Meet our grant holders: Michael Crossland & Rachael Canavan 

Dr Michael Crossland, optometrist and a senior research fellow at UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, was awarded a PhD studentship in 2023 to investigate ways to improve the mental health of young people with vision loss. Rachael Canavan, who has a background in child mental health and developmental psychology, is the PhD student working on the project.

Nearly a year into their project, Michael and Rachael share some helpful tips and tricks for future supervisors and students, and the impact of our funding on their careers. 

First of all, how is the project coming along? 

Michael - The project is going very well! Rachael has already reviewed all of the published evidence on different techniques to maximise well-being and mental health in young people with vision impairment and has submitted a paper on this. 

We have all of the regulatory approvals in place for the study, and we are ready to start interviewing young people with vision impairment and their parents and carers to start answering our research question.

Rachael - I feel that the project has got off to a good start. Carrying out the evidence review has been very helpful as it has enabled me to identify the gaps in the current research and ascertain exactly how our project will be of maximum benefit and impact to young people with vision impairment.

I have also used the last few months to complete many doctoral school training sessions to build my knowledge, which will greatly assist me during the project. 

Michael, how did you narrow down your research question, and Rachael, why did you decide to join Michael’s research team at the institute? 

Michael - The idea for this project came about in the low-vision clinic. I realised that there was a lot of support available to young people with vision impairment, but not everyone was receiving all of the interventions that could help maximise their well-being. 

I wanted to listen to the views of people with lived experience of sight loss to develop a comprehensive package of support for young people with vision impairment. 

This led me to set up the research team (along with experts in child vision, paediatrics, clinical psychology and those with lived experience) and to design our research question.

Rachael - I am passionate about the mental health of children and young people. My academic background is in clinical child psychology, and following completion of my MSc, I trained as an Educational Mental Health Practitioner and subsequently worked with young people experiencing mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. 

I found this work rewarding and interesting, so when this project was advertised, I felt that it was an ideal opportunity to combine my practical experience and academic knowledge to make a real difference in the lives of young people with vision impairment. 

This project is so important to me as I was shocked by the lack of research investigating the impact that living with vision impairment has on the mental health of young people and by the absence of a comprehensive support package for them and I believe that this project will redress this. 

How has this PhD studentship funding supported your careers? 

Michael - Although I have been a subsidiary supervisor for several postgraduate students, this is my first experience as a principal supervisor for a PhD student. This feels like the next step in my academic career as I get closer to being a senior independent researcher. 

Rachael - The Moorfields Eye Charity funding has greatly impacted my academic career. Without funding, I simply would not have been able to afford to undertake a PhD. 

Overall, how was the process of applying to the charity for funding? 

Michael - Moorfields Eye Charity were really supportive and gave helpful guidance at each stage of the application process. Although writing grants and completing all of the forms can feel arduous, the team greatly helped with this.

Putting together a great application will increase your chances of securing funding. Do you have any tips or tricks for writing successful grant proposals based on your experience? 

Michael - I think including the ​‘patient voice’ is very important. I discussed the proposal with people I meet in the clinic and with the Moorfields Young Person Advisory Group (Eye-YPAG), which made sure that the research was asking relevant and important questions. I think this strengthened my proposal.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone just starting out in their research career, as a supervisor or PhD student, what would it be? 

Michael - Talk to everyone! In London, we are lucky to be surrounded by so many world-class researchers and clinicians who can advise and guide our research. I also think speaking to people with lived experience of vision impairment is vital, as it gives an invaluable additional perspective and reminds us of why it’s important to keep working in this area.

Rachael - I agree with Michael. Talk to everyone you can and take advantage of the available expertise as much as possible. I have found that every researcher, clinician, and person with lived experience I have spoken to has been very willing to discuss ideas with me and share their knowledge. 

One piece of advice you’d give to someone thinking of applying?

Michael - Go for it! Speak to Moorfields Eye Charity throughout the process: I’ve found everyone there to be very approachable and helpful. I’d also encourage showing your draft application to lots of people for their perspective. In particular, comments from people outside the field are very useful to check that you’re not using too much jargon and that they can understand the importance of your project. Good luck!