Laoise is a lecturer within the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work at the University of Manchester. She graduated as a mental health nurse in 2001 and has worked in several staff nurse and community based positions including addictions, eating disorders and community mental health nursing. Since 2005 she has worked as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in early psychosis which comprised research and clinical responsibilities. Laoise has a sustained record of publication in early psychosis research both before and after completing a PhD in quality of life in first-episode psychosis. Her expertise in methodology combines quantitative observational methods with epidemiology and survey methodology to examine the contribution of pre-treatment factors (untreated psychosis and illness, premorbid adjustment) and onset factors (symptom severity and treatment status) to functional recovery and quality of life over time. She has contributed to the field of quality of life in first-episode psychosis by examining both subjective, patient-centered quality of life indicators and objective functional indicators to determine the impact of untreated psychosis. She has demonstrated impact by using this research and her expertise to inform policy in Ireland as a member of a working group to devise models of care and treatment in first-episode psychosis in an Irish context. Laoise has recently completed a post-doctoral research position at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience combining her research knowledge and nursing background by completing research on conflict and containment in inpatient mental health units. She is an active member of Nurse Academics UK and also on the scientific committee for the National Network for Psychiatric Nursing Research.