Biography
Philip’s academic journey is marked by a diverse blend of experiences. After an initial career in retail banking and IT, he retrained as an osteopath, graduating from the European School of Osteopathy in 2009. He subsequently managed multidisciplinary clinics and provided care at major events like the London Olympics and the London Marathon before retiring from practice in 2019 to focus on his academic career. He completed post-graduate studies at the BSO and the Universities of Greenwich and Kent alongside practice, clinical tutoring and lecturing in rehabilitation, osteopathic technique, research and professional development.
From April 2024, Philip had been serving as the Academic Portfolio Lead for Physical Education and Sports Science at the University of Greenwich. In this role, he continued to apply his extensive experience in research methods and rehabilitation to enhance student learning and contribute to ongoing academic development across the portfolio. Philip took up his position with the HSU in May 2025, looking to further collaborate with established research colleagues and build on the strengths of the new institution.
Experience, Areas of interest/expertise
Philip played a key role in the BCNO Group, serving as the Head of Research from 2021 to 2024. The BCNO Group emerged from the merger of the European School of Osteopathy (ESO) and the British College of Osteopathic Medicine (BCOM). Prior to this, Philip was the Head of Research and Professional Development at the ESO, where he contributed significantly to the institution’s academic and research advancements with increasing research output and curriculum development. His academic pursuits led him to complete a PhD from the University of Kent, focusing on the use of technology in rehabilitation and support for knee pain sufferers which combined two of his major interests.
Qualifications 
University of Kent PhD – School of Sport and Exercise Sciences
University of Greenwich Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education PGCHE
University of Bedfordshire Post Graduate Certificate in Research Methods PGCRM
European School Of Osteopathy BSc Honours Degree Course – 2:1, Diploma in Osteopathy
Memberships
Member of the Institute of Analysts and Programmers
GOsC Registrant
Research Interests
Use of artificial intelligence in practice and education.
Patient health literacy and autonomy.
Exercise and nutrition in cancer care.
Research
Steering committee member on development of patient shared decision making framework for UK manual therapists.
Development of touch preference and body mapping tools for patient and practitioner collaboration around treatment management.
Part of systematic review team updating the incidence and risk of adverse events in manual therapy.
Publications
Philip Bright (0000-0002-5339-8281) – ORCID
- Usual light touch osteopathic treatment versus simple light touch without intent in the reduction of infantile colic crying time: A randomised controlled trial
International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine/Elsevier
- Opposing Vaccine Hesitancy During the Covid-19 Pandemic – A Critical Commentary and United Statement of an International Osteopathic Research Community
International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine/Elsevier
- Crying Unsettled and disTressed Infants Effectiveness Study of osteopathic care (CUTIES trial): Pragmatic randomised superiority trial protocol.
International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine/Elsevier
- Comparison of two data capture methods and gender during clinical assessment in osteopathy: The impact on student/tutor satisfaction ratings.
Advanced Journal of Professional Practice
- Shared decision making by United Kingdom osteopathic students: an observational study using the OPTION-12 instrument.
Chiropractic & Manual Therapies
- Patients using an online forum for reporting progress when engaging with a six-week exercise program for knee conditioning: feasibility study.
JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology
- Is there a correlation between objective and subjective pain measurements and gamma oscillation frequencies?
Journal of Pain Management and Therapy
- What Is the Proportion of Studies Reporting Patient and Practitioner Satisfaction with Software Support Tools Used in the Management of Knee Pain and Is This Related to Sample Size, Effect Size, and Journal Impact Factor?
Telemedicine Journal and E-health
- Transabdominal ultrasound: Can it be used to detect and quantify adhesions/reported pain, following Caesarian section?
Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies
- A Systematic Review of Outcome Measures Use, Analytical Approaches, Reporting Methods, and Publication Volume by Year in Low Back Pain Trials Published between 1980 and 2012: Respice, adspice, et prospice
