Medicine Southampton: A global institution

www.southampton.ac.uk/medicineinternational.fm@southampton.ac.uk+44 (0)23 8120 6583

2 3

An international institutionThe University of Southampton is a truly international institution with a global reputation for excellence in leading-edge research, enterprise and education. We have a strong commitment to international collaboration and partnership, and welcome staff and students from many different nations and cultures. The Faculty of Medicine plays a key role in delivering the University of Southampton’s strategy as a leading international research-led institution.

The Faculty leads innovative learning and discovery for better health across the lifecourse. We achieve this by: investing in multidisciplinary research teams, creative educational programmes, translational research and enterprise; inspiring future generations of biomedical scientists and clinicians; promoting and initiating partnerships and collaborations within Medicine, across the University and externally; and by pushing the boundaries of current practice to foster a culture of innovation and enterprise.

We recognise that successful international partnerships are critical to achieving our objectives in research, education and enterprise. As part of our drive to attract the most promising students, promote our ground breaking research and forge new links with business and industry, we have developed close relationships with talented people and like minded organisations across the world.

From partnerships with the World Health Organisation to address the growing burden of non-communicable disease in the developing world to international partnerships in regenerative medicine, the education of medical students from around the globe and provision of high quality postgraduate research training, international collaboration is key to who we are and delivering our research, education and enterprise programmes.

If you share our vision – of international partnership in research, education and enterprise – then we would like to hear more about your aims and how we can help improve healthcare across the generations together.

Professor John Holloway

Associate Dean International and Enterprise

1. Our vision and strategy Using knowledge to improve health worldwide. Page 4

2. Medicine at Southampton A world-class research centre. Page 6

3. International and Enterprise Management team Professor Iain Cameron Dean of Medicine. Page 15

4. University of Southampton International: Worth the journey. Page 18

1

3

2

4

Front cover image: fluorescently labelled primary bronchial fibroblasts

4 5

Our vision and strategyMedicine at the University of Southampton is a dynamic international community dedicated to scholarship, discovery and enterprise. We share the University’s goal of developing and driving enterprise and innovation. This means creating and harnessing the wealth of knowledge available and maximising its use for the benefit of all.

Our vision is to translate high quality biomedical research into clinical outcomes that improve health worldwide. We seek to be a partner for international health organisations, from industry and academia, helping you with access to world-leading expertise.

This means working closely with enterprising companies, the academic and education sector and a wide range of international organisations. You will benefit from our proactive approach and commitment to making it fast and simple for companies to tap into our expertise. You will find that we are open to innovative ways of working and new approaches, that we recognise the priorities of business and are experienced at bringing new products and treatments into the marketplace.

We have developed a strategy to deliver on our innovation, enterprise and international agendas. This strategy includes expanding and building on our world-leading research activities in cancer, development, nutrition, respiratory medicine, immunology, stem cells and regenerative medicine, applied neuroscience, primary care and public health.

You will find it straightforward to work with our specialists and tap into our knowledge, research and outreach activity, thanks to our existing supportive infrastructure and the culture of innovation, enterprise and international collaboration that runs across our education programmes.

Using knowledge to improve health worldwide

“We will ensure that our international, innovation and enterprise activities are applied for the health and well-being of the population as well as international and entrepreneurial development.”Professor John Holloway

Flourescent cells

76

Innovative learning and discoveryAcademic unitsOur five academic units are skilled at turning world-class research into improvements in clinical practice and patient outcomes, having strong relationships with business and enterprise as well as health organisations worldwide. Our aim is to foster high-quality research focused on delivering significant improvements in patient treatments. Our research has clinical application as its ultimate goal.

Cancer Sciences has more than 100 researchers, clinicians and associated staff working as co-ordinated teams across several disciplines. The Faculty of Medicine is a world-class centre for cancer research. To this end, we concentrate on our research strengths such as immunology, basic mechanisms and cell biology, closely allied to clinical practice in cancer treatment. We bring ideas and discoveries made in the laboratory into clinical practice as rapidly as possible and ensure that the scientific hypotheses underlying cancer treatments are fully tested.

The University has a long-established relationship with Cancer Research UK and our facilities include the Cancer Research UK Centre of Excellence and the Cancer Research UK Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre. We also host a Centre of Excellence in Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.

Clinical and Experimental Sciences researchers are driven by the desire to create better treatments and diagnostics for all patients. The extensive range of new treatments and diagnostic tools that emerge from our research, combined with our influence over policy and practice, are helping to improve health outcomes across the UK and worldwide.

The team is a multidisciplinary group focused on understanding pathological mechanisms underlying human disease. This includes research into many of the most common chronic diseases, particularly within the area of infection, inflammation, immunity and neuroscience. Clinical and Experimental Sciences has an excellent track record in both basic research and translational medicine, especially proof of concept and first human clinical studies and has strong relationships with industry and a tradition of working with pharmaceutical companies to develop and improve drugs.

Human Development and Health (HDH) is a centre of excellence, researching ways to reduce non-communicable disease by improving the health and development of mothers and their children. Our acclaimed researchers work closely with the World Health Organization, the United Nations and other international government and non-government organisations, developing initiatives to promote a healthy start to life and future development. Our innovative LifeLab Southampton programme and Southampton Initiative for Health programmes aim to promote healthy lifestyles and health literacy in school students and young mothers.

The strengths of HDH lie in diversity of expertise and close liaison with partners in the NHS, combined with well-equipped laboratories, permitting comprehensive and integrated research programmes that span from basic science to translational medicine and population biology.

Medical Education leads and supports the development and delivery of high-quality and innovative learning, teaching and assessment; working closely with clinicians and scientists across the Faculty and the NHS. Medical Education advises on national education policy, provides national and international consultancy and collaborates with community groups. With close links to business and industry, a significant part of Medical Education’s work includes developing strong links between enterprises such as pharmaceutical companies and universities, training the doctors, researchers and specialists of the future.

Primary Care and Population Sciences encompasses a broad range of research disciplines, including primary care, public health, clinical epidemiology, medical statistics, qualitative methods, health economics and complementary medicine.

Since 2008 the Primary Care group has been part of the National School of Primary Care Research (NSPCR) and has attracted a wide range of funding, notably from NIHR Programme Grants, Health Services Research, the Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation, Public Health Research, Research for Patient Benefit, Health Technology Assessment as well as other research bodies including the Arthritis Research Council and Macmillan Trust.

For more information on all of our academic units please see: www.southampton.ac.uk/medicine/academic_units

Medicine is a thriving and ambitious multidisciplinary faculty – a national leader in medical education, with an outstanding reputation for expertise in research, enterprise and teaching.

Many of our academics are leading experts in their fields and are at the forefront of key global health issues. They have extensive experience in establishing strong partnerships with industry; sharing their expertise to develop new treatments; and providing consultancy, knowledge transfer, commercial expertise, teaching and training services.

We are proud of our world-class facilities that feature cutting-edge equipment and laboratories.

Our various facilities are used by key research organisations including the Southampton Centre for Biomedical Research that includes the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre in Nutrition, Southampton Respiratory Disease Biomedical Research Unit, and the Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility.

Medicine at Southampton

A world-class research centre

Further informationFor more information on our research please see www.southampton.ac.uk/medicine/research

8 9

Early Life Opportunities for the Prevention of Non-communicable Disease in Developing Countries: A Global Partnership

Non-communicable disease (NCD), particularly cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and obstructive lung disease, causes 35m deaths/year, 60% of all deaths globally. 80% of these deaths occur in low- and middle income countries. NCD is increasing alarmingly (WHO estimates a 17% increase over the next decade globally, with a 27% increase in Africa, 25% in the Eastern Mediterranean and the highest number of deaths in the Western Pacific and South-East Asia). NCD constitutes a serious threat to human productivity, a substantial economic burden and a major challenge to the fabric of society in many parts of the world.

Prevention of NCD is now recognised to require a life-course approach, starting in early life because interventions in adults may come too late. NCD prevention was not part of the Millennium Development Goals. However, the UN General Assembly agreed in May 2010 to convene a Summit of world leaders on the prevention of NCD in developing countries in September 2011.

Professor Mark Hanson in Southampton is leading the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) research group on Early Life Opportunities for the Prevention of Noncommunicable Disease in Developing Countries. At the request of WHO, this group, comprising academics from WUN and in the developing world, aid agencies and the private sector, formulated a consensus statement on early life opportunities for addressing NCDs.

Collaborative links in genomics with Australia

Professor Andrew Collins for Southampton has lead a highly successful collaboration with the University of Sydney, Faculty of Veterinary Science, (Prof. Frank Nicholas, and Prof. Herman Raasdsma) to develop linkage disequilibrium maps and an integrated genome map database of the bovine genome. The project extends mapping techniques developed in human genomes to organisms of commercial interest. This work provides a foundation for the sequencing of the bovine genome and underpins genetic mapping of traits related to phenotypes of commercial importance (such as milk yields). The Sydney group continues to exploit and extend jointly developed methods for application to other species.

Global Partners in Research

Southampton – Saudi Partnership in Regenerative Medicine

In October 2010 Professor Richard Oreffo was invited to the first Saudi Arabia Stem Cell –Regenerative Medicine Congress organised by Professor Abdullah Aldahmash and opened by the crown prince. Following the conference, collaborative discussions and assistance in development of the Stem Cell Unit and research programmes were established at King Saud University (KSU). This has resulted in two exchange visits by a lecturer and postdoctoral fellow from KSU to learn research skills and techniques from the Bone and Joint Research Group to transfer back to KSU. In autumn 2012, the first joint research grant application was submitted to the main research council in Saudi Arabia. Further discussions are in place to establish PhD students from Saudi Arabia.

Partnerships with India in investigating the developmental origins of disease

Professor Caroline Fall from the Medical Research Council Life Course Epidemiology Unit in Southampton collaborates with several research centres in India to study the early-life origins of adult diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Her research includes birth cohort studies and intervention trials investigating the relationship of maternal metabolism and nutrition to long-term functional and health outcomes in the children. Her recent studies in Pune and Mysore have highlighted a link between maternal vitamin B12 deficiency and gestational diabetes in the mother herself, as well as impaired fetal growth, and increased insulin resistance in the children. These findings have led to the setting up of a randomised trial of vitamin B12 before and during pregnancy, with the aim of improving maternal and offspring health.

The Isle of Wight Study group: a UK – USA partnership

Professor Hasan Arshad has lead the Isle of Wight cohort since its inception in 1989 studying the prevalence, natural history and risk factors for the development of asthma and allergy. This has involved a long established and productive collaboration with Professors Wilfried Karmaus (University of Memphis) and Susan Ewart (Michigan State University) funded by the National Institutes of Health (USA). The current focus of activity, together with Professors John Holloway in Southampton and Hongmei Zhang (University of South Carolina) is a programme in investigating epigenetic mechanisms underlying atopy and asthma susceptibility by examining genome-wide DNA methylation in women of the cohort and recruiting their children as the second generation in this cohort. The asthma, allergy and immunology service in Southampton was named a world centre of excellence in 2014, for achievements in clinical innovation and research.

Stratifying asthma for better diagnosis and drug discovery

Together with the University of Amsterdam and Imperial College, Southampton is leading an EU wide consortium called UBIOPRED (Unbiased Biomarkers for the Prediction of Respiratory Disease Outcomes), a €22 million research programme applying an innovative systems biology approach to integrate high dimensional data obtained by different ‘omics’ technologies from bronchoscopic airway, sputum and blood samples, and non-invasive sampling, together with physiological measurements and patient reported outcomes. High-dimensional biology techniques, such as genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics, hold out promise to identify new pathogenetic processes through measurement of thousands of different genes, proteins and metabolites in complex biological systems.

The Faculty of Medicine is a major player in translating cutting edge discoveries in basic science and medical research into clinical settings. In order to achieve our goals we recognise that partnerships around the globe are essential to our success and will allow us to extend the impact of our research and education across the world.

MSc Allergy

Our MSc Allergy programme is for health care professionals including doctors in general practice and hospitals, nurses and dieticians. The course is designed to help you treat your patients better; we provide health care professionals with effective education and training in the mechanisms, diagnosis, treatment and management of allergic disease. Our course will enable you to manage both adults and children with allergy more effectively.

This course is available full time and part time and provides flexibility to enable you to study alongside your other commitments. The programme can be tailored to fulfil your career aspirations, with individual planning for each student when they start the course. This programme aims to develop knowledge and understanding of the mechanisms and management of allergic disease. It is also available as a Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate.

Through the knowledge and understanding you will gain with us, you will also be able to develop and improve your health care provision, through your ability to cascade education to your colleagues, and adult and paediatric patients and their families.

Our students join us to study from across the UK, Europe and Internationally including South America, Australia, South Africa, the Middle East and Far East.

MSc Public Health

Our MSc Public Health programme offers a specialised pathway in Nutrition that looks at public health through a nutrition lens, and is accredited by the UK Association for Nutrition. The programme is for health care professionals or social scientists interested in public health in either developed or developing countries. Both the programme and pathway focus on improving the health and wellbeing of populations, which includes preventing health problems before they occur and reducing health inequalities.

The programme is delivered by four Faculties: Medicine, Social & Human Sciences, Buisiness and Law and Health Sciences and can be taken on a full time or part time basis. This cross Faculty programme provides both a broad public health learning experience and supports the development of specialist expertise.

Students will have the opportunity to debate contemporary public health issues with leading experts in the field of public health. Furthermore, they will have access to international researchers in life course epidemiology, geographical aspects of health, health inequalities, and maternal and child health and nutrition that will provide you with insight in to a wide range of public health disciplines.

Opportunities in Postgraduate Education

We run a comprehensive International Students’ Induction Programme which introduces you to the University, providing a range of information and support on practical issues, from immigration to accommodation, and an opportunity to meet with fellow students.

At the Faculty of Medicine we have our own International Student Advisor to support our overseas students. In addition, our Southampton International Medics society (SIMS) provides the opportunity to meet up with other medical students from your home country as well as getting to know international students from around the world. The society’s annual SIMS night, showcases student talent and provides a taste of the cultures represented at our medical school.

Each year, the Faculty of Medicine also welcomes students from the International Medical University, Malaysia, and from Universiti Brunei Darussalam who enter the third year of our curriculum.

BM(EU) Programme - a European Partnership

The faculty has recently developed an innovative european partnership with the Kassel School of Medicine in Germany. The European Bachelor of Medicine programme, or BM(EU), will see up to twenty-four German students a year study in Southampton for two years before returning to Germany for their final three years.

During their time in Southampton they will learn medical theory and techniques, and gain practical experience in the NHS, alongside students on the existing five year Bachelor of Medicine programme. From Year 3 onwards they will continue the practical element of their degree in Kassel Hospital, where they will undertake further training after they graduate to gain full registration with the General Medical Council.

10 11

Undergraduate Medicine - International students

The Faculty of Medicine warmly welcomes international students who wish to study medicine with us. Our aim is to ensure that your experience throughout your time at Southampton is a positive and rewarding one.

Further informationSee more on our website www.southampton.ac.uk/medicine//international/index.page?

Partnerships in Latin America

For scientists in Latin America, the Faculty of Medicine is eager to provide opportunities for postgraduate research degree study on both its four year integrated PhD and traditional three year PhD programmes. The University of Southampton is pleased to be one of a select group of top British universities invited to participate in the Science Without Borders mobility programme in Brazil since September 2012. The University of Southampton is also establishing closer links with Colombia and Colombian Universities. Following a successful visit to Bogota in October 2010, a consortium of four UK universities was created including the University of Southampton with the objective to promote further collaboration with Colombian universities. We have a partnership agreement with the Santander Universities that facilitates links and enables opportunities between Latin America, Spain, Portugal, and the UK. The Faculty of Medicine welcomes applicants wishing to study for a PhD under the Colencias scholarship scheme.

1312

A*STAR Partnership

The University of Southampton has established a partnership with the prestigious Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) in Singapore. The partnership allows for joint supervision of PhD students, exchange of post docs and jointly published research in the areas of electronics, medical engineering, biotechnology and healthcare.

In the Faculty of Medicine, we have formed strong alliances with Singapore Research Institutes and local universities in a number of areas including epigenetics, nutrition, metabolism, ageing, cancer and immunity. We host a number of A*STAR joint PhD students in Southampton. These are four year PhD studentships which enables students to split their time between an A*STAR research institute and Southampton. The programme is often referred to as a ‘2+2’ programme, students spend 50% of their time at each institution with three supervisors (one from A*STAR and two from Southampton). The final degree will result in a single award conferred by Southampton as the sole awarding institution.

This program is particularly attractive to those who have a strong interest in an international research career, and to those whose research projects have a strong interdisciplinary element and would therefore benefit from the experience of studying in two locations with complementary international expertise.

.

We have a reputation for academic excellence in all aspects of teaching and research. We operate a highly focused research strategy with interdisciplinary research that bridges traditional subject boundaries. This provides a critical mass of research resources and explores areas of common intellectual interests around important clinical problems.

We aim to provide postgraduate students with the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes required for a career in academia, health, industry and a range of other related sectors.

The Faculty hosts students from around the globe undertaking postgraduate research degrees (DM/PhD). We welcome applications from suitably qualified individuals who wish to further their research training in our centres of research excellence. We have also developed a number of partnerships with local organisations sponsoring postgraduate education such as A*STAR in Singapore and Science Without Borders in Brazil.

Southampton – an international hub for postgraduate education

fluorescently labelled primary bronchial epithelial cells

International Student Support

The Faculty of Medicine has a dedicated International Student Advisor who can provide pastoral support and guidance both before you arrive in Southampton and during your stay.

To ensure the smoothest arrival in Southampton for new international students we run a free Meet and Greet service from Heathrow airport preceding the start of the academic year and also run a comprehensive induction programme and buddy system.

Language Support: A language resource facility is available in close proximity supported by an advisor from the University Centre for Language Study if you wish to improve your language skills whilst studying at Southampton. We also offer key skills sessions specifically to help your academic and scientific writing skills in these sessions .

14 15

Applying to study for a PhD in Southampton

Four year Integrated Programme in Biomedical Science

This programme provides broad training in the intellectual and practical basis of scientific research, as well as a focused individual research experience. It reflects some of our major research strengths and is available in four pathways:

• Cell Biology and Immunology of Cancer

• Immunity and Infection

• Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine

• Epigenetics (from 2014)

Details are available on our website www.southampton.ac.uk/medicine/postgraduate/research_degrees/courses.page?

This programme starts in October each year and applications are invited in the December and January before the course begins. There are a restricted number of places on this programme and candidates are selected by interview.

Three year PhD programmes

In the UK, the majority of PhDs are over a three year period of full time research. In the University of Southampton, all academic research staff supervise PhD students.

We have many areas of research strength and are leaders in many fields. These “Research Themes” of the Faculty of Medicine are shown at www.southampton.ac.uk/medicine/research/themes.page? and details are provided about each of the supervisors working in that area with a link to their personal web page. A prospective PhD student may have an idea of the area they wish to study but they should find out details of individual supervisors and their research, and approach them directly. Alternatively prospective students can make an informal enquiry with the postgraduate office (pgrapply.fm@southampton.ac.uk) indicating their preferred research theme and we will help to match them with a supervisor.

In Southampton, the Faculty of Medicine has two programmes for PhD studies:

International and Enterprise Management TeamLet’s talk business

The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Southampton is not only a world-class centre of medical research and academic excellence, we also seek to harness and turn leading-edge research into new products, new treatments and new healthcare outcomes.Whether you are a business start-up, a major multinational company or an international organisation working in the health arena, we are enthusiastic about establishing collaborative projects for the benefit of all. We can help you with:

− expertise and knowledge − access to world-leading specialists − world-class research facilities − contacts across the world of medical research − access to funding

We look forward to hearing from you, and to working together to improve the health and wellbeing of people worldwide.

Southampton’s Health & Pharma University Industry Sector Team (UIST) engages with SMEs and major pharmaceutical companies in the UK and internationally. The UIST seeks to ensure that our long term reputation and financial future are assured by academic reputational gains and novel income streams. Industrial collaboration and graduate recruitment are our main targets. We recruited Ian Clark to be Chairman of our External Advisory Board. Ian is CEO of Genentech, the world’s best known Biotechnology company, a Division of Roche.

The UIST showcases the University and stimulates international interest in our region through the identification of a vibrant cluster of more than 120 biomedical companies within a one-hour drive of Southampton. The UIST also seeks to engage international partners to capitalise on our enterprise activity at events such as the world’s leading biotech trade event BIO. The UIST also seeks to bring the world to Southampton through events such as our enterprise conference; Bench to Clinic: Partnership with Health and Pharma with both UK and international delegates.

Partnering with Industry worldwide: UIST Health & Pharma

16 17

Professor Iain CameronDean of MedicineIain’s research focuses on the pathophysiology and treatment of disorders of the endometrium and investigation of the role of maternal environment in early pregnancy. Iain has been instrumental in championing a culture of enterprise and innovation within Medicine.

Professor John HollowayAssociate Dean International and Enterprise John is Professor of Allergy and Respiratory Genetics and his research programme focuses on genetics, epigenetics and functional genomics of allergic and respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD. His work involves significant international collaboration with major research partners and John has published extensively in the field of allergy and respiratory genetics.

Dr Sylvia Pender Associate Director International Sylvia is Associate Professor of Mucosal Immunology and Faculty International Student Advisor. Winner of a 2010 Vice-Chancellor’s award, she is the organising committee member of the University’s Internationalisation Forum. Sylvia leads a research programme on the role of proteases and immune responses in healthy and diseased gut mucosa involving extensive international collaborations.

Dr James Hamilton Technology Transfer Manager James manages the technology transfer, licencing and spin-out opportunities arising from the life science sectors. Whilst his primary focus is on the Health care, Medical devices, Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical sectors, many of the technologies developed from these areas have wider application in other market sectors.

Dr Tom Wilkinson Associate Director Enterprise Tom leads a clinical and basic science group investigating the mechanisms of susceptibility to respiratory infection in patients with pulmonary disease and in malnutrition. He is academic lead on the Southampton COPD cohort study and leads a five-year translational research programme with GSK to develop new vaccines for patients with COPD.

Dr Brigitte Lavoie Collaboration Manager UISTBrigitte manages the Health and Pharma University-Industry Sector Team. The sector encompasses all research for human health. Her role is to develop and maintain collaborations between companies and the University. To do so, she promotes our academic excellence and identifies overlapping research interest between industry and the University.

University of Southampton International: Worth the Journey

The University is organised into eight Faculties, each housing a number of subject areas. These comprise the Faculties of Medicine, Health Sciences, Business and Law, Engineering and the Environment, Humanities, Natural and Environmental Sciences, Physical Sciences and Engineering and Social and Human Sciences.

The University of Southampton is a truly international institution with a global reputation for excellence in leading-edge research. Students from more than 130 different nations study here and our network of university partnerships spans the globe.

As part of our drive to attract the most promising students, promote our ground breaking research and forge new links with business and industry, we have developed close relationships with talented people and likeminded organisations across the world.

The University of Southampton International office (www.southampton.ac.uk/international/) provides ample support for international students from advice on immigration issues and visas to accommodation advice and a Meet and Greet Service and Welcome Programme designed to help new international students settle into life at the University and in the UK before their studies begin.

The University of Southampton is one of the founder members of the UK’s esteemed Russell Group of leading universities. We are ranked 73rd in the world (QS World University Rankings 2012/13) - one of only 19 UK universities to be ranked among the top 100 in the world. We have an excellent track record of teaching in a research-led environment and offer an outstanding student experience.

University of Southampton Malaysia Campus

University of Southampton Institute of Developmental Sciences Building, Southampton

18 19

Relevant web links are shown throughout the International brochure. Please also consult www.southampton.ac.uk/medicine for further details and/ or any changes which have appeared since first publication of the International brochure or phone +44 (0)23 8120 6583 for more information.

DisclaimerThis document is for information purposes only and is prepared well in advance of publication. While the University of Southampton uses all reasonable efforts to ensure that all

statements, information and data contained in this document are accurate as at the date of publication, it reserves the right to make revisions or modifications to such statements, information or data at any time and accepts no responsibility for the consequences of any such revisions or modifications.

© University of Southampton 2013This document can be made available, on request, in alternative formats such as electronic, large print, Braille or audio tape, and in some cases, other languages.

Contact usTel: +44 (0) 23 8120 6583Email: international.fm@southampton.ac.ukwww.southampton.ac.uk/medicine