About
As a paediatric infectious disease specialist, I am passionate the prevention and treatment of infectious from before birth up to adolescence. Alongside my clinical and research work, I enjoy communicating scientific concepts around vaccination and infection to the public. I have authored animations which are shown in antenatal waiting rooms around the country and led a project using fashion to communicate the protective benefits of vaccines in pregnancy.
Research
Research interests
- Vaccination in pregnancy
- Infection risk reduction in pregnancy
- Congenital infections
- Cytomegalovirus
- Paediatric and adolescent vaccination
Research projects
Completed projects
Publications
Supervision
Current PhD Students
Teaching
Education of Paediatric Infection trainees: Provision of online education; national and European workshops; contribution to training syllabus; mentorship of clinical and academic trainees to ensure achieve goals
- Undergraduate medical student research project supervisor
- Head of Field for medical student research projects
- 4th year BM4 and BM5 teaching on infections in children
- Personal tutor for undergraduate students
- Interviewer for prospective medical students
- Lecturer on Endocrinology and Life Cycle Module
- Academic mentor for SFP trainees
- Supervisor for MMedSci intercalculating students
- Mentorship of specialist nurses through Masters programme
- Immunisation module co-lead for Oxford Postgraduate Diploma and MSc in Paediatric Infectious Diseases
- PhD supervisor
- Education lead for British Paediatric Allergy, Immunity and Infection Group (BPAIIG)
- BPAIIG representative on College Speciality Advisory Committee (CSAC) for Paediatric Immunology and Infection
- Lead for Paediatrics Specialist Foundation Programme in Wessex Deanery
External roles and responsibilities
Biography
I am a clinician scientist specialising in paediatric infectious disease. I deliver inpatient and outpatient care to children with complex infections across Wessex. I lead the congenital infection service for the region. Recently, I have implemented a new pathway of diagnostic testing of newborns for CMV, to reduce the time to diagnosis and commencement of treatment of eligible infants.
My research focusses on interventions in pregnancy to prevent infections in early life. I lead studies to reduce the risk of CMV acquisition in pregnancy by simple behavioural modifications. I am leading studies in the UK of CMV vaccines in women of childbearing age and adolescents. I am a medical advisor to the charity CMV Action and co-director of the European Congenital CMV Initiative.
I am an expert in the field of maternal vaccination and have led pertussis, RSV, GBS and COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials in pregnancy. I am the co-director of IMPRINT (imprint-network.co.uk), a global network of experts in vaccination in pregnancy and early life.
My contribution to national COVID-19 response included national leadership of clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines, contributing to national groups first identifying a new condition related to COVID-19 (PIMS-TS), describing phenotype, epidemiology, and management; co-leadership of paediatric RECOVERY trial to identify safe and effective NHS treatments.
Prizes
- Fellowship of Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (2020)
- Distinguished Award for Education (2022)