Leading genetic basis of disease researchers
Professor Mark Caulfield
Professor Mark Caufield, director of the William Harvey Research Institute, is a pre-eminent figure in the genetics of cardiovascular disease.
He led the MRC British Genetics of Hypertension Study and is on the Steering group for three major Cardiovascular Outcome trials; ASCOT, Illuminate and Aviator. Prof Caufield was elected to the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2008 and in 2009 he became President of the British Hypertension Society.
Profile: Professor Mark Caulfield
Professor Patricia Munroe
Professor Munroe’s research is primarily focused on determining the genetic basis of essential hypertension. She is co-leading international studies (Global BPgen and ICBP-GWAS consortia) to find genes causing high blood pressure. Professor Munroe also co-ordinates the British Genetics of Hypertension (BRIGHT) study with Prof Mark Caulfield and is a member of the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC).
Profile: Professor Patricia Munroe
Professor Graham Hitman
Professor of Molecular Medicine & Diabetes Deputy Director (Research), Blizard Institute of Cell and Molecular Science. In 1986 he was appointed as a Senior Lecturer in Medicine and Honorary Consultant Physician at the Royal London Hospital . His clinical specialty is in diabetes and in addition to general diabetes work he runs clinics for adolescent patients, cystic fibrosis related diabetes and lipid disorders. In 1995 Professor Hitman was awarded a personal chair in Molecular Medicine and Diabetes. Since 2003 he has been Deputy Director of the Institute of Cell and Molecular Science and was Centre Lead for Diabetes between 2000-2006. Professor Hitman currently leads, together with Professor Chris Griffiths, the North East London Diabetes Local Research Network.
Profile: Professor Graham Hitman
Professor David van Heel
David van Heel is a Professor of Gastrointestinal Genetics and an Honorary Consultant Gastroenterologist at the Barts and The London NHS Trust. His main clinical and research focus is coeliac disease and Crohn's disease, with a more general interest in the ‘autoimmune’ diseases. Professor van Heel was awarded the 2009 Sir Francis Avery Jones Research Award by the British Society of Gastroenterology.
Profile: Professor David van Heel
Professor Dean Nizetic
Prof. Nizetic is one of the world leading scientists in research into DS-associated leukaemia, holder of the programme grant and prestigious Gordon Piller PhD studentship from Leukaemia Research Fund. The long term research theme of Prof. Nizetic's group is the study of chromosome and gene dose effects (aneuploidy and haploinsufficiency) on cellular functions, specifically the phenotypic features of Down syndrome (DS).
Profile: Professor Dean Nizetic
Professor Inderjeet Dokal
Professor Dokal's principal research interest is the pathophysiology of aplastic anaemia (AA)/bone marrow failure. In order to understand the biology of aplastic anaemia he has focused on monogenic disorders associated with AA. This has enabled him to combine his Paediatric, Haematological and Scientific expertise to address an important clinical problem. As a MRC Research Fellow he was able to delineate some of the cellular features of two of the commonest inherited bone marrow failure syndromes, Fanconi anaemia (FA) and dyskeratosis congenita (DC).
Profile: Professor Inderjeet Dokal
Dr Tom Vulliamy
Dr Vulliamy's recent research has focussed on understanding the pathophysiology of bone marrow failure. His research group has identified genes that are mutated in the severe multisystem disorder, dyskeratosis congenita, which is characterised by failure of tissues that undergo constant renewal, including the haemopoetic system, the gut and the skin.
Additional research interests have included the molecular basis of glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, one of the most common human genetic disorders due to the resistance it confers during malaria infection. This work has lead to an ongoing study of the genetic factors that influence disease severity in a large cohort of sickle cell disease patients being carried out as a collaborative study between London , Paris and Cotonou in West Africa.