Professor Robert Minns

Group Members

Abusive (AHT) and accidental head trauma:

• Pat Jones (Child Life and Health)
• Professor Brian Fleck (Princes Alexandra Eye Pavilion)
• Dr Alan Mulvihill (Princes Alexandra Eye Pavilion)
• Dr Anamika Tandon (University Hospital Leicester)
• Dr Rob A Elton (Edinburgh)
• Dr Fiona Minns (NRIE)
• Professor Jacqui Mok (Edinburgh)
• Dr Milly Lo (PICU, RHSC)
• Dr Karen Barlow (University of Calgary, Canada)

Saccadic Vector Optokinetic Perimetry (SVOP):

• Professor Robert A Minns
• Professor Brian Fleck (Princes Alexandra Eye Pavilion)
• Dr Ian Murray ….
• Dr Antonios Perperidis (QMRI)
• Dr Alice McTrusty (Glasgow Caledonian University)
• Dr Lorraine Cameron (Glasgow Caledonian University)
• Dr Harry Brash (Child Life and Health)
• Dr Andrew Tatham (Princes Alexandra Eye Pavilion)
• Dr Pankaj Agarwal (Princes Alexandra Eye Pavilion)
• Dr Conrad Schmoll (Princes Alexandra Eye Pavilion)
• Pam McClean (Princes Alexandra Eye Pavilion)
• Jane Andrews (Child Life and Health)

Research Overview

Professor Robert Minns' research focuses on two areas:

1. Clinical and physiological research in the neurology of childhood, with particular reference to brain injury from abusive (AHT) and accidental head trauma and hydrocephalus, and the effect that this brain damage has on neuro development and visual function.
2. Development and measurement of visual fields, suprathreshold and threshold screening, using a novel system - Saccadic Vector Optokinetic Perimetry (SVOP).

Research Projects (Former and Current)

Research Fields:

• Intracranial Pressure and Dynamics
• Coma
• Traumatic Brain Injury (Accidental and Non-Accidental)
• Non-Traumatic Encephalopathies
• Spina Bifida, Hydrocephalus
• Gait Analysis
• Neuro-Development

Selected Former Research Projects:

1. Intracranial pressure studies in children with acute encephalopathies and hydrocephalus. (Funded by Action Research)
2. Secondary brain insults from accidental and non-accidental injury in children, and the relationship with outcome (K/MRS/50/C2784; R35631) (funded by Chief Scientist Office, Scotland) Collaborators in Edinburgh: PA Jones, JE Bell, TYM Lo, and in Newcastle IR Chambers, AD Mendelow, R Forsyth, B Fulton.
3. European Brain Injury Consortium (BrainIT) Collaborators: PA Jones, IR Piper, IR Chambers et al (funded by European Commission – Research Directorates General)
4. Correlation of neurobiological markers, secondary brain insults, and outcome in children with moderate to severe TBI. (R2001/25) (Funded by Morton Stewart Bequest; NHS Small Grant) .Collaborators: TYM Lo, PA Jones, IR Chambers, T Beattie, R Forsyth and AD Mendelow.
5. Shaken Baby Syndrome and other non-accidental head injuries in infancy and childhood: Epidemiological (including the National Scottish Database since 1995), biomechanical, and imaging studies (Funded by Lloyds TSB Foundation; RS Macdonald Trust; Melville Trust; ) Collaborators: K Barlow, J Mok, PA Jones, Gillian Lawson, H Brash, K McBride, M McPhillips, R Gibson, K Choo.

On Going Paediatric Research:

1. Non-Accidental Head Injury (Shaken Baby Syndrome / Abusive Head Trauma studies / Retinal Haemorrhages Imaging and analysis); ‘Prospective study to determine the frequency, type and resolution of retinal haemorrhages and their relationship to the intracranial pressure level in traumatic brain injury from accidental and non-accidental causes in infants and children. Collaborators: PA Jones, BW Fleck, A Mulvihill, A Tandon
2. Development and measurement of Visual Fields (screening and threshold) using Saccadic Vector Optokinetic Perimetry (SVOP).

Sources of Funding

•  International Glaucoma Association (£25,000). ‘Evaluation of a novel method of visual field testing, Saccadic Vector optokinetic Perimetry (SVOP) for the diagnosis of glaucoma. Grant holder - University of Edinburgh. 2017 - 2019.
• Edinburgh & Lothians Health Foundation Endowment (Approx. £84,000). Visual field studies on children and adults. Andrew Tatham (PI).
• Welcome Trust Translational Award (£431,239). “Development and validation of a novel device for detailed visual field testing”. Principal Grant Holder – R.A. Minns, Co-investigators B.W. Fleck, H. Brash, I. Murray. 01/08/2011 - 30/09/2015.
• Action Medical Research (£135,562). “Validation of new visual fields testing equipment for children”. Principal Grant Holder - R.A. Minns, Co-investigators B.W. Fleck, H. Brash, I. Murray. 01/02/2010 - 31/01/2013.
• J.S. Mackay Bequest (£200,000). “Development of computer assisted system for assessment of visual fields and their deficits in children”. Grant Holder: R.A. Minns. 2004 - 2009.
• Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh (Ophthalmology) Grant (£40,000). Continuation of research in retinal haemorrhages. 2008-2009.
• NHS Endowment Fund: Haematology, TBI & Endocrine Grant & Friends of Sick Kids Foundation (£25,000). Continuation of research in retinal haemorrhages including children with coagulation disorders. 2009. 

Selected Publications

Other publications and communications on request

Robert A Minns, PA Jones, A Tandon, B Fleck, A O Mulvihill, F Minns. “Raised intracranial pressure and retinal haemorrhages in childhood encephalopathies” Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology 2017; 59; 597-604 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.13419

RA Minns, Jones, Fleck, Mulvihill, FC Minns Accepted 5 July. “Reply to Commentary of Squier”, DOI: 1111/dmcn.13516 2017 Published in Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology September 2017,59:980-982

Joint Chapter in Aicardi “Diseases of the Nervous System in Childhood” on Traumatic Brain Injury. August 2017

Murray IC, Perperidis A, Cameron LA, McTrusty AD, Brash HM,Tatham AJ, Agarwal PK, Fleck BW, Minns RA.  “Comparison of Saccadic Vector Optokinetic Perimetry and Standard Automated Perimetry in glaucoma. Part I: threshold values and repeatability”

Translational Vision Science & Technology (TVST) September 2017, Vol.6, 3. doi:10.1167/tvst.6.5.3

McTrusty AD, Cameron LA, Perperidis A, Brash HM, Tatham AJ,Agarwal PK, Murray IC,Fleck BW, Minns RA. “Comparison of Saccadic Vector Optokinetic Perimetry and Standard Automated Perimetry in glaucoma. Part II: visual field patterns and acceptability”

Trans Vis Sci Tech. (TVST) 2017;6(5):4, doi: 10.1167/tvst.6.5.4

Published Patents

Title: Testing Vision

Pub. No.: WO/2008/139137 International Application No.: PCT/GB2008/001480

Publication Date: 20 November 2008

International Filing Date: 25 April 2008

Applicants: University Court of the University of Edinburgh; MURRAY, Ian; MINNS, Robert; FLECK, Brian; BRASH, Harry.

Inventors: MURRAY, Ian; MINNS, Robert; FLECK, Brian; BRASH, Harry.

 

Title: A method of generating predetermined luminance levels across an electronic visual display.

Patent Application Number: 1304623.0 OR GB 1304623.0

Ref. TEC3214

HGF Ref. AAF/P207642GB

Filing Date: 14 March 2013

Applicant(s): University Court of the University of Edinburgh.

Inventors: PERPERIDIS, Antonio; MURRAY, Ian; BRASH, Harry; MINNS, Robert; FLECK, Brian; McTRUSTY, Alice; CAMERON, Lorraine; ANDREWS, Jane.

Public Engagement Activities

• Chairman of Scottish Council for Human Bioethics – SCHB (since 2008)
• Health Research Board (HRB) Ireland (2012)
• Trustee of Children’s Heart Disease Trust (since 2008)
• Trustee of Muir Maxwell Neurological Diseases Trust. (since 2012)
• NSPCC (National Society for Prevention Cruelty to Children) consultancy (2012)
• European Commission ERCEA- conduct Professional ethics reviews (FP7) and Horizon 20/20 twice per year in Brussels (plus remote assessments)- 2012 – 2017

• UK National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) Expert Advisers Database and National Injuries Database, and Major Crime Investigative support (nationalinjuriesdatabase@nca.x.gsi.gov.uk)

Other Responsibilities

Following on from the Wellcome Translational Grant Award (PI = RAM), the University initiated a ‘spin out’ company -  ‘i2Eye Medical Diagnostics Ltd’ (2011) and Prof. Robert Minns and Prof. Brian Fleck were Directors.