Medicine

Professor Dora is a Fellow in Physiological Sciences (Pharmacology) and her research interests focus on cell-cell communication in resistance arteries. Predominantly focusing on signalling pathways within the endothelium, she uses sophisticated and novel techniques to monitor rapid changes in intracellular Ca2+ and how they link to the activation of dilator pathways.

View all publications on the Department of Pharmacology website

Dr Parrington is a Fellow in Physiological Sciences (Pharmacology) and his research interests are molecular mechanisms of reproduction and early embryogenesis, the role of calcium signals in mediating key physiological events, and genomic and proteomic approaches to understanding cell signalling.

The principal research interest of Dr Parrington’s research group is in using molecular approaches to study how calcium signalling governs key physiological events.

Parrington group website

View all publications on the Department of Pharmacology website

Professor Andrew Price studied medicine at the University of Cambridge (Gonville and Caius College) before completing his clinical studies at St.Thomas’ Hospital in London. For his Orthopaedic training he joined the Oxford training programme in 1997, becoming a Clinical Lecturer in NDORMS in 2001.

He was awarded a DPhil in 2003 through the University of Oxford (Worcester College), studying the Oxford partial knee replacement. He then completed a year of specialist Knee Fellowship training in Melbourne, returning to NDORMs and the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in 2004, where he was subsequently appointed Reader and Honorary Consultant in Knee Surgery.

In 2011, through the University of Oxford Recognition of Distinction exercise, he was made a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at NDORMS. His clinical work as a Consultant Knee Surgeon is based at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, where he has recently been appointed to Clinical Director T&O. His research is based in NDORMS at the Botnar Centre, where he Leads the Knee Research Group.

Andrew is Fellow of Worcester College (Tutor for Graduate Entry Medical Studies), a member of the British Orthopaedic Association, member of the UK National Joint Registry Steering Committee and Past President of the British Association for Surgery of the Knee (BASK).

Price Group | Knee Research Group

View all publications on the NDORMS website

I studied medicine at Oxford (Worcester and GTC), graduating with a First Class and Distinction, before undertaking the Academic Foundation Programme in North West London where I worked as a junior doctor alongside conducting primary care research at Imperial College. I then took a career break and worked for The Nuffield Trust healthcare policy think tank and as a volunteer doctor in Blantyre, Malawi. I returned to Oxford in 2016 to take up an Academic Clinical Fellowship in medical oncology and was appointed a Lecturer in Medicine at Worcester. Following this I undertook a DPhil (PhD) in Oxford, and am now completing higher specialty training in Medical Oncology, alongside conducting Postdoctoral research at the University of Oxford. I was appointed as a Supernumerary Fellow of Worcester College in 2024.

As Director of Graduate Entry Medicine at Worcester I act as Director of Studies for students on the accelerated medicine course – this is a four-year medical degree for those with an undergraduate degree in a science subject. As well as acting as Admitting Tutor for this subject and being College Advisor for all students on this course, I deliver lots of teaching on topics such as cancer biology, immunology, medical ethics and critical appraisal. I also teach the clinical students (years 2-4 of the graduate entry course and years 4-6 of the undergraduate course) across a wide range of medical topics in both a classroom-based and bedside setting (i.e. on the hospital wards).

As well as being a Fellow and Director of Graduate Entry Medicine at Worcester, I am a Clinical Lecturer in the Department of Oncology, spending half my time conducting post-doctoral research and the other half as a clinical doctor, completing higher specialty training in medical oncology.

I completed a Wellcome Trust-funded DPhil in the Fairfax Lab at the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine (WIMM) in August 2023 and continue to work with Prof. Ben Fairfax and other colleagues across Oxford Cancer to understand T cell responses following immune treatments for cancer. I use a variety of techniques including single cell transcriptomics and analysis of T cell repertoires to draw novel insights into the molecular mechanisms of immune checkpoint blockade and other experimental immunotherapies. I primarily work with human tissue and aim to translate research findings into patient-focussed interventions.

My current post is funded by CRIS, a Spanish cancer research charity, and prior to this I was awarded a CRUK pre-doctoral bursary, which allowed me to generate preliminary data to apply to the Wellcome Trust for my Doctoral Fellowship.

View all publications on ORCID

Highlights:

• Taylor CA*, Watson RA*, Tong O*, Ye W, Nassiri I, Gilchrist JJ, et al. IL7 genetic variation and toxicity to immune checkpoint blockade in patients with melanoma. Nature Medicine 2022 Dec;28(12):2592–600.
• Tsakok MT*, Watson RA*, Saujani SJ, Kong M, Xie C, Peschl H, et al. Chest CT and Hospital Outcomes in Patients with Omicron Compared with Delta Variant SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Radiology. 2022 Jun 21;220533.
• Watson RA*, Tong O*, Cooper R, Taylor CA, Sharma PK, de los Aires AV, et al. Immune checkpoint blockade sensitivity and progression-free survival associates with baseline CD8+ T cell clone size and cytotoxicity. Science Immunology. 2021 Oct;6(64).
• Watson RA*, De La Pena H*, Tsakok MT, Joseph J, Stoneham S, Shamash J, Joffe JK, Mazhar D, Traill Z, Ho LP, Brand S, Protheroe A. Development of a best-practice clinical guideline for the use of bleomycin in the treatment of germ cell tumours in the UK. British Journal of Cancer. 2018 Oct;119(9):1044-1051.
• Mazet JM, Mahale JN, Tong O, Watson RA, Lechuga-Vieco AV, Pirgova G, et al. IFNγ signaling in cytotoxic T cells restricts anti-tumor responses by inhibiting the maintenance and diversity of intra-tumoral stem-like T cells. Nature Communications. 2023 Jan 19;14(1):321.
• Gilchrist JJ, Makino S, Naranbhai V, Sharma PK… Watson RA…, et al. Natural Killer cells demonstrate distinct eQTL and transcriptome-wide disease associations, highlighting their role in autoimmunity. Nature Communications. 2022 Jul 14;13(1):4073.
• Ahern DJ, Ai Z, Ainsworth M, … Watson RA…, et al. A blood atlas of COVID-19 defines hallmarks of disease severity and specificity. Cell. 2022 Mar 3;185(5):916-938.e58.
• Peng Y, Felce SL, Dong D, Penkava F, Mentzer AJ… Watson RA,… et al. An immunodominant NP105–113-B*07:02 cytotoxic T cell response controls viral replication and is associated with less severe COVID-19 disease. Nature Immunology 2022 Jan;23(1):50–61.
• Chinnery PF, Bonnet M, Cave A, Hofer MP, Lamb A,… Watson RA…, et al. Choosing drugs for UK COVID-19 treatment trials. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery. 2022 Feb;21(2):81–2.

Professor Brian Angus is the Director of the Oxford Centre for Clinical Tropical Medicine and Global Health. He joined the Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine in 1993 and originally worked in Thailand and Ghana studying pharmacokinetics in severe malaria and melioidosis. His research focus is now on clinical trials and vaccine development in COVID, malaria, influenza, HIV, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and enteric fever. He is Clinical Tutor in Medicine and Associate Professor and Reader in Infectious Diseases at the University of Oxford. He holds an honorary Senior Clinical Scientist title at the Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit (MRC CTU).

Elspeth studied at Oxford and remained there for her foundation years. Having enjoyed all six of her foundation rotations, she is currently an ACCS anaesthetic doctor. She has championed research by medical students, acting as Oxford lead for a National Medical student research collaborative and aiding in design of a multi-centre trial on post-operative complications.

Katie obtained a BSc in Biomedical Science from Sheffield University in 2009 and an MB BCh from Cardiff University in 2013. Upon completion of her Foundation Doctor at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, Katie then was employed as an Academic Clinical Fellow on a three-year academic programme where she managed to complete her Basic Surgical Training one year ahead of schedule.

Currently undertaking her DPhil at the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences and a member of Wolfson College, Katie is working towards the crucial understanding of biomarkers within the plaques of peripheral vascular disease.

Katie already has over 30 publications in journals which include those with the highest impact factors in her field. After having won numerous prizes including the Glaxo Fellowship Prize (2016), Oxford University Surgical Tutor of Year (2015, 2016 and 2018), the Sol Cohen Prize of the Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland (2015, 2017 and 2018), and the Professor JR Silbert Prize of the Welsh Paediatric Society (2014).

View all publications on the NDS website

I am an early-career researcher at the Department of Pharmacology, investigating the ion channels and cellular pathways regulating vascular function in small arteries. My current project, funded by the British Heart Foundation, focuses on the effects of neuropeptide Y on coronary microvascular function. Our most recent publication identified a mechanistic link between the Gβγ subunit and small artery vasoconstriction to NPY.

At Worcester I am a tutor for first year Medicine, specialising in vascular physiology, pharmacology, and cellular signalling pathways of muscle contraction. Additionally, I lecture and offer tutorials for the third year FHS Cardiovascular Science option. I also lead and demonstrate for smooth muscle pharmacology practicals, and supervise FHS and MSc project students.

• Lin, J., Scullion, L., Garland, C. and Dora, K., 2023. Gβγ subunit signalling underlies neuropeptide‐Y‐stimulated vasoconstriction in rat mesenteric and coronary arteries. British Journal of Pharmacology.
• Wallis, L., Donovan, L., Johnston, A., Phillips, L.C., Lin, J., Garland, C.J. and Dora, K.A., 2023. Tracking endothelium-dependent NO release in pressurized arteries. Frontiers in Physiology, 14, p.1108943.
• Lin, J., Gettings, S.M., Talbi, K., Schreiber, R., Taggart, M.J., Preller, M., Kunzelmann, K., Althaus, M. and Gray, M.A., 2023. Pharmacological inhibitors of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator exert off-target effects on epithelial cation channels. Pflügers Archiv-European Journal of Physiology, 475(2), pp.167-179.
• Dora, K.A., Lin, J., Borysova, L., Beleznai, T., Taggart, M., Ascione, R. and Garland, C., 2022. Signalling and structures underpinning conducted vasodilation in human and porcine intramyocardial coronary arteries. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, p.2243.
• Saint-Criq, V., Wang, Y., Delpiano, L., Lin, J., Sheppard, D.N. and Gray, M.A., 2021. Extracellular phosphate enhances the function of F508del-CFTR rescued by CFTR correctors. Journal of Cystic Fibrosis, 20(5), pp.843-850.
• Lin, J., Taggart, M., Borthwick, L., Fisher, A., Brodlie, M., Sassano, M.F., Tarran, R. and Gray, M.A., 2021. Acute cigarette smoke or extract exposure rapidly activates TRPA1-mediated calcium influx in primary human airway smooth muscle cells. Scientific Reports, 11(1), pp.1-15.
• Saint-Criq, V., Delpiano, L., Casement, J., Onuora, J.C., Lin, J. and Gray, M.A., 2020. Choice of differentiation media significantly impacts cell lineage and response to CFTR modulators in fully differentiated primary cultures of Cystic Fibrosis human airway epithelial cells. Cells, 9(9), p.2137.

I graduated from medical school at the University of Oxford (Worcester College) in 2016. After choosing a career in General Practice, I joined the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences as an Academic Clinical Fellow in 2020. In my clinical role, I am a GP trainee based in Didcot, Oxfordshire. I also have an interest in education, having completed a Master’s degree in Clinical Education at the University of Edinburgh in 2021. I am currently a tutor in clinical medicine at Worcester College, and intend to pursue a career role in the training of future GPs.

I have a strong interest in digital health innovations, and their integration into clinical care pathways. I work within the digital health and long-term conditions research team, supervised by Professor Andrew Farmer. I am currently involved in ongoing research evaluating the role of remote vital sign monitoring in ‘virtual ward’ or ‘hospital-at-home’ settings.

Professor Andrew Protheroe is an Associate Professor of Uro-Oncology within the University of Oxford Department of Oncology at the Oxford Cancer and Haematology Centre. As a consultant medical oncologist he has specialised in managing urological cancer at Oxford since 2001.  He qualified from St Thomas’s Hospital in London and after general medical training in London, trained in Oncology at St James’s University Hospital in Leeds.  His PhD was in tumour immunology and the research was based at Leeds and the National Cancer Institute in Amsterdam as an Honorary ICRF Clinical Research fellow funded by a Northern and Yorkshire research award.

Andrew has established and successfully runs a large portfolio of clinical studies in urological cancer (some Phase I mainly phase II and III) locally, with national and international collaboration, both as CI and PI. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers and is also the founding trustee of a urological cancer charity (UCARE) which is a local Oxfordshire based charity supporting and funding research and raising awareness within the Thames Valley. He was also instrumental in setting up the kidney cancer support group (FROG), and helped to develop the prostate and bladder cancer support groups and set up initiatives to support men with testicular cancer. Since 2014 he has been the co-clinical director for the NIHR Thames Valley and South Midlands Clinical Research Network which supports the infrastructure and facilitates clinical research throughout the area in all healthcare settings. He also is the national lead for the testicular 100, 000 genome project which looks to develop the understanding of the genetics involved in testicular cancer.

Anna graduated from Oxford University in 2013 and since then has completed several years of medical training in Oxford and London, before choosing general practice. She has a long-standing interest in global health, particularly of non-communicable disease, and primary health care delivery, having completed a Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene from the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, in 2015, and spent time clinically working across a range of settings in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Her interest in ageing and elderly medicine blossomed from time as a CEO Clinical Research Fellow at University College London Hospital and the MRC unit of Lifelong Health Ageing. She completed an academic clinical fellowship in general practice and projects included a qualitative interview study with primary care professionals, as to how they identify and manage frailty. She is now a DPhil student using a mixed methods to understand how to optimise cardiovascular medications in those living with frailty.

She works as a GP in Oxford and is a clinical lecturer in medicine at Worcester College.

View all publications on the Primary Care Health Sciences website

Michael Silva is a highly experienced specialist surgeon with an interest in gallbladder surgery along with surgery for bile duct, liver and pancreatic disease including pancreatitis. His practice covers all aspects of benign and malignant disease in this area

Mr Silva has been a leading Teaching Hospital General and HPB Surgical Consultant since 2009 and is the Chair for the Thames Valley Liver Cancer Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) in Oxford. He is the Training Programme Director for Higher Surgical Trainees in the Oxfordshire Thames Valley Deanery and is Clinical Lecturer at Worcester College, Oxford University.

Mr Silva is also the Director for Regional Surgical Networks in the UK for the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and a specialist advisor to NICE (National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence). He is a member of the editorial boards of the British Journal of Surgery (BJS Open) and Current Surgery Reports.