Florence Gerakios

PhD Student/Clinical Trials Associate

Florence is a part-time PhD student focussing on Parkinson’s disease (PD) and delirium and a full-time Clinical Trials Associate based at the Clinical Ageing Research Unit. She has worked closely with Dr Rachael Lawson on her project ‘Defining Delirium and it’s Impact in Parkinson’s disease (DELIRIUM-PD)’ which led to her interest in what delirium looks like in a PD cohort and the associated negative outcomes.

 

PhD Project

The phenomenology and natural history of delirium in Parkinson's disease

 

Conferences

International presentations

  • Delirium predicts poor outcomes in Parkinson’s disease. Speaker at the NextGen DLB Webinar, Virtual meeting, 17th November 2023.
  • Delirium predicts poor outcomes in Parkinson’s disease. Platform presentation at the 17th European Delirium Association Conference 2023, Birmingham, UK, 7-8th September 2023.
  • The prevalence of delirium and risk of mortality in hospital inpatients with Parkinson’s disease. Poster presentation at the International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders 2023, Copenhagen, Denmark, August 27th-31st 2023.
  • The prevalence of delirium and risk of mortality in hospital inpatients with Parkinson’s disease. Poster presentation at the World Parkinson’s Congress, Barcelona, Spain, 5-7th July 2023.
  • The phenomenology of delirium in Lewy body disease. Poster presentation at the 7th International Lewy body Dementia Conference (ILBDC) 2022, Gateshead, UK, June 15-17th 2022.

 

National presentations

  • Delirium predicts poor outcomes in Parkinson’s disease. Presidential poster round presentation. 2024 British Geriatrics Society Spring Meeting, Birmingham, May 2024.
  • Delirium predicts poor outcomes in Parkinson’s disease. Platform presentation at the North East Postgraduate Conference 2023, Newcastle, 3rd November 2023.
  • The Phenomenology of Delirium in Parkinson's disease. Platform presentation at the Neuroscience North East 2022 Conference, Durham University, Durham, UK, 12th December 2022.
  • The Phenomenology of Delirium in Parkinson's disease. Poster presentation at the Delirium Ready Conference, Darlington, UK, 19th October 2022.
  • The Phenomenology of Delirium in Parkinson's disease. Poster presentation at the North East Postgraduate Conference, in person, 28th October 2022. C. Regional/local presentations
  • Delirium predicts poor outcomes in Parkinson’s disease. Oral presentation at MHDN away day, 10th October 2024.
  • Delirium predicts poor outcomes in Parkinson’s disease. Oral presentation at NuTH Dementia Steering Group meeting, 14th November, 2023.
  • Delirium predicts poor outcomes in Parkinson’s disease. Oral presentation at DemaNDs meeting,14th June 2023.
  • Delirium predicts poor outcomes in Parkinson’s disease. Oral presentation at the Brain and Movement Research Group lab meeting, 21st April 2023.
  • A day in the life of a Clinical Trials Associate. Oral presentation at the Brain and Movement Research Group conference, 15th December 2022.
  • Considering the frequency of symptoms of Delirium in inpatients with Parkinson’s disease compared to older adults. Oral presentation at the Brain and Movement Research Group lab meeting, November 2022.

 

Publications

Gerakios, F., Yarnall, A. J., Bate, G., Wright, L., Davis, D., Stephan, B. C., ... & Lawson, R. A. (2024). Delirium is more common and associated with worse outcomes in Parkinson’s disease compared to older adult controls: results of two prospective longitudinal cohort studies. Age and Ageing, 53(3), afae046.

 

Awards & Nominations

  • FMS Research Excellence Development Award for specialist training, May 2024 (£610) – collaboration 5th-7th June 2024 with Dr Emma Cunningham and Dr Emily Bowman, Queen’s University Belfast.
  • PhD costs for Evaluating the phenomenology and natural history of delirium in inpatients with Parkinson’s disease. Newcastle Hospitals Charity (£7,500), student Florence Gerakios, March 2022-March 2025. This has now been matched by the Newcastle NIHR Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) to fund the remaining three years of tuition fees, allowing completion of the PhD, March 2024 - March 2028.
  • Doctoral College Research Enhancement Funding (travel - 1235.81).
  • Best oral presentation: North East Postgraduate Conference 2023 for Delirium predicts poor outcomes in Parkinson’s disease. Newcastle, 3rd November 2023.
  • Best oral presentation: 17th European Delirium Association Conference 2023 for Delirium predicts poor outcomes in Parkinson’s disease. Birmingham, UK, 8th September 2023.
  • Runner up best oral presentation: Neuroscience North East 2022 Conference for The Phenomenology of Delirium in Parkinson's disease. Durham, 12th December 2022.

 

Other

Parkinson’s disease North-East and Cumbria Research Interest Group – speaker at the engagement day – title: Improving care of people with Parkinson's admitted to hospital, 7th November 2024.

Parkinson’s disease North-East and Cumbria Research Interest Group – Volunteer at the engagement day, 11th April 2023.