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Staff Profile

Dr Malcolm Brodlie

Clinical Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Paediatric Respiratory Physician; NIHR Integrated Academic Training Programme Lead

  • Address: Level 3, Clinical Resource Building
    Great North Children's Hospital
    Royal Victoria Infirmary
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    United Kingdom
    NE1 4LP
Background

Introduction 

I am a clinician scientist in paediatric respiratory medicine in the Newcastle University Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, where I am a Principal Investigator in the Immunity and Inflammation theme.

Our work spans from laboratory-based airway and inflammation biology to patient-facing clinical research and epidemiology. We aim to increase the understanding of childhood respiratory disease and importantly translate these findings in to the development of new treatments and improved delivery of care for children and young people with lung problems. Investigating the pathogenesis of cystic fibrosis lung disease and mechanisms of airway infection and inflammation is the major focus of our research. Please click on the research tab below for further details.

I work clinically as an Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Respiratory Medicine at the Great North Children's Hospital (GNCH) and the Freeman Hospital in The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. My areas of special clinical interest include cystic fibrosis and cardiothoracic (heart or lung) transplantation; along with a general respiratory clinic.

Qualifications

BSc (Hons), MB ChB, PhD, FRCPCH

Roles and responsibilities

  • Medical and Dental Pillar Lead, Newcastle Health Innovation Partners Academy (NHIP Academy)
  • Director of the North East NIHR Integrated Academic Training Programme for Doctors and Dentists
  • Newcastle Joint Research Executive Scientific Committee Chair, 2019 onwards
  • Member Cystic Fibrosis Trust Research and Grants Committee, 2022 onwards
  • Member UK Cystic Fibrosis Registry Steering Committee, 2020 onwards
  • Deputy Editor BMJ Paediatrics Open
  • Member British Thoracic Society Standards of Care Committee, 2015-18
  • Member British Paediatric Respiratory Society Executive Committee (Guidelines Officer), 2015-18
  • Member Newcastle University Ethics Committee, 2015-19
  • Associate Editor BMC Pulmonary Medicine 2013-19, Editorial Advisor, 2019 onwards
  • Member Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Paediatric Respiratory Medicine CSAC, trainee representative, 2010-13

Areas of expertise

  • Paediatric Respiratory Medicine
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Airway inflammation and infection
  • Sphingolipid metabolism

Awards

  •  Wellcome Trust Elective Prize, 2000
  •  Joint Medical Research Council/Cystic Fibrosis Trust Clinical Research Training Fellowship, 2008
  •  Best oral presentation: Northern Paediatric Research and Development Conference, 2008
  •  British Lung Foundation Travel Fellowship, 2008
  •  Cystic Fibrosis Trust Travel Award, 2009
  •  Best poster: Institute of Cellular Medicine and Institute of Ageing and Health Research Day, 2009
  •  Best oral presentation: Academic Paediatrics Association, 2009
  •  Medical Research Council, supplementary travel award, 2010
  •  European Respiratory Society Bursary for the 8th ERS Lung Science Conference, 2010
  •  British Paediatric Respiratory Society Travel Award, European Cystic Fibrosis Society Conference, 2012
  •  Medical Research Council Clinician Scientist Fellowship, 2015
  •  Finalist, Outstanding Research Collaboration with the NHS, Bright Ideas In Health Awards, 2019

ORCiD ID: 0000-0003-4591-8299

Google Scholar: Click here


Research

Outline

Respiratory conditions are the most common reason for acute paediatric admissions in the UK and account for more than half of all long-term illnesses in children and young people.

Our programme of research is focused on increasing the understanding of childhood respiratory disease and importantly translating these findings in to the development of new treatments and improved delivery of care for children and young people with lung problems.

Current projects span from laboratory-based basic science to epidemiological studies, a brief synopsis appears below.

Our work has been funded by the Medical Research Council, Wellcome Trust, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, Academy of Medical Sciences, United Kingdom Clinical Research Network, Newcastle Hospitals NHS Charity and investigator-led grants from Pfizer and Roche Diagnostics. 

We welcome contact from any students or potential collaborators who may be interested in working with the group.

Cystic fibrosis

Investigating the pathogenesis of CF lung disease to inform the development of new treatment strategies is the major focus of our research. We aim to ask the most clinically meaningful questions possible. Our approach to answer these involves combining innovative experimental techniques with clinical samples from children and people with CF. Current projects include:

  • Mechanisms of inflammation and infection in the CF airway - with special emphasis on the role of disordered sphingolipid metabolism, for further detail see Gardner et al. 2020
  • Abnormal airway surface liquid homeostasis including the role of non-CFTR transporters and establishment of paediatric-relevant experimental models, with Dr Iram Haq, Intermediate Fellow, see Haq et al. 
  • Epidemiology and management of Mycobacterium abscessus infection in children and young people with CF, with Dr Matt Thomas and MD student Dr Noreen Zainal-Abidin) see Gardner et al. 2019

Airway infection

  • Innate defence against respiratory virus infection in airway epithelial cells, for example with SARS-CoV-2 Hatton et al. 2021 
  • Testing for respiratory viruses in children, for example evaluation of point of care testing Allen et al. 2020
  • Epidemiology of community acquired pneumonia and pleural infection/empyema in children with Dr Alice Wort and Dr Matt Thomas 

Airway physiology

  • Study of airway physiology associated with non-invasive respiratory support and high flow nasal cannula oxygen in neonates and young children
  • In collaboration with Drs Chris O'Brien (Paediatric Respiratory), Alan Fenton and Sundeep Harigopal (Neonatology); Clinical Research Fellows, Dr Zheyi Liew and Dr Becky Naples see Liew et al.

Funding

  • Sep 2018: 'Investigating the antimicrobial activity of sphingosine as a novel therapy against respiratory infection in children' Newcastle Hospitals NHS Charity. (PI) £180k
  • May 2018: Personalised Therapies for all: Restoring airway function in CF Using Alternative Chloride Channels' Cystic Fibrosis Trust. (Co-I) £750k
  • Sep 2017: 'Reducing ceramide levels in the airway epithelium as a novel therapeutic strategy in cystic fibrosis' MRC Confidence in Concept. (PI) £13.4k
  • Oct 2016: 'Diagnostic evaluation of a point of care RSV test' Roche Diagnostics/Newcastle NIHR MIC. (CI) £120k
  • June 2016: 'Anoctamin 1 as a novel therapeutic target in cystic fibrosis epithelium' Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Fellowship. (Lead Supervisor) £150k 
  • May 2015: MRC Clinician Scientist Fellowship. (PI) £1.3 million
  • April 2014: 'INOVCF - Innovative non-CFTR Approaches for Cystic Fibrosis Therapy' Co-Investigator. CF Trust. £750,000
  • April 2014: 'CF Trust Clinical Research Co-ordinator' with Dr Simon Doe and Dr Anthony de Soyza
  • March 2014: 'The impact of a conjugate pneumococcal vaccine (Prevenar 13) on the epidemiology and aetiology of childhood pneumonia in the North East of England' Investigator-Initiated Study, Pfizer. £300,00
  • April 2012: 'Mucus permeating nanoparticulate drug delivery systems' Project Alexander EU FP7. €15.5 million (with Prof JP Pearson, Newcastle University split €830,000)
  • Dec 2011: ‘Functional characterisation and pharmacological manipulation of airway sphingolipids in cystic fibrosis’ Wellcome Trust/Academy of Medical Sciences: £29,921.60
  • Nov 2011: ‘Functional characterisation and pharmacological manipulation of airway sphingolipids in cystic fibrosis’ Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Charity (the Trustees): £24,352.10
  • Nov 2011: FSF funding for Dr Jane Falconer, post-doctoral researcher salary. Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: £12,095
  • Apr 2009: ‘Investigating epithelial cell and dendritic cell interactions in cystic fibrosis’ Newcastle Hospitals Special Trustees: £50,000
  • Jun 2008 ‘The culture of primary bronchial epithelial cells from cystic fibrosis lungs – a model to investigate the role of Interleukin-17 in cystic fibrosis lung disease’ Inaugural recipient of the only personal Joint Medical Research Council/Cystic Fibrosis Trust Research Training Fellowship: £132,084
  • Mar 2007 ‘An investigation in to the role of interleukin-17 in cystic fibrosis lung disease’ Newcastle Hospitals Special Trustees: £50,000 
Teaching
  • I am heavily involved in clinical academic training in the region as IAT lead and Lead of the Medical and Dental Pillar, NHIP Academy
  • I lecture on the Biomedical Sciences BMS2015 Module 'Health and Disease at Mucosal Surfaces' with a research-led teaching approach focused on the pathophysiology and treatment of cystic fibrosis.
  • Along with multidisciplinary colleagues I deliver teaching on measuring lung function in children and development of the respiratory system to clinical physiologists as part of the STP programme. 
  • I am involved in the clinical teaching of medical students in paediatrics at GNCH.
  • I am the departmental organiser for undergraduate medical student SSC projects in paediatric respiratory medicine and welcome anyone contacting me who may be interested.
Publications