University of Exeter Medical School

Dr Elham Nikram

Dr Elham Nikram

Postdoctoral Researcher

 E.Nikram@exeter.ac.uk

 01392 72 3897

 South Cloisters 3.09

 

South Cloisters, University of Exeter, St Luke's Campus, Heavitree Road, Exeter, EX1 2LU, UK

Overview

Elham was initially a mathematician with an interest in mathematical modeling and employing this to deal with real world problems. She switched to study Economics in 2012, through a scholarship award from the University of Exeter. 
Her main focus during the PhD was in theoretical game theory and computational optimization methods. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher in Health Economics at the University of Exeter. Her current focus are cost-effectiveness models and mathematical modeling and data analsis in medical research.

Qualifications

  • PhD in Economics (University of Exeter)
  • MSc in Economics (University of Exeter)
  • MSc in Applied Mathematics (Iran University of Science and Technology) 
  • BSc in Applied Mathematics (Iran University of Science and Technology)

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Research

Research interests

Elham's research interests are in Health Economics, Mathematical modeling and Game theory. She is particularly interested in developing novel mathematical techniques applied to medical researches.

Research projects

During 2019-2020, Elham colaborated with a group of researchers at the Institute of Neurology, UCL on research for improved diagnostic tests for Parkinson's disease. The project focused on neurofilament light chain (NfL) level in blood and plasma as biomarker for prognostic assessment and disease monitoring.

During 2019-2020, Elham colaborated with group of researchers at the Institute of Neurology, UCL on cluster headache research. The research focused on the clinical characteristics of cluster headache patients with a family backgroung in this disease.

During 2016-2017, Elham worked on a project entitled "A mathematical model of dementia risk factors to optimize clinical trials" at the Centre for Biomedical Modelling and Analysis at University of Exeter. This project aimed to identifying modifiable risk factors by analysing human population cohorts.


Health Technology Assesment(s):​
 

  • Olipudase alfa for treating acid sphingomyelinase deficiency (Niemann-Pick disease type B and A/B) (August 2022)
     
  • Imlifidase for preventing kidney transplant rejection in people with chronic kidneydisease​ (September 2020)

  • Mepolizumab for severe eosinophilic asthma (May 2020)

  • Fremanezumab for preventing chronic and episodic migraine (April 2019)

  • Voretigene neparvovec for treating inherited retinal dystrophies (February 2019)

  • Pembrolizumab with pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy for untreated non-small-cell lung cancer (July 2018)

  • Benralizumab for treating inadequately controlled asthma (January 2018)

  • Nivolumab for previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer with high microsatellite instability or mismatch repair deficiency (September 2017)

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Publications

Journal articles

Ghiasvand H, Barnish MS, Moradi T, Nikram E, Naghdi S (2022). Making orphan drugs and services available and accessible for people who live with rare diseases: what has been done? a systematic scoping review. EXPERT OPINION ON ORPHAN DRUGS, 10(1), 55-64.  Author URL.
Chelban V, Nikram E, Perez-Soriano A, Wilke C, Foubert-Samier A, Vijiaratnam N, Guo T, Jabbari E, Olufodun S, Gonzalez M, et al (2022). Neurofilament light levels predict clinical progression and death in multiple system atrophy. Brain, 145(12), 4398-4408. Abstract.  Author URL.
O'Connor E, Nikram E, Grangeon L, Danno D, Houlden H, Matharu M (2022). The clinical characteristics of familial cluster headache. Cephalalgia, 42(8), 715-721. Abstract.  Author URL.
Farmer C, Bullement A, Packman D, Long L, Robinson S, Nikram E, Hatswell AJ, Melendez-Torres GJ, Crathorne L (2020). Voretigene Neparvovec for Treating Inherited Retinal Dystrophies Caused by RPE65 Gene Mutations: an Evidence Review Group Perspective of a NICE Highly Specialised Technology Appraisal. Pharmacoeconomics, 38(12), 1309-1318. Abstract.  Author URL.
(2020). Voretigene neparvovec good value in inherited retinal dystrophies. PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News, 847(1), 35-35.
(2019). NICE recommends benralizumab for severe eosinophilic asthma. PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News, 819(1), 37-37.

Conferences

Tikhonova I, Long L, Ocean N, Barnish M, Robinson S, Nikram E, Bello S, Dodman S, Hoyle M (2019). BENRALIZUMAB FOR TREATING SEVERE EOSINOPHILIC ASTHMA: NICE SINGLE TECHNOLOGY APPRAISAL.  Author URL.

Reports

Bello S, Griffin E, Farmer C, Nikram E, Robinson S, Packman D, Salmon A, Cossburn M, Melendez-Torres GJ, Crathorne L, et al (2019). Fremanezumab for preventing migraine: a Single Technology Appraisal. NICE.
Farmer C, Bullement A, Packman D, Long L, Robinson S, Nikram E, Bello S, Dodman S, Rezaei Hemami M, Churchill A, et al (2019). Voretigene neparvovec for inherited retinal dystrophies (RPE65 mutations) [ID1054]: a Highly Specialised Technology Evaluation. NICE.
Tikhonova I, Long L, Ocean N, Barnish M, Robinson S, Nikram E, Bello S, Dodman S, Halpin D, Hoyle M, et al (2018). Benralizumab for treating severe asthma: a Single Technology Appraisal.
Griffin E, Farmer C, Packman D, Nikram E, Matthews J, Barnish M, Briscoe S, Dorey N, Dangoor A, Mujica Mota R, et al (2018). Pembrolizumab with pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy for untreated metastatic non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer [ID1173]: a Single Technology Appraisal. NICE.

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External Engagement and Impact

Awards

  • Secondee at a Wellcome Trust ISSF Seedcorn funded project, Centre for Mathematical Modelling and Biomedical analysis, University of Exeter (2016)
  • Full scholarship for a PhD program in Economics from Business School, University of Exeter (2013)
  • Full scholarship for a master program in Economics from Business School, University of Exeter (2012)

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Teaching

Beside wide range of experience in lecturing different mathematics and computer programing courses, Elham also has experience in teaching Economics courses such as Advanced Microeconomics, Game Theory; Statistics and Econometrics.

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