Meet our trainees and fellows

Dr James Price, Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Infection, BSMS

Dr James Price graduated in Medicine from St. George’s Hospital Medical School, London, in 2005. James was awarded a Walport NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowship during which he completed his PhD focusing on whole-genome sequencing to inform nosocomial S. aureus infection. In 2014 James was appointed as a NIHR Clinical Lecturer where he continued to develop his research in prevention of healthcare-associated infection and antimicrobial resistance. In 2019, James took up a position as Infection Consultant at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and progressed to Director of Infection Prevention and Control.  Alongside this he worked as Honorary Senior Lecturer at the NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance at Imperial College London. In 2022, James took up the position of Senior Lecturer at Brighton and Sussex Medical School and Honorary Consultant in Infection at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust where he pursues his interests in translational application of data and novel technologies to inform on infection prevention and antimicrobial resistance. To date, his publications have received over 4900 citations, and he has won the prestigious Barnett Christie Prize Lecture, the Royal College of Pathologists Research Medal in Microbiology, the ESCMID Young Investigators award, the Healthcare Infection Society Early Career Award and a National Clinical Impact Award (N3).  James is Council Member (2016-) of the Healthcare Infection Society and chairs the Professional Development Committee.  In addition to being a fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists and the Royal College of Physicians, James is an active member of the National Quality Assurance Advisory Panel for microbiology, the NHS England and Improvement IPC oversight group, and has sat on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) hospital-onset COVID infection subgroup.

Isra Husain, NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow and ST1 Paediatric Trainee, BSMS

Isra is an NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow (ACF) and an ST1 paediatric trainee in Brighton. The research conducted by her team aims to advance understanding of the interplay between physical health, neurodivergence, and mental health in children and adolescents. This aligns well with her clinical practice ethos, as paediatrics emphasizes a holistic approach centered on the patient rather than solely on their medical condition.

Isra's interest in pediatrics was sparked early on. However, her fascination with research began during her intercalated BSc in physiology, where she engaged in clinical research and recognized its potential impact on patient care. Following this she secured a place in the Specialised Foundation Programme in Brighton, allowing her to explore both clinical and academic aspects of paediatrics. These experiences solidified her decision to pursue an NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowship in Brighton.

As a recent ACF, Isra highly values the supportive and inspiring research environment at BSMS. Her advice to those embarking on clinical research is to seek out senior colleagues who provide support while also gently pushing them forward— this is just as important as the project itself!

Richard Holmes, Clinical Doctoral Research Fellow HEE/NIHR & Extended Scope Physiotherapist (ACP), UHSussex Trust

Richard embarked on his research journey after undertaking several MSc modules to support his professional development. This experience encouraged him to pursue a full MSc degree. His first exposure to the research process came through writing his MSc dissertation, which was later published. This research not only benefited his clinical practice by allowing him to apply his findings but also enhanced his professional network, fostering connections with fellow clinicians interested in the research topic.

Following his MSc, Richard undertook an NIHR internship, which provided him with protected and dedicated time to develop research ideas. Subsequently, he participated in a Clinical Improvement Scholarship at Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. This scholarship allocated him 2 days a week over the course of a year to explore personal growth in research and undertake quality improvement projects. These opportunities deepened his interest in research, fostering a desire to learn more and providing the confidence to apply for an NIHR fellowship and pursue a PhD.

For Richard, clinical academia offers the best of both worlds. He believes he could never completely abandon his clinical practice due to his fondness for patient interaction and the dynamic ward environment. However, he also values the potential of uncovering new knowledge that can benefit patients beyond his immediate focus. He draws inspiration from the accomplishments of professionals in fully integrated clinical academic roles across the country and looks forward to this becoming a reality in Sussex, particularly for Allied Health Professionals (AHPs).

Reflecting on his journey, Richard's one piece of advice to aspiring researchers is to seek mentorship from someone willing and able to invest time in supporting their development. Navigating the complex world of research can be challenging, and having an experienced mentor who can offer practical advice at each stage is invaluable. Richard acknowledges that research can be a rollercoaster, and having a mentor has helped keep him grounded and provided an important reassuring voice.

Elaina Pasangha, NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow (ACF) and ST2 Haematology Trainee, BSMS

Elaina's first experience with research occurred during medical school, where she attended a series of research methodology seminars. The prospect of engaging in work outside of the medical curriculum excited her, prompting her to delve into practical clinical research under the guidance of her Pharmacology professor, Dr. Padmini Devi. This experience taught Elaina the importance and value of taking ownership of a project from its inception.

During medical school, Elaina engaged in various clinical research projects covering a range of subjects. These projects included developing a scoring system for the early detection of diabetic neuropathy, which incorporated established tools like monofilaments and emerging ones like the Vibratip. Additionally, she worked on optimizing pharmacotherapy for patients hospitalized with diabetic ulcers and conducted risk stratification for patients admitted with Covid-19 based on blood groups. In her Foundation training, Elaina undertook a systematic review on sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy and participated in a qualitative research endeavor examining access to government benefits among individuals living with disabilities in underserved areas. Furthermore, during medical school, Elaina pursued a Molecular Biology course to gain insights into laboratory research fundamentals.

These opportunities exposed Elaina to the expanse of evidence-based medicine available to clinicians and underscored the value of engaging in research throughout a clinical career. With this in mind, Elaina applied for and successfully secured an Academic Clinical Fellowship in Haematology at Brighton. This NIHR fellowship has provided her with the opportunity to pursue a formal Master's in Research and a wet laboratory project on MASTL enzyme inhibitors as a novel therapeutic target under the tutelage of Professor Andrea Pepper and Professor Professor Hochegger.

The supportive environment in Sussex, particularly for new researchers, has been instrumental in Elaina's growth as a clinical academic. She is motivated by the opportunity to pursue her clinical training alongside engaging in the fulfilling experience of research. Elaina's advice for anyone interested in a career in research is to go for it if it's something they feel strongly about. While there may be incredibly hard days, she believes these make the good days so much more rewarding.

Dr Eleni Ladikou, Haematology Specialty Trainee and Honorary Lecturer in Haematology, BSMS

Eleni's first exposure to academic haematology occurred during her undergraduate studies, where she spent a year working in a haemato-oncology laboratory in Leicester. This experience sparkeed her passion for the science and complexity of haematology, which motivated her to apply fpr a position in the Integrated Clinical Academic Training Programme through a highly competitive national process. This training programme is specifically designed for doctors with an interest in research, offering them protected academic time alongside their clinical training. Eleni's journey as a junior clinical academic trainee began in Leicester, where she completed the Academic Foundation Programme while conducting a four-month research project on B-cell lymphomas. She then moved to Brighton, where she successfully completed the NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowship (ACF) in Haematology. Later, she pursued and earned a PhD under the supervision of Professors Andrea and Chris Pepper, focusing on acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), a highly aggressive blood cancer that claims over 2,500 lives annually in the UK. She has since returned to full-time clinical work at the hospital while securing funding for a PhD student at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, whom she will co-supervise alongside Prof Andrea Pepper and Dr Fabio Simoes.

What Eleni cherishes most about her role as a doctor is the opportunity to engage with individuals and become a significant part of their lives. Assisting patients during challenging times is immensely fulfilling for her, evoking a profound sense of accomplishment. However, she often misses the intellectual stimulation and creative elements that science offers. As a result, Eleni is deeply passionate about pursuing a clinical academic career, where she can combine the rewards of human interaction in clinical medicine with her interest in medical research. Eleni feels that Sussex offers a plethora of opportunities, and the team eagerly welcomes young, talented individuals who can contribute to and uphold their standard of excellence. The haematology research community here is exceptionally strong, with several teams focused on different haematological diseases. The university collaborates closely with the hospital, involving patients in setting research priorities and helping shape research questions. Eleni believes this is crucial, as it creates the best possible foundation for true translational research, taking discoveries from the bench to the bedside.

Eleni's experience has been that embarking on a clinical academic career is an immensely rewarding journey, and she feels fortunate to have the opportunity to pursue it. She encourages anyone beginning their research journey not to lose hope when faced with negative results or rejections. These setbacks are inevitable and ultimately help improve research. She emphasizes the importance of always keeping focus on the bigger picture that truly matters: the patients. Eleni urges others to persevere, stay inspired, and develop ideas that may lead to small changes in the field—changes with the potential to make a global impact.

Dr Fiona Creswell, Senior Lecturer Global Health and Infection, Consultant HIV & Sexual Health, BSMS

Fiona launched into clinical training after medical school and thoroughly enjoyed it. She only realised she wanted to be a physician scientist once she was part way into her specialty registrar training in HIV and Sexual Health. Fiona dedicated her evenings and weekends to learning research methods through a distance learning post-graduate certificate in epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, while also starting to publish case series and audit data from her clinical work.  The next step in her research journey was to apply for a PhD, leading her to apply to the deanery for a year of out-of-program experience for research (OOPR). She spent this year working with the brain infections research team at the Infectious Diseases Institute in Uganda. This experience helped Fiona successfully develop a proposal for a Wellcome Clinical PhD fellowship.

Undertaking a PhD with the team in Uganda (2017–2021) proved to be a wonderful learning experience, sparking ideas for post-doctoral research. Fiona is very grateful to have secured an NIHR Academic Clinical Lectureship at BSMS, allowing her to combine clinical training with ongoing research. In this post she cultivated ideas and experience, then went onto successfully apply for a Wellcome Early Career Award. Fiona is excited to be at the beginning of this Wellcome post-doc award and now serves as Head of the HIV & Sexual Health Research Group. In parallel, she completed her specialty clinical training in 2024 and continues to engage in periodic clinical work at University Hospital Sussex.

The best part of Fiona’s experience so far was being a physician scientist working with a diverse group of researchers across Africa and Asia, and that this was a huge privilege that was never boring.

Fiona’s advice to prospective researchers is: The work is never ‘done’ in research, so having boundaries around non-work time is essential. Her children, family,  friends, bicycle and yoga mat help to maintain some boundaries and work-life balance. Research can move slowly and experience multiple pot-holes in the road, so it’s important to stay focused on the long term research vision – in this case it was improving HIV and TB treatment in Africa. Rejection feels horrible whether it a paper or grant application but don’t take it to heart; rest, reflect, recover and carry on.

Bria Browne, Registered Nurse, Brighton and Sussex Medical School

Bria’s journey into research began during her MSc in Population Health, where she completed her dissertation titled “Defining end of life in dementia: a systematic review”, which was later published. Her choice of this topic was influenced by her personal and professional experiences caring for older adults with dementia.

Following her MSc, Bria gained hands-on experience in clinical research nursing through a fixed-term contract, where she worked on Clinical Trials of Investigational Medicinal Products (CTIMPS). She then transitioned to a role as a Dementia Clinical Nurse Specialist for inpatients at an acute hospital trust. In this role, she faced the challenge of managing the acute care of patients living with dementia, many of whom experienced recurrent hospital admissions. 

During this time, Bria applied for a PhD at BSMS which focused on the determinants of hospital readmissions in older adults with dementia, using mixed methods. Driven by her interest in research and dementia care, Bria was accepted and started her PhD in 2022. Bria is currently over halfway through her PhD and works part-time as a Clinical Research Nurse.

Bria values the community of research-active healthcare professionals in Sussex, which offers diverse pathways into research and a supportive network. Bria’s advice for anyone considering research is to seek guidance from colleagues already engaged in research, learn from setbacks and rejections as this will help you grow as a researcher, and approach the process one day at a time (it’s a long but exciting journey!).