Profile

Currently I am a state registered Consultant Clinical Scientist and Pathology Clinical Director at University Hospitals Birmingham.

Experience

I am pathology director for University Hospitals Birmingham and oversee a large multidisciplinary pathology service (2019 – present), providing clinical leadership and direction.

Pathology Director, 2019 - Present, University Hospitals Birmingham

CONSULTANT CLINICAL SCIENTIST, UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS BIRMINGHAM — 2004-PRESENT

During this time, I have been acting as an independent practitioner in the largest laboratory in the West Midlands. My clinical specialty is clinical biochemistry.

FEBRUARY 2019 - APRIL 2020, I WAS CLINICAL SERVICE LEAD FOR BIOCHEMISTRY/IMMUNOLOGY/TOXICOLOGY AND POINT OF CARE TESTING AT UHB

After reorganisation of pathology I was responsible for service delivery over 4 hospital sites with over 120 whole time equivalents of varying grades of staff (Medics, Clinical Scientists, Biomedical Scientists, Medical Laboratory Assistants, and ancillary staff). I was responsible for clinical leadership and ensuring the quality of the clinical biochemistry services to international standards (ISO 15189)

JANUARY 2013 AND FEBRUARY 2019 CLINICAL LEAD FOR BLOOD SCIENCES AT BIRMINGHAM HEARTLANDS HOSPITAL.

I was clinical lead for blood sciences (automated biochemistry and hematology) and an integral member of the team that built a new laboratory facility at Heartlands Hospital. After leading the specialist testing workgroup, I was transferred and made responsible for the implementation of an automated track system for the provision of routine biochemistry which processes over 4500 tubes of blood per day, produc-ing around 4.5 million tests per year.

BETWEEN MAY 2011 AND JAN 2013 HEAD OF DEPARTMENT FOR BIOCHEMISTRY AND IMMUNOLOGY.

I provided clinical leadership for the department of Biochemistry and Immunology and continued my responsibility for specialist chemistry, research, and develop-ment.

BETWEEN MAY 2004 AND JAN 2011 CONSULTANT CLINICAL SCIENTIST DEPARTMENT FOR BIOCHEMISTRY AND IMMUNOLOGY.

I was responsible for all aspects of service development (procurement, funding, re-search, and development) and have developed and published methods supporting a wide variety of clinical services. I have developed and directed the development of highly automated methods for the analysis of Vitamin D (analyzing 80,000 sam-ples per year at low unit cost) and other compounds (Testosterone, Steroids, Bio-genic Amines, Metabolites in the Methionine Cycle, Prostaglandins) including pro-teins/peptides (corticotrophic releasing hormone and Hepcidin). I led on several business cases, including purchasing mass spectrometers, and creating toxicology at Heartlands Hospital.

I was training lead for clinical scientists; a member of the regional training scheme and the trust lead clinical scientist.

PRINCIPAL CLINICAL SCIENTIST, DEPT OF CLINICAL PATHOLOGY, NOTTINGHAM CITY HOSPITAL, NOTTINGHAM — 2001 - 2004

In this role I was responsible for the electrophoresis and Downs Syndrome screening services in addition to general clinical biochemistry. These services supported the clinical service provision at a multi-specialty hospital. While here I developed and implemented capillary electrophoresis methods to help support the diagnosis and monitoring of multiple myeloma.

SENIOR CLINICAL SCIENTIST, DEPT OF CLINICAL PATHOLOGY, NOTTINGHAM CITY HOSPITAL, NOTTINGHAM — 1999 - 2001

In this role I was responsible for the development and implementation of point of care testing in addition to the provision of clinical support for general clinical biochemistry

SENIOR CLINICAL SCIENTIST, DEPARTMENT OF BIOCHEMISTRY, BROOMFIELD HOSPITAL, CHELMSFORD — 1995 - 2001

In this role I was responsible for the provision of clinical support for general clinical biochemistry and the implementation of a quality management system.

GRADE A CLINICAL SCIENTIST, DEPARTMENT OF BIOCHEMISTRY, LEEDS GENERAL INFIRMARY, LEEDS — 1992 - 1995

This role was a training role, for my master thesis I developed a method to determine glycosylation patterns of proteins in the acute phase response.

Skills

Underpinning my role has been a strong background in informatics and information technology. I am a competent computer programmer (C#, JavaScript, and Ruby) and have developed my own commercial applications both on iOS and World Wide Web. I apply these skills to break complex problems and tasks into smaller functional units which make me an excellent problem solver. I am skilled in Information Technology and Management and I have integrated mass spectrometry systems into the routine clinical laboratory as well as producing applications and software for various scenarios.

During my career I have undertaken and participated in several core IT projects – from GP connect in the 1990’s (connecting GP surgeries for electronic reporting – regional lead for Essex) to securing a grant with Dr Rick Jones to develop the message standards that currently underpin NPex (The National Pathology Exchange) and lab to lab communication.

More recently I have been involved and researched effective mechanisms for the use of laboratory services – “smart” electronic requesting and visualisation of laboratory results.

I have a strong analytical background and have expertise in several analytical techniques, principally Tandem Mass Spectroscopy and Capillary Electrophoresis. I believe I have been innovative in developing and implementing services and products, often with constrained resources. I have used my IT skills for example writing automated interfaces between laboratory information systems and mass spectrometers or working with suppliers to develop commercial alternatives. These skills are generalisable and transferable, particularly around problem solving and system flow.

I am a good communicator and I teach regularly on clinical data interpretation and mass spectrometry for Greenwich University and the University of Birmingham. I have been invited to speak at national and international conferences.

I can act on initiative; identify opportunities and I am proactive in putting forward ideas and solutions within my team and on a wider strategic scale. I am motivated to provide the highest quality, cost efficient assays and clinical services.

I am a good team leader and excel in leadership roles enabling me to deliver high quality projects on time and within budget.

I have good project management skills and I have supervised students for the research component of their MSc as well as directing projects to deliver clinical services.

I have been responsible for implementing demand management systems, ranging from systems where requests are rejected based on various clinical parameters e.g., minimum testing intervals for CRP, TSH and Haematinics, to systems based on shaping requests at the source by recommending tests based on clinical information e.g., Profile based requesting in the Emergency Department at Heartlands which reduced test requests by approx. 30%. This work also won an innovation award from a regional clinical leadership group. Clinically my specialty is pheochromocytoma and vitamin D metabolism.

Education

  • The University of Leeds, BSc (Hons) Biochemistry and Food Science, 2(i), 1992
  • The University of Manchester, Master’s Degree in Clinical Biochemistry, 1996
  • Fellowship of Royal College of Pathologists (UK), 2002

Other Roles

  • Honorary Senior Lecturer Birmingham University
  • Course leader in Clinical Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Greenwich University.
  • Course leader in Clinical Interpretation, Greenwich University

Professional Memberships and Registration

  • Association of Clinical Biochemists (ordinary member)
  • Fellow of the Royal College Of Pathologists
  • Clinical Scientists registration board (CPSM) registration number: CS.2409
  • Chartered Scientist (Registration Number: ACB/120/003151)
  • Expert/Consultant member of European Laboratory medicine working group on Biological Variation

Past Memberships

  • Member of Communications and Publications Division of International Fed-eration of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
  • Vice Chair of Communications and Publications Division of International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
  • Chair of Communications and Publications Division, European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
  • Member of Association of Clinical Biochemists demand management group
  • Regional Chair Royal College of Pathologists
  • Member of RCPath, Pathology Infomatics Group

Publications

Interlaboratory comparison study of immunosuppressant analysis using a fully automated LC-MS/MS system. Zahr N, Duce H, Duffy J, Webster C, Rentsch KM. Clin Chem Lab Med. 2022 Sep 2;60(11):1753-1762. doi: 10.1515/cclm-2021-1340. Print 2022 Oct 26.

Vitamin D status: a U-shaped relationship for SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity in UK healthcare workers. Lugg ST, Mackay WR, Faniyi AA, Faustini SE, Webster C, Duffy JE, Hewison M, Shields AM, Pa-rekh D, Richter AG, Scott A, Thickett DR. BMJ Open Respir Res. 2022 Sep;9(1):e001258. doi: 10.1136/bmjresp-2022-001258.

Vitamin D status and seroconversion for COVID-19 in UK healthcare workers. Faniyi AA, Lugg ST, Faustini SE, Webster C, Duffy JE, Hewison M, Shields A, Nightingale P, Rich-ter AG, Thickett DR. Eur Respir J. 2021 Apr 8;57(4):2004234. doi: 10.1183/13993003.04234-2020. Print 2021 Apr.

Co-administration of 5α-reductase Inhibitors Worsens the Adverse Metabolic Effects of Pre-scribed Glucocorticoids. Othonos N, Marjot T, Woods C, Hazlehurst JM, Nikolaou N, Pofi R, White S, Bonaventura I, Web-ster C, Duffy J, Cornfield T, Moolla A, Isidori AM, Hodson L, Tomlinson JW.

Genetic polymorphisms, vitamin D binding protein and vitamin D deficiency in COVID-19. Faniyi AA, Lugg ST, Faustini SE, Webster C, Duffy JE, Hewison M, Shields A, Nightingale P, Rich-ter AG, Thickett DR. Eur Respir J. 2021 May 6;57(5):2100653. doi: 10.1183/13993003.00653-2021. Print 2021 May.

Rapid implementation and validation of a cold-chain free SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic testing workflow to support surge capacity, Andrew Bosworth, Celina Whalley, Charlie Poxon, Kasun Wanigasooriya, Oliver Pickles, Erin L. Aldera, Danai Papakonstantinou, Gabriella L. Morley, Eloise M. Walker, Agnieszka E. Zielinska, Dee McLoughlin, Craig Webster, Tim Plant, Andrew Ellis, Alex Richter, I. Michael Kidd, Andrew D. Beggs, Journal of Clinical Virology, Volume 128, 2020

Co-administration of 5α-reductase inhibitors worsens the adverse metabolic effects of pre-scribed glucocorticoids, N Othonos, T Marjot, C Woods, JM Hazlehurst, N Nikolaou, R Pofi, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 105 (9), e3316-e3328, 2020

Vitamin B12 deficiency and altered one-carbon metabolites in early pregnancy is associat-ed with maternal obesity and dyslipidaemia, A Adaikalakoteswari, C Wood, TH Mina, C Web-ster, I Goljan, …Scientific reports 10 (1), 1-9, 2020

Development and clinical application of a prednisolone/cortisol assay to determine adher-ence to maintenance oral prednisolone in severe asthma, AH Mansur, M Hassan, J Duffy, C Webster, Chest, 2020

Vitamin D status and seroconversion for COVID-19 in UK healthcare workers, AA Faniyi, ST Lugg, SE Faustini, C Webster, JE Duffy, M Hewison, European Respiratory Journal, 2020

Hepcidin detects iron deficiency in Sri Lankan adolescents with a high burden of hemoglo-binopathy: A diagnostic test accuracy study. Wray K, Allen A, Evans E, Fisher C, Premaward-hena A, Perera L, Rodrigo R, Goonathilaka G, Ramees L, Webster C, Armitage AE, Prentice AM, Weatherall DJ, Drakesmith H, Pasricha SR. Am J Hematol. 2017 Feb;92(2):196-203. doi: 10.1002/ajh.24617.

Simultaneous detection of five one-carbon metabolites in plasma using stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Adaikalakoteswari A, Webster C, Goljan I, Saravanan P. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2016 Feb 15;1012-1013:186-92. doi: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2016.01.026. Epub 2016 Jan 23.

Rapidly Escalating Hepcidin and Associated Serum Iron Starvation Are Features of the Acute Response to Typhoid Infection in Humans, Darton TC, Blohmke CJ, Giannoulatou E, Waddington CS, Jones C, Sturges P, Webster C, Drakesmith H, Pollard AJ, Armitage AE. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2015 Sep 22;9(9):e0004029. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004029. eCollection 2015 Sep.

Low maternal vitamin B12 status is associated with lower cord blood HDL cholesterol in white Caucasians living in the UK. Adaikalakoteswari, A., Vatish, M., Lawson, A., Wood, C., Si-vakumar, K., McTernan, P. G., et al. (2015). Nutrients, 7(4), 2401–2414. http://doi.org/10.3390/nu7042401

Hepcidin is suppressed by erythropoiesis in hemoglobin E beta-thalassemia and beta-thalassemia trait, Jones, E., Pasricha, S.-R., Allen, A., Evans, P., Fisher, C. A., Wray, K., et al. (2015). Blood, 125(5), 873–880. http://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2014-10-606491

Distinct patterns of hepcidin and iron regulation during HIV-1, HBV, and HCV infections. Armitage, A. E., Stacey, A. R., Giannoulatou, E., Marshall, E., Sturges, P., Chatha, K., et al. (2014). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 111(33), 12187–12192. http://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1402351111

**Subclinical thyroid dysfunction and cardiac function amongst minority ethnic groups in the UK: A cross sectional study. **Gill PS, Patel JV, Chackathayil J, Webster C, Davis RC, Hughes E, Lip GY. Int J Cardiol. 2013 Aug 16. doi:pii: S0167-5273(13)01555-6. 10.1016/j.ijcard.2013.08.030. [Epub ahead of print]

Relationship of total 25-OH vitamin D concentrations to Indices of Multiple Deprivation: geo-analysis of laboratory results, Craig Webster, Ann Clin Biochem, January 2013; vol. 50, 1: pp. 31-38.

Vitamin D deficiency amongst minority ethnic groups in the UK: a cross sectional study. Jeetesh V. Patel, Julia Chackathayil, Elizabeth A. Hughes, Craig Webster, Gregory Y.H. Lip, Paramjit S. Gill, International journal of cardiology 9 November 2012 (Article in Press DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2012.05.081)

Circulating DBP level and prognosis in operated lung cancer: an exploration of pathophysiology. Turner AM, McGowan L, Millen A, Rajesh P, Webster C, Langman G, Rock G, Tachibana I, Tomlinson MG, Berditchevski F, Naidu B., Eur Respir J. 2013 Feb;41(2):410-6. doi: 10.1183/09031936.00002912. Epub 2012 May 3.

Comparison of serum lipoprotein(a) concentration and two single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with elevated lipoprotein(a) to kringle repeat number determined from genomic DNA. A.J. Lawson, R. Marrington, C. Jewkes, C. Webster, A. Jones, Atherosclerosis 1 August 2012 (volume 223 issue 2 Page 529 DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2012.06.03

Effect of historical changes in HDL-cholesterol measurements on cardiovascular risk as-sessment. R. Marrington, C. Webster, C. Jewkes, A. Jones, Atherosclerosis 1 October 2011 (vol-ume 218 issue 2 Page e2 DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2011.07.062)

Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the measurement of serum mevalonic acid: a novel marker of hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibition by statins. Waldron J, Webster C. Ann Clin Biochem. 2011 May;48(Pt 3):223–232.

Measurement of urinary metadrenaline and normetadrenaline by liquid chromatography tan-dem mass spectrometry for the diagnosis of phaeochromocytoma. Marrington R, Johnston J, Knowles S, Webster C. Ann Clin Biochem. 2010 Sep.;47(Pt 5):467–475.

Are our HDL assays fit for purpose? Rachel Marrington, Craig Webster, Pamela Sturges, Eileen Macerola, Christina Jewkes and Alan Jones, Atherosclerosis, Volume 213, Issue 1, November 2010, Page e2,

Ethnic differences in umbilical cord blood vitamin D and parathyroid hormone – South Asians compared to Whites born in the UK. Sulaiman et al. Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neo-natal Medicine (0) vol. 0 (0) pp. 1-3

Delivering Multimedia Education in Clinical Biochemistry, eJIFCC 2006;17(2) Paper 1

Case-of-the-Week: connected, collaborative clinical chemistry, eJIFCC 2006;17(2) Paper 2

Web usability and database connectivity how to use them in the laboratory, electronic journal of the IFCC, Vol 15 no 1, 2004, http://www.ifcc.org/ejifcc/vol15no1/150102200401n.htm

Web Sites for Everyone, ACB News Sheet March 2001

Electronic publication of the eJIFCC, Editorial, electronic Journal of the International Federation Of Clinical Chemists, Volume 12 No 3, 2000

The Internet, Journal of the International Federation Of Clinical Chemists, 1997

An Internet Resource Guide, ACB News sheet March 1995