Newcastle University
Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
Country
United Kingdom
Institution
John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Institute for Translational and Clinical Research, Newcastle University and the Newcastle Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Education summary
Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany, M.D. (Human Medicine); Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany, Ph.D. (Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy); Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Iowa City, USA, Postdoctoral fellow (Kevin Campbell's lab); University of Essen, Essen, Germany, Specialty in Paediatrics
Career summary
1993-1995, Medical Residency, Paediatrics, University of Düsseldorf, Germany; 1995-1998 Postdoctoral Fellow, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Iowa, US; 1998-2001, Medical Residency, Paediatrics & Paediatric Neurology, University of Essen, Germany; 2001-2003, Reader in Paediatrics, University of Essen, Essen, Germany; 2003-Present, The Harold Macmillan Chair of Medicine and Professor for Neuromuscular Genetics, Institute of Translational and Clinical Research, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; 2017-Present, Director, Newcastle University John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre; 2019-Present, Co-Director MRC International Centre for Genomic Medicine in Neuromuscular Diseases; 2019-Present, Deputy Dean Newcastle University Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
What is the personal or professional achievement you’re most proud of?
I am proud to be the director of Newcastle University’s John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre (JWMDRC, around 100 staff), which is organised into four teams concentrating on: 1) clinical care and diagnostics, 2) basic research, 3) clinical trial delivery and 4) networking and cohort development. The tight interaction of the different teams leads to an excellent perspective for translational research and for delivering the impact of research into service. The JWMDRC is recognised as one of the leading centres for translational research in neuromuscular diseases in the world and all its achievements are down to fantastic team work and national and international collaborations.
Why did you first join the WMS?
I have always viewed the WMS as an organisation of like-minded colleagues and friends that aim to improve the lives of people living with neuromuscular diseases through basic, translational and clinical research. I first joined the WMS in 1999 and have attended 25 of its annual Congresses. We hosted the annual WMS Congress in Newcastle in 2008 and I have been a faculty member of the Pre-Congress Teaching Course for many years. I have served on the Executive Board of the Society since 2009 and had the privilege to be elected as President of the WMS since 2019.
What is your goal in joining the Executive Board?
The main reason why I would like to continue joining the WMS Executive Board is to support the next President and Executive Officers in their tasks to lead a modern, interdisciplinary research society with global outreach. As my second term as the President of the WMS comes to an end, I would like to share and pass on the knowledge I gained over the past 6 years with the Executive Board and its elected Executive Officers.
