Running Mad Professor

13/10/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘂𝗺 𝗲𝘅𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲?

Last week I was at London's Science Museum for my induction ahead of joining the Board of Trustees of the Science Museum Group. And I was amazed to discover that some of the objects that inspired me as a child are still there, captivating children today!

The Apollo 10 command module, which brought three astronauts safely back to Earth in 1969. I remember being awestruck as a child, especially when you look underneath and see the scorch marks from its fiery re-entry through the atmosphere.

Robert Hooke's 17th century microscope, and his extraordinary drawing of a flea published in his groundbreaking book, Micrographic, which astonished the public and helped make experimental science fashionable.

I also saw
Helen Sharman's spacesuit (the first Briton in space)
Tim Peake CMG 's Soyuz module
Peter Mansfields pioneering MRI scanner
Tim Berners-Lees NeXT computer (the worlds first web server)
James Dyson 's bagless vacuum cleaner

Which of these pioneers, I wonder, were inspired by museums like this? And which of their objects will motivate the next generation?

The Science Museum is not simply a place to celebrate the discoveries of the past. Its about developing the next generation of scientists, doctors, engineers, technicians and innovators. The people who will create tomorrow's medicines, technologies, innovations. And that matters not just for curiosity and education, but for our future health, wellbeing, prosperity and economic growth.

Many thanks to Shri Mukundagiri, Deborah Myers, Peter Dickinson and Glyn Morgan for such a fascinating and enjoyable induction. Im looking forward to contributing to the future of the Science Museum Group.

09/10/2026

The RCP has made an externally produced Leng review draft national clinical protocol for physician assistants available to members behind a log-in. The document has not been developed, commissioned or endorsed by the RCP and does not represent college policy.

We are inviting fellows and members to share their views by 5pm on Thursday 15 October to help inform the RCP’s organisational response.

Read more and share your views: https://ow.ly/z5Ch50ZVX9g

08/10/2026

Yesterday I joined BBC Breakfast to discuss reports of a possible plague outbreak in Russia.

If you missed the interview, you can now watch the full piece, where I talk about what we know so far, the importance of establishing the cause of the illness, and why a rapid response is so important when a new infection is suspected.

Watch the full piece here - https://youtu.be/ln-_ta1XbmY?is=KrGkxubdwvD1yZs0

07/10/2026

An early start this morning at the BBC, talking about reports of a possible plague outbreak in Russia.

FIRST, THE HUMAN STORY
A 28-year-old woman has sadly died from a severe respiratory infection. That is desperately sad for her family and friends. Around 200 people were reportedly put into isolation, which will obviously have been worrying for them too.

WE DON’T YET KNOW THAT THIS WAS PLAGUE
The concern is understandable because the woman worked at an institute that carries out plague research. But so far, the Russian authorities have said that the cause of her illness has not been identified. There are other transmissible respiratory infections that could prompt a similar precautionary response, including influenza, COVID and potentially other, as yet unknown, respiratory viruses.

THE PRIORITY NOW IS DIAGNOSIS AND EPIDEMIOLOGY
We need to establish what caused her illness, where it came from, whether anyone else has been infected and whether there is evidence of onward transmission.

PLAGUE SOUNDS FRIGHTENING, BUT THINGS ARE VERY DIFFERENT TODAY
Plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. It caused millions of deaths in Europe in the Middle Ages, but today we know what causes it, we can diagnose it and, crucially, we have antibiotics that work, particularly if given early. But plague has not disappeared. There are still hundreds of cases around the world each year, particularly in Madagascar and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I remember seeing cases myself when I worked in Vietnam. Most plague is acquired from infected fleas and causes bubonic disease, with swollen lymph nodes. It can also cause septicaemia or affect the lungs. Pneumonic plague is particularly important because it can spread between people through respiratory droplets during close contact.

A RAPID, PRECAUTIONARY RESPONSE IS SENSIBLE
An unexplained death in someone working in a plague research institute warrants careful and rapid investigation. It does not, by itself, mean that this was plague. One lesson from SARS, COVID and other outbreaks is that rapid diagnosis, good epidemiology and prompt sharing of information are critical. And it is why we still need research into infections such as plague, including better diagnostics and vaccines, something we are very focused on across The Pandemic Institute, The NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections and The University of Liverpool

06/10/2026

I’m delighted to share that the University of Liverpool Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Centre (LINC) has been designated a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre in Brain Health.

It’s a major milestone for our work in Liverpool, recognising our international leadership in neuroscience and mental health and our longstanding collaboration with the WHO.

I’m honoured to be one of the initial Directors of the Centre alongside Professors Atif Rahman, Benedict Michael and Melissa Gladstone and to be working with colleagues across LINC on this important global mission.

The Centre will work with the WHO on brain health, neurodevelopment and perinatal mental health, helping to strengthen research, training and evidence-based approaches around the world.

A very proud moment for Liverpool and everyone involved.

Read the full announcement from the University of Liverpool.

https://news.liverpool.ac.uk/2026/10/06/who-recognises-liverpool-as-global-leader-in-brain-health-research/

WHO recognises Liverpool as global leader in brain health research

02/10/2026

What do you think happens when someone takes part in a clinical trial?

There are plenty of misconceptions – from the idea that you’re simply being treated like a ‘guinea pig’, to concerns about receiving a placebo instead of treatment.

A new article from Encephalitis International looks at some of these myths, as well as the realities of taking part in a clinical trial.

It also highlights a particular challenge in encephalitis research: some trials have had to close because not enough people were able to take part.

Clinical trials are an essential part of finding better treatments, but they can only happen if people are able to participate.

This is well worth a read if you’d like to understand more about what taking part in a clinical trial actually involves.

🔬 The Truth About Clinical Trials (It's Not What You Think)

Guinea pig? Placebo instead of real treatment? Only for people who've "run out of options"? These are some of the biggest myths about clinical trials and they are stopping people from considering options that could genuinely help.

In her new blog, Dr Ava Easton MBE breaks down the realities behind these misconceptions, why encephalitis trials often struggle to recruit enough participants, and what it really means to take part. 🧠

Read the full blog by clicking the link: https://www.encephalitis.info/news/the-truth-about-clinical-trials-its-not-what-you-think/

02/10/2026

30/09/2026

You cannot deliver a 10 Year Health Plan without the right workforce.

That message ran through several events I attended at The Labour Party Conference in Liverpool this week, as the government considers how to turn its ambitions for the NHS into better care for patients.

At a fringe event 'How can the NHS ensure a healthcare workforce fit for the future?' Alice Semark chaired a discussion with Prof Manish Pareek, Prof Kate Ardern and me. Speaking as Academic Vice President of the Royal College of Physicians and a practising NHS consultant in Liverpool, I argued for a workforce plan based on patient need, independently verified and backed by a clear, funded delivery plan.

Expanding medical school places is only part of the answer. Doctors also need specialty training posts, supervisors and time to learn. And retention matters every bit as much as recruitment: in the RCP’s 2025 survey, 83% of consultants said rota gaps were harming patient care.

Kate brought a public health perspective to the discussion. Workforce shortages are often greatest in communities facing the greatest health inequalities, so planning must look at where people are needed as well as how many.

Delivering the ten-year plan was the focus Health and Care reception Secretary Yvette Cooper at an evening Health and Care reception. I also joined a British Medical Association roundtable with representatives of other royal colleges and MPs who sit on the Health and Social Care Select Committee to discuss the workforce plan. It was valuable to hear the different perspectives, with a shared recognition that the forthcoming workforce plan will be central to delivering the government’s 10 Year Health Plan.

For me, this is ultimately about patients. Moving care closer to home, making better use of technology and preventing illness all require skilled people with the support to do their jobs well. We also need to give clinicians time to train others, improve services and undertake research, so the NHS can keep improving for the next generation.

28/09/2026

The UK is already a life sciences powerhouse. The choice now is where to focus, and how to turn that strength into better care and lasting economic growth.

That was my main takeaway from today’s discussion at the Labour Party Conference, The UK Innovation Choice: Can Britain become a global life sciences leader? Effortlessly chaired by Noah Vickers of The House Magazine.

Rosalind Campion, CEO of the Academy of Medical Sciences argued for sustained investment in the areas where the UK can lead, including health data and genomics. She also made a point that matters greatly to me as Academic Vice President of the Royal College of Physicians: those ambitions depend on people. The decline in clinical academic careers puts our ability to deliver future research at risk.

Prof Sir Rory Collins , CEO of UK Biobank, showed what long-term investment in population data can make possible. He challenged us to make better use of linked health data, including primary care data, so that discoveries can be translated into care and variation in outcomes can be seen.

Nick Meade, CEO of Genetic Alliance UK brought the discussion back to people with rare conditions. When patient groups are small, research, regulation and decisions about treatments need to handle uncertainty differently. Better connected data could help find people who might benefit from trials and new therapies.

Nico Reynders of UCB Biopharma stressed that investment decisions also depend on whether the UK makes it practical to develop medicines and get them to patients. The economic benefits extend beyond a successful product to skilled jobs, facilities and the wider supply chain.

Sam Carling MP, chair of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, raised the need for regulation that works more smoothly across the research pathway, as well as the skills scientists need to lead teams and bring ideas into use.

For me, the thread connecting all of this is clinical research within the NHS. Data infrastructure, regulation and investment matter enormously. So do clinicians with the time, support and career opportunities to ask research questions, run studies and bring the results into patient care.

Medical research is estimated to generate an annual return of around 25% on public investment. If we want the next great UK life sciences success, we need to invest in the people who will help make it happen.

28/09/2026

As well as the official engagements, the party conferences provide a good opportunity for informal discussions on important issues - NHS workforce, clinical research, pandemic preparedness, health security threats….

I’ve known Andy B for years - this was at last year’s Labour Party Conference. I doubt we’ll manage a catch-up at the 2027 conference; I suspect he’ll have other stuff on!