Research output per year
Research output per year
Accepting PhD Students
Willing to speak to media
Research activity per year
Professor Petra Wark is a nutritional and chronic disease epidemiologist with an additional background in applied statistics as well as learning and teaching.
Her research focuses on the use, development, characteristics and validation of digital health technologies (e.g. wearables, apps, platforms) for enhancement of wellbeing or disease prevention or management. She focuses on making use of the additional data digital technologies provide, the validity of such data, and the efficacy and effectiveness of interventions using digital technologies (whilst considering health and wellbeing outcomes). She is also interested in the setting in which such technologies are used, and thereby their practical applications in research, health promotion and health care.
Examples of her work include leading the validation study of myfood24, a new online dietary assessment tool for the UK; leading the validation study of new technology for blood pressure measurement and management; and systematic review of mobile apps.
Earlier in her career, she aimed to gain a better understanding of the causation of chronic diseases by using data of large cohort studies. She did so whilst combining research with a role of MSc course organiser, running several epidemiology and chronic disease modules and co-founding and running a leading short course.
Within the Centre for Intelligent Healthcare, she is leading the Epidemiology theme. She supervises PhD and MRes students, being a UKCGE Recognised Research Supervisor.
New digital health solutions and technologies emerge daily. Several of these developments are very exciting. They have potential to improve one’s wellbeing or health. Many others are not yet optimal and/or do not meet society’s, the health care system’s or the user’s needs. A technological solution is also not always the most appropriate.
It is important to optimise the chances of making a true impact. I believe that technologies should be validated /evaluated throughout their lifecycle, and should be evidence-based. Sometimes my work starts while the technology is being developed or improved. My work can also start after the technology is being implemented, or when already on the market. Doing so requires insight and methods from several disciplines. I thus collaborate with people from different backgrounds. I also collaborate with industry.
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Postgraduate Certificate, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Sep 2010 → 8 Jun 2012
Award Date: 8 Jun 2012
Doctorate, Wageningen University and Research Centre
May 2000 → 16 Jan 2007
Award Date: 16 Jan 2007
MSc, Radboud University Nijmegen
1 Sep 1995 → 27 Apr 2000
Award Date: 27 Apr 2000
Applied Statistics and Biostatistics (15 modules, equivalent to 53 weeks at MSc level), University of Hasselt
1 Oct 2001 → 31 Mar 2003
Honorary Senior Lecturer in eHealth, Imperial College London
1 Jan 2017 → …
Assistant Director of Global eHealth Unit, Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London
1 Apr 2014 → 31 Dec 2016
Research Fellow, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London
5 Jan 2009 → 31 Mar 2014
Research Fellow, Non-Communicable Disease Epidemiology Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
15 Oct 2005 → 31 Dec 2008
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Research output: Working paper/Preprint › Preprint
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference proceeding › peer-review
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference proceeding › peer-review
Petra Wark (Participant)
Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Petra Wark (Member)
Activity: Membership › Membership of committee
Petra A Wark (Contributor)
Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference
Petra Wark (Participant)
Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference
Petra Wark (Invited Speaker)
Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in workshop, seminar, course