The interdisciplinary core team consists of researchers and clinicians with competence in international multicentre trial management, practice and theory related to music interventions for people living with dementia and their caregivers, biostatistics, and various research methodologies.
The core team at NORCE Norwegian Research Centre, Bergen, Norway, are:
> WP 1 Trial methodology, WP 6 Coordination, dissemination
> MIDDEL på Norge
Members of the international clinical investigators network will help to recruit care homes and participants, will conduct interventions and assessments, and will lead and contribute to the individual work packages.
Collaborating institutions and individuals:
Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Germany:
Gunter Kreutz, Antje Timmer
> WP 3 RCS consensus
> MIDDEL in Deutschland
University Medical Center Groningen, Netherlands:
Sytse Zuidema, Sarah Janus, Annemiek C. Vink
> WP 2 GMT consensus; WP 4 Biomarkers
> MIDDEL in Nederland
Ankara Haci Bayram Veli University, Turkey:
Burçin Uçaner Çifdalöz
> Türkiye'de MIDDEL
University of Nottingham, UK:
Justine Schneider
> WP 5 PPI
> MIDDEL in the UK
University of Melbourne, Australia:
Felicity Baker (Principal investigator for the Australian part of the project); Imogen Clark, Claire Lee, Jeanette Tamplin (Co-investigators); Tanara Sousa (Health economist)
> News story: "How music could revolutionise dementia care"
> MIDDEL in Australia
The General Assembly (GA) consists of one representative of each JPND-funded institution and is responsible for all important decisions concerning the project.
The Trial Steering Committee (TSC) consists of the GA plus representatives from each recruiting institution and independent user representatives, and has a supervisory role.
The Data and Safety Monitoring Committee (DSMC) consists of three people with strong methodological and clinical expertise who are not otherwise affiliated with the project or its institutions, and gives recommendations for action to the research team and the TSC.
Chair: Teppo Särkämö, University of Helsinki, Finland
Inger Hilde Nordhus, University of Bergen, Norway
Øyvind Kirkevold, Norwegian University of Science and Technology & Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Ageing and Health, Norway
Previous member of the DSMC:
Bettina Husebø, University of Bergen, Norway
Scientific and clinical advisors will help to assure that the project is highly relevant to service users and thoughtfully designed and conducted.
The development of MIDDEL was informed by the priorities, experience and preferences of care home residents and carers.
User representatives will continue to be actively involved throughout the trial.
> WP 5 Public participation and involvement (PPI)