Academic Unit of Ophthalmology

The Academic Unit of Ophthalmology was established in 1989 with the aid of generous support from the Birmingham Eye Foundation and the Hale-Rudd Bequest. Today, it is part of the Centre for Translational Inflammation Research (CTIR), School of Immunity and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences at the University of Birmingham. It has an international reputation in patient-driven research focussing on the inflammatory mechanisms in the ocular microenvironement. Specific interests include clinical, translational and laboratory research in uveitis, ocular surface disease, innate and adaptive immune processes and investigating novel signalling pathways that can be potential targets for innovative treatments in this sight-threatening group of disorders.

The Unit is headed by the Inflammatory Eye Disease service Academic Consultants, Professor Murray and Miss Rauz (Clinical Senior Lecturer), whose clinics are research-led where all patients under their care have the opportunity to participate in clinical research studies including pharmaceutical trials. The Unit comprises of a number of clinical rooms, laboratories and offices with laboratory work being undertaken at the CITR based at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham with access to core research facilities.

The Academic Unit has a strong track record in training clinical academics including junior and senior research fellows and has had recent success in the Walport programme for academic trainees.

Philip I Murray – Professor and Head of Academic Unit

Saaeha  Rauz – Clinical Senior Lecturer

Alastair Denniston – Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer

Graham R Wallace – Non-clinical Senior Lecturer

S  John Curnow – Non-clinical Senior Lecturer

Geraint P Williams – NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer

Paul J Tomlins – Clinical Lecturer

Priscilla Mathewson – Research Fellow

Toyin Oyede – Junior Research Fellow

Robert J Barry –Fight for Sight PhD student

Matt Edmunds – Wellcome Trust Clinical Training Fellow/PhD student

Lying Low – Academic Clinical Fellow

Jawaher Al-Salem – PhD student

Siobhan Restorick – PhD student

Lindsay Durant – Research technician

Marie Voice – PhD student

Sue Southworth – Research Nurse Practitioner

Ranjit Gidda – Research Nurse Practitioner

Lisa Allen – Research Data Co-ordinator

Manjit Gill – Tissue and Laboratory Technical Officer

Jenny Hudson – Unit Manager

Kate Martin – Senior Medical Secretary

Anna Beckett – Junior Medical Secretary

Apart from the teaching and training of ophthalmology trainees from the West Midlands Postgraduate School of Ophthalmology, the Academic Unit is responsible for the development and content of the MBChB ophthalmology curriculum in one of the UK’s largest Medical Schools (approx. 400 students per year).  Staff members are also actively involved in both organising, teaching on BMedSc and MSc courses as well as directly supervising students modules.

Many of the senior members of the Academic Unit are involved in patient involvement groups and patient charities.