Personal Statement
I am currently employed as a Professor in the Centre for Drug Safety Science at the University of Liverpool. The main focus of my research group is investigation and definition of the relationship between the chemistry of antigen formation and the mechanisms by which this leads to an aberrant T-cell-mediated immune response in man. My research group is composed of 2 post-doctoral research fellows, 6 PhD students and 1 research technician. The research carried out in my laboratory adds an extra dimension to the on-going research in the Centre for Drug Safety Science, which is directed by Professor B. Kevin Park.
Key Achievements

• Position Held – Professor of Drug Safety Science, The University of Liverpool
• Research Group – 4 post-doctoral research fellow, 8 PhD students, 3 research technicians
• Research Areas – (1) Investigation of the cellular mechanisms of hypersensitivity reactions to drugs and chemicals. (2) Definition of the mechanism(s) by which drugs interact with immune cells. (3) Evaluation of the safety of vaccines. (4) Evaluation of the immunogenicity of new modality drugs.
Published over 220 peer-reviewed articles in international recognized journals including Hepatology, The Journal of Immunology, Allergy and Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
• Prizes – Awarded 13 prizes for achievements in research and academia, including, the British Toxicology Society Young Investigator award, the British Pharmacological Society Bill Bowman Travelling Lectureship and the ISSX New Investigator Award.
• Invitations to speak – Invited to present research at over 100 national or international meetings

Research Overview
Chemical and cellular basis of immunological drug reactions
I have developed practical and conceptual means to combine aspects of genetics, cell biology and chemistry in order to study the fundamental principles of drug and chemical hypersensitivity. This unique approach has allowed me to study immunological reactions from man to molecule and back again. A deeper understanding of such basic scientific principles can on the one hand inform clinical practice and on the other safe drug development in the Pharmaceutical Industry. Active innovative projects funded by the MRC and Pharma that highlight real-life impact include
i. Delivery of personalized drug treatment strategies to allergic patients. This allows us to make an impact clinically, by translating laboratory findings into patient care.
ii. Development of a toolbox of assays for drug immunogenicity prediction. Working alongside Pharma we have a pathway for application of the assays in a real-life setting.
iii. As leaders in mechanistic immunopharmacology, we are regularly approached by Pharma to explore the immunogenicity of drugs undergoing clinical trials.
I have co-authored 220 peer-reviewed publications including 15 articles in Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (impact factor [IF] 14.3), 7 in Allergy (IF 14.9), 4 in Hepatology (IF 17.4), 4 in Journal of Investigative Dermatology (IF 8.6). I have acted as a project lead on important university programmes including MRC CDSS, and IMI MIP-DILI & ARDAT. I have established programmes with over 40 national and international clinical centres to explore mechanisms of adverse drug reactions. External knowledge exchange is evidenced through (i) foundation of the European T-cell immunity network in Allergy, (ii) award of International and European Marie Curie Actions Incoming Fellowships, (iii) hosting of visiting fellows from Asia (China, South Korea and Thailand), South America (Mexico) and Europe (UK, France, Germany, Spain), (iv) appointment as visiting Distinguished Professor at Shandong Provincial Institute of Dermatology and award of a Chinese Overseas Talent Programme. Prizes awarded for research excellence including the prestigious American Chemical Society young investigator award, the British Pharmacological Society Novartis prize and ISSX New Investigator Award. 45 PhD students (39 as primary supervisor) have been awarded degrees under my supervision.