Dr Lisa Jane Brighton PhD, MSc, BSc

Biography

Dr Lisa Jane Brighton has a BSc in Psychology from the University of Bath, and an MSc in Palliative Care and PhD in Health Services Research from King’s College London. She first worked in health research during her undergraduate placement at Dana-Farber / Harvard Cancer Centre in 2013, and began working at the Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabilitation at King’s College London in 2014. During this time, Lisa’s research has focused on complex interventions including communication skills training for healthcare professionals, holistic services for people with chronic breathlessness, and most recently rehabilitation for people living with chronic respiratory disease. Lisa also co-developed the first online forum for public involvement in palliative care research, and co-chaired the Cicely Saunders Institute public involvement executive group 2018-2020. In 2022, she was awarded an ESRC post-doctoral fellowship to move to the Department of Psychology to progress work at the intersection of psychology and respiratory disease, with an initial focus on loneliness.

Research Interests

• Psychological and social aspects of living with respiratory conditions/symptoms
• Relationship between physical and mental health in people with life-limiting illness
• Rehabilitation in people with life-limiting illness
• Development and evaluation of complex interventions
• Public involvement and co-design in health research

 Expertise and Public Engagement

Lisa’s work has informed international guidance, statements, and patient-facing materials around breathlessness in advanced disease and frailty in respiratory disease, via organisations such as the European Respiratory Society, American Thoracic society, and the European Lung Foundation. She has also worked with international colleagues to establish a new European Respiratory Society subgroup for Psychologists and Behavioural Scientists. Lisa has co-led public facing knowledge exchange events and research involvement activities, including at a national level as part of the Applied Research Collaborative Palliative and End of Life Care theme in South London.