INSPIRE'S Early Career Researchers Series
Researcher Spotlight
Like other months, this month’s INSPIRE Early Career Researcher has substantial clinical and research experience so more accurately described as this months Career Researcher! We are delighted to spotlight Dr. LISE NOTTELMANN from FORSKNINGSENHEDEN FOR ALMEN PRAKSIS, AARHUS who has already contributed greatly to the INSPIRE project.
Lise Nottelmann
Tell us a bit about yourself Lise!
I have a medical degree from Aarhus University in 2008 and since then I have mainly worked in clinical oncology and specialised palliative care.
In 2019 I did my Ph.D thesis on early, integrated palliative care in oncology. I was interested in finding new ways of supporting patients with newly diagnosed advanced cancer and not only alleviating their symptoms but also improving their quality of life through supporting their functioning and self-efficacy. That’s when we thought of incorporating elements of rehabilitation into the holistic model of palliative care. We conducted the Pal-Rehab randomised controlled study at Vejle hospital in Denmark and found that a 12-week individually tailored palliative rehabilitation intervention integrated in standard oncology care significantly improved the patient’s quality of life and emotional functioning.
Afterwards I have been blessed to be able to carry on postdoctoral research on the INSPIRE project.
Together with senior researcher Mai-Britt Guldin I am managing the Danish contribution to the project. We are going to include patients from a Danish hospital to be part of the study and furthermore, we are responsible for the Work package concerning the ‘Access, inclusivity, and equity evaluation’ of the INSPIRE study. A topic I am very interested in and proud to take lead on.
I think the INSPIRE intervention presents a model of palliative rehabilitation that can be easily incorporated into existing care. And it holds the potential of improving the care and quality of life of many patients living with life limiting disease and loss of function. My hope is that it will open eyes and doors across Europe and beyond.
I also hope that we will be able to use INSPIRE to show a way of securing more equitable and inclusive research and care for the benefit of patients living with advanced cancer everywhere.
Last – but certainly not least – I get immense joy from working with such an incredibly engaged and talented group of international researchers and organisations in this field.
Groundbreaking
Important
Inspiring
