My research is focused on 2 main questions:

1. What are the molecular factors that drive and maintain the abnormal mucosal inflammation in Crohn’s disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC)?

2. How do we translate this understanding into new and better medical treatments for CD and UC?

My overarching research aim is to translate new knowledge of immune and inflammatory mucosal mechanisms into new therapeutic approaches in IBD. I work very closely with dedicated IBD clinicians, biologists, immunologists and drug development teams with a strong focus on direct studies on human IBD along with in vivo experimental work. Major mechanistic themes are:

1. Gut derived mucosal damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs)

2. Mitochondrial dysfunction and ROS-signalling

3. Metabolic programing of the mucosal immune response

QUALIFICATIONS/AWARDS

Fellow of Royal College of Physicians (Edinburgh)

Medical Research Council (MRC) Clinician Scientist Award

Faculty IBD F1000 section member and Editorial Board IBD Monitor

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) University of Edinburgh: Clinical and genetic determinants of severe ulcerative colitis

British Society of Gastroenterology CORE Research Prize

European Gastreonterology Rising Star Award

American Gastroenterology Association (3 distinction awards)

European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation Young Investigators Award

Member of Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh

MBChB University of Glasgow