S; Fitzgerald-Hughes, D; Sullivan, DJ; Cunney, R; Coleman, DC; Humphreys, H; (2014) 'Dispersal patterns of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) on eight acute hospital wards'. Journal Of Hospital Infection, 86 :1-27 [Details]
(2013) 'Exploratory spatial analysis of the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance in E. coli in the community”'
Galvin, S; Bergin, N; Hennessy, R; Hanahoe, B; Murphy, AW; Cormican, M; Vellinga, A; (2013) 'Exploratory spatial analysis of the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance in E. coli in the community”'. The Journal of antibiotics, 2 (3):328-338 [DOI] [Details]
(2013) 'The antimicrobial effects of helium and helium-air plasma on Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium difficile'
Galvin, S; Cahill, O; O'Connor, N; Cafolla, AA; Daniels, S; Humphreys, H; (2013) 'The antimicrobial effects of helium and helium-air plasma on Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium difficile'. Letters In Applied Microbiology, 57 (2):83-90 [DOI] [Details]
(2013) 'Search and you will find: detecting extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae from a patient's immediate environment'
Judge, C; Galvin, S; Burke, L; Thomas, T; Humphreys, H; Fitzgerald-Hughes, D: (2013) 'Search and you will find: detecting extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae from a patient's immediate environment'. Infection control and hospital epidemiology : the official journal of the Society of Hospital Epidemiologists of America, 34 (5):534-536 [Details]
(2012) 'Reply: Evaluation of chromogenic meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus media: sensitivity versus turnaround time'
Galvin, S. Moore, J. Humphreys, H. (2012) 'Reply: Evaluation of chromogenic meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus media: sensitivity versus turnaround time'. Journal Of Hospital Infection, [Details]
(2012) 'Microbial monitoring of the hospital environment: Why and How?'
Galvin, S. Dolan, A. Cahill, O. Daniels, S. Humphreys, H. (2012) 'Microbial monitoring of the hospital environment: Why and How?'. Journal Of Hospital Infection, [Details]
(2012) 'Evaluation of screening risk and nonrisk patients for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus on admission in an acute care hospital'
Creamer, E. Galvin, S. Dolan, A. Sherlock, O. Dimitrov, B. D. Fitzgerald-Hughes, D. Thomas, T. Walsh, J. Moore, J. Smyth, E. G. Shore, A. C. Sullivan, D. Kinnevey, P. O'Lorcain, P. Cunney, R. Coleman, D. C. Humphreys, H. (2012) 'Evaluation of screening risk and nonrisk patients for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus on admission in an acute care hospital'. Journal Of Hospital Infection, [Details]
(2011) 'Evaluation of vaporized hydrogen peroxide, Citrox and pH neutral Ecasol for decontamination of an enclosed area: a pilot study'
Galvin, S. Boyle, M. Russell, R. J. Coleman, D. C. Creamer, E. O'Gara, J. P. Fitzgerald-Hughes, D. Humphreys, H. (2011) 'Evaluation of vaporized hydrogen peroxide, Citrox and pH neutral Ecasol for decontamination of an enclosed area: a pilot study'. Journal Of Hospital Infection, [Details]
(2011) 'Enterococcus faecium of the vanA genotype in rural drinking water, effluent, and the aqueous environment'
Morris, D. Galvin, S. Boyle, F. Hickey, P. Mulligan, M. Cormican, M. (2011) 'Enterococcus faecium of the vanA genotype in rural drinking water, effluent, and the aqueous environment'. Applied And Environmental Microbiology, [Details]
(2010) 'Enumeration and Characterization of Antimicrobial-Resistant Escherichia coli Bacteria in Effluent from Municipal, Hospital, and Secondary Treatment Facility Sources'
Galvin, S,Boyle, F,Hickey, P,Vellinga, A,Morris, D,Cormican, M (2010) 'Enumeration and Characterization of Antimicrobial-Resistant Escherichia coli Bacteria in Effluent from Municipal, Hospital, and Secondary Treatment Facility Sources'. Applied And Environmental Microbiology, 76 :4772-4779 [DOI] [Details]