Academic biography

Dr Kumaresan Cithambaram is an Assistant Professor in intellectual disability nursing in the School of Nursing, Psychotherapy and  Community Health, DCU. Dr Cithambaram worked in various capacities in intellectual disability services for over 15 years as a staff nurse, clinical nurse manager 1 and 2.  Dr Cithambaram completed his PhD from Dublin City University, and in his study, he explored the end of life care needs of people with intellectual disabilities and their family members. He has expertise in involving people with intellectual disabilities in sensitive research, such as discussing palliative and end of life care issues and communication needs. Dr Cithambaram conducted qualitative research with people with intellectual disabilities and their family members using individual interviews and focus groups on exploring the end of life care needs of people with intellectual disabilities and carers. Dr Cithambaram was awarded a Cochrane fellowship and experience in conducting qualitative evidence synthesis. Dr Cithambaram published peer-reviewed articles in academic journals. In addition, he supervised several MSc Dissertations. He accepts PhD students. His research interests are Palliative and end of life care needs of people with intellectual disabilities, communication needs, ageing with intellectual disabilities, Migration and racial equality, qualitative evidence synthesis.