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Staff Profile

Dr Claire Wood

NIHR Senior Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Endocrinology

Background

I studied medicine at Edinburgh University from 1999-2005. During this time I did an intercalated BMedSci at Newcastle University, studying the late effects after childhood cancer. After completion of my foundation training in Edinburgh, I was awarded an academic clinical fellowship and moved back to Newcastle to pursue my academic career in paediatrics. 


In 2016 I was awarded an MRC clinical research fellowship, based both at Roslin Institute and the John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre in Newcastle to investigate bone and growth in mouse models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Alongside my laboratory work I secured funding from Duchenne Now to run a portfolio-adopted clinical trial investigating the use of testosterone replacement therapy for delayed puberty in adolescents with DMD (NCT02571205). Duchenne UK kindly funded the extension study of this project. 


I was awarded my PhD in October 2019 and returned to Newcastle to take up an NIHR academic clinical lectureship and complete my specialist training in paediatric endocrinology and diabetes from September 2020-2023. During this time, I carried out a BPSU study to investigate glucocorticoid induced adrenal insufficiency and undertook several clinical research projects investigating aspects of bone and growth in DMD. On completion of my training, I took up an NHIP fellowship as an honorary consultant. Recently I have been awarded an NIHR senior fellowship and EME grant as chief investigator for a multi-centre randomised, placebo-controlled, single blind trial to investigate the efficacy of adjuvant RTX therapy compared to standard ATD treatment of Graves Disease in young people with newly diagnosed disease.

Research

RESEARCH GRANTS

·    August 2024: NIHR EME (£3,610,849.32) Lead applicant on grant “A randomised trial of adjuvant rituximab in young people with Graves’ disease”.

·    February 2023: Duchenne Parent Project (€12350). Co-applicant on grant “The monitoring and management of osteoporotic vertebral fracture in Duchenne muscular Dystrophy (DMD): a mixed method research to inform person-centred standards of care and clinical guidelines”. Part 2-Qualitative Research.

·    October 2022: Duchenne Parent Project (€100,000). Co-applicant on grant “The monitoring and management of osteoporotic vertebral fracture in Duchenne muscular Dystrophy (DMD): a mixed method research to inform person-centred standards of care and clinical guidelines”. Part 1- Quantitative Research.

·    August 2022: Duchenne Parent Project (€7277). Lead applicant on grant “Sexual health and fertility in DMD”

·    January 2022: GNCH Foundation (£24,079). Young Investigator on Exploring the mechanism behind glucocorticoid-induced growth failure in DMD”.

·    March 2019: Duchenne UK (£228,562). Trial manager on 3- year grant for extension study, “Long term observational extension study of gonadal function after pubertal induction in DMD”

·    October 2018: Joint Research Committee, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals Trust (£15000). Co-investigator on British Paediatric Surveillance Unit study, “Symptomatic glucocorticoid induced adrenal suppression in the United Kingdom and Ireland.”

·    November 2017: British Society for Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes Research Award (£10,000). “The role of VBP6, a steroid analogue, on growth and bone health in a novel mouse model of DMD”

·    December 2015: Duchenne Now (£211,422). Trial manager on 3- year grant for clinical trial “ Testosterone therapy for pubertal delay in DMD.”


RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

August 2024 to current: I have recently been awarded an NIHR/EME advanced fellowship to undertake a UK-wide randomised trial of adjuvant rituximab in young people with Graves’ disease ( award value £3,610,849.32) I am PI for AVANT1A, Antiviral Action against Type 1 diabetes Autoimmunity"  which examines whether vaccination against COVID-19 at the age of six months can prevent the development of islet autoantibodies in babies at increased genetic risk of developing type 1 diabetes, thus reducing their risk of developing the condition. This study is currently in set-up.

Sep 2019 to July 2024: I was co-investigator on a British Paediatric Surveillance Unit study, ‘Symptomatic glucocorticoid induced adrenal suppression in the UK and Ireland’ The manuscript has just been accepted subject to revision. I ran a portfolio-adopted study as a follow-up to the initial controlled trial, entitled, ‘Long term observational extension study of gonadal function after pubertal induction in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). I was associate PI for the SINT1A study investigated whether probiotics can prevent the development of type 1 diabetes in children at increased risk. We received funding to carry out qualitative work exploring aspects of fertility and sexual health in DMD and to investigate the monitoring and management of osteoporotic vertebral fracture in DMD. We are also using data from a recently completed RCT (FOR-DMD) in combination with novel micro-RNA techniques to explore mechanisms behind glucocorticoid induced growth failure in DMD. 

April 2016 to August 2019: I completed a PhD as part of an MRC Clinical Research Training Fellowship. The project was entitled ‘Characterisation of skeletal development and the use of anabolic agents in murine models of DMD’ and was jointly funded by Muscular Dystrophy UK (award value £280,202, MR/N0202588/1).

June 14- March 16: I worked as an MRC Centre-funded Clinical Research Associate at the John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre and was sub-investigator for 7 commercially funded, multi-centre clinical trials in Spinal Muscular Atrophy and DMD. The trials were in varying phases and I was involved in all aspects of trial design and conduct. I also personally designed and set up a clinical trial to investigate testosterone replacement therapy for delayed puberty in adolescents with DMD, securing funding of £211,422 for this.

2012- 2014: During my ACF research time I was involved in several projects. I designed an analysis of familial data and investigation of reproductive stoppage in families of children with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder. I also performed data analysis on the Newcastle Pre-term Birth Growth Study Cohort, looking at infant growth and subsequent insulin sensitivity and cognitive function related to early post-discharge feeding. I also completed the Diploma of Clinical Research which contained taught modules in research governance and ethics, statistics, clinical trials, research study design, data interpretation, writing in a research setting and GCP training.

2001-2: During my intercalated degree I studied ‘Second Primary Tumours in Children and Young Adults in the North of England (1968-1999)’.  Funding was awarded by North-East Children’s Cancer Research. This project constituted the majority of my first-class honours degree and was combined with taught course modules on health services research, epidemiology and quantitative and qualitative research methods.

 

PUBLICATIONS (Total 58, h-index= 16, i10 index= 20. Only those from past 5 years shown)

1.  Cheetham T, Wood CL. Paediatric thyroid disease. Clin End 2024. PMID 39072866

2.  Barbar B, De Silva N, Cheetam T, Wood C, Quinton R. Gonadal tumour screening in XY gonadal dysgenesis. Clin End 2024. PMID 38280194 

3.  Preston J, Lappin E, Ainsworth J, Wood CL, Dimitri P. Involving children and young people as active partners in paediatric health research. Paediatrics and Child Health 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paed.2023.10.003

4.  Wood CL et al. Is ongoing testosterone supplementation required after induction of puberty in Duchenne muscular dystrophy? A follow-up study. Endocrine Connections 2023. PMID 37768006

5.  Sharma V, Cheetham T, Wood CL. Interpreting thyroid function tests. Paediatrics and child health 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paed.2023.04.002

6.  Wood CL et al. Muscle function, body composition, insulin sensitivity and physical activity in adolescents born preterm: Impact of gestation and vitamin D status. Nutrients 2022. PMID 36501074.

7.  Lane, L, Wood CL, Cheetham T. Graves’ disease: moving forwards. Arch Dis Child 2022. PMID: 35831126

8.  Wood CL et al. Combined growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1 rescues growth retardation in glucocorticoid-treated mdx mice but does not prevent osteopenia. JOE 2022. PMID 35191394

9.  Wood CL et al. Initial response of young people with thyrotoxicosis to block and replace or dose titration thionamide. Eur Thyroid J. 2022 PMID: 34981745

10.Wood CL et al. The impact of quality of life in adolescents with DMD. Neuromusc Dis 2021 PMID: 34702655

11.Cheetham T, Wood C. Quality of life in craniopharyngioma- sorting out cause from association. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology. 2021 PMID: 34018183

12.Alins-Sahun Y, Cheetham T, Boot C, Straub V, Wood CL. Measurement of salivary testosterone in adolescents and young men with DMD. BMC Endocrine 2021 PMID: 33838674

13.Embleton ND, Wood CL et al. Early diet in preterm infants following hospital discharge and later childhood cognition: 10-year follow up of a randomised controlled trial. Pediatric Research 2021 PMID: 33564126

14.Lin L, 24 authors, Wood CL et al. Sex-specific effects of nutritional supplements for infants born early or small: an individual participant data meta-analysis (ESSENCE IPD-MA). I. Cognitive function and metabolic risk. Nutrients 2020. PMID 31919126

15.Lin L, 24 authors, Wood CL et al. Sex-specific effects of nutritional supplements for infants born early or small: an individual participant data meta-analysis (ESSENCE IPD-MA). II. Growth. Nutrients 2020 PMID 31919126

16.Wood CL et al. Pubertal induction in adolescents with DMD is associated with high satisfaction, gonadotropin release and increased muscle contractile surface area. EJE 2020. PMID: 33112266

17.Wood CL et al. Randomised trial of block and replace versus dose titration in young people with thyrotoxicosis. European Journal of Endocrinology 2020. PMID: 33107439

18.Sai-Kalyani K, Lane LC, Wood CL et al. Fifteen minute consultation: an approach to the child on glucocorticoids. ADC 2020. PMID: 32769084

19.Wood CL et al. The utility of the mdx:cmah mouse as a model for assessing skeletal development in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. DMM 2020. PMID: 31754018

20.Lin L, Crowther C, Gamble G, Bloomfield F, Harding JE, Essence IPD-MA group. Sex-specific effects of nutritional supplements in infants born early or small: protocol for an individual participant data meta-analysis (ESSENCE IPD-MA). BMJ Open 2020. PMID: 31919126

21.Wood CL et al. Normal Physiology of Puberty. Best Practice and Research Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2019. PMID: 31000487

22.Wood CL et al. Observational study of clinical outcomes for testosterone treatment of pubertal delay in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. BMC Pediatrics  2019. PMID: 31023296

23.Wood CL, Embleton ND. Metabolic outcomes in very low birthweight and preterm infants in later life. J Pediatr 2018. PMID: 29928846

24.Bugiardini E , Morrow J, Sachit S, Wood CL et al. The Diagnostic Value of MRI Pattern Recognition in Distal Myopathies. Front Neurol 2018. PMID: 29997562

25.Kletzl H, Marquet A, Günther A, Tang W, Heuberger J, Groeneveld GJ, Birkhoff W, Mercuri E, Lochmüller H, Wood CL et al. The oral splicing modifier RG7800 increases FL-SMN2 mRNA and SMN protein: results from trials in healthy adults and patients with SMA. Neuromuscul Disord 2018. PMID: 30553700

26.Wood CL, Straub V. Bone in muscular dystrophies- what do we know? Curr Opin Neur 2018. PMID: 30080716

27.James E, Wood CL et al. Preterm Birth and Timing of Puberty. BMC Pediatrics 2018. PMID: 29310614

28.Wood CL, Soucek O, Wong SC et al. Animal Models for Exploring the Adverse Effects of Glucocorticoids on Bone Growth and Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis. J Endocrinol 2017. PMID: 29051192

 

INVITED TALKS from past 5 years

·    May 2024 Bone health in DMD at Budapest, Jan 2024 Impact of hormone therapy on the skeleton in DMD at ENMC workshop, Amsterdam

·    Nov 2023 Bone health and puberty in DMD at Action Duchenne National Conference, Leicester

·    Oct 2023 Puberty-results from DMD International Working Group Discussions. Ottowa

·    May 2023 Steroids and Bone Health at TREAT-NMD Expert Masterclass, Amsterdam

·    April 2023 Testosterone and Bone Health in DMD at Duchenne Endocrine and Osteoporosis Care in an Ever-changing Landscape, Rome

·    May 2023 Management of Delayed Puberty, growth and bone health at 5th International Conference on care of patients with DMD/BMD, Prague

·    May 2023 Research resources for trainees at RCPCH Academic trainee day May 2023

·    Oct 2022 Puberty and gonadal function in adults and adolescents with DMD. Northstar UK Symposium.

·    Nov 2021 British Society for Endocrinology and Diabetes Research Award talk. “The role of VBP6 in bone and growth in DMD.”

·    May 2021 Northern Region Orthopaedic Trainees Paediatric Day. “Metabolic bone disease.”

·    April 2021 GNCH Grand Round. “Making muscle, bones and thyroids better: Endocrine research in Newcastle”

·    January 2021 Paediatric Endocrine Research Lecture Series. “Strategies to improve bone and growth in DMD”

·    October 2020 “Standards of care in DMD” Webinar.

·    October 2020 “What’s new in the endocrine management of DMD” Newcastle muscle team Grand Round

·    September 2019. Meet the Expert session, with Dr Tim Cheetham. The management of Graves’ disease. European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology in Vienna

 

PRESENTATIONS from past 5 years

·    Nov 2023. Oral presentation: RigD2. Society for Endocrinology, Glasgow

·    Dec 2022: Oral presentation: An unexpected benefit of a pregnancy test. Annual Retreat for Paediatric Endocrinology Trainees

·    Sep 2022: Poster presentation: Is testosterone supplementation required after induction of puberty in DMD? A follow-up study, European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology conference, Rome

·    Sep 2022: Oral presentation: Use of 24 weekly Decapeptyl SR in central precocious puberty is well tolerated and efficacious- a two centre study, British Society for Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Belfast

·    Sep 2022: Oral presentation: The effect of VBP6, a steroid-sparing agent on growth and musculoskeletal defects of x-linked muscular dystrophy (mdx) mice. Newcastle University academic trainee symposium

·    Nov 2021: Poster presentation, “Can playing a computer game assess muscle function? Use of ACTIVE-seated in Duchenne muscular dystrophy”, British Society for Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes conference (virtual)

·    Sep 2021: Poster presentation, “Initial response to thionamide medication in young people diagnosed with thyrotoxicosis”, European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology conference (virtual)

·    Sep 2021: Poster presentation, Variability of advice and education for steroid sick day dosing in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic: Results of a UK wide patient survey, European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology conference (virtual)

·    March 2021: Poster presentation, “The impact of testosterone therapy on gonadal and bone turnover markers in Duchenne muscular dystrophy”, Neuromuscular translational Research Conference (virtual)

·    March 2021: Poster presentation, “The impact of testosterone therapy on quality of life in adolescents with Duchenne muscular dystrophy”, Neuromuscular translational Research Conference (virtual)

·    November 2020: Oral presentation, “Pubertal induction in adolescents with DMD is associated with high satisfaction, gonadotropin release and increased muscle contractile surface area”, ESPE Connect Online

·    September 2019: Oral presentation, “Randomised trial of block and replace versus dose titration antithyroid drug treatment in children and adolescents with Graves’ disease”, ESPE, Vienna

·    April 2019:  Poster presentation, “Establishment of a Glucocorticoid Regimen to Induce both Growth Retardation and Osteoporosis in C57BL/10 DMD Mouse Models”, ENDO, New Orleans

·    April 2019: Poster presentation, “Testosterone therapy in DMD- preliminary results from a clinical trial” at UK Neuromuscular Translational Research Conference, Newcastle

·    April 2019: Poster presentation, “The utility of the mdx: cmah mouse as a model for assessing skeletal development in DMD” at UK Neuromuscular Translational Research Conference, Newcastle

·    January 2019: Oral presentation, “Testosterone therapy in DMD- preliminary results from a clinical trial” at Scottish Paediatric Endocrinology Group, Dunkeld

·    June 2018: Poster presentation, “Characterisation of skeletal developmental in mouse models of DMD “Internal Conference for Children’s Bone Health, Wurzburg

Teaching

I am an APLS instructor and frequently teach on courses throughout the UK. I have regularly taught undergraduate students as part of the Newcastle University Child development module, as well as conducting bedside teaching for MRCPCH clinical exam revision sessions. I frequently lecture on the endocrinology component of the undergraduate medicine and dentistry courses.

I regularly supervise MRes, MSc and PhD students.

 

I am the paediatric section editor for OnExamination, which is part of the BMJ publishing group and provides an online revision platform for the MRCPCH exams. My role is to design questions, provide online candidate feedback on questions and review the content, in particular with regard to the evolving MRCPCH curriculum . 

Publications