Immunology Professional Committee
The Association of Clinical Scientists in Immunology merged with the Association for Clinical Biochemistry in 2007. Immunologists are represented within the Association by the Immunology Professional Committee, (IPC). The Immunology Professional Committee represents the interests of our immunology Members.
Immunology Professional Committee
- Alison Whitelegg - Chair
- Karen Smith - Lead Station Writer
- Elizabeth Ralph - Communications Lead
- Emma Callery - Education and Workforce
- Daniel Payne - Education and Workforce
- Ashleigh Rainey - Scientific / Clinical Practice
- Kimberly Gilmore - BSI-CIPN Representative
- Rachel Dale - Representative - Post-Registration Trainees
- Stephanie Laba - Representative - Pre-Registration Trainees
- Helen James - Representative - Pre-Registration Trainees
- Adrian Heaps - Consultant Scientist Royal College of Pathologists Specialty Advisory Committee Representative
- Elin Davies - Ordinary Member
- Kristen Lilly - Ordinary Member
What is Immunology?
Immunology is the study of the immune system, which protects us from infection. There are three main ways in which the immune system contributes to disease.
1. Activation: The immune system may be active when fighting infections and mounting an immune response, and this results in fever, inflammation and eventual removal of the offending pathogen. It also results in the immune system retaining a very good memory of that pathogen which enables the immune system to mount a rapid and even more effective response to that pathogen should it decide to infect again.
2. Immunodeficiency: The immune system may be functioning poorly (immunodeficiency) which makes us less able to fight off infections. Immunodeficiency can occur because a component of the immune system is missing or because other factors are stopping it from working properly e.g. cancer, drugs and HIV infection.
3. Hypersensitivity: The immune system may be inappropriately active (hypersensitive) against the normal body (autoimmunity) or against harmless substances (allergy). Autoimmunity includes diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosis and coeliac disease. Allergy includes conditions such as asthma, hayfever and anaphylaxis.
Where is Immunology?
There are laboratories all over the UK that do Immunology testing. The list below shows the laboratories where Consultant Clinical Scientists in Immunology are based.
Immunology laboratories
Dundee: Ninewells Hospital
Clinical Lead/Consultant Clinical Scientist: Dr Liz Furrie
Glasgow:Queen Elizabeth University Hospital
Clinical Lead: Dr Moira Thomas
Consultant Clinical Scientist: Mrs Lauren Hennessy
Carlisle: Cumberland Infirmary
Clinical Lead/Consultant Clinical Scientist: Dr Adrian Heaps
Newcastle: Royal Victoria Infirmary
Clinical Lead: Dr Helen Bourne
Middlesborough: James Cook University Hospital
Clinical Lead/Consultant Clinical Scientist: Dr Adrian Heaps
Preston: Royal Preston Hospital
Consultant Clinical Scientist: Professor Anthony Rowbottom
Leeds: Leeds General Infirmary
Clinical Lead: Dr S Savic
Consultant Clinical Immunologist: Dr Anna NcHugh
Hull:Hull Royal Infirmary
Consultant Clinical Scientist: Professor Steve Holding
Sheffield: Northern General Hospital, Sheffield
Director: Professor Bill Egner
Deputy Director: Dr Graeme Wild
Birmingham: Birmingham Heartlands Hospital
Clinical Service Lead: Dr Craig Webster
Consultant Clinical Scientist: Mrs Sarah Beck
Leicester: Leicester Royal Infirmary
Head of Department: Dr Mike Browning
Cambridge: Addenbrooke’s Hospital
Head of Department: Dr Dinkantha Kumararatne
Cardiff: University Hospital of Wales
Laboratory Director/Consultant Clinical Scientist: Dr Carol Evans
Bristol: Southmead Hospital
Head of Department: Dr Sarah Johnston
Oxford: Churchill Hospital
Clinical Lead/Consultant Clinical Scientist: Dr Ross Sadler
Consultant Clinical Scientist: Dr Elizabeth Bateman
Chelmsford: Broomfield Hospital
Consultant Clinical Scientist: Dr Sarah Linstead
Plymouth: Derriford Hospital
Clinical Lead: Dr Claire Bethune
Exeter: Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital
Laboratory Manager: Adrian Cudmore
Southampton: Southampton General Hospital
Clinical Lead: Dr Efrem Eren
Portsmouth: Queen Alexandra Hospital
Head of Blood Sciences/Consultant Clinical Scientist (Biochemistry): Dr Laura Wainwright
Consultant Clinical Scientist (Immunology): Dr Alison Whitelegg
Ashford, Kent: William Harvey Hospital
Clinical Director of Pathology: Dr Edmund Lamb
Consultant Clinical Scientist: Dr Joanna Sheldon
London:
Great Ormond Street Hospital, WC1N 3JH: Immunology Laboratory
Clinical Lead/Consultant Clinical Scientist (Immunology): Dr Kimberly Gilmour
Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, WC1N 3BG: Neuroimmunology Laboratory
Laboratory manager/Consultant Clinical Scientist (Immunology): Dr Melanie Hart
Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel, E1 1FR: Immunology Laboratory
Clinical Lead: Dr Sofia Grigoriadou
St George’s Hospital, Tooting, SW17 0QT: Immunology Laboratory and Protein Reference Unit (South West London Pathology)
Clinical Lead/Consultant Clinical Scientist (Immunology): Dr Joanna Sheldon
Consultant Clinical Scientist (Immunology): Dr Rachel Wheeler
Charing Cross Hospital, W6 8RF: Infection & Immunity Department (NorthWest London Pathology)
Clinical Lead: Dr Peter Kelleher
Kings College Hospital, Denmark Hill, SE5 9RS: Immunology Laboratory (Viapath)
Clinical Lead: Dr Mohammad Ibrahim
Consultant Clinical Scientist: Dr Mary Guckian
The Halo, Kings Cross, WC1H 9AZ: Health Services Laboratories
Clinical Speciality Lead: Dr Ronnie Chee
Useful websites
British Society for Immunology (BSI)
This is a UK wide society for all immunologists including researchers and clinicians. There is also a section of the BSI dedicated to Clinical Immunology called the Clinical Immunology and Allergy section (CIAS). The BSI has an annual Congress as well as regional meetings.
​British Society for Allergy & Clinical Immunology (BSACI)
This society is for healthcare professionals and although originally for clinicians treating allergy, it widened its scope to include related diseases of the immune system in the 1970s.
UK Primary Immunodeficiency Network (UKPIN)
An organisation for healthcare professionals caring for patients with immunodeficiency, that aims to share best practice, and accredits immunology centres.
European Society for Immunodeficiencies (ESID)
A society for anyone involved with immunodeficiency, including researchers, healthcare professionals and patient groups.
Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies (FOCIS)
The Federation has 53 member societies and holds an Annual Meeting.