Staff Profile
Career Summary
Biography
I have extensive experience in the design and funding of research project protocols including ethical committee approval, Health and Safety regulations, animal experiment regulations and regulations for the use of radioactive substances.
As a Research Fellow funded by the Cancer Research Campaign in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at Nottingham University I developed an anti-mucin monoclonal antibody for use in the management of gynaecological cancer and set up a phase I clinical imaging study in patients with ovarian cancer. Results of this work were submitted for the degree of Doctor of Medicine.
With Professor Arulkumaran I established the academic department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Derby in 1998. During its first 3 years the Department obtained external grant funding of more than ¿1.3 million.
In 2004 I took up the post of Head of Discipline and Professor of Reproductive Medicine in Newcastle. Although I am continuing to publish results of work carried out in the UK I have concentrated on buidling new reseach collaborations in Australia which would not have been sufficiently advanced to produced publications by the end of 2006. These include ongoing projects in immunity to sexually transmitted infections, genetics of endometrial cancer, psychosocial effects of maternal ageing and medical student selection. This has been achieved while also having been heavily involved in the undergraduate and postrgraduate education.
Qualifications
- Doctor of Medicine, University of Nottingham - UK
- Bachelor of Medical Sciences (Honours), University of Nottingham - UK
- Master of Medical Sciences in Clinical Education, University of Nottingham - UK
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, University of Nottingham - UK
Research
Research keywords
- Cervical screening
- Fetal ECG
- Medical Education
- Near Infrared spectroscopy
- Ovarian cancer
Research expertise
I have had a broad range of research interests in obstetrics, gynaecology and medical education. I have been the principle investigator at Derby on projects on the detection of intrapartum fetal hypoxia by fetal ECG-ST analysis, treatment of dysfunctional uterine bleeding, genetics of pre-eclampsia, infrared spectroscopic analysis of cervical smears and detection of ovarian cancer using Tc-99 labeled monoclonal antibody. I have ongoing research projects in inate immunity to chlamydia, medical education including medical student selection and the psychosocial aspects of maternal age
Fields of Research
| Code | Description | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 111799 | Public Health And Health Services Not Elsewhere Classified | 50 |
| 110399 | Clinical Sciences Not Elsewhere Classified | 30 |
| 111400 | Paediatrics And Reproductive Medicine | 20 |
Memberships
Body relevant to professional practice.
- Clinical panel member - AMC overseas trained doctors examination
- Member of RANZCOG board of examiners - Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Editorial Board.
- Member - Editorial Board of Best Practice and Research: Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology
- Member - The Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
Learned Academy.
- UK Academy of teaching and learning in higher education
Appointments
| Chairman of O&G research governance group South Derbyshire NHS Trust (United Kingdom) | 01/01/2000 - 01/07/2004 |
| Co-ordinator of MRANZCOG written (SAQ) examination Royal Asutralian and New Zealand College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (Australia) | 01/01/2007 |
Awards
Recognition.
| 2003 | Lord Dearing Award for Teaching and Learning University of Nottingham (United Kingdom) Given by the University of Nottingham for an outstanding contribution to the development of teaching and student learning. |
|---|---|
| 2002 | Spirit of Southern Derbyshire award for contribution to creating a Healthy Community South Derbyshire Health Authority (United Kingdom) for development of new clinical service |
Research Award.
| 1990 | Young MRCOG new investigators award The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (United Kingdom) for scientific presentation submitted for the First International Scientific Meeting of the College. |
|---|
Administrative
Administrative expertise
1998 - 2002 Member of the mid-Trent postgraduate training education committee, UK
1998 - 2004 RCOG Education supervisor at Derby City Hospital
1999 - 2004 Lead clinician for out-patient hysteroscopy service at Derby City General Hospital
1999 - 2004 Chairman of O&G gynaecology development committee, Derby City Hospital
2000 - 2004 Chairman of O&G research governance group, Derby, UK
2001 - 2004 Member of hospital Research and Development Committee, SDAH Trust, UK
2002 - 2004 Lead academic for admissions to the Graduate Entry (GEM) Course at Derby
2004 Member of Committee for Continuing Medical Eduction John Hunter Hospital
2005 ITP supervisor for RANZCOG John Hunter Hospital
1997 - 2004 Member of the teaching sub-committee of the School of Human Development
2000 -2004 Faculty member for the postgraduate diploma and Master of Science in midwifery 2001- 2004 Member of the Curriculum Policy Group of Faculty of Health Sciences
2001 - 2003 Derby Research Strategy Group
2002 - 2004 Faculty Board Member, Nottingham Medical School, UK
2002 - 2004 Member of the admissions committee for Medicine, Nottingham, UK
2003 - Member of the Nottingham Faculty Advisory Group on Interprofessional Education
2003 - 2004 Member of Nottingham University Widening Access Group
2004 Member of Bachelor of Medicine Programme Committee Newcastle
2004 Course co-ordinator for Reproductive Medicine, University of Newcastle
2005 Chair Assessment Working Group
2006 Chair of the Curriculum Implementation Committee for UN-UNE joint medical programme
Teaching
Teaching keywords
- Gynaecology
- Obstetrics
Teaching expertise
As Head of Discipline of Reproductive medicine at Newcastle University I am the course-coordinator for the 4th year module in reproductive health.
I am a member of the Bachelor of Medicine Curriculum Committee at Newcastle and in this capacity I have a role in the development and monitoring of the medical course as a whole.
I took an active role in the development of the new Nottingham Graduate Entry Medical Course in 2003
In collaboration with Child Health I helped to set up in 2002 an exchange scheme, supported by ERASMUS, to allow 2 students from Nottingham each year to undertake their O&G training in Oslo.
I helped to develop an inter-professional education programme for midwives and doctors in Newcastle and Nottingham. The results of this work have been published in peer review medical education journals and presented at international and national meetings.
Postgraduate
In addition to my undergraduate teaching I also lectured on taught masters courses in oncology and assisted reproduction. I contribute to the formal and informal teaching of other groups of health care workers.
I was a member of the faculty for the postgraduate diploma and Master of Science in midwifery courses at Nottingham.
I devised a graduate research methods training programme for students undertaking research based higher degrees in Nottingham. This was subsequently combined with a similar programme from another school to from the basis of the current faculty-wide graduate training programme.
I devised and supervised a Teaching fellowship programme for junior doctors in obstetrics and gynaecology based at Derby City Hospital.
I was appointed as an examiner for the MRANZCOG in 2006
Grants and Funding
Summary
| Number of grants | 17 |
|---|---|
| Total funding | $2,054,273 |
For project grants received where the lead institution is other than the University of Newcastle, details are shown in italics.
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
2013 (1 grants)
Teaching Relief - $50,000 - Lynagh
ALL COMMUNICATIONS REGARDING TEACHING RELIEF FUNDS TO BE DIRECTED TO THE HEAD OF SCHOOL ONLY” $50,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Marita Lynagh, Conjoint Professor Ian Symonds | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Career Enhancement Fellowship for Academic Women | Chief Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $50,000 | 2013 | 2013 |
| GNo:G1201123 | ||
2012 (4 grants)
Nikon C2 + Si Confocal Microscope$75,000
Funding Body: Ramaciotti Foundations
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Conjoint Professor Ian Symonds, Doctor John Fitter | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Major Equipment Award | Chief Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $75,000 | 2012 | 2013 |
| GNo:G1200728 | ||
Nikon C2 + Si Confocal Microscope$75,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor John Fitter, Conjoint Professor Ian Symonds | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Equipment Grant | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $75,000 | 2012 | 2013 |
| GNo:G1200747 | ||
The validity of UMAT and other selection tools for predicting student academic and non-academic performance in a medical program$75,000
Funding Body: ACER (Australian Council for Educational Research)
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Marita Lynagh, Professor Brian Kelly, Doctor Graeme Horton, Conjoint Professor David Powis, Doctor Miles Bore, Conjoint Associate Professor Donald Munro, Conjoint Professor Ian Symonds, Professor Nicky Hudson | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| UMAT Consortium Research Grant | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $75,000 | 2012 | 2012 |
| GNo:G1201096 | ||
Disruption of gestational neurosteroid concentrations by stressful events leads to adverse neurodevelopmental and behavioural outcomes in children form these pregnancies$34,454
Funding Body: John Hunter Hospital Charitable Trust Fund
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Associate Professor Jon Hirst, Conjoint Professor Ian Symonds, Doctor Hannah Palliser | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Research Grant | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $34,454 | 2012 | 2012 |
| GNo:G1200176 | ||
2011 (2 grants)
Randomised controlled trial of a personal financial incentive (PFI) intervention to reduce antenatal smoking in women receiving public antenatal care$129,000
Funding Body: National Heart Foundation of Australia
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Laureate Professor Robert Sanson-Fisher, Doctor Marita Lynagh, Associate Professor Billie Bonevski, Conjoint Professor Ian Symonds, Professor Robert Carter, Professor Anthony Scott | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Grant-In-Aid | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $129,000 | 2011 | 2012 |
| GNo:G1000355 | ||
Role of the renin-angiotensin system in pregnancies complicated by placental insufficiency$25,000
Funding Body: John Hunter Hospital Charitable Trust Fund
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Kirsty Pringle, Professor Eugenie Lumbers, Conjoint Professor Ian Symonds | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Research Grant | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $25,000 | 2011 | 2012 |
| GNo:G1100637 | ||
2010 (1 grants)
Investigation of IUGR-associated preterm labour using a guinea pig model$23,025
Funding Body: John Hunter Hospital Charitable Trust Fund
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Hannah Palliser, Associate Professor Jon Hirst, Conjoint Professor Ian Symonds | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Research Grant | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $23,025 | 2010 | 2010 |
| GNo:G1000119 | ||
2008 (4 grants)
An attachment-based group parenting intervention for substance dependent mothers and infants$54,000
Funding Body: NSW Ministry of Health
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Conjoint Professor Louise Newman, Conjoint Associate Professor Adrian Dunlop, Conjoint Professor Ian Symonds, Mr Peter Walsh | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Drug and Alcohol Grants Program | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $54,000 | 2008 | 2008 |
| GNo:G0189627 | ||
Does fetal growth restriction increase uterine activity and upregulate labour associated genes preterm?$15,208
Funding Body: John Hunter Hospital Charitable Trust Fund
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Associate Professor Jon Hirst, Doctor Hannah Palliser, Conjoint Professor Ian Symonds | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Research Grant | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $15,208 | 2008 | 2008 |
| GNo:G0189368 | ||
LED fluorescence illuminators and filter set (525nm + 575DF20) for LAS3000 image analysis system$9,600
Funding Body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Professor Roger Smith, Conjoint Professor Ian Symonds, Conjoint Associate Professor Andrew Bisits, Conjoint Professor Tam Zakar, Doctor John Fitter, Doctor Cheng Chan, Conjoint Associate Professor Rick Nicholson, Doctor Giavanna Angeli, Doctor Kaushik Maiti, Doctor Jonathan Paul, Associate Professor Jon Hirst, Doctor Hannah Palliser, Professor Eugenie Lumbers | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Equipment Grant | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $9,600 | 2008 | 2008 |
| GNo:G0188543 | ||
Improving parenting risk assessment in a 'high risk' drug and alcohol abusing antenatal population$9,060
Funding Body: NSW Ministry of Health
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Kumudu Rathnayaka, Conjoint Professor Louise Newman, Conjoint Associate Professor Adrian Dunlop, Conjoint Professor Ian Symonds, Mr Peter Walsh | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Drug and Alcohol Grants Program | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $9,060 | 2008 | 2008 |
| GNo:G0189628 | ||
2007 (1 grants)
Beta Radiation Counter Instrument facility$25,670
Funding Body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Professor Roger Smith, Conjoint Associate Professor Vicki Clifton, Conjoint Professor Tam Zakar, Conjoint Associate Professor Rick Nicholson, Dr Mark Read, Doctor Cheng Chan, Doctor John Fitter, Conjoint Associate Professor Andrew Bisits, Associate Professor Jon Hirst, Doctor Hannah Palliser, Conjoint Professor Ian Symonds | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Equipment Grant | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $25,670 | 2007 | 2007 |
| GNo:G0188194 | ||
2006 (4 grants)
PRC - Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science$544,282
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Laureate Professor John Aitken, Professor Roger Smith, Professor Eileen McLaughlin, Associate Professor Brett Nixon, Doctor Shaun Roman, Conjoint Associate Professor Vicki Clifton, Conjoint Professor Warwick Giles, Associate Professor Jon Hirst, Conjoint Associate Professor Rick Nicholson, Conjoint Professor Ian Symonds | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Priority Research Centre | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $544,282 | 2006 | 2013 |
| GNo:G0186945 | ||
Innate immunity and Chlamydia infection: Bacterial:epithelial cell cross-talk at the mucosal surface$479,349
Funding Body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Conjoint Professor Kenneth Beagley, Conjoint Associate Professor Michael Boyle, Conjoint Professor Ian Symonds, Professor Peter Timms | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Project Grant | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $479,349 | 2006 | 2009 |
| GNo:G0185156 | ||
Innate immunity and Chlamydia infection: Bacterial: epithelial cell cross-talk at the mucosal surface $420,625
Funding Body: National Health & Medical Research Council
| Scheme | Role | |
|---|---|---|
| Investigator | ||
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $420,625 | 2006 | 2007 |
| GNo:18094167 | ||
The psyhcosocial consequences of advance maternal age: a longitudinal study$10,000
Funding Body: University of Newcastle
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Conjoint Professor Ian Symonds, Doctor Libby Campbell, Conjoint Professor Warwick Giles | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Near Miss Grant | Chief Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $10,000 | 2006 | 2006 |
| GNo:G0186078 | ||
Research Supervision
| Number of current supervisions | 0 |
|---|
For supervisions undertaken at an institution other that the University of Newcastle, details are shown in italics, and the institution name is listed below the program name.
Past Supervision
| Year | Program | Supervisor Type | Research Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Honours Medical Science University of Nottingham | Sole Supervisor | Comparison of infrared microspectroscopic analysis of cytologically normal cervical cells in women at low and high risk of cervical neoplasia |
| 2001 | Honours Medical Science University of Nottingham | Sole Supervisor | Analysis of cervical smears using infrared microspectroscopy |
Conjoint Professor Ian Symonds
| Work Phone | (02) 4921 7776 |
|---|---|
| Fax | (02) 4921 7788 |
| Ian.Symonds@newcastle.edu.au | |
| Position | Head of School School of Medicine and Public Health Faculty of Health and Medicine |
| Office | BB1-19, Bowman Building, Other |
| URL: | www.newcastle.edu.au/profile/ian-symonds |
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