Dr Kathy Hughes

(she/her)

Publication

• Date
• Type

Research

My main research interests are infections in primary care and women's health. A lot of my research has focused on urinary tract infections (UTI) and the diagnosis and identification of serious illness in children. I am also interested in other common infections, antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance, point of care tests & the urinary microbiome. More recently I have become interested in women's health research, in particular relating to menopause and migraine.  

Grants

ESTEEM- Evaluating the clinical and cost-effectiveness of Testosterone to improve menopause related quality of life. NIHR HTA £2.6M. Mike Robling, Helen Munro, Rebecca Cannings-John, Kathryn Hughes, John Lowe, Susan Channon, Denitza Williams, Katherine Cullen, Deborah Fitzsimmons, Kerenza Hood, Lisa Nicholls, Sara Mann, Lisa Mellish. 01/08/2024 – 31/10/2028 (51 months) at £2,657.590.34

WGSSS Studentship: How do self-testing kits influence parents' and guardians' cognitive representations and behavioural responses to children's respiratory tract infections? Lead supervisor Rhiannon Phillips (Cardiff Met), other co-supervisors Lewis Bott (Psychology, Cardiff Met) & Mike Beeton(Microbiology, Cardiff Met) and Kathryn Hughes (Cardiff University). £88,000. 45 months. start date 1/10/24

Myocardial Infarction and Stroke Subsequent tO URInary tract infection (MISSOURI). Ahmed H, Akbari A, Cannings-John R, Gillespie D, Lugg-Widger F, Hughes K.British Heart Foundation British Heart Foundation £219,146.60 May 2021-April 2024

COVID-19 public experiences in Wales: A longitudinal mixed- methods study of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviour in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Phillips R, Thomas-Jones E, Akbari A, Hallingberg B, Cannings-John R, Gillespie D, Hughes K, Perham N, Seage H, Ashfield-Watt P, Torrens-Burton A, Williams D, Wood F. Sêr Cymru £102,279 Aug 2020

Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency (including Unscheduled) Care Research (PRIME) and Care Research Wales, Centre Extension. Applicants: Edwards A, Ahmed H, Brain K, Burton C, Carson-Stevens A, Chestnutt I, Davies F, Evans B, Francis N, Ford D, Gal M, Harris-Mayes R, Hiscock J, Hughes D, Hughes K, Jones J, Joseph-Williams N, Kenkre K, Khanom A, Kingston M, Law R, Lewis R, Llewellyn M, Nelson A, North R, Northway R, Phillips R, Pontin D, Poolman M, Porter A, Rees N, Rolph M, Smith S, Snooks H, Spasić I, Thomas-Jones E, Todd S, Wallace C, Watkins A, Wilkinson C, Williams M, Wood. Funder: Health and Care Research Wales. Amount: £4,634,746. Duration: April 2020-March 2025

Quantitative mapping of the microbiome and resistome in urinary tract infection among women: a pump-priming interdisciplinary study Applicants: Gadalla A, Francis N, Connor T, Marchesi J, Hughes K, E Mahenthiralingam, Butler C. Funder:  ISSF3 Population Award, Cardiff University/Wellcome. Amount: £43,322 . Duration: April 2019-July 2020

Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency (including Unscheduled) Care Research (PRIME) and Care Research Wales, Centre Extension. Applicants: Edwards A, Brain K, Bulger J, Calder G, Carson-Stevens A, Chestnutt I, Davies F, van Deursen R, Evans B, Ford D, Francis N, Gal M, Gobat N, Harris-Mayes R, Hiscock J, Hood K, Hughes D, Hughes K, Joseph-Williams N, Kenkre J, Khanom A, Kingston M, Lewis R, North R, Phillips R, Porter A, Rees N, Rycroft-Malone J, Smith S, Smits S, Snooks H, Spasić I, Thomson C, Ud Din N, Wallace C, Watkins A, Wilkinson C, Williams M, Williams N, Wood F Amount: £1,799,934.62 Duration: 1/4/18 – 31/03/20

The LUCI study: The Long-term follow-up of Urinary tract infection (UTI) in Children. Applicants: O'Brien K, Cannings-John R, Paranjothy S, Francis N, Hay A, Butler C, Hood K. Funder:Health and Care Research Wales, Health Research Award Amount: £248,122. Duration: Oct 2016-June 2019

Helpmedoit: A web and text based intervention to facilitate social support to achieve and maintain health related behaviour change. Applicants: Simpson S, Morgan Trimmer S, O'Brien K, Murphy S, Kelly M, Moore L, John E, McConnachie A, Mcintosh E Dunder: NIHR PHR Award Amount: £414,000. Duration: Feb 2015-July 2017.

Symptoms of uncomplicated UTI in women presenting to general practice: exploration of causation in culture negative urine: The 'Missing link' study. Applicants: Butler C, Eberl M, Francis N, Gal M, Gregory C, Hood K, Howe R, Marchesi J, O'Brien K, Topley N,   Wooton M. Funder: Wales School of Primary Care Research. Amount: £22,699 Duration:April 2014-2015

Development of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)/DNA pyrosequencing methods for the laboratory identification and analysis of urinary tract infections. Applicants: O'Brien K, Gregory C, Marchesi J, Francis N, Butler C. Funder: WellcomeTrust/ ISSF SEEDCORN Award. Amount: £50,000 Duration: June 2012-15

DUTY: The Diagnosis of Urinary Tract Infection in Young Children Study. Applicants: Hay A, Butler C, Little P, Hood K, MacGowan A, Sterne J, Hollingworth W, Howe R, Whiting P, O'Brien K, Dudley J, van der Voort J, Montgomery A, Benger J, Fletcher M. Funder: NIHR HTA Award Amount: £3,255,125. Duration: Jan 2010-Dec 2016

Microbiology and Infection Translational Research Group (MITReG). Applicants: Baille L, Barnes R, Brazier J, Bugert J, Butler C, Chalmers R, Cohen D, Corden S, Davies A, Davies E, Denyer S, Dunstan F, Eberl M, Edwards A, Evans M, Guy E, Hall J, Hastings M, Hay A, Heginbothom M, Henry R, Howe R, Hughes D, Kotecha S, Leaper D, Lewis M, Lovering A, Lyons M, Lyons R, MacGowan A, Mack D, Mahenthiralingam E, Maillard J, Marchesi J, Mason B, McGuigan C, O'Brien K, Price D, Sewell A, Taylor P, Thomas D, Topley N, Walsh T, Weightman A, White L, Wilkinson G, Williams D, Wootton M Funder: NISCHR Amount: £342,867 Duraton: March 2010- March 2015

The Epidemiology of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) in Children with Acute Illness in Primary Care (EURICA study). Applicants: Butler C, O'Brien K, Edwards A, Hood K. Funder: joint WAG/MRC Health Partnership Award Amount: £139,897. Duration: April 2008-March 2012

Teaching

My teaching areas include infections, primary care research and epidemiology and quantitative research methods.

I am currently involved in teaching on the following courses:

• MB BCh C21 through Evidence based Medicine Tutorial sessions
• Intercalated BSc in Population Medicine: Co-lead Short term conditions module & Project Supervisor

Biography

Qualifications:

• PhD School of Medicine, Cardiff University 2013 (Childhood UTI)
• Dip Epi Diploma in Epidemiology London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine 2009
• PCME Postgraduate Certificate of Medical Education 2006
• MRCGP (Merit) Membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners 2003
• DFFP Diploma of the Faculty of Family Planning 2003
• DCH Diploma in Child Health 2001
• MB BCh Medical Degree 1998 Cardiff University

Overview of Career

• August 2020: Senior Clinical Lecturer, Division of Population Medicine, School of Medicine, Cardiff University & GP at Fairwater Health Centre, Cardiff.
• April 2020 - August 2020: Clinical Lecturer, Division of Population Medicine, School of Medicine, Cardiff University & GP at Fairwater Health Centre, Cardiff.
• Sep 2016 – April 2020: Senior Clinical Research Fellow, PRIME Centre Wales, School of Medicine, Cardiff University & GP
• Sep 2015 – Sep 2016: Maternity leave
• May 2005 – Sep 2015: Clinical Lecturer, School of Medicine, Cardiff University & GP (Partner Blaen-y-cwm Surgery Jan 2010-Dec 2014)
• Oct 2003 – May 2005: Associate Academic General Practitioner (Academic Fellow), School of Medicine, Cardiff University & GP
• Aug 2003 - Oct 2003: Locum General Practitioner
• Feb 2000 - Aug 2003: General Practice Vocational Training Scheme (Royal Glamorgan Hospital)
• Aug 1999 - Feb 2000: SHO in Accident and Emergency, Royal Gwent Hospital
• Feb1999 – Aug 1999: HO in Medicine (respiratory) Princess of Wales Hospital
• Aug 1998 – Feb 1999: HO in General Surgery Royal Gwent Hospital

Honours and awards

Jan 2020: Certificate of appreciation for teaching. School of Medicine, Cardiff University.

Research paper awards

2016 RCGP Research Paper of the year Category 3: Children, Reproduction, genetics, infections

Hay AD, Sterne JA, Hood K, Little P, Delaney B, Hollingworth W, et al. Improving the Diagnosis and Treatment of Urinary Tract Infection in Young Children in Primary Care: Results from the DUTY Prospective Diagnostic Cohort Study. Annals of family medicine. 2016;14(4):325-36.

2015 RCGP Research Paper of the year Category 3: Children, Reproduction, genetics, infections

Butler CC, O'Brien K, Pickles T, Hood K, Wootton M, Howe R, Waldron CA, Thomas-Jones E, Hollingworth W, Little P, Van Der Voort J, Dudley J, Rumsby K, Downing H, Harman K, Hay AD; DUTY study team. Childhood urinary tract infection in primary care: a prospective observational study of prevalence, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. Br J Gen Pract. 2015 Apr;65(633):e217-23

Professional memberships

Royal College of General Practitioners (since 2003)

Committees and reviewing

• Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Scientific Foundation Board 

Supervisions

I am interested in supervising PhD students in the areas of:

• Primary care
• Infections
• Urinary tract infections
• Antimicrobial resistance
• Urinary microbiome
• Point of care diagnostic tests
• Menopause
• Migraine 
• Other Women's Health 

Past projects

Mandy Lau, 'The use of modern modelling methods for the statistical analysis of microbiological data in clinical trials of antimicrobial stewardship interventions.' graduation 2025.

Gladys Makuta, 'The feasibility of measuring bacterial load in exhaled breath of children with pneumonia and empyema using a novel point-of-care test (POCT) The BALLOON Study.' graduation 2025.

Adam Williams, 'Understanding the relationship between pre-exposure prophylaxis, sexually transmitted infections, and antimicrobial resistance [UPrEP]' graduated 2024.