Staff Profile

Career Summary

Biography

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours), University of Nottingham - UK, 05/07/1974
• Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, University of Nottingham - UK, 02/07/1976

Research

Research keywords

• Coeliac Disease
• Functional Bowel Disorders
• Gastrointestinal Disease

Research expertise

My expertise as a histopathologist is in interpretation of clinical or molecular events in tissue sections, correlating both routine pathology and immunocytochemistry to demonstrate particular cells or their function or secretion with clinical patient data. I principally work in gastrointestinal and urological pathology, particularly prostate cancer.

In the last 10 years I have developed expertise in upper gastrointestinal pathology and my current research is focussed on finding biomarkers and pathways in functional bowel diseases, named functional as there is no discernible organic pathology.Over the next 5 years I plan to complete the investigation of functional bowel disorders and other gastrointestinal disorders to unravel the pathology which occurs in these diseases, and hope to elucidate the cause of these distressing conditions with the aim of devising effective agents for treatment. I am also working on coeliac disease and plan to continue defining parameters for diagnosis of coeliac disease in conjuction with the International Coeliac Definitions Group.

Fields of Research

Memberships

Body relevant to professional practice.

• Member - British Society of Gastroenterology (Gastroduodenal Section Committee)
• Member - European Society of Pathology

Committee/Associations (relevant to research).

• Member - American Gastroenterology Association
• Member - Association of Clinical Pathologists
• Member - British Medical Association
• Member - British Society for the Study of Vulval Disease
• Member - British Society of Dermatopathology
• Member - Pathology Society of Great Britain

Appointments

Awards

Recognition.

Invitations

Collaboration

My research collaborations include:

• Sweden (Professor Nick Talley, Professor Lars Agréus, Karolinska Institute) – Kalixanda and PopCol studies (epidemiology by endoscopy in the upper and lower GI tract) - Eosinophilic Oesophagitis, Coeliac Disease, Biomarkers in Functional Dyspepsia (FD) and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Smoking and Allergies and Innate Immunity, Effect of Bile Reflux in the Stomach and Oesophagus, GI hormones in FD.

• Australia Nepean Duodenal Eosinophilia study - Pathology in Functional Dyspepsia (FD) in an Australian population (Professor Nick Talley Newcastle University, NSW, and Professor Martin Weltman Nepean Hospital University of Sydney)

• Chile/ Leeds UK - I am an expert advisor to the Content study – This is funded by the EU, a study on iron deficiency and infection in the gastrointestinal tract in children in Brazil, Chile and London (Professor Jean Crabtree, Leeds, UK, Dr Paul Harris, Santiago, Chile).

• Member, International Coeliac Definitions Group – an international group of physicians with a prime interest in coeliac disease, defining management and diagnosis of coeliac disease.

• Expert reviewer for oesophageal pathology in the Aspect (Aspirin Esomeprazole Chemoprevention) study in patients with Barrett's oesophagus (Chief Investigator: Professor Janusz Jankowski University Hospitals Leicester)

• XMRV in prostate cancer (Professor Myra McClure, Imperial College )

• Gene Dysregulation Prostate Cancer (Hammersmith Campus, Prostate Cancer Group (Dr Charlotte Bevan, Dr Robert Kypta, Dr Justin Sturge and Professor Jonathan Waxman) As the histopathologist to this group I interpret clinical data and immunostaining of tissue microarrays in unravelling prostate cancer pathways (Hey1, Hey L, FUS, WNT signalling, DKK3), in androgen resistant (aggressive) tumours and also in other prostate and bladder pathology projects.

Administrative

Administrative expertise

I have extensive administrative experience, having served on numerous committees and held the position of Assistant Admissions tutor at Imperial College. In this role, I was the sole clinician on the team and my duties included:

• Interviewer training

• Participation in Graduate Entry Open Days to promote the course at Imperial College.

• Yearly Admissions Discussion Forum

• Set and mark scholarship essays (50/year)

• Scrutinise prospectus for publication

• Chair undergraduate, graduate and direct entry interviews

• Shortlist candidates – group shortlisting sessions for graduates and undergraduates

I am also the UK representative for the European Society of Pathology Gastrointestinal Working Group (2005 – Present), which

decides on topics of interest for short courses, symposia and slide seminars at the now yearly European Congress of Pathology. I have organised all types of sessions, which involves inviting histopathologists from Europe to participate.

I undertake review of papers for Gut, American Journal of Gastroenterology, Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Histopathology, Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Journal of Clinical Pathology, European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Clin Chem Acta, European Journal of Surgical Oncology and the British Journal of Medical and Surgical Urology. I also review grants for CRUK and NHMRC (Australia) and am an Editorial Board member of Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

Teaching

Teaching keywords

• Dermatopathology
• GI Pathology
• Pathology
• Uropathology

Teaching expertise

My teaching experience extends across Undergraduate, Masters and Postgraduate levels. I have taught histopathology to undergraduate and graduate entry students at Imperial College in years 1 - 5, from basic principles to systems pathology. I contribute to course design, exam development and marking - as a senior examiner in pathology at Imperial College I have responsibility for setting and marking all years of undergraduates, and attend group marking sessions and examinations meetings. As Divisional Head of Teaching for Investigative Science (1999-2003), in the curriculum review at that time, I ensured that pathology was introduced as a standalone course, comprising lectures, tutorials and clinicopathological conferences to ensure that students see the integration of clinicians and the different pathology disciplines. I have lectured on principles of pathology to wide ranging groups, for example, perioperative surgical practitioners and ophthalmology FY2s. I also give invited lectures at National and International meetings.