Sebastian’s research is focused on the use of mixed methods to investigate the social impacts of new technologies in healthcare. He leads research studies ranging from the investigation of adoption of new point-of-care tests for STIs into the British healthcare system, understanding the social acceptability of genetic modification of plants to produce healthcare products in Europe, and investigating social and structural barriers and facilitators to implementing diagnostic tests in LMICs.
Implementation research
Sebastian's work to understand how new technologies are implemented in different healthcare settings around the world has ranged from targeted appraisals to help clinical teams solve urgent problems leading to poor patient outcomes, to multi-year projects to explore clinical adoption of new technologies from multiple stakeholder perspectives.
Research and implementation of new diagnostics to advance sexual health
In collaboration with binx health, Sebastian leads a programme of work to explore the barriers and facilitators to implementation of a new FDA-approved, 30-minute point-of-care test for Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea into NHS sexual health clinics in England. Together with ADREU colleagues at SGUL, this research and implementation work has enabled patients to access highly accurate molecular point-of-care test for common STIs in their first clinical visit for the first time in Europe.
Understanding healthcare professional barriers to lumbar-punctures in Tanzania
In collaboration with the National Institute for Medical Research, Tanzania; the University of North Carolina Project, Malawi; Hopital Central Yaounde, Cameroon; Institut Pasteur and Dr Angela Loyse (SGUL), Sebastian's social science work has helped to better understand reasons behind the poor uptake of the diagnostic procedures for diagnosis of HIV-related meningo-encephalitis. Together with the DREAMM project educational, clinical, laboratory teams, this work helped to inform effective problem-solving and educational tool creation for new pathways for implementation of meningo-encephalitis diagnostics.
Patient and Public Involvement
Sebastian's approach to health research has always begun with an effort to understand the patient and community experiences of illness and infection. With a focus on the social impacts of new technology in healthcare, Sebastian's patient and public involvement efforts include oversight of the ADREU community advisory group, and development of new methods to involve non-scientists in the development and implementation of new diagnostics and therapeutics.
Pharma-Factory: a new framework for public engagement and co-design for plant molecular farming
In collaboration with Dr Alison Prendiville, London College of Communications, University of the Arts, Sebastian leads a programme of work to involve a wide range of stakeholders to make the value, risks and benefits of plant molecular farming products explicit. Working closely with colleagues in LCC, and plant scientists at SGUL, this novel method works to improve the transparency of communication around this technology. A main aim of the programme is to create new methods of communication about plant molecular farming, and enable rational regulations and legislation for these new methods of production across Europe.