I am Assistant Professor of Public Health at Northumbria University, specialising in ethnic health inequalities, religion, and culture in health and social care. My work is centrally concerned with addressing issues of inequality, social justice, and exclusion with a particular focus on South Asian and Muslim communities in my native North East and beyond. I have led a number interdisciplinary and engagement rich projects on living options (care homes) and frailty, dementia and loneliness and dietary practices of school children supported by competitive funding from, e.g. NIHR and Innovate UK. My research is co-produced with communities, practitioners, service users and health and social care staff to ensure culturally tailored and impactful outcomes. 

My research is underpinned by a strong commitment to participatory and co-produced methods, ensuring that the voices of marginalised groups shape research design, interpretation, and impact.

Recent work has informed debates on addressing health inequalities and interventions to engage diverse communities to address access to healht and social care provision, with forthcoming published work in journals including Global Discourse and Health and Social Care in the Community. It has also been covered by BBC Newcastle and local radio.

My collaborative skills were recognised at the Shine Awards 2025, important to understand barriers to accessing health and social care and develop culturally tailored interventions. I have regularly led on a research newtwork of over 100 academics, public and third sector personnel, clinical practitioners and Public members to exchange knowledge on disseminating research on SAM contemporary issues to strengthen the real-world impact of research.

I am Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and contribute to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in Public Health, research methods and strategic management. I supervise PhD students and have a strong interest in enhancing student experience including international students. 

Research Interests

My research interests span across the life course and interdisciplinary including participatory methodologies. My speciliasm is ethnic health research and I am alsways keen to support researchers to advance knowledge to shape national and international debates on health inequality and culturally sensitive policy and practice.