Professor Subrata Ghosh – ITM Director

Office 4, Ground Floor

+44(0)121 371 8047

s.ghosh@bham.ac.uk

MD, FRCP, FRCPE, FRCPC, AGAF, FCAHS

Subrata Ghosh is the inaugural Director of the Institute of Translational Medicine, Birmingham, and Professor of Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham since June 2016. He sits on the College Board of the College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham.  He is the gastroenterology theme lead of the inaugural NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Birmingham.

Prior to this Professor Ghosh was the Professor and Chairman of Medicine at the University of Calgary, Canada and Head of Medicine, Alberta Health Services, Calgary.  He served on the Dean’s Executive Council of the University of Calgary Medical Faculty.  Between 2002 and 2008 he was the Professor and Chair of Gastroenterology at Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital. Prior to this, he was consultant gastroenterologist and honorary senior lecturer at the University of Edinburgh. He remains adjunct professor of medicine at the University of Calgary (Canada).

Professor Ghosh is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and theme lead for integration cluster of the International Organisation for Study of IBD (IOIBD).  He has published over 440 manuscripts in international journals including the New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, Nature Medicine, Gastroenterology and Gut, and delivered over 700 international lectures including named lectures.  His research interests are precision medicine in IBD, immune cell plasticity, targeted therapies in IBD, epidemiology of IBD, interaction of nutrients and immune system and standards of care.  He has been the recipient of multiple individual and large team grants from CIHR, AIHS, MRC, NIHR, Wellcome Trust, CCUK and CCC, as well as numerous industry partnered research projects.  He has served on numerous committees, councils and grant panels regionally, nationally and internationally, and been chief editor, associate editor and editorial board member of a number of reputable international journals.

He is very well connected internationally, both through personal research as well as strategic organisational links with institutions in North America, China, Australia and Japan (including the University of Calgary, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Rouen University INSERM Unit, University of Ehrlangen-Nurnberg, GSK, Abbvie and Janssen).

Future plans: to develop new targeted therapies in IBD, epidemiology of IBD, standard of care and patient reported outcomes in IBD.

Keywords: Biological therapies in IBD, Immune cell plasticity, Inflammatory bowel disease, gastroenterology

Office 6, Ground Floor

t.h.clutton-brock@bham.ac.uk
+44(0)121 371 6816

Personal Assistant: Claire Price
c.s.price@bham.ac.uk
+44(0)121 371 6816

MB, ChB, FRCP, FRCA, FFICM

Reader in Anaesthesia & Intensive Care
Clinical Director Trauma Management Med Tech Cooperative
Director Medical Devices Testing and Evaluation Centre
Chair Interventional Procedures Advisory Committee NICE

Dr Tom Clutton-Brock qualified in medicine from Bristol University (UK) in 1980. He went on to gain an FRCP, FRCA and FFICM. Tom has been a Senior Lecturer and then Reader in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine at the University of Birmingham (UK) since 1990.  He has maintained a career long research interest in medical technology with particular interests in patient monitoring systems and point-of-care testing.  Tom was a (part time) Senior Medical Officer (Devices Clinical) at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for many years.  As well as having a clinical commitment at University Hospitals Birmingham, Tom is Associate Medical Director at UHB, Chair of NICE Interventional Procedures Advisory Committee and a past member of Council at the Royal College of Anaesthetists where he chaired the Safe Anaesthesia Liaison Group.  Since 2013 Tom has been the Clinical Director of the NIHR Trauma Management Health Technology Cooperative and from October 2014 the Interim and then Deputy Director of the Institute of Translational Medicine in Birmingham. In 2017 Tom became the Director of the Medical Devices Testing and Evaluation Centre situated on the third floor of the ITM and from January 2018 has been the Clinical Director of the NIHR Trauma Management Med Tech Cooperative.

Future plans: To expand device research particularly in the field of usability and safety

LinkedIn         Twitter

Keywords: NIHR TMHTC, NIHR Trauma MIC, NICE, MD-TEC

                            Office 5, Ground floor

                              k.fletcher@bham.ac.uk

                          +44(0)121 371 8004

Following a background in Research, Kate joined the ITM in November 2016. She is responsible for managing the building and the activities within it.

Office 5,Ground Floor

w.e.desjarlais@bham.ac.uk

+44(0)121 371 8004

Wendy Desjarlais has over 15 years of NHS administration/management experience and has a background of working within Research and Education. She joined the University of Birmingham in September 2018 when she started her role as Deputy Operations Manager for the ITM.

Office 08, Ground floor, ITM

l.gardner@bham.ac.uk

Linda.Gardner3@uhb.nhs.uk

Tel: 0121 371 8491

ITM Reception

A.blackwell@bham.ac.uk

Alex.Blackwell@uhb.nhs.uk

Tel: 0121 371 8001

Alex joined the core team in late 2018 as an UHB apprentice and first job position, where he learned the skills and gained the knowledge to perform the duties required of the ITM reception. In April 2020 Alex was successful in completing his apprenticeship and taking on the position of the ITM receptionist full time. Alex can be found mostly at the ITM reception and aims to offer a friendly service to all that enter.

First floor, Office 14

+44 (0)121 371 8455

j.stede@bham.ac.uk

Full-time, Monday to Friday

Jessica has been working as a Business Engagement Officer for the College of Medical and Dental Sciences since September 2016. The role is an integral part of Business Engagement, a growing area of importance for the University. She supports the Business Engagement Partners by facilitating collaboration between academics and industry. These partnerships enhance research, drive REF impact, and help academics translate their research for patient benefit.

Her work includes organising and hosting industry visits, assisting with the contracting process, project work, research, and providing management information. She has counterparts in the other Colleges and they work closely together.

The team is a part of Birmingham Health Partners: a strategic alliance between the University, University Hospitals Birmingham and Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust.

Jessica has previously worked in diverse areas of the University and has developed a good overview of its functions. She holds a European Law LL.M from the University of Edinburgh.

The MDS Business Engagement team collaborates closely with global partners in the pharmaceutical, biotech, medical diagnostic and medical device sectors.

The team works closely with the MDS Research & Knowledge Transfer Team, and business engagement colleagues across Birmingham Health Partners.

Within the University of Birmingham, the team is part of the Finance Office’s Business Engagement team.

Area/s of interest or expertise:

Collaborative research projects with national and global industry partners of all sizes, specifically:

• Advice on finding industry partners
• Assisting with project proposals, costings, CDAs and contracting
• Arranging meetings

The benefits of these mutually beneficial partnerships are as follows:

For academics:

• Translating research for patient benefit
• Increasing research funding
• Driving REF and personal impact
• Enabling joint publications with industry
• Allowing access to specialist knowledge, equipment and compounds

For industry:

• Enabling innovation and growth
• Accelerating process of getting products to market
• Enabling joint publications with academia
• Allowing access to specialist knowledge and equipment

Twitter

Keywords: Business, industry, industrial, company, companies, collaboration, contract, contracts

Office 14, Second Floor

+44 (0)121 41  47042 (IBR Office, Room 136)
+44 (0)121 41 46938 (IBR lab)

p.kirchhof@bham.ac.uk

MD, FRCP, FESC

Please click here for more information.

Second Floor, Office 15

d.kotecha@bham.ac.uk

UHB NHS Trust: Secretary – Margaret Masters +44(0)121 371 4399 Margaret.Masters@uhb.nhs.uk
SWBH NHS Trust: Secretary – Michelle Oakley  +44(0)121 507 4205 michelle.oakley1@nhs.net

MBChB PhD MRCP FESC FHEA

Dipak is a Clinician Scientist in Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Birmingham, a Consultant Cardiologist specialising in cardiac imaging and holds a prestigious National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Fellowship.  Dipak works with the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) on the Education Committee, and helped to write the 2016 ESC Guidelines for the Management of Atrial Fibrillation.  His research focuses on the interaction of heart failure and atrial fibrillation, published in leading journals such as the Lancet, BMJ, Journal of the American College of Cardiology and the European Heart Journal.

Publications

Keywords: Cardiology, Atrial fibrillation, Heart Failure, Clinical trials

Second Floor Office 14

+44 (0)121 41 48259 (office)
+44 (0)121 41 46938 (lab)

L.fabritz@bham.ac.uk

Academic PA
+44 (0)121 41 44507
pkirchhofpa@contacts.bham.ac.uk

Clinical Secretary
+44 (0)121 37 14472
Pamela.Manders@uhb.nhs.uk

MD, FRCP, FESC

Reader in Cardiovascular Sciences
Consultant

Dr Larissa Fabritz studies novel mechanisms of heart disease and performs translational research towards mechanism-based therapies of cardiovascular diseases. As a clinical consultant, she sees patients in the department of Cardiology at UHB. Dr Larissa Fabritz engages in research on molecular mechanisms of cardiomyopathies and arrhythmias with her working group at the University of Birmingham and collaborations throughout Europe and North America.

Areas of interest:

• Translational cardiovascular research
• Molecular mechanisms of arrhythmias and cardiomyopathies
• Molecular mechanisms of atrial fibrillation and atrial thrombosis
• Sodium channel dysfunction
• Desmosomal proteins
• Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy
• Integrated atrial fibrillation care and mobile applications

Collaborations:
University of Birmingham
Catch Me
European Society of Cardiology

Research Gate 

Keywords: research, translational, cardiovascular, heart, arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation

Office 4, Second Floor

+44 (0)7900 565 937

Rick.steeds@uhb.nhs.uk

08.00-20.00

PA: Denise Westwood
+44 (0)121 371 4035  Denise.westwood@uhb.nhs.uk

MA MD FRCP FESC

Rick Steeds is a Consultant Cardiologist at University Hospitals in Birmingham, specialising in cardiovascular imaging and in the management of valvular heart disease and rare diseases, including Fabry and Alstrom syndrome. He is the immediate past President of the British Society of Echocardiography. He is an Honorary Reader at the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, has published more than 200 peer-reviewed research articles, and is an Associate Editor for Echo, Research and Practice. He is currently collaborating with Cardiovascular Imaging, Barts Heart.

Keywords: Magnetic resonance imaging, Echocardiography, Valvular heart disease, Metabolic disease, Inherited metabolic disease

Office 14, Second Floor

+44 (0)121 41 48259 (office)

w.chua.1@bham.ac.uk

PhD in Psychology

Dr Chua is a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences. She engages in research identifying factors which contribute to atrial fibrillation and is interested in translating these outcomes to impact patient care. Her work involves UK and European collaborators in Germany, Spain, Netherlands, and France.

Dr Chua currently works in the Translational Research on Heart Failure and Arrhythmia group at the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, led by Professor Paulus Kirchhof and Dr Larissa Fabritz. Her main interest is on using statistical and computational modelling on heterogenous data to identify patterns of clinical and mechanism-based factors which contribute to incident and recurrent atrial fibrillation.

She is also involved in the development and application of mobile apps to facilitate healthcare professional and patient communication, encouraging patient empowerment and joint-decision making in healthcare settings.

She is keen to better understand the association of atrial fibrillation and cognitive decline to identify the potential mechanisms of these associations which would inform strategies of atrial fibrillation management and prevent adverse cognitive outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Dr Chua is actively engaged in the CATCH ME Consortium (H2020 EU Framework) and the BigData@Heart Consortium (EU/EFPIA Innovative Medicines Initiative 2).

Collaborations
CATCH ME Consortium (EU H2020)
BigData@Heart Consortium (EU IMI)

Keywords: Atrial fibrillation, bigdata analysis for cardiovascular outcomes, use of mobile technology for health, Cardiology, Mobile applications

Room 14 First Floor

+44 (0) 121 414 8588

a.l.slade@bham.ac.uk

PA:
+44 (0)121 414 3354   a.a.walker@bham.ac.uk

PhD, Leeds Carnegie University, Leeds
MPhil, University of Leeds, Leeds
DipCOT; University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff

Anita Slade PhD is the ITM Research Fellow in the Centre for Patient Reported Outcomes (PRO) research at the University of Birmingham.   She is experienced in evaluating and developing patient reported outcome measures.   She is also experienced in using Rasch analysis as a tool for evaluating health outcomes and educational assessments.   She has presented and lectured on health outcomes at a national and international level.

Primary research interests are outcomes research, including the use of composite outcomes and best practice for patient reported outcome assessment in clinical trials and routine practice.  Evaluation and development of patient reported outcomes using Rasch Analysis.

Keywords: CPROR, PROs, Rasch analysis, IRT

Second Floor, Office 17

Tel:  +44 (0)121 371 8146

Tel:  +44 (0)121 414 3882

g.gkoutos@bham.ac.uk

BSc MSc PhD DIC

Professor Gkoutos holds the chair of Clinical Bioinformatics a joint appointment between the University of Birmingham Medical School and the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. He is a Faculty Affiliate Professor of Clinical Bioinformatics, Berkeley Lab, Associate Director of MRC Health Data Research UK, Co-Director of the WCH-Birmingham Research Institute and Alan Turing Fellow.

Prof Gkoutos’s research background is in the areas of clinical and biomedical informatics, health data science, computational biology, and translational research aiming at the discovery of molecular origins of human disease and the precision medicine developments of novel disease diagnostic and intervention strategies.

His expertise lies in the fields of integrative systems biology, biomedical knowledge formalization, standardisation and representation, multimodal large data harmonization, interoperability and integration, comparative phenomics, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, and multiomics integration and analytics and has over 200 peer reviewed publications.

Prof Gkoutos is closely involved with international efforts to integrate large human related phenotype datasets as well as data from the main high throughput phenotyping centres in Europe, Australasia and North America, as well as policy development initiatives, resources, standards and sharing.

4th Floor, Office 14

+44(0)1213714404/+44(0)1213714822

Wasim.hanif@uhb.nhs.uk

PA: Radhika Susarla
Radhika.Susarla@uhb.nhs.uk
+44(0)1213718127

MBBS, MD, FRCP

Professor Wasim Hanif is a Professor of Diabetes & Endocrinology, Consultant Physician and Head of Service in diabetes at University Hospital Birmingham.  He is an Honorary Professor of Medicine at the University of Warwick.  Professor Hanif is a Board Member of the Centre for Diabetes, Endocrine & Metabolism at the University of Birmingham and Clinical Advisory Group lead for research in Diabetes & Endocrinology at the Institute of Translation Medicine, Birmingham. He is an eminent authority on Diabetes, Obesity, and Ethnic Health. He works with several national bodies and professional groups in the UK. He has been involved with major research projects in diabetes and has published widely.  He was selected for the King’s Fund Leadership Programme in Diabetes. His research interests include: diabetic kidney disease, diabetes prevention and management of diabetes in Ramadan, obesity, ethnicity and tackling health inequalities. He is involved as a chief and principal investigator in several international multi-centre trials and was instrumental in setting up UKADS (United Kingdom Asian Diabetes Study).

Professor Hanif has been involved at a Parliamentary level in advising the Government on issues relating to diabetes and ethnic health. He is the Chair of the Diabetes Working Group of the world-recognised South Asian Health Foundation (SAHF). He is a member of the Parliamentary and Stakeholder Diabetes Think Tank, advising the All Party Parliamentary Group on Diabetes. His involvement with NICE has been extensive: he sat on the advisory NICE Health Technology Appraisal Committee between 2009 and 2015 and has acted as an adviser on many issues including the use of health technology appraisals of new medicinal agents, definitions of obesity and waist circumference in British South Asians, prevention of diabetes in high risk groups, physical activity and type 2 diabetes. He is on the Expert Advisory Committee of the Commission of Human Medicine, advising the MHRA on new medicinal agents. He is on the Board of Governors as a Trustee of Diabetes UK, helping in strategy, advocacy, patient empowerment and research to help improve outcomes in people with diabetes in the UK.

Keywords: diabetic kidney disease, diabetes prevention, management of diabetes in Ramadan, obesity, ethnicity and tackling health inequalities, Diabetes, BAME, South Asians, Obesity, Inpatient diabetes, Ramadan

5th Floor East, Office 11

+44(0)121 371 8170

s.p.bach@bham.ac.uk

Simon Bach leads Birmingham’s early phase trials team (Drugs, Diagnostics, Devices and Biomarkers -D3B) and is Deputy Director of Birmingham’s Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit.  He is Royal College of Surgeons Lead for Colorectal Surgery and also lead for the RCS Advisory Group on Robotic Surgery.  He is a colorectal surgeon in Birmingham specialising in the minimally invasive treatment of colorectal cancer.  He is chief investigator for the Cancer Research UK TREC and STAR-TREC studies that evaluate novel rectal saving treatment for early rectal cancer.  As RCS research lead for colorectal surgery he has developed a national framework to promote surgical research partnering patients and clinicians with major stakeholders.  He works closely with the trainee research collaboratives and he has also helped developed medical student research collaboratives: STAR-SURG (http://starsurg.org) and EUROSURG (http://eurosurg.org).  An innovative training programme called GRANULE has been implemented to teach students and trainees the range of skills necessary to recruit patients to randomised surgical studies.  GRANULE has been adopted by NCRI as a web based learning tool to run alongside Good Clinical Practice training.

Office 10, Fifth Floor East

+44 (0)121 371 8027

d.barton@bham.ac.uk

BSc (Hons)

Darren Barton is the D3B Trials Team Leader at the Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit (CRCTU) at the University of Birmingham.

Darren Barton Graduated with a BSc (Hons) Marine Biology from Bangor University (North Wales: 1992-1995), After working in pre-clinical toxicology in animal models (both standard toxicology and reproductive and behavioural toxicology in the role of;  Histologist, Necropsy/pathology specialist and Study supervisor for approximately 5 years. Darren Joined CRCTU in July 2002 as a trial administrator, working in the field of urology (Prostate cancer and Bladder cancer). In 2005 Darren was promoted to Trial coordinator and his first investigator-led study was entitled: TRAPEZE a phase II/III randomised study combine strontium-89, Zoledronic acid and docetaxel chemotherapy in patients with advanced metastatic prostate cancer involving the bone.

Darren has subsequently coordinated (National coordinator and Local coordinator) a number of  academic Phase I,II clinical trials involving medical devices, Investigational Medicinal Products (IMPs), Advanced therapy investigational products (ATIMPs) In the field of liver disease. The majority of which were after he was promoted to senior trial coordinator (2009) and he was one of the first appointees to the new NIHR Liver Biomedical research unit Founded in August 2009. Darren was responsible along with other senior member of the team for managing a wide portfolio of industry sponsored liver trials (HCV, Auto-immune disease, liver transplantation, NASH) as well as the coordinator for Multiple investigator –led academic/industry collaboration Phase I/II trials in Liver cirrhosis, Non-alcoholic fatty-liver disease, and Hepatitis C reinfection (post-transplant- prevention). These studies involved IMPs, Biological therapy and medical devices. He has worked closely with industry and various clinical teams at the Queen Elizabeth hospital and has run trials on behalf of the university of Birmingham (sponsor) and local site.

In 2016 Darren was appointed a D3B Trials team leader and currently leads the new D3B team portfolio. D3B is a core member of the Birmingham Health Partners ITM initiative.

Collaborations:
ITX5061 (Hepatitis C prevention of re-infection immediately pre to and post liver transplant)
LEAN (Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver disease)
REALISTIC (Liver Cirrhosis)
MERLIN (Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis)
VITTAL (Liver Transplant: OrganoxMetra® medical device)

Keywords: Trial, study, trial management, research, publications, cancer research

Office 12, Fifth Floor East

+44(0)121 371 8454

k.brock@bham.ac.uk

Monday-Friday 7am – 3pm

BSc MSc

Kristian is a senior statistician at the Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit. He joined in 2014, with a focus on early phase trials in haematology and lung cancer. In 2016 he joined the D3B team at the Institute of Translational Medicine.

His overriding research interest is efficient methods for clinical trials with small sample sizes, and particularly Bayesian analysis methodology. This entails rare diseases, the incorporation of predictive information in biomarkers, dose-finding methodology, and seamless phase I/II methodology. He is currently researching a PhD on special methods to increase efficiency in clinical trials.

He is a co-investigator in clinical trials in Wolfram syndrome, trauma, and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). He is the trial statistician on the PePS2 trial in lung cancer, several trials in trauma, and a trial investigating a bio-dressing for microbial keratitis. He has previously worked on trials in AML, MDS, CML, lymphoma, myeloma, and merkel cell carcinoma.

Keywords: Clinical trial, Early phase, Bayesian

+44(0)121 3714202

Xiaohong.zhao@uhb.nhs.uk

9:00 till 17:00 Monday till Friday

BSc

Works in the Liver Outpatient Department, IBR of UoB, Tissue Bank of UoB. Interest in Hepatitis C infection disease.

Office 14, 5^th Floor East

+44 (0)121 371 8544 and +44 (0)121 414 3887
l.m.grover@bham.ac.uk
Monday – Friday, 09:00 – 16:30

PA: Emma Lardner
+44 (0)121 371 8543 or +44 (0)121 415 8286
e.c.lardner@bham.ac.uk

BMedSc(Hons), PhD, FIMMM, FHEA

Liam M Grover is a Professor in Biomaterials Science and has been at the University of Birmingham since 2006. Prior to this time he was a Skeletal Health Scholar at McGill University, Montreal. His group (www.TRAILab.net) focuses on the application of materials science and chemical engineering to the design of novel technologies for the regeneration of tissues. He is also interested in the fundamental science behind the mechanical performance of both ceramics and soft solids and how they may be influenced by physiological conditions.

His research has been funded by numerous funding agencies, including the UK research councils (EPSRC, BBSRC, MRC), the EU (FP6 and FP7), the regional development agency (AWM), the CIHR, the Furlong Charitable Foundation, the Malaysian Government, the NSF (China), Smith and Nephew, Boots, and JRI.

He has published more than 150 full peer reviewed papers, 20 extended conference papers, more than 70 reviewed conference abstracts, three book chapters and has filed seven patent applications. His work has been cited on more than 3500 occasions. He is also serving on the editorial board of Scientific Reports, Journal of Biomaterials Applications, Advances in Applied Ceramics and has guest edited two special editions of the journal. His work has been featured in Nature Materials, Materials World, and on the BBC. He is a Fellow of the IOM³  and has given more than fifty invited talks internationally.  He maintains active collaborations with the University of Wuerzburg, McGill University, UC Davis, Central South University (China), Scuola Superiore Santa Anna (Pisa) and the Italian Institute of Technology.

Future plans: To establish a thriving healthcare technology environment in Birmingham.

Twitter     Twitter     LinkedIn

Keywords: Biomaterials, Tissue regeneration, Biomaterials Science, Tissue response to materials

Office 14, 5^th Floor East

+44 (0)121 371 8543 or +44 (0)121 415 8286

e.c.lardner@bham.ac.uk

Monday – Friday, 08:30 – 16:45

Emma started her career as an Apprentice in Business Administration at a Large Format printing company in Birmingham. Within 4 months of starting the apprenticeship, the Company appointed her as ‘Junior Administrator’ and allowed her to continue studying. Within a few months, she progressed to ‘Senior Administrator’ and was given a more varied workload.

She began to build great relationships with clients and had a great eye for detail, so took on PA work for three directors and slowly began to manage client accounts. Emma then progressed to a Senior Account Manager role within a year and learnt a lot about digital print.

Emma started at the University as a PA in September 2016, working with a fantastic team and is excited to see what the future holds for the Institute.

Keywords: Healthcare Technologies Institute, Chemical Engineering, PA, Administrator,  Large format digital print

Office 3, 3^rd Floor West

+44 (0) 121 371 8548

r.l.williams.2@bham.ac.uk

PhD, BSc (Hons), MRSC

Dr Richard Williams currently works within the Healthcare Technologies Institute in both academic research and healthcare technology commercialisation roles. He has experience of translating technologies developed in the lab into finished products for Phase 1 clinical trial, with particular interest in drug delivery systems, reformulated drugs and products that sit on the drug/device borderline. Richard is currently working on the clinical translation of a set of wound-care products designed to prevent scarring in corneal defects and skin burns. His expertise is in experimental design to establish proof of concept; development and commissioning of novel clinical-grade manufacturing processes and; compilation of regulatory documents towards clinical trial application.

Richard’s role on the Medical Devices Testing and Evaluation Centre (MD-TEC) project opens his expertise to local Life Science / Medical Technology SMEs. The objective is to help these SMEs to innovate and get products to market faster, at reduced cost, and with less risk. He is currently assisting several SMEs with product development including the development of a novel therapy for persistent infections.

His academic research focuses on understanding how materials used to repair and regenerate the body, such as ceramics and soft-solids, behave under physiological conditions. He is also interested in the chemical mechanisms behind mineralisation in the body and has significant expertise in chemical mapping of ex vivo tissue and biomaterials using Raman, Infrared and micro-XRF methods.

Future Plans:
The region has a very strong knowledge base in healthcare technologies and the infrastructure to translate and commercialise innovations is rapidly coming into place. Richard is working with numerous stakeholders in healthcare to develop a complete pathway in Birmingham spanning basic science, through to clinical development, spin-out of technologies into companies and, scale up into larger businesses. The objective is to increase the flux of innovations reaching the clinic.

Richard is always looking to form links with service providers to the healthcare technologies industry, including GMP Contract Manufacturing Organisations (Pharma and Medical Devices), Contract Research Organisations, prototyping, packing and product sterilisation.

Collaborations:
Royal Orthopaedic Hospital Birmingham
Royal Centre for Defence Medicine
School of Dentistry, University of Birmingham
MRC Arthritis Research UK Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research
University of Huddersfield – Dr. Alan Smith
University College Dublin – Dr. Aoife Gowen and Ronan Dorrepaal
Smith & Nephew.

Twitter     LinkedIn

Keywords: 
Physicochemical characterisation of biomaterials; GMP scale up manufacture of biomaterials; Biomaterials and reformulated drug regulation; Biomaterials, biomaterials manufacture, GMP manufacture, translation, MD-TEC, Healthcare Technology Institute, chemical mapping, Raman, micro-XRF, bench to market, GBS LEP, GBS LEP life sciences, TRAILab, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham, School of Chemical Engineering,

+44 (0)121 371 8547

r.j.a.moakes@bham.ac.uk

Monday – Friday: 09:00 – 17:00

Team Admin: Emma Lardner

+44 (0)121 371 8543
+44 (0)121 415 8286
e.c.lardner@bham.ac.uk

Msci (Hons), EngD

Having undertaken a Masters at the University of Kent (2012), investigating the use of magnetic nano-particles in cancer therapy, Richard moved to the University of Birmingham to undertake a doctorate (Eng.D.) in formulation engineering; studying pseudo-solid gels for their abilities to both structure fluids and deliver nutraceuticals to the body.

During this time, Richard worked closely with an industrial partner to formulate particulate suspensions with controlled material responses: engineering responses typical of solid materials that can be further manipulated to flow when consumed. Further building on his initial work, Richard produced protein-oil composites (core-shell), providing the potential for controlled delivery of lipophilic entities to the GI tract.

Following his Eng.D. (2016), Richard has remained in Birmingham, applying his knowledge of soft-solid materials, to engineering bio-materials. The focus of Richards current work looks at reducing ocular scarring, post-trauma. Again, multi-functional devices that incorporates collaboration across several disciplines.

Future plans: To continue researching in bio materials, and adding to the current literature.

LinkedIn                             Twitter

Keywords: Rheology; Material Characterisation; Gels; Hydrogels: Hydro colloids; Bio materials; Healthcare Technologies Institute, Chemical Engineering, Research Fellow, Ocular Research

Office 12, 5^th Floor East

+44 (0)121 371 8539

d.c.bassett@bham.ac.uk

Monday – Friday, 08:30 – 17:00

Team Admin: Emma Lardner
+44 (0)121 371 8543
+44 (0)121 415 8286
e.c.lardner@bham.ac.uk

BMedSc (Hons), PhD

David’s scientific interests and expertise lie at the interface of human biology and materials science.  His main research theme is to understand the biological mechanisms that intricately control both the formation and prevention of inorganic minerals within organisms and apply this knowledge in three key areas: to develop improved biomaterials for regenerative medicine; to inspire the synthesis of novel nanostructured inorganics, and to inform the design of improved 3D cell based hard tissue models.

Collaborations:

• School of Chemical Engineering (UoB)
• Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Norway
• University of Oslo, Norway
• MERLN, Maastricht University, The Netherlands
• McGill University, Canada

Future plans: To develop improved in vitro models of tissues in states of health, regeneration and disease.

Keywords: Biomaterials, Bone, Hydrogels, Nanomaterials, Healthcare Technologies Institute , Chemical Engineering , Biomaterials, nanomaterials, bone, inorganics, hydrogels

  Office 16, 5^th floor
ITM Laboratories  – 5^th Floor

+44 (0)121 371 3248

f.barone@bham.ac.uk

MD, PhD

ARUK Senior Fellow and Reader in Translational Rheumatology

Francesca Barone is an ARUK Senior Fellow, Reader in Translational Rheumatology working as Rheumatologist Consultant in UHB and Sandwell and West Birmingham Trusts.

Her main interest is in understanding the relationship between stromal cells and leukocyte in the development of chronic inflammatory process with a particular focus on tertiary lymphoid structure formation.

During her undergraduate course in Italy, Francesca developed a strong interest in research and once obtained her degree she decided to suspend her clinical training to do a PhD. She moved to London in the laboratory of Professor Pitzalis to investigate the mechanisms that regulate the acquisition of lymphoid organ features in the salivary gland inflammatory infiltrates of Sjogren’s Syndrome patients, with particular focus on the factors that regulate lymphocyte organization and survival within the gland.

She obtained her Specialization and PhD in 2007 and 2008, respectively. She then embarked on a period of post-doctoral studies looking at the physiological biology of mucosal B cells, under the supervision of Doctor Jo Spencer at KCL. During this period she has also worked as Honorary Rheumatology Consultant in close contact with the Oral Medicine unit at Guy’s Hospital in London.

In 2010 Francesca moved to Birmingham to study the mechanisms regulating leukocyte/stromal cell interaction in humans and animal models of inflammatory diseases. She obtained a Wellcome Trust Clinician Scientist fellowship in July 2010 to develop her research interest as clinician scientist and start her own independent group.

She works as Consultant Rheumatologist in the UHB and Sandwell and West Birmingham Trusts, with a main clinical interest in inflammatory arthritis and Sjogren’s syndrome.

Since 2014 she has been the Head of the eSSential – EULAR Sjogren’s Syndrome Experimental aNd Translational Investigative Alliance (EULAR) study group.

In the summer 2016 Francesca obtained a Senior Research Fellowship from ARUK to exploit the mechanisms enabling the persistence of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) in inflamed tissue and to investigate the pathogenicity of the stromal cells in TLS associated diseases. She obtained the title of Reader in 2017.

Francesca directs the Laboratories for Stratified Medicine, located on the 5^th floor of the ITM.

Keywords: Cytof, Multidimensional flow cytometry, Tissue digestion and analysis. Digital imagining. Stratified medicine. Labs, laboratories, research, rheumatology, stromal cells, leukocyte, inflammation

4^th Floor Open Plan West

+44 (0) 121 371 8220
+44 (0) 7789 933031

jim.hancox@uhb.nhs.uk

MCPara

Research Critical Care Paramedic
HEMS Paramedic & Aircrew Supervisor

Jim Hancox joined the then Hereford and Worcester Ambulance Service in 2002 qualifying as a paramedic in 2005. A HEMS Paramedic with Midlands Air Ambulance since 2006, he extended his training, qualifying as a Critical Care Paramedic in 2010 and took on the role of Aircrew Supervisor at MAA’s Strensham airbase in 2014.

Jim is currently seconded to the National Institute for Health Research Surgical Reconstruction & Microbiology Research Centre (NIHR SRMRC) based at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital where he works as a research paramedic.

Jim is currently studying for an MSc in Advanced Critical Care Practice and is passionate about the development of prehospital practice seeing research as one of the key elements in improving care for patients.

Twitter

Keywords: Prehospital, Research, Air Ambulance, HEMS, Prehospital Emergency Medicine

Second Floor, Office 10

a.denniston@bham.ac.uk

+44 (0)121 371 6905

MA MRCP FRCOphth PhD

Alastair Denniston is an Honorary Professor in the College of Medical and Dental Sciences and Consultant Ophthalmologist (Uveitis and Medical Retina) at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.

Alastair’s specialist interests within ophthalmology are ocular immunity, ocular imaging and outcome measurement in inflammatory eye disease. He was awarded an MRC Clinical Research Training Fellowship in 2006, and completed his PhD in Dendritic Cell Regulation in the Ocular Microenvironment in 2009. His laboratory work in immunology is directed towards understanding what causes intraocular inflammation (uveitis) and other forms of inflammatory eye disease.

In the clinic with his collaborator Pearse Keane (University College London, UK), he has demonstrated the potential for newer forms of imaging such as Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) to provide much-needed objective markers for intraocular inflammation (uveitis). With Pearse Keane and colleagues across the UK and US, he has established EQUATOR, an international collaboration of researchers working on ‘Extended OCT-Quantification of Uveitis Activity for Trial Outcomes and Reporting’. He is a passionate advocate of the need to develop better measures for inflammatory eye diseases which are objective and quantifiable to improve the power of clinical trials and inform day-to-day treatment decisions. This work is balanced by a prioritisation of patient reported outcomes (PROs) for ocular inflammatory disease (with his collaborator Prof Mel Calvert, Head of PROs Group University of Birmingham).

He regularly publishes research papers in scientific journals as well as reviews and book chapters, but is best known for writing the Oxford Handbook of Ophthalmology with Professor Philip Murray (Professor of Ophthalmology and Head of the Academic Unit of Ophthalmology, University of Birmingham).

Alastair is keen to promote awareness of ophthalmic research and has been actively involved with the MRC Max Perutz Science Writing Prize, the Big Bang and the British Science Festival.

Alastair’s motivation, whether in research or in the clinic, is to improve our care of patients with potentially blinding ocular disease.

Collaborations:

• Patient Reported Outcomes – Prof Mel Calvert (UoB), Prof Jugnoo Rahi (ICH/GOS)
• Imaging and AI – Dr Pearse Keane (UCL/Moorfields Ey Hospital BRC for Ophthalmology
• Big data – Prof David Crabb (City University London), Prof Adnan Tufail (Moorfields Eye Hospital)

Areas of interest:

• Outcome measures and trial design in inflammatory eye disease
• Ophthalmic imaging as an outcome measure in systemic disease
• Big data in eye care for research and quality

Future Plans:
Developing a centre of excellence for clinical trials in ophthalmology including AI-assisted trials in diagnosis and delivery

Keywords: Ophthalmology, eyes, ocular disease, Uveitis/Medical Retina

Office 11, 2^nd floor

+44 (0)121 371 5839

Charles.ferro@uhb.nhs.uk

PA: +44 (0)121 371 5839 ann.kenny@uhb.nhs.uk

BSc(Hons), MD, FRCP, FERA

Consultant Nephrologist / Honorary Professor of Renal Medicine
Co-chair Birmingham Cardio-Renal Group
Chair Birmingham Renal Informatics Group

Professor Ferro obtained degrees in Biochemistry and Medicine from the University of Edinburgh graduating in 1991. He trained in internal and renal medicine in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Truro and Bristol in the United Kingdom. His interest in cardiovascular disease led him to obtain his doctorate in Clinical Pharmacology from the University of Edinburgh in 1998. He has been a consultant nephrologist at the University Hospital Birmingham with senior academic positions at the University of Birmingham since 2002. His clinical and research interests have developed to include the aetiology and treatment of cardiovascular disease in patients with chronic kidney disease. In 2012 Professor Ferro was awarded a prestigious personal Fellowship from the National Institute for Health Research to further develop his research interests and translate them to changes in clinical practice. In addition he is pioneering novel methods to make clinical trials more efficient and cost-effective. Currently Professor Ferro is the Chief or Principal Investigator for several international and national clinical studies funded mainly by grants from the National Institute for Health Research, the British Heart Foundation and Kidney Research UK. In addition to lecturing on several undergraduate and postgraduate courses, Professor Ferro is currently supervising 6 PhD students at the University of Birmingham and 1 at University College London. He is frequently asked to lecture at international and national meetings and has published well over 100 peer-reviewed articles. He has served on several international nephrology and cardiology guideline committees. In 2015 Professor Ferro was elected by his peers to serve as a Board Member on the European Renal and Cardiovascular Medicine Working Group of the European Renal Association.

Keywords: Cardio-Renal Medicine, Chronic Kidney Disease, Acute Kidney Injury, Renal Transplantation, Bone-Mineral Disorder, Stroke, Infections and Cardiovascular Disease, Large, Population Cohorts, Medical Informatics, Epidemiology

5^th Floor

+44 (0)121 414 5351

s.c.cox@bham.ac.uk

8:30 – 18:00 Monday to Friday

BEng PhD

Dr Sophie C Cox is a Lecturer in Biomaterials at the University of Birmingham. Her research is dedicated to innovating a new generation of medical devices that are multi-functional and enhance tissue regeneration. To achieve this she bring together her multidisciplinary expertise in materials science, advanced manufacturing and materials – cell interactions with the ultimate aim of improving patient outcomes. Dr Cox co-leads the Tissue Regeneration and Interfaces Laboratory (TRAILab) based in the School of Chemical Engineering and the ITM.

Dr Cox collaborates with academics in a number of schools across the University, including mechanical engineering, biosciences, materials and metallurgy, and medicine. She also works closely with a number of industrial partners.

Twitter     LinkedIn

Keywords: Biomaterials, Additive Manufacture, Tissue Engineering, Formulation Engineering

Fourth Floor Office 6

+44(0)1213714237

naiem.moiemen@uhb.nhs.uk
nmoiemen@me.com

PA: Amanda Green
Amanda.Green@uhb.nhs.uk

MBBCh, FRCS, FRCS(Plast), MSc

Naiem Moiemen, MB BS, MSc, FRCS (Plast) is an Honorary Professor at the University of Birmingham and a consultant plastic and burns surgeon at University Hospital Birmingham. He is Director of the ScarFree Foundation Centre for Burn Research in Birmingham He is the Clinical Lead of the Midland Burns Care Network, serving a population of 10 million.

Naiem is Immediate Past President of European Burn Association Executive, President-Elect of the International Association of Burn Injury (ISBI) and past Chairman of the British Burn Association (BBA).

He is supervising 3 PhD students and current chief investigator of 4 current multi-centre burns clinical trials: NIHR-HTA pressure garment pilot efficacy multi-centre trial, and the SIFTI trial investigating the acute response to burn injury and HESTIA trial investigating gut translocation following thermal injury. He is also PI on the Wellcome-NIHR HICF to develop an anti-scarring wound dressing, and recently £4.5m Libor Grant fund to establish a scar and wound healing research centre in Birmingham.  He has published more than 90 papers in peer review journals and book chapters. He is a senior editor of BURNS journal and deputy editor of Journal of Burn and Trauma.

Future Plans: 
Develop strong  international burn research Network

Keywords: Burn, Reconstructive surgery, Microbiology, Acute response

Office 1, 2^nd Floor

+44 (0)121 237 5721

jonathan.ross@uhb.nhs.uk

PA: lesley.organ@uhb.nhs.uk   +44 (0)121 237 5721

MB ChB MD FRCP

Professor of Sexual Health and HIV
Consultant Physician

Jonathan Ross is Professor of Sexual Health and HIV in Birmingham.  He qualified from Aberdeen University Medical School and subsequently obtained dual accreditation in general medicine and genitourinary medicine.  He has worked as a consultant physician in Birmingham, UK since 1997.

He is vice-president of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, editor of the UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment journal and sits on the IUSTI World Executive committee. He is also an associate editor of the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections, a member of the editorial board for European Sexually Transmitted Diseases Guidelines and sits on the Primary Care Health Technology Assessment Panel for the UK NIHR.

Professor Ross is the author of UK and European Guidelines on Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, and he has written a number of chapters on pelvic infection for medical textbooks. He is a member of the Editorial Board of the Cochrane Collaboration Sexually Transmitted Diseases Collaborative Review Group and International Journal of STD and AIDS journal. His research interests are pelvic infection, gonorrhoea, Mycoplasma genitalium, HIV, and sexual health care service delivery.

Keywords: Sexually Transmitted Infections, HIV, Healthcare Service Delivery, Pharmacy Services, Online Based Healthcare Delivery, sexual health, HIV, microbiology, epidemiology, digital health, pharmacy, clinical trials