Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed
David Weatherall Chair of Medicine and NHS Chair of Pharmacogenetics
Session Chair
Biography: Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed MB ChB, PhD, FRCPE, FRCP, FBPhS, FMedSci is David Weatherall Chair in Medicine at the University of Liverpool, and a Consultant Physician at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital. He is Director of the Centre for Drug Safety Sciences, and Director of the Wolfson Centre for Personalised Medicine. He is also Director of HDR North. He is an inaugural NIHR Senior Investigator, Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in the UK, Commissioner on Human Medicines. He was President of British Pharmacological Society from January 2020 - December 2021, and is currently President of the Association of Physicians. He was awarded a Knights Bachelor in the Queen's Birthday Honours 2015. His research focuses on personalised medicine, clinical pharmacology and drug safety.
Professor Cathie Sudlow
Professor of Neurology and Clinical Epidemiology | Director of Usher Institute | Head of School, Population Health Sciences
Talk Title: Reflections 18 months after the publication of "The Sudlow Review
Biography: Cathie Sudlow is Chair of Neurology and Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh, Director of the Usher Institute, Head of the School of Population Health Sciences and of the Director of the UKRI Adolescent Health Study. She was previously the Head of the Centre for Medical Informatics at the Usher Institute. Until 2024, she was Chief Scientist and Deputy Director of Health Data Research UK, and Director of the British Heart Foundation Data Science Centre. She was also the first Research Director for HDR UK in Scotland. As a neurology specialist doctor with over 30 years working in the NHS, Professor Sudlow’s clinical work has focused mainly on the assessment and treatment of patients with suspected stroke. Professor Sudlow’s research interests have always been firmly embedded in the world of big data. Over the last 15 years, her focus has been on leading large-scale, collaborative, open-science initiatives that enable a better understanding of the causes and consequences of health and disease across the life course, leading to new and improved approaches to prevention, diagnosis and treatment. From 2011 to 2019, as Chief Scientist for UK Biobank, she led efforts to follow the health of UK Biobank participants through linkage to national health datasets. From 2020, she worked with NHS Digital (and then NHS England) to develop NHS England’s first secure data environment to hold and enable access for research to linked health data from multiple sources for the whole population of England. In 2023, Professor Sudlow was commissioned by the Chief Medical Officer for England, the UK National Statistician and NHS England to undertake an independent review of the UK-wide health data landscape. “Uniting the UK’s Health Data: A Huge Opportunity for Society” was published in November 2024, it sets out a bold vision for how the barriers and inefficiencies that currently delay the safe and secure use of health data to improve lives can be overcome, with key recommendations to transform the health data ecosystem. Cathie is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and Honorary Fellow of Health Data Research UK (HDR UK). She was awarded an OBE for services to medical research in 2020.
Professor Segun Fatumo
Associate Professor | London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Talk Title: Harnessing African genome diversity to advance precision medicine for all populations
Biography:
Professor Segun Fatumo is a globally recognised genomic epidemiologist and one of the leading voices advancing equitable human genomics research. With more than two decades of experience, he has made transformative contributions to understanding the genetic determinants of a range of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including chronic kidney disease and cardiometabolic traits in diverse ancestry populations. He is Professor and Chair of Genomic Diversity at Queen Mary University of London and Head of Non-Communicable Disease Genomics at the MRC Uganda Research Unit, where he leads pioneering cross-continental research programmes. His academic foundation includes a PhD in Bioinformatics, supported by advanced postdoctoral training in bioinformatics and genetic epidemiology at the University of Georgia (USA), the University of Cambridge, and the Wellcome Sanger Institute (UK). Professor Fatumo is widely known for his leadership in large-scale genomic initiatives aimed at addressing global health inequalities. He is the Principal Investigator and co-director of major continental programmes such as KidneyGenAfrica, BCX-Africa, and co-lead the Nigerian 100K Genome Project - A concerted effort to see over 100,000 Nigerians participate in the eponymous study, which will seek to understand the genetic basis of the highly prevalent NCDs in Nigeria. His work has attracted multi-million-dollar funding from the MRC, NIH, Wellcome Trust, and other global funders. Through these initiatives, he has been instrumental in establishing genomic research infrastructure, training early-career scientists, and driving capacity building across Africa. A respected public communicator and global science ambassador, Professor Fatumo has been featured in major international media outlets, including BBC, The Telegraph, WIRED, Science Magazine, Forbes and others. He is frequently invited to deliver keynote lectures and expert invited presentations at leading scientific conferences around the world. He also serves as an Associate Editor for high-impact journals such as Genome Medicine and BMC Medical Genomics. Beyond research, he plays a critical role in shaping global genomics policy. He has contributed to community engagement frameworks, ethical guidelines, and equity-centred policies that ensure genomic science benefits underrepresented populations. Professor Fatumo serves on several influential advisory boards, including the Scientific Advisory Boards of Genomics England, the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité and GWAS Catalog where he provides strategic guidance on population diversity, data ethics, and implementation of genomic medicine. Professor Fatumo is also a dedicated educator and mentor. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) in the UK, teaches across multiple MSc programmes, and supervises PhD students in the UK and Africa. He is strongly committed to strengthening research capacity on the continent and regularly organises and teaches genomic analysis workshops across Africa, including supervising PhD researchers across Africa and leading training initiatives that empower the next generation of African genomic scientists. His exceptional contributions have been recognised through numerous accolades, including the prestigious MRC Impact Prize, awarded in recognition of his leadership in advancing African representation in genomic research and championing genetic risk prediction of complex diseases in African populations. He is an elected Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences - a prestigious honour recognising his outstanding contributions to genomic research and ongoing commitment to advancing diversity in science. A passionate advocate for global equity, diversity, and inclusion, Professor Segun Fatumo remains deeply committed to transforming genomic medicine so that it serves all populations fairly. Through his visionary leadership, influential scholarship, and commitment to mentorship, he continues to expand the frontiers of genomic diversity research and shape the future of precision medicine worldwide.
Professor David van Heel
Professor of Genetics | Centre for Genomics and Child Health | Queen Mary University London
Talk Title: Genes and health: A diverse cohort with genomics, proteomics, and longitudinal healthcare data
Biography:
I am Professor of Genetics at Queen Mary University of London, Honorary Consultant Physician at Barts Health NHS Trust. I trained in clinical research with a Medical Research Council Clinical Training Fellowship and a Wellcome Trust Clinician Scientist Fellowship. My current research interests are population genomic medicine of British Bangladeshi and British Pakistani communities, with genetics, NHS health data and recall for further studies based on genotype/phenotype. I am Chief Investigator for the Genes & Health longitudinal population study: www.genesandhealth.org I was a member of the Medical Research Council Population and Systems Medicine Board (2016-2022). I was deputy Chief Clinical Information Officer for Barts Health NHS Trust (2013-2024).
Dr John McDermott
NIHR Clinical Lecturer | The University of Manchester
Talk Title: Integrating pharmacogenomic guided prescribing into routine care: The NHS PROGRESS study
Biography:
Dr John McDermott is an NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer (ACL) at the University of Manchester and a Clinical Genetics Speciality Registrar. He was appointed as the UK’s first Academic Clinical Fellow in Genomic Medicine in 2016. Working at the Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine (MCGM) his research focuses on the application genetic and genomic technologies in the acute and everyday healthcare settings - specifically focussing on the integration of pharmaocgenomics into routine practice. As part of the
Newman Laboratory he was awarded funding from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) to undertake the world’s first trial of a genetic test in the acute setting to avoid hearing loss in neonates. The Pharmacogenetics to Avoid Loss of Hearing (PALOH) trial and other similar projects require extensive colaboration between industry, academia and clinicians. This collaborative approach is encouraged at the MCGM and in 2018 Dr McDermott was awarded the
NIHR Clinical Research Network award for outstanding contribution to UK research. He has since been awarded NIHR i4i funding to lead
PALOH-UK and from Innovate UK for the
DEVOTE programme, both of which have stimulated extensive industry-academic collaborations. In 2015 Dr McDermott was a visiting scholar at the MIT and Harvard Broad Institute where he first worked with large “multi-omic” datasets. In 2018 he was awarded the Vienna Medal by the European Society of Human Genetics for his translational research. He is a University of Manchester alumnus and is passionate about the unique opportunities for population health research across the region.
Dr Stefanie Lip
Clinical Senior Lecturer | University of Glasgow
Talk Title: PHOENIX: Progress from pilot from randomised controlled trial of pre-emptive pharmacogenomics in acute and secondary care
Biography:
Dr Stefanie Lip is a Clinical Senior Lecturer in Pharmacogenomics based at the University of Glasgow. She graduated with an intercalated BSc (Med Sci) in 2011 and graduated with an MBChB from the University of Glasgow in 2013.
Dr Eunice Zhang
Research Associate | University of Liverpool
Talk Title: Improving knowledge of the variation in the DYPD gene
Biography:
Eunice Zhang is a senior research associate and a research technical professional in Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed’s team at the Wolfson Centre for Personalised, within the Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics at the University of Liverpool. With long-standing interests in pharmacogenomics, her research focuses on medication safety and personalised medicine in a range of disease areas, including oncology, haematology, and cardiology.
Jessica Keen
Clinical Research Fellow | University of Manchester
Talk Title: The role of pharmacy professionals in pharmacogenomics
Biography:
Jessica Keen is the Pharmacy Lead for the NHS North West Genomic Medicine Service Alliance. Her role is to engage the pharmacy workforce across the region; supporting them to access genomics education and training so that they can embed genomic medicine into routine clinical pathways and ensure equity of access to genomic testing and treatments for patients. She is the pharmacy lead for the PROGRESS programme (Delivering Pharmacogenetics for the NHS). She has recently completed an MSc in Genomic Medicine at the University of Manchester, with particular interest in the role of pharmacy teams and the wider workforce in the implementation of pharmacogenomics in the NHS. Her background is as an oncology pharmacist prescriber, where she has seen the benefit of genomics to inform treatment from diagnosis through to stratification and medicines optimisation.
Dr Anita Hanson
NIHR Senior Research Leader | Senior Nursing Research Fellow | University of Liverpool
Talk Title: The role of nurses in pharmacogenomics
Vivienne Parry, OBE
Writer | Broadcaster | Facilitator
Talk Title: Importance of pharmacogenomics for patients and the public
Biography:
Vivienne Parry OBE is a writer and broadcaster. A scientist by training, Vivienne hosts medical programmes for BBC Radio 4, writes widely on health, presents films, facilitates many high level conferences and trains young researchers. For over a decade she had a part time role as Head of Engagement at Genomics England which delivered the 100,000 Genomes Project. She has a distinguished record of public service including being a board member of UK Research & Innovation which is responsible for the strategic spend of the UK’s £8 billion research budget.
Professor Sir Peter Donnelly
Director | Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics | Professor of Statistical Science | Fellow of St Anne's Cottage | University of Oxford
Talk Title: The potential for genomics to empower a new, prevention-first agenda for healthcare
Biography:
Professor Sir Peter Donnelly is CEO and Co-Founder of Genomics Ltd and Emeritus Professor of Statistical Science at the University of Oxford, where he was latterly Director of the Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics from 2007-2017. Peter has played central roles in the major national and international human genetics projects of the last 20 years, including the International HapMap project and the landmark Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC and its successor WTCCC2) a large international collaboration studying the genetic basis of more than 20 common human diseases and conditions in over 60,000 people, which he led. He also led the genotyping of UK Biobank, and the WGS500 project, which pioneered whole genome sequencing in clinical medicine. In 2014, he co-founded Genomics, becoming the Company’s CEO in 2017. Genomics is a science-led transatlantic TechBio combining large-scale genetic and health data with proprietary analytics to accelerate drug discovery and advance predictive, preventative healthcare. He was knighted in 2019 for services to the understanding of human genetics in disease.
Dr Ann Brit-Jones
Clinical Research Fellow: Oncogenetics | The Institute of Cancer Research
Talk Title: Polygenic risk scores for stratifying clinically significant prostate cancer
Biography:
TBC
Professor Sir Nilesh Samani
Consultant Cardiologist | Spire Healthcare
Talk Title: Polygenic risk scores for CVD: ready for prime time?
Biography:
I am Professor of Cardiology at the University of Leicester and Consultant Cardiologist at the Cardiac Centre, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester. Between 2016-2023, I was also Medical Director of the British Heart Foundation. I specialise in all aspects of adult cardiology including; Hypertension; coronary and ischaemic heart disease, heart attacks, interventional cardiology including angioplasty and stents, coronary angiography, heart failure, arrhythmias, valve disease and inherited cardiac conditions. I see patients presenting with symptoms such as chest pain, palpitations, blackouts, heart flutters, shortness of breath, breathlessness, syncope, heart murmurs, irregular heart beat, high blood pressure and swollen ankles. I also see patients with family history of heart disease. Previously I was also Head of the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences at the University of Leicester (2003-2016) and Director of the Leicester NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit (2019-2016). I have been a heart consultant for over 30 years. I have been awarded an NHS Platinum (highest) Clinical Excellence Award. I am a Fellow of the UK Academy of Medical Sciences, the American College of Cardiology, the European Society of Cardiology and the American Heart Association. My main research interest is in understanding the inherited basis of cardiovascular diseases. I am one of the most highly cited researchers in the world and have received numerous awards for my research and clinical work including the highest awards of the British Cardiovascular Society (the Mackenzie Medal) and the European Society of Cardiology (Gold Medal). I was knighted for services to medicine and medical research in the New Year’s Honours list 2015. I am also a Deputy Lieutenant of Leicestershire.
