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

Centres and Groups

Centre

• Hunter Medical Research Institute
• PRC - Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science (RS)

Group

• Hunter Medical Research Institute - Pregnancy and Reproduction
• Hunter Medical Research Institute - VIVA

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

Awards

Recognition.

Research Award.

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

Teaching interests

Currently Head of Discipline and Course Co-ordinator for Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Newcastle. Chair of the JMP Curriculum and Assessment committees. Previous develop programmes of inter-professional learning, primary care based learning, distance learning and overseas study. I was closely involved in the setting up of a new Graduate Entry Medical programme, based at Derby in the UK and in the setting up of the JMP as co-chair of the curriculum implementation group. As well as undergraduate teaching I have taught on masters courses in oncology and assisted reproduction, introduced a graduate training programme for research students and devised a training Fellowship for obstetricians wishing to specialise in medical education. I am currently the deputy chair of the education and assessment committee of the RANZCOG and the convenor of the national oral examinations for obstetrics and gynaecology.  I have edited or co-authored 3 undergraduate textbooks on obstetrics and gynaecology and have a masters degree in clinical education. Interests include

Teaching interests

• Assessment of professional behaviour and fitness to practice
• Student Selection for medical School
• Interprofessional education
• E-portfolios in assessment

Programs

• Bachelor of Medicine

Courses

• MEDI4015 - Women and Children's Health