Research
Research groups
Research interests
- Vaccination in pregnancy
- Infection risk reduction in pregnancy
- Congenital infections
- Cytomegalovirus
- Paediatric and adolescent vaccination
Research projects
Completed projects
Publications
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)