Email: niina.kolehmainen@ncl.ac.uk

Research profile and key clinical specialties

I am a paediatric allied health population scientist, leading research into childhood health behaviours, long-term conditions, and impact on health and wellbeing. I am particularly interested in innovations that support health behaviours to promote life-course health.

My group’s primary focus has, for the past six years, been movement and physical activity behaviours, and related non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs), in under 5s. Our research draws on a range of methods and paradigms, and all our work is interdisciplinary.

I also lead the wider Reproduction, Development and Child Health Theme at Newcastle University Faculty of Medical Sciences. This is a community of around 40 academics across biosciences, clinical and translational medicine and population health, with a mission to maximise life-course health and wellbeing for all through research into early-life events and related interventions.

The Theme provides an exciting, diverse training environment for our students, and allows them to learn to span traditional disciplinary boundaries from early on. I strongly believe that diversity of expertise is core to our collective success.

Two key publications

• Bray N/Kolehmainen N, McAnuff J, Tanner L, Tuersley L, Beyer F, Grayston A, Wilson D, Edwards RT, Noyes J, Craig D. Powered mobility interventions for very young children with mobility limitations to aid participation and positive development: the EMPoWER evidence synthesis. Health Technology Assessment 2020, 24(50), 1-194.
• Kolehmainen N, Ramsay C, McKee L, Missiuna C, Owen C, Francis J. Participation in physical play and leisure in children with motor impairments: a mixed methods study to generate evidence for developing an intervention. Physical Therapy 2015, 95(10), 1374-1386.

Possible PhD projects

Proposals that focus on modifiable early life (conception to 5 yrs) events and exposures. Projects that integrate biopsychosocial approaches and multiple methods are particularly encouraged. 

More information

I have a strong track record of supporting, supervising and mentoring diverse clinical academics both locally and nationally, for example, I was an NIHR Academic Training Advocate between 2015 and 2021.

Keywords: Paediatric, childhood, behaviours, activity, NPIs, mobility, reproduction, motor impairments, Niina, Kolehmainen, Newcastle

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