Rising stars in the Clinical Academic Training programme

NIHR Clinical Lecturers (CLs)

Vivak Parkash, Infectious Diseases

Dr Vivak Parkash is an accomplished researcher with a significant impact on the field of leishmaniasis. Holding 22 peer-reviewed publications, including 9 as first author and a notable publication in Nature Medicine, Dr Parkash has made substantial contributions to the understanding and treatment of this complex parasitic disease.   

A key achievement in Dr Parkash's career is the first description of a successful controlled human infection model for Leishmaniasis infection. Dr Parkash successfully led the development of the CHIM for leishmaniasis at the University of York. This groundbreaking work has been instrumental in unblocking drug and vaccine development pathways for this challenging infection, providing a crucial tool for evaluating new interventions.   

Dr Parkash's expertise is further evidenced by his H-index of 8, reflecting the impact and influence of his research within the scientific community. He has also served as a co-investigator on two significant follow-on MRC grant applications focused on developing vaccines and therapeutics for leishmaniasis. Furthermore, he has fostered successful international collaborations with esteemed researchers in Israel and India. 

Hugo Penny, Gastroenterology

Dr Hugo Penny: since completing his Wellcome Trust PhD Fellowship in 2020 and whilst in post as an NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer in Gastroenterology (2022-present), Dr Penny has published 11 papers in peer-reviewed journals on the topic of Coeliac Disease, including 4 original articles of which one was published in the journal Gut (impact factor 23) and one - as senior author - in the journal Gastroenterology (impact factor 26). 

Dr Penny has been successful on recent research grants (as a co-applicant) totalling >£500,000 from the NIHR (Health Technology Assessment Programme 2024) and Coeliac UK (Basic Science Grant 2023), to investigate clinical and translational aspects relating to the diagnosis and treatment of Coeliac Disease. 

Dr Penny has delivered invited talks at regional gastroenterology training days, the British Society of Gastroenterology annual conference (2023), and the biennial International Society for the Study of Celiac Disease conference (2024), on the topic of Non-responsive and Refractory Coeliac Disease. 

Dr Penny is the current elected Chair of the British Society of Gastroenterology Guideline Development Group for Adult Coeliac Disease and is a committee member of the European Society for the Study of Coeliac Disease. 

During his time as an ACL Dr Penny has also co-supervised one PhD to successful completion. In summary, Dr Penny is an emerging leader in the field of adult coeliac disease; he has just secured an NHS consultant job in Sheffield where he will continue his academic pursuits alongside clinical work within the NHS National Centre for Non-responsive and Refractory Coeliac Disease. 

Rebecca Mawson, GP

Former NIHR In-Practice Training Fellow

Dr Rebecca Mawson is an NIHR Clinical Lecturer in Primary Care at the University of Sheffield and a practising GP based in Sheffield, England. Her work is dedicated to addressing reproductive health inequalities through innovative co-design methodologies, with a specific focus on improving healthcare access and experiences for under-represented populations.

After graduating from the University of Leeds School of Medicine in 2010, Dr Mawson gained international experience in obstetrics and gynaecology in New Zealand before completing her GP training in Harrogate in 2014 and returning to her hometown of Sheffield.

Her academic career at the University of Sheffield began in 2016, and she was awarded an NIHR In-Practice Training Fellowship in 2018. Dr Mawson completed her MD in 2022, focusing on inequalities in sexual and reproductive health within general practice, particularly for those in deprived communities.

Since becoming an NIHR Clinical Lecturer in April 2023, Dr Mawson has expanded her research to encompass various aspects of sexual and reproductive health, including contraception access, menopause care, and HIV management in primary care. She also maintains special research interests in endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Dr Mawson is currently leading ‘The Hormone Effect’ (THE), a project exploring the effects of hormonal contraception using digital tracking. Her ongoing work includes developing community-led research initiatives to understand the experiences of women from ethnic minority backgrounds with contraception services. Through her clinical practice and research, Dr Mawson is a strong advocate for equitable healthcare and improved reproductive health outcomes for all.

Gavin Brittain, Neurology

Dr Gavin Brittain is a dedicated researcher specialising in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) with a strong publication record including 12 peer-reviewed journal articles, 5 of which he authored as first author (H-index 6). During his PhD, Dr Brittain demonstrated significant success in securing research funding, bringing in over £400,000 as Principal Investigator and over £200,000 as co-investigator.

He has gained international recognition for his work, delivering keynote talks at prestigious conferences such as the American Academy of Neurology and the World Congress of Neurology. This recognition is further highlighted by his award of an American Academy of Neurology International Fellowship grant.

During PhD, Dr Brittain helped develop a novel digital outcome measure of real-world mobility in Multiple Sclerosis which is now being implemented into phase 3 clinical trials. He is an NIHR associate PI as part of a randomised controlled trial of autologous

haematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Multiple Sclerosis (StarMS). The StarMS trial has fully recruited and is actively involved in advancing the use of chimeric antigen receptor therapy (CAR-T) in MS. As such, he has been invited to form part of a European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) working group for CAR-T in MS. 

Dr Brittain leads the neuroinflammatory module for the University's Clinical Neurology MSc course.

Thomas Payne, Neurology

Dr Thomas Payne is a researcher with a focus on Parkinson's disease, contributing to the field with 11 peer-reviewed publications, including 4 as first author, resulting in an H-index of 8.

Dr Payne has gained international recognition for his work, particularly in the area of multimodal mechanistic disease stratification in sporadic Parkinson’s disease. His research was highlighted through platform presentations at the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society International Congress in September 2022, where he was awarded the Junior Award. He further presented an invited encore presentation at the American Academy of Neurology Annual Conference in April 2023.

In recognition of his significant contributions, Dr Payne was awarded the 2022 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society Junior Award for his abstract titled “Multimodal mechanistic disease stratification in sporadic Parkinson’s disease.”

Krit Diwivedi, Clinical Radiology

Former NIHR Academic Foundation Trainee and NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow in Radiology

Dr Dwivedi is an NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer in Radiology. He was previously an NIHR Academic Foundation Trainee and NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow in Radiology at Sheffield. His work focuses on developing and clinically validating AI models in cardiothoracic imaging. He works closely with the Sheffield Pulmonary Vascular Diseases Unit for his work in Pulmonary Hypertension. 

Dr Dwivedi was awarded a 4ward Wellcome Trust Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Training Fellowship for his PhD, in which he spent time at the Stanford University Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine & Imaging (AIMI) as a visiting researcher.

He is a member of the Royal College of Radiologists Artificial Intelligence Committee and is an Associate Editor for European Respiratory Journal. His work has been published in multiple high-impact cross-disciplinary journals (Lancet Respiratory Medicine, Radiology, European Respiratory Journal), and he has delivered multiple invited talks on AI in medical imaging at International conferences. 

PhD students

Alexander Keeley, Infectious Diseases

Wellcome Clinical Fellow

Former NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow 

Dr Alexander Keeley is a highly accomplished researcher based in Sheffield who has made significant contributions to global health. He has authored over 17 peer-reviewed publications (7 as first author, H-index 18) and received the LSHTM Director's Award for Education to Improve Health Worldwide.

His research focuses on understanding human responses to Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections, subsequent risks like Rheumatic Heart Disease, and the genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2. Dr Keeley has secured substantial independent funding during his PhD (>£50K) and through international consortia (>£1.3M).

His work has led to multiple publications and follow-on funding from Bactivac (Bacterial Vaccines Network, supported by the Wellcome Trust and MRC). He has also contributed to a £5M Wellcome Trust grant as a collaborator across institutes in Australia, New Zealand, The Gambia and the UK and co-developed GAS immunoassays with GSK for vaccine trials. During the COVID-19 pandemic, his contributions to understanding the genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2  as an active contributor to the COG-UK Network influenced policy.

Dr Keeley holds a Wellcome Clinical PhD Fellowship in Global Health Research, solidifying his position as a key researcher.

Benjamin Lindsey, Infectious Diseases

Wellcome Trust Clinical PhD (4WardNorth)

Former NIHR ACF

Dr Benjamin Lindsey is a highly accomplished researcher with over 46 peer-reviewed publications, including several as first author in prestigious journals such as The Lancet. His significant contributions to the field are reflected in his impressive H-index of 18.

Dr Lindsey's research has been supported by follow-on funding, including a British Society of Immunology Career Enhancement Grant, which facilitated a valuable lab visit to Harvard University. He is also recognised as a prominent figure in his field, having delivered keynote talks at major international conferences, notably the European Congress on Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.   

Possessing significant expertise in genomic and big data analysis, Dr Lindsey has developed novel bioinformatic analysis pipelines, demonstrating his innovative research approach. His skills in this area led to a crucial contribution to understanding the transmission and spread of SARS-CoV-2 during the COVID-19 pandemic.   

Dr Lindsey leads the establishment of single-cell sequencing of mucosal samples in Sheffield, further solidifying his commitment to cutting-edge research and advancing our understanding of immunology and infectious diseases.

Peter Johnston, Infectious Diseases

Wellcome Clinical PhD Fellow

Former NIHR ACF

Dr Peter Johnston is a dedicated researcher who focuses on infectious diseases, particularly in resource-limited settings. He is currently leading a successful household transmission study in Blantyre, Malawi, which is contributing valuable insights into disease dynamics in this region.

Dr Johnston has authored six peer-reviewed publications, four of which were first authors, demonstrating his significant contributions to the scientific literature. Beyond his research, Dr Johnston has also made important contributions to policy, actively participating in the WHO working group on invasive Non-typhoidal vaccines.

Demonstrating a commitment to education and training, Dr Johnston plays a major role in the medical community through the delivery of Advanced Life Support (ALS) training, serving as an instructor since 2015. He is also actively involved in the supervision of medical and MSc students, fostering the next generation of researchers and clinicians.

Sheharyar Baig, Neurology

Association of British Neurologists Clinical Doctoral Fellow (Stroke Association and Berkley Foundation)

Former NIHR ACF

Dr Sheharyar Baig is a dedicated researcher with a strong focus on neurological recovery and innovative clinical trial methodologies.

He has authored 20 peer-reviewed publications, with a significant 13 of these as first author, reflecting his impactful contributions to the field (H-index 11).   

Dr Baig is a key co-investigator on the NIHR-funded TRICEPS trial, the largest study to date, investigating non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation for post-stroke recovery. He has played a pivotal role in enhancing clinical trial efficiency across 19 sites through the development and implementation of video screening as a valuable tool.

Furthermore, Dr Baig co-led the mechanistic neuroimaging substudy within the TRICEPS trial, utilising functional MRI to gain a deeper understanding of post-stroke motor recovery processes. He has also spearheaded the use of high-density functional near-infrared spectroscopy as a promising novel biomarker to monitor the effects of vagus nerve stimulation.

Evripidis Tokidis, General Surgery

Dr Evripidis Tokidis is a General Surgery registrar currently undertaking an Out-of-Programme Research year at the University of Sheffield, where he is pursuing a PhD in Surgical Education. His research focuses on Evidence-Based Medicine teaching and training within General Surgery. Alongside his PhD studies, he works as a clinical research fellow at the Department of General Surgery, Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Demonstrating a commitment to surgical education and professional development, Dr Tokidis serves as a trustee at Critical Appraisal and Methodology for Surgical Trainees (CRAMSurg!). He has also held leadership positions within the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland Equality and Diversity Committee and the Royal College of Surgeons of England Pride in Surgery Forum (PRiSM). In these roles, he has developed valuable skills in collaboration, project management, and the delivery of surgery-specific Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) educational content on a national level.

NIHR Academic Clinical Fellows (ACFs)

Arka Dhali, Gastroenterology

Dr Arka Dhali is an NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow in Gastroenterology at Sheffield. He earned his MBBS from St. John’s Medical College, India, and is pursuing a Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Research at the University of Sheffield, UK. He also holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Education from Queen’s University Belfast.

Arka’s research focuses on gastrointestinal diseases, particularly gastrointestinal cancers. He has published more than 90 peer-reviewed (34 original articles, 7 systematic review/meta-analysis etc) reviewed articles as lead authors with an h-index 12 and more than 1700 citations. He also serves as an associate editor for PLoS One and BMC Gastroenterology.

Alongside his clinical and research commitments, Arka is actively involved in teaching medical students and training future healthcare professionals. He is also currently a visiting lecturer For MBChB at the University of Leeds and a tutor at masters courses at the University of Edinburgh. He is dedicated to fostering an environment of learning, innovation, and clinical excellence and is also the current Resident Doctor’s Committee member at the Royal College of Physicians, London from the Yorkshire region.

Laura Chapman, Paediatrics Neurology

Dr Laura Chapman is a paediatric neurologist with a growing research profile. She has authored 6 peer-reviewed publications, with a significant 5 of these as first author.

Dr Chapman was an active member of the RECOVERY COVID-19 trial group, contributing to multiple publications in The Lancet, and demonstrating her involvement in impactful large-scale clinical research.

Currently, Dr Chapman serves as an NIHR Associate Principal Investigator for the ‘High-Risk Neuroblastoma Study 2 of SIOP-Europa-Neuroblastoma (SIOPEN)’ study, highlighting her ongoing commitment to advancing research in paediatric neurology.