Dr Raju Sapkota

Dr Sapkota’s research expertise and interests are on diabetes and diabetic retinopathy in Asians. His other areas of research expertise are visual short-term memory, and visual function in age-related macular degeneration.

[email protected]

Background

Following his two-and-a-half years' service as an optometrist at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Nepal, Dr Sapkota came to the UK. He obtained an MSc degree in Investigative Ophthalmology and Vision Science from the University of Manchester (2006), and a PhD from Anglia Ruskin University (2010).

Dr Sapkota works as a Senior Research Fellow in the Vision and Eye Research Institute. Dr Sapkota has published findings in high-impact journals. He has presented papers at national and international conferences, and has obtained a number of research-related grants and awards.

Spoken Languages

• English
• Nepali
• Hindi

Research interests

• Use of visual short-term memory tests as a biomarker of early cognitive decline.
• Risk factors and intervention of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy in South Asians and Chinese diabetic patients.
• Efficacy of paper-based user-friendly tests of visual functions for self-monitoring of eye conditions at home.
• Barriers to self-help and diabetic awareness amongst South Asians living in the UK.
• Eye complications of UV and blue light.

Areas of research supervision

Dr Sapkota has supervised one PhD project to completion (Title: Effect of environmental stress on diabetic cornea). He is also currently co-supervising a PhD project (Visual short-term memory binding as a screening tool for early cognitive decline in dementia).

He has supervised more than a dozen research interns to date, leading to several research outputs.

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy (2007-2010), Anglia Ruskin University, UK
• MSc Investigative Ophthalmology & Vision Science (2005-2006), University of Manchester, UK
• Bachelor in Optometry (1998-2002), Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
• Intermediate in Science (1993-1995), Amrit Science College, Nepal
• High school education from Gandaki Boarding School, Nepal

Memberships, editorial boards

• Member, Vision Science Society (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2018)
• Member, The Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (2017)
• Member, Applied Vision Association (2008-2010)
• Dementia Research, UK
• Member, British Congress of Optometry and Visual Science (2014-2016)

Research grants, consultancy, knowledge exchange

• ARU Health, Performance, and wellbeing project grant 2022 (£9,482.06, lead applicant), 2022
• ARU pump-priming funding application (Faculty of Science and Engineering) 2022/23 (£9,588, co-applicant), 2022
• Anglia Ruskin University QR funding (£1,415, conference travel), 2021
• Anglia Ruskin University VC's PhD studentship, 2021
• Anglia Ruskin University, Faculty of Health, Education, Medicine and Social Care summer studentship, 2021
• Anglia Ruskin University VC’s award for Outstanding Research Impact and Innovation (team) for diabetes case study, 2020
• Faculty REF competitive grant, 2019
• Global Challenge Research Fund 2018 (with Professor Pardhan)
• Anglia Ruskin University RIDO travel grant, 2017 and 2018
• Anglia Ruskin University Faculty of Medical Science networking grant, 2017
• Nuffield Summer Research Student Placement, 2016
• Faculty (Faculty of Health, Social Care & Education) summer studentship (£2000), Anglia Ruskin University, 2014
• Patrick Geoghegan Health & Wellbeing Academy fund (with Professor S Pardhan), 2014
• Cambridge Research System travel award to present at a conference at University of East Anglia, 2014
• HR postdoc support fund, 2014
• Nuffield Summer Research Student Placement, 2013
• Anglia Ruskin University, RDCS, The UK Research Development fund, 2012
• The 'Guarantors of Brain' travel grant, 2012
• Faculty (Science & Technology) summer studentship, Anglia Ruskin University, 2011
• Winner of the best paper presentation at the research student conference, Anglia Ruskin University, 2010
• Experimental Psychology Society's Grindly Grant, 2009
• Applied Vision Association travel grant, 2008

Selected recent publications

Pardhan, S., Wijewickrama, R. C. A., Gilbert, C. E., Piyasena, M. P. and Sapkota, R. (2024) 'Impact of COVID-19 and recovery of routine diabetic retinopathy digital screening across different regions in England: an analysis of publicly available data', BMJ Open, 14(12), e089710–089710. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-089710

Pardhan, S., Islam, M. S. and Sapkota, R., (2024) 'Knowledge, attitude, and diabetes self-care among individuals at high-risk of diabetes-related blindness in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study', BMC Public Health, 24(1), pp. 3272–3277. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-20772-7

Pardhan, S., Raman, R., Biswas, A., Jaisankar, D., Ahluwalia, S. and Sapkota, R. (2024) 'Knowledge, attitude, and practice of diabetes in patients with and without sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy from two secondary eye care centres in India', BMC Public Health, 24(1), pp. 55. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17371-3

Kumar, G., Velu, S., Pardhan, S., Sapkota, R., Ruamviboonsuk, P., Tadarati, M., Chotcomwongse, P., Nganthavee, V., Pattanapongpaiboon, W. and Raman, R. (2023) 'Patient, family member, and health care provider perspective on barriers and facilitators to diabetic retinopathy screening in Thailand: A qualitative study', PLoS One, 18(8), e0289618. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289618

Sapkota, R. P., van der Linde, I., Grunwald, I. Q., Upadhyaya, T., Lamichhane, N. and Pardhan S. (2023) 'The impact of stimulus configuration on visual short-term memory decline in normal aging and mild cognitive impairment', Brain Behav.. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.3113. Epub ahead of print.

Pardhan, S., Upadhyaya, T., Smith, L., Sharma, T., Tuladhar, S., Adhikari, B., Kidd, J. and Sapkota, R. (2023) 'Individual patient-centered target-driven intervention to improve clinical outcomes of diabetes, health literacy, and self-care practices in Nepal: A randomized controlled trial', Front Endocrinol, 14, 1076253. Available at https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2023.1076253

Pardhan, S., Islam, M. S., López-Sánchez, G. F., Upadhyaya, T. and Sapkota, R. P. (2021) 'Self-isolation negatively impacts self-management of diabetes during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic', Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome, 13(1), pp. 123. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13098-021-00734-4

Vaughan, M., Trott, M., Sapkota, R., Premi, G., Roberts, J., Ubhi, J., Smith, L. and Pardhan, S. (2021) 'Changes in 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels post-vitamin D supplementation in people of Black and Asian ethnicities and its implications during COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review', Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 35(5), pp. 995-1005. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.12949

Madheswaran, G., Ramesh, S. V., Pardhan, S., Sapkota, R. and Raman, R. (2021) 'Impact of living with a bilateral central vision loss due to geographic atrophy—qualitative study', BMJ Open, 11(7), e047861. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-047861

Pardhan, S., Smith, L. and Sapkota, R. P. (2021) 'Vitamin D Deficiency as an Important Biomarker for the Increased Risk of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in People From Black and Asian Ethnic Minority Groups', Frontiers in Public Health, 8. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.613462

Pardhan, S., Nakafero, G., Raman, R. and Sapkota, R. (2020) 'Barriers to diabetes awareness and self-help are influenced by people's demographics: perspectives of South Asians with type 2 diabetes', Ethnicity and Health, 25(6), pp. 843-861. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/13557858.2018.1455809

Sapkota, R. P., van der Linde, I. and Pardhan, S. (2020) 'How does aging influence object-location and name-location binding during a visual short-term memory task?', Aging and Mental Health, 24(1), pp. 63-72. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2018.1515887

López-Sánchez, G. F., Smith, L., Raman, R., Jaysankar, D., Singh, S., Sapkota, R., Díaz Suárez, A. and Pardhan, S. (2019) 'Physical activity behaviour in people with diabetes residing in India: A cross-sectional analysis', Science and Sports, 34(1), e59-e66. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scispo.2018.08.005

López-Sánchez, G. F., Smith, L., Zheng, D., Sapkota, R., Yang, L., Chen, Z. and Pardhan, S. (2019) 'Physical activity behaviour in people with diabetes residing in China: A cross-sectional analysis', Science and Sports, 34(3), pp. 178-180. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scispo.2018.11.004

Sapkota, R., Chen, Z., Zheng, D. and Pardhan, S. (2019) 'The profile of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy in patients attending a specialist eye clinic in Hangzhou, China', BMJ Open Ophthalmology, 4(1). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjophth-2018-000236

Sapkota, R., van der Linde, I. and Pardhan, S. (2018) 'How does aging influence object-location and name-location binding during a visual short-term memory task?', Aging and Mental Health, 24(1), pp. 63-72. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2018.1515887

Felipe López Sánchez, G., Raman, R., Jaysankar, D., Singh, S., Sapkota, R., Díaz Suárez, A., Smith, L. and Pardhan, S. (2018) 'Physical activity behaviour in people with diabetes residing in India: A cross-sectional analysis', Science and Sports. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scispo.2018.08.005

Felipe López Sánchez, G., Smith, L., Zheng, D., Sapkota, R., Chen, Z. and Pardhan, S. (2018) 'Physical activity behaviour in people with diabetes residing in India: A cross-sectional analysis', Science and Sports. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scispo.2018.11.004

Sapkota, R. P., Upadhyaya, T., Gurung, G., Parker, M., Raman, R. and Pardhan, S. (2018) 'Need to improve awareness and treatment compliance in high-risk patients for diabetic complications in Nepal', BMJ Open Diabetes Research and Care, 6(1). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjdrc-2018-000525

Pardhan, S., Nakafero, G., Raman, R. and Sapkota, R. (2018) 'Barriers to diabetes awareness and self-help are influenced by people's demographics: perspectives of South Asians with type 2 diabetes', Ethnicity and Health, 25(6), pp. 843-861. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/13557858.2018.1455809

Sapkota, R. P., Van Der Linde, I., Lamichhane, N., Upadhyaya, T. and Pardhan, S. (2017) 'Patients with mild cognitive impairment show lower visual short-term memory performance in feature binding tasks', Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders Extra, 7(1), pp. 74-86. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1159/000455831

Pardhan, S. and Sapkota, R. (2016) 'Eye complications of exposure to blue-violet light', Points de Vue, International Review of Ophthalmic Optics, September 2016.

Sapkota, R. P., Pardhan, S. and van der Linde, I. (2016) 'Spatiotemporal Proximity Effects in Visual Short-Term Memory Examined by Target-Non-target Analysis', Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 42, pp. 1304-1315.

Sapkota, R., Pardhan, S. and van der Linde, I. (2015) 'Change detection in visual short-term memory: the relative impact of pairwise switches and identity substitutions', Experimental Psychology, 62, pp. 232-239.

Sapkota, R., van der Linde, I. and Pardhan, S. (2015) 'How does aging affect the types of error made in a visual short-term memory 'object-recall' task?', Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 6(346). Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2014.00346

Recent presentations and conferences

Sapkota R, Upadhyaya T, Gurung G, Biswas A, Durgasri J, Raman R, Pardhan S, (2017). Clinical and non-clinical factors predicting retinopathy severity in patients attending three different diabetic eye clinics in India and Nepal. The Association of Research in Visio and Ophthalmology, Baltimore, MD, May 7-11, 2017. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 58, 70.

Chen Z, Sapkota R, Zheng D, Pardhan S. (2017). The need for early retinopathy screening and improved awareness in diabetic patients in Hangzhou, China. The Association of Research in Visio and Ophthalmology, Baltimore, MD, May 7-11, 2017. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 58, 79.

Robson J, Raman R, Durgasri J, Sapkota R, Pardhan S, (2017). Contrast sensitivity measured with illiterate single-use printed paper charts to assess the severity of diabetic retinopathy. The Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Baltimore, MD, May 7-11, 2017. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 58, 4698.

Robson J, Sapkota R, Kidd J, Newman D, Pardhan S (2016). Self-assessment of visual function using new single-use printed charts. The Association of Research in Visio and Ophthalmology, Seattle, Washington, May 1-5, 2016. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 57, 12.

Sapkota R, van der Linde I, Pardhan S, (2014). Effect of age on the types of error made in a visual short-term memory ‘object-recall’ task. British Congress for Optometry and Vision Science, September 8-9, Cardiff, Wales. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, 34, 684

Media experience

Interview with OS Nepal to increase awareness amongst Nepalese on the UV and blue light and their complications in the eye.