Introduction
I went to Southgate Comprehensive school in North London before studying medicine at St Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical School, where I also intercalated a BSc in Pharmacology. I then undertook junior doctor training in the UK, Australia and New Zealand before commencing a PhD supervised by Sir Nick Wright at the London Research Institute. This changed my career trajectory towards academia and I moved to Oxford in 2010 to take up a Clinician Scientist fellowship at the Wellcome Centre Human Genetics with Professor Ian Tomlinson. Since then, I have undertaken advanced and senior clinician scientist fellowships before taking up my current position with Queen’s.
Teaching
I am a graduate student supervisor and teach medical students on lab placements and within the hospital environment. I am also the Director of the Oxford Centre for Personalised Medicine, which runs 15-20 engagement events throughout the year.
Research
My research interests lie in the regulation of the intestinal stem cell. Stem cells are essential for the development, turnover and repair of the gut and are the targets of carcinogenic mutations in neoplasia. I am interested in the morphogenic signalling pathways that control the intestinal stem cell and how these pathways can be manipulated by drugs in diseases like inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer.
Publications
You can find a list of Simon’s publications here.