Dr Shazia Zafar BSc Hons, MRSc, PhD

• PhD in Polymers and Analytical Research
• BSc (Hons) in Chemistry

Dr Shazia Zafar is an experienced applied health research scientist with exceptional data analysis and leadership skills acquired in both academia and industry. Dr Zafar moved towards health research after participating in projects within molecular physics including impacts on health with shisha smoking and volatiles of Manuka honey. Shazia explored medical physics and research in health at the School of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Birmingham.

She has worked across a range of disciplines which include healthcare based research and service evaluation studies. She is experienced in methodology development, investigative research, analytical methods, statistical analysis, and rapid systematic reviews. Dr Zafar also taught in the School of Physics & Astronomy on topics such Quantum Physics and Observing the Universe.

Dr Zafar completed the UK-wide Marie Curie Hospice Day Services Evaluation Study in Scotland, Northern Ireland and England. Collaborating partners included healthcare staff from Marie Curie and other Hospices, University of Edinburgh, Ulster University, University of Bristol, Queen’s University Belfast, and UCL.

She was the lead researcher investigating Pan West Midlands IRIS Evaluation Study in the area of domestic abuse and violence and child abuse. This was both a quantitative and qualitative study using statistical analysis. Shazia worked closely with collaborating partners including Public Health England, Clinical Leads, CCG Leads, GP Surgeries, Women’s Aid shelters and IRIS Advocate Educators.

Dr Zafar worked closely with patients and continues to develop her research projects which not only benefit patients but society as a whole in areas of abuse and violence, pregnancy and end of life (with older people).

Research interests and current projects

Dr Zafar is interested in research which focus on violence against women, child abuse and child slavery with collaborating partners both in the UK and internationally.

Her research is both UK based and internationally (Brazil, Chile, Austria) in areas such as abuse and violence; alcohol consumption in pregnancy; impacts of Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) in varied ethnicities; improving communication with health professionals around HG; virtual reality as relaxation and pain control for patients with chronic pain (narration by Sir David Attenborough).

Having served as Chair and Women’s rep on the Royal Society of Chemistry Birmingham & West Midlands Local Section Committee, Dr Zafar engaged with members and the general public to promote science and in particular chemistry especially to girls. Dr Zafar helped build ‘science sessions’ at Birmingham Botanical Gardens. The science sessions provided for the first time experimental chemistry/science accessible to home schooled children (prior to the pandemic COVID-19).

• Dr Zafar is Trustee of charity Pregnancy Sickness Support who provide one to one support and information to women suffering from severe pregnancy sickness and hyperemesis gravidarum
• Shazia has been a member of Equality & Diversity Committee, MDS
• Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (served as Chair of RSC Birmingham & West Midlands Local Section including Women’s Representative)
• Member of UK Oncology Nurses Society
• Honorary member of Marie Curie Hospice
• Honorary member of School of Physics & Astronomy