More about us

The Cochrane ENT Disorders Collaborative Review Group (CRG) is located at The John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford in the United Kingdom and Mr Martin Burton, Consultant Otolaryngologist, is the Co-ordinating Editor for the Group.  It was established in September 1998 to produce systematic reviews of evidence for the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of ear, nose and throat disorders and head and neck cancers, and to develop a specialised database of clinical trials within this scope.  The Group is funded by the Department of Health, United Kingdom through the Research & Development programme until 31st March 2010.

The Group has grown dramatically since its inception and now has a large, international membership, mainly of ENT specialists, but also including clinicians from related specialties (e.g. oncology, anaesthetics), nursing staff, patients, researchers and General Practitioners.  Many of our members are actively working for the Group as authors and co-authors of our systematic reviews, editors, external peer referees, consumer (patient) referees and journal handsearchers.

Thanks to the dedication and enthusiasm of our contributors the Group has published a number of systematic reviews and protocols (detailed plans for forthcoming reviews) in The Cochrane Library and we also have a considerable portfolio of work in progress.  (Click here for details of all our published and ongoing work).  Our Trials Register of clinical trials in ENT (forming part of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) in The Cochrane Library) has also grown substantially and we hope that this will also become a valuable resource for healthcare practitioners as it continues to develop.

Key members of the Group are:

Martin Burton, Co-ordinating Editor

Martin works as a Consultant Otolaryngologist at the John Radcliffe Hospital, combining this with the post of Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer at Oxford University.  It is the responsibility of the Co-ordinating Editor to guarantee the overall functioning of the Review Group.  He must raise the resources necessary to establish a stable editorial base, and must have the necessary social, managerial, scientific and editorial skills to maintain the Collaborative Review Group.  He spends a significant amount of time supporting the Review Group Co-ordinator and the rest of the Editorial Team in their work. 

Ian Chamberlain, Review Group Co-ordinator
Ian ensures the smooth day to day running of the Review Group.  He is responsible for providing information and support for review authors, co-ordinating policy development and development of standard group methodology, helping to ensure accuracy and quality of material submitted to The Cochrane Library each quarter, ensuring consumer involvement in the activities of the Group, and helping to promote the work of the Group in the wider scientific and non-scientific community. He also manages the Group's budget.

Gemma Sandberg, Information Specialist / Trials Search Co-ordinator
Gemma is responsible for establishing and maintaining a specialised register of clinical trials in the area of ear, nose and throat disorders and head and neck cancers.  The specialised register is submitted for inclusion in the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) every quarter, which is available for review authors to search.  Separate registers of published (systematic) reviews in the field of otorhinolaryngology and of on-going trials are also maintained.  Additionally, the Information Specialist is responsible for organising a team of handsearchers and for helping review authors with their trials searching.

Jenny Bellorini, Assistant Review Group and Development Co-ordinator 
Jenny provides support to the Review Group Co-ordinator across the scope of the work of the Group. She also oversees projects related to the development of the Group and designed to further it's contribution the the Collaboration, as well as managing the Group's website and undertaking various other administrative tasks .

Rafael Perera, Statistical Advisor
Rafael ensures the methodological quality of protocols and reviews by commenting on the work submitted.  Additionally, he is expected to help with any specific methodological queries review authors might have, and to provide help with data assessment and analysis if necessary.  He will also provide input into the development of any standard methodology developed by the Review Group.

Martin Burton, Acting Comments & Criticisms Editor

Martin, who is also the Group's Co-ordinating Editor, is responsible for organising and summarising post-publication criticism/comments from users of The Cochrane Library, and for negotiating any changes that may be necessary with the relevant review author.

Editors
The Cochrane ENT Disorders Group obtains support from seven editors who play a vital role in the internal refereeing process and in the development of group policies:

Lito Acuin is a Consultant Otolaryngologist and Epidemiologist from the Philippines who is invaluable in reminding us that the problems ENT patients face in his part of the world are often very different to the ones seen in Oxford.

Randall Morton is an Associate Professor of Otorhinolaryngology and a Head and Neck Surgeon at Green Lane Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.

Stephen O'Leary is a Consultant Otolaryngologist at The Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital in Melbourne, Australia.

Maroeska Rovers is an Epidemiologist in Utrecht, The Netherlands.

William McKerrow is a Consultant Otolaryngologist at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, UK.

Martin Birchall is Professor of Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Liverpool, UK and Visiting Professor of Laryngology (Voice) at the University of Bristol, UK.

Ian Williamson comes from a general practice background in the UK and makes sure that the primary health view is well represented within the Group.