CoR fellowship funds doctorate for Dr Rob Meertens

Lecturer completes his PhD after six years

Published: 06 January 2021 SoR | CoR

One of the first CoR Doctoral Fellowship awardees has finished his studies after six years and is now officially ‘Dr Rob Meertens’.

Members can apply each year for one of two fellowship grants of up to £25,000 in the research areas of accuracy and safety, technological innovations, public and patient experience, service and workforce transformation, and education and training.

Dr Meertens was a diagnostic radiographer for ten years before joining the University of Exeter, where he combined a part-time PhD with his role as senior lecturer in medical imaging.

The focus of his research was to investigate the potential of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) as a diagnostic tool in the measurement of the haemodynamics of microvascular blood supply in bone.

‘It’s very early stages‘, said Dr Meertens, ‘but the study has shown the promise of the technology and where more research is needed.’ He said the CoR funding had enabled him to devote protected time to the work and access practical help, as well as advice and support from fellow researchers in the SoR special interest research group.

Find out more about the CoR Doctoral Fellowship scheme.