About the Centre
The HSU Centre for Osteopathic Research and Leadership (CORaL) serves as an international hub for advancing osteopathic research through collaboration between leading researchers from multiple countries. Building upon the success of the Strengthening Osteopathic Leadership And Research (SOLAR) fellowship programme (2020-2025), CORaL facilitates high-quality research, fosters international collaboration, and develops research leadership in osteopathy.
CORaL is hosted within the UCO School of Osteopathy at Health Sciences University.
The Centre’s mission is to unify fragmented research efforts, strengthen capacity, and translate research into clinical practice, education, and policy. By prioritising innovative approaches, CORaL aims to further osteopathic evidence, addressing current healthcare challenges and anticipating future needs in musculoskeletal health.
As Fellows of the SOLAR program, and now CORaL, the group has demonstrated significant impact through 49 peer-reviewed publications in respected journals, £1.1 million secured in research grants, supervision of over 20 PhD students, and 50 presentations at international conferences. The Centre generates and disseminates evidence to support the advancement of osteopathic practice, education, and research globally.
Key Research Areas include: 
- Evidence-based osteopathy and musculoskeletal health
- Clinical reasoning and person-centred care
- Education, leadership, and professional identity development
- Knowledge translation and implementation science
Affiliated centres and partners:
- Internally: UCO School of Osteopathy, Health Sciences University
- National Council for Osteopathic Research (NCOR) (UK)
- University of Melbourne (Australia)
- Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (Australia)
- University of Technology Sydney (Australia)
- Victoria University (Australia)
- Sherbrooke University (Canada)
- Institut Toulousain d’Ostéopathie, ITO-Pôle Recherche, Toulouse (France)
- European Osteopathic Educational Institutions
Key research projects
CORaL focuses on research that advances practice, education, and health system integration through several major initiatives:
Osteo-TAQed
This international study explores how osteopathy students develop their therapeutic approach during training, conducted across France, the UK and Australia. The project investigates the development of clinical reasoning and professional identity formation in osteopathic education.
SOLAR Legacy Projects
Continuing high-impact studies on professional identity, clinical reasoning, and patient-centred care that emerged from the SOLAR fellowship programme. These projects maintain the momentum of successful research initiatives whilst expanding their scope and impact.
Global Evidence-Based Practice Adoption Study
A comprehensive systematic review examining osteopaths’ attitudes, skills, and barriers to evidence-based practice across different healthcare systems and cultural contexts.
International Collaborative Research Programme
Facilitating cross-border collaboration through working groups in key research areas, joint publications, and multinational study designs that leverage the expertise of the international network.
Co-Heads of the Centre
Dr Jerry Draper-Rodi, D.Prof (Ost), PG Dip, PG Cert, DO
Head of Research & Knowledge Exchange and Director - NCOR
Associate Professor at the UCO School of Osteopathy and Head of Research and Knowledge Exchange.
Full bio
Dr Oliver Thomson PhD, MSc, BSc (Hons) Ost Med, BSc (Hons), DO
Principal Research Fellow & Doctoral Programme Leader
Oliver Thomson is Associate Professor and Doctoral Programme Leader.
Full bio
International Research Fellows and Visiting Professors
- Dr Ana Paula Ferreira (Instituto Brasileiro de Osteopatia IBO, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
- Dr Chantal Morin (School of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada)
- Dr Cindy McIntyre (Health Sciences University, London, UK)
- Dr Gopi Anne McLeod (Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Lismore, Australia)
- Mr Michael Fleischmann (College of Sport, Health and Engineering, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia)
- Dr Jack Feehan (School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT, Melbourne, Australia)
- Prof. Jon Adams (School of Public Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia)
- Dr Kesava Kovanur Sampath (Department of Health and Biomedical Sciences RMIT, Melbourne, Australia)
- Dr Lee Muddle (School of Public Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney,Australia)
- Dr Loïc Treffel (Institut Toulousain d’Ostéopathie Pôle Recherche, ITO-IRF’O, Toulouse, France)
- Dr Nicholas Tripodi (Institute of Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia)
- Dr Niklas Sinderholm Sposato (Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden)
- Dr Brett Vaughan (Department of Medical Education, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia)
Postgraduate research students
Multiple doctoral researchers across the UK, Australia, and Europe are associated with the Centre, with plans to support 10+ PhD students across the network, including at least 4 at HSU, involving international centre members. Current PhD projects within the Centres include:
- Patient-Centred Care in Osteopathy within diverse cultural and linguistic groups
- From Student to Practitioner: Understanding Osteopathy Students’ Development through a Longitudinal Mixed Methods Study Using the Osteo-TAQ.
- Patient-Cantered Care in Osteopathy – Developing and Evaluating Implementation Strategies Across Healthcare Settings.
- Beyond the binary – exploring transgender, non-binary and gender diverse individuals’ experiences and perceptions of manual therapy: a mixed methods study.
- What is the nature of osteopathic care for women with chronic pelvic pain?
Collaborations and partnerships
Funding bodies and grants
CORaL has secured over £1.1 million in research grants through SOLAR-related initiatives, with funding from Research England, Osteopathy Australia, and the Osteopathic Foundation UK.
Academic and professional partners
The Centre maintains formal partnerships with leading institutions including University of Technology Sydney, Victoria University (Australia), European Osteopathic Educational Institutions, and UK osteopathy professional bodies. The Centre operates through an international network of researchers across five continents.
Industry and government collaborations
CORaL works with professional regulatory bodies and healthcare organisations to ensure research findings translate into clinical practice and policy development. The Centre contributes to international evidence-based practice guidelines and influences osteopathic education standards globally.
Facilities and resources
CORaL operates as an international virtual research centre, leveraging HSU/UCO infrastructure including:
- Online collaboration platforms for international research coordination
- Access to qualitative and quantitative research software
- Library and data analysis resources
- Virtual infrastructure for international collaboration
- Research methodological expertise across diverse approaches
The Centre draws on partner infrastructure where needed for specific research projects, maintaining a flexible approach that maximises international collaboration whilst minimising infrastructure costs.
Opportunities for students and researchers
Postgraduate research opportunities
- PhD supervision, including international joint supervision arrangements with partner institutions
- Support for 10+ PhD students across the network
- 6-monthly student seminars and research development activities
- Access to international research expertise and methodological training
If you are interested in studying a Research degree with the HSU you can visit this page.
You can also contact Oliver.Thomson@uco.ac.uk
Early career researcher development
- Mentoring programme connecting established researchers with emerging scholars
- Research fellowship programme providing structured career development
- Writing groups and collaborative publication opportunities
- Support for 5+ early career researchers, including UCO SoO staff members
- Doctoral supervision and examination.
Key Publications and Impact
Key publications and impact
CORaL builds upon the substantial research output from the SOLAR programme:
- 50+ peer-reviewed publications in respected journals (2020-2025)Recent publication include:
- Vaughan B, Cerritelli F, Draper-Rodi J, Feehan J, Ferreira AP, Fleischmann M, McLeod G, McIntyre C, Morin C, Muddle L, Thomson OP. Characteristics of Australian and New Zealand osteopaths who treat patients presenting with non-musculoskeletal complaints: outcomes from two practice-based research networks. Chiropractic & manual therapies. 2025 Aug 23;33(1):35.
- Steel, A., Draper-Rodi, J., Fleischmann, M., Morin, C., Ferreira, A.P.A., Vaughan, B. and Orrock, P., 2025. Practitioner characteristics of osteopaths who treat pregnant women and children: An Australasian perspective from two practice-based research networks. Complementary therapies in clinical practice, 58, p.101929
- Draper-Rodi, J., Delion, T., MacMillan, A., Storey, A.I., Spadaccini, J., Jebi, W., Thomson, O.P. and Hohenschurz-Schmidt, D., 2024. Primary and secondary prevention of musculoskeletal pain and disability in chiropractic, osteopathy, and physiotherapy: A scoping review. International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 53, p.100725
- Feehan, J., Tripodi, N., Kondrikov, D., Wijeratne, T., Gimble, J., Hill, W., Apostolopoulos, V. and Duque, G., 2024. Differential Responses to Aging Among the Transcriptome and Proteome of Mesenchymal Progenitor Populations. The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 79(9), p.glae147.
- McIntyre, C., Draper-Rodi, J., Ferreira, A.P.A., Muddle, L., McLeod, G.A., Sampath, K.K., Sposato, N.S. and Vaughan, B., 2024. Characteristics of the practice of New Zealand osteopaths who manage patients with chronic pain. Pain management, 14(12), pp.625-632.
- Thomson, O.P., McLeod, G.A., Fleischmann, M. and Vaughan, B., 2024. Therapeutic approaches and conceptions of practice of osteopaths in Australia-a national cross-sectional study and exploratory factor analysis of the Osteo-TAQ. BMC health services research, 24(1), p.1332.
- Draper-Rodi, J., Abbey, H., Hammond, J., Thomson, O.P., Brownhill, K., MacMillan, A., Fabusuyi, Y. and Vogel, S., 2024. Overcoming barriers to equality, diversity, inclusivity, and sense of belonging in healthcare education: the Underrepresented Groups’ Experiences in Osteopathic Training (UrGEnT) mixed methods study. BMC medical education, 24(1), p.468.
- Thomson, O.P., McLeod, G.A., Fleischmann, M. and Vaughan, B., 2024. Development and adaptation of the Osteopaths’ Therapeutic Approaches Questionnaire (Osteo-TAQ) for the Australian osteopathic profession-A cognitive interview study. International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 53, p.100723.
- Kovanur Sampath, K., Treffel, L., P. Thomson, O., Rodi, J.D., Fleischmann, M. and Tumilty, S., 2024. Changes in biochemical markers following a spinal manipulation–a systematic review update. Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy, 32(1), pp.28-50.
- Vaughan, B., Fleischmann, M., Cerritelli, F., Draper-Rodi, J., Feehan, J., Ferreira, A.P., McLeod, G., Morin, C., Muddle, L., Sampath, K. and Thomson, O.P., 2024. Systematic reviews of osteopathic care: protocol for an umbrella review. Physical therapy reviews, 29(1-3), pp.1-4.
- Sampath, K.K., Darlow, B., Tumilty, S., Shillito, W., Fairs, E., Devan, H. and Thomson, O.P., 2024. “Disproportionate Olympic Rings”–The usage of a biopsychosocial (BPS) framework of care when managing people with musculoskeletal pain by osteopaths in Aotearoa/New Zealand–A qualitative study. International journal of osteopathic medicine, 54, p.100728.
Knowledge Exchange and Impact
- Contributions to international evidence-based practice guidelines
- Development of practitioner-friendly research summaries
- Creation of evidence-based practice guidelines and masterclasses
- Research findings translated into clinical practice guidance and educational curricula
HSU innovation chosen for global WHO showcase on traditional medicine
A WHO Health & Heritage Innovations Open Call Finalist, ‘A global evidence-based neonatal osteopathic care framework’, is a pioneering approach to improving outcomes for the world’s most vulnerable patients: newborn infants requiring intensive care.
Get Involved
CORaL welcomes new collaborators, students, and partners interested in advancing osteopathic research. We are particularly keen to connect with researchers and institutions interested in:
- Evidence-based osteopathy research
- Collaborative PhD supervision arrangements
- Knowledge exchange and implementation science
- International research collaboration and capacity building
Research collaboration opportunities
The Centre actively seeks partnerships for:
- Joint grant applications and funding bids
- Collaborative research projects across multiple countries
- PhD student supervision and early career researcher development
- Knowledge translation initiatives and practice-based research
Events and Engagement
- Bi-annual virtual symposia with growing international attendance
- Quarterly research bulletins documenting Centre activities and findings
- Regular online seminar series and network meetings
- Annual knowledge exchange events targeting osteopathic practitioners
For more information about joining the CORaL network or discussing potential collaborations, please contact the Co-Directors directly.
Contact Information
Co-Heads of the Centre:
- Dr Jerry Draper-Rodi: Jerry-DraperRodi@hsu.ac.uk
- Dr Oliver Thomson: Oliver.Thomson@hsu.ac.uk
Latest Research News
Stay up to date with our discoveries, events and impact stories from across the HSU research community.
An innovation developed through HSU’s Centre for Osteopathic Research and Leadership (CORaL) has been selected by the World Health Organization as one of just 21 projects worldwide to feature at the WHO Global Summit.
In October, HSU was pleased to celebrate the publication of the Priorities for Osteopathic Care (PROCare) study in BMJ Open.
Earlier this week, we were pleased to welcome 13 new PhD students to Health Sciences University during our induction event.
We're proud to share exciting research from Professor Steven Vogel and Emeritus Professor Alan Breen at HSU, part of a unique longitudinal study examining how UK chiropractors, osteopaths and physiotherapists manage low back pain.
The Chiropractic Research Council (CRC) has gifted its funds to the new National Centre for Chiropractic Research (NCCR) based at Health Sciences University (HSU) and in partnership with London South Bank University, McTimoney College, Teesside University, and the University of South Wales.
