Katie is Programme Manager/Senior Research Fellow on the ENLIVEN project. ENLIVEN is a cross-institutional, multi-partner programme working to co-produce dementia friendly innovations in the visitor economy. The project aims to increase access to natural environments for older people experiencing cognitive impairment.
Katie brings a critical and interdisciplinary approach to the study of innovation. Her teaching and research is underpinned by an interest in the contemporary reconfiguring of ‘innovation’ to generate social and environmental value. In 2020 Katie launched the module Innovation for Urgent Global Challenges which focuses on the role of new technologies and social change processes in addressing a range of contemporary challenge issues ranging from malaria, to community empowerment, sustainability transformations and antimicrobial resistance. A fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Katie has also taught in the area of Ethics and Responsible Innovation and led Advanced Interdisciplinary Research Design at Exeter.
Katie is experienced in a range of qualitative research methodologies. With Professor Sarah Hartley and colleagues, Katie has been examining the development of gene drive mosquitoes for malaria control in sub-Saharan Africa. She is also involved in an international collaborative project across the US, Uganda, Australia and the UK focusing on public engagement and deliberation in biotechnological innovation. She has previously worked with colleagues in Mali investigating co-development as an innovation strategy and model of collaboration.
Prior to joining the Business School Katie worked with Professor Mark Jackson, Professor Steve Hinchliffe and Dr Felicity Thomas, developing a policy report and conceptual model for the World Health Organisation (WHO) exploring the social-cultural dynamics of antibiotic resistance (ABR). The report highlights how social-cultural dynamics (including relationships of trust and economic inequalities) shape diverse practices of antibiotic use, ABR transmission pathways and the regulatory and research environments within which antibiotic innovation and ABR research takes place. It points to the need for social, institutional as well as technical innovation in addressing the ABR challenge.
Qualifications
- PhD Human Geography
- Masters of Research (MRes) in Critical Human Geographies (Distinction and Dean’s Commendation)
- BA Human Geography (First Class)
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
Research interests
- Hartley. S., Smith, RDJ., Kokotovich, A., Opesen, C., Habtewold, T., Ledingham, K., Raymond, B., Rwabukwali, CB., (In Press). Ugandan stakeholder hopes and concerns about gene drive mosquitoes for malaria control: new directions for gene drive risk governance. Malaria Journal https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-021-03682-6
- Hartley, S., Ledingham, K., Owen, R., Leonelli, S., Diarra, S., Diop, S., 2021. Experimenting with co-development: a qualitative study of gene drive research for malaria control in Mali. Social Science and Medicine https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113850
- Ledingham, K and Hartley, S., 2021. Transformation and slippage in co-production ambitions for global technology development: the case of gene drive. Environmental Science & Policy. 116, 78-85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2020.10.014
- Ledingham, K., Hinchliffe, S., Jackson, M., Thomas, F., Tomson, G., 2019. Antibiotic resistance: using a cultural contexts of health approach to address a global health challenge. WHO Europe.
- Hartley, S., Thizy, D., Ledingham, K., Coulibaly, M., Diabaté, A., Dicko, B., Diop., S., Kayondo, J., Namukwaya, A., Nourou, R. Toé, LP., 2019. Knowledge Engagement in Gene Drive. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0007233
- Innovation for urgent global challenges
- Responsible innovation & governance
- Social-cultural approaches to science, technology and non-human life
- Social dynamics of contemporary health and environmental challenges
- Social theory and empirical philosophy (including STS, biopolitics and more-than-human geographies)
Current projects
- Co-I. GCRF UKRI Facilitation Fund. Strengthening gene drive governance for malaria control in Africa.
- Co-I. QUEX. Global gene drive governance for climate adaptation and conservation.
- Co-I. British Academy. Co-developing Ecological Risk Assessment across Disciplines and Borders: Gene Drive Mosquito Field Trials in Uganda.
- Collaborator. Wellcome Trust. Talking about gene drive.
Key publications | Publications by category | Publications by year
Publications by category
Journal articles
Wozniak TM, Cuningham W, Ledingham K, McCulloch K (2022). Contribution of socio-economic factors in the spread of antimicrobial resistant infections in Australian primary healthcare clinics.
J Glob Antimicrob Resist,
30, 294-301.
Abstract:
Contribution of socio-economic factors in the spread of antimicrobial resistant infections in Australian primary healthcare clinics.
OBJECTIVES: to effectively contain antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) infections, we must better understand the social determinates of health that contribute to transmission and spread of infections. METHODS: We used clinical data from patients attending primary healthcare clinics across three jurisdictions of Australia (2007-2019). Escherichia coli (E. coli), Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) isolates and their corresponding antibiotic susceptibilities were included. Using multivariable logistic regression analysis, we assessed associations between AMR prevalence and indices of social disadvantage as reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (i.e. remoteness, socio-economic disadvantage and average person per household). RESULTS: This study reports 12 years of longitudinal data from 43 448 isolates from a high-burden low-resource setting in Australia. Access to health and social services (as measured by remoteness index) was a risk factor for increased prevalence of third-generation cephalosporin-resistant (3GC) E. coli (odds ratio 5.05; 95% confidence interval 3.19, 8.04) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) (odds ratio 5.72; 95% confidence interval 5.02, 6.54). We did not find a positive correlation of AMR and socio-economic disadvantage or average person per household indices. CONCLUSION: Remoteness is a risk factor for increased prevalence of 3GC-resistant E. coli and MRSA. We demonstrate that traditional disease surveillance systems can be repurposed to capture the broader social drivers of AMR. Access to pathogen-specific and social data early and within the local regional context will fill a significant gap in disease prevention and the global spread of AMR.
Abstract.
Author URL.
DOI.
Hartley S, Ledingham K, Owen R, Leonelli S, Diarra S, Diop S (2021). Experimenting with co-development: a qualitative study of gene drive research for malaria control in Mali.
Social Science and Medicine,
276 DOI.
Hartley S, Smith RDJ, Kokotovich A, Opesen C, Habtewold T, Ledingham K, Raymond B, Rwabukwali CB (2021). Ugandan stakeholder hopes and concerns about gene drive mosquitoes for malaria control: new directions for gene drive risk governance.
Malaria Journal,
20 DOI.
Ledingham K, Hartley S (2020). Transformation and slippage in co-production ambitions for global technology development: the case of gene drive.
Environmental Science and Policy DOI.
Hartley S, Thizy D, Ledingham K, Coulibaly M, Diabaté A, Dicko D, Diop S, Kayondo J, Namukwaya A, Nourou B, et al (2019). Knowledge engagement in gene drive research for malaria control.
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases DOI.
Publications by year
2023
Collins R, Owen S, Opdebeeck C, Ledingham K, Connell J, Quinn C, Page S, Clare L (2023). Provision of outdoor nature-based activity for older people with cognitive impairment: protocol for a scoping review from the ENLIVEN project.
DOI.
2022
Wozniak TM, Cuningham W, Ledingham K, McCulloch K (2022). Contribution of socio-economic factors in the spread of antimicrobial resistant infections in Australian primary healthcare clinics.
J Glob Antimicrob Resist,
30, 294-301.
Abstract:
Contribution of socio-economic factors in the spread of antimicrobial resistant infections in Australian primary healthcare clinics.
OBJECTIVES: to effectively contain antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) infections, we must better understand the social determinates of health that contribute to transmission and spread of infections. METHODS: We used clinical data from patients attending primary healthcare clinics across three jurisdictions of Australia (2007-2019). Escherichia coli (E. coli), Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) isolates and their corresponding antibiotic susceptibilities were included. Using multivariable logistic regression analysis, we assessed associations between AMR prevalence and indices of social disadvantage as reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (i.e. remoteness, socio-economic disadvantage and average person per household). RESULTS: This study reports 12 years of longitudinal data from 43 448 isolates from a high-burden low-resource setting in Australia. Access to health and social services (as measured by remoteness index) was a risk factor for increased prevalence of third-generation cephalosporin-resistant (3GC) E. coli (odds ratio 5.05; 95% confidence interval 3.19, 8.04) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) (odds ratio 5.72; 95% confidence interval 5.02, 6.54). We did not find a positive correlation of AMR and socio-economic disadvantage or average person per household indices. CONCLUSION: Remoteness is a risk factor for increased prevalence of 3GC-resistant E. coli and MRSA. We demonstrate that traditional disease surveillance systems can be repurposed to capture the broader social drivers of AMR. Access to pathogen-specific and social data early and within the local regional context will fill a significant gap in disease prevention and the global spread of AMR.
Abstract.
Author URL.
DOI.
2021
Hartley S, Ledingham K, Owen R, Leonelli S, Diarra S, Diop S (2021). Experimenting with co-development: a qualitative study of gene drive research for malaria control in Mali.
Social Science and Medicine,
276 DOI.
Hartley S, Smith RDJ, Kokotovich A, Opesen C, Habtewold T, Ledingham K, Raymond B, Rwabukwali CB (2021). Ugandan stakeholder hopes and concerns about gene drive mosquitoes for malaria control: new directions for gene drive risk governance.
Malaria Journal,
20 DOI.
2020
Ledingham K, Hartley S (2020). Transformation and slippage in co-production ambitions for global technology development: the case of gene drive.
Environmental Science and Policy DOI.
2019
Hartley S, Thizy D, Ledingham K, Coulibaly M, Diabaté A, Dicko D, Diop S, Kayondo J, Namukwaya A, Nourou B, et al (2019). Knowledge engagement in gene drive research for malaria control.
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases DOI.
External positions
- Reviewer for the Journal of Responsible Innovation & AREA
- Rapporteur, World Health Organisation (WHO) Expert Group Meeting on the Cultural Contexts of Health (2018)
External engagement and impact
- 2019 WHO Report. Antibiotic resistance: using a cultural contexts of health approach to address a global health challenge
- 2019 Invited panellist ‘Bridging disciplines, sectors and systems for interdisciplinary research on antimicrobial resistance,’ 12th European Public Health Conference, Marseille
- 2019 Presentation to the Baltic Authorities on GMOs, Tallinn
- 2019 Invited CRISPR Con Moderator of Expert Panel (Conversations on Science, Society and the Future of Gene Editing). Netherlands
