Speaker Biographies
Dr Annie Joseph
Consultant Microbiologist, Nottingham University Hospitals
Dr Annie Joseph is a Consultant Microbiologist at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust UK, where she is the clinical laboratory lead and the lead for Antimicrobial Stewardship. She has sub-specialty experience in urological infections, obstetric infections and laboratory diagnostics. She led the Nottingham microbiology laboratory through a 24/7 transformation in 2020 and in the implementation of new diagnostic tests to improve infection pathways. She currently leads the multi-disciplinary Blood Culture Improvement group in the hospital, leading to measurable improvements in the diagnostic pathway. Dr Joseph has been a standing member on the NICE Managing Common Infections committee, and is a current council member of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. She has worked on national committees with UKHSA, UKNSC and NHS England. As a former Health Education England Innovation fellow, she has continued to strive for integration of the appropriate use of diagnostics and antimicrobials across Primary and Secondary Care.
Lord Craig Mackinlay
Member of the House of Lords, former MP for South Thanet and Sepsis Survivor
Before his elevation to the Upper House in October 2024, Lord (Craig) Mackinlay of Richborough was the Member of Parliament for South Thanet between May 2015 and May 2024. He stood down as an MP at the last General Election after developing Sepsis in September 2023 which led to the amputation of his hands and feet. Craig is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Adviser and remains a partner in an Accountancy Practice in Kent. He is married to Kati and they share a 5 year old daughter, Olivia.
Associate Professor Cathy McKenzie
Associate Professor in Critial Care Pharmacology and Honorary Consultant Pharmacist, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton
Cathy McKenzie is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, and an Honorary Consultant Pharmacist in Critical Care. She has extensive knowledge and clinical experience of medication use in critical illness. Cathy leads the newly formed European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) ICU (Intensive Care Unit), Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy. Cathy holds several other national and international roles
Her research interests pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (PK-PD_ and medicines optimisation in critical illness. She has published extensively in these fields and ICU pharmacy practice. She is currently funded via a the NIHR (National Institute for Health Research) Senior Clinical Practitioner Research Award.
Cathy is one of three editors in chief for Critical Illness, an internationally acclaimed e-book,(www.medicinescomplete.com), published by Pharmaceutical Press.
Dr Ed James
Consultant in Emergency Medicine, NHS Lothian
Ed graduated from Edinburgh University Medical School in 2006 with an intercalated degree in Virology. After completing the Foundation programme he went directly into a run-through training programme for Emergency Medicine in South-East Scotland. He was appointed as a consultant in Emergency Medicine at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh in February 2015.
Since that time he has been the QI lead for Emergency Medicine and has run and supervised multiple projects including redesigning the model for care in the RIE Emergency Department. He is a Scottish Quality and Safety Fellow and until recently was the Education Lead for the programme. In addition to this he isa National Clinical Advisor for Unscheduled care, working for the Centre for Sustainable Delivery – focussing on Pre-Hospital and Front Door delivery. He is currently redeveloping the Flow Navigation Service for NHS Lothian.
Outside of work, Ed is married with 3 children. Much to his wife’s consternation he has a growing library of books, first editions and proofs/ARCs. He owns more Lego than any grown man ought to.
Professor Damian Roland
Paediatric Emergency Medicine Consultant & Honorary Professor
Prof. Damian Roland is an experienced Paediatric Emergency Medicine clinician scientist with considerable experience in the development of educational resources and their evaluation especially e-health technologies. He has an international profile in the utilization of scoring systems to improve the recognition of ill and injured children in emergency and acute care settings. The Paediatric Observation Priority Score developed by Prof. Roland is highlighted by the Intercollegiate Committee on Standards of Care for Children and Young People in emergency settings. He has a strong interest in Social Media as a means of Knowledge Translation using the twitter account @damian_roland (15000+ followers) and blog http://rolobotrambles.com. He has strong connections with both the Royal Colleges of Emergency Medicine and Paediatrics and Child Health and sits on the Paediatric Emergency Medicine Advisory Group for both organisations. The list of the many things Damian hasn’t done or achieved is far longer but through these he learns and develops new ideas.
Dr Alicia Demirjian
Consultant in Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Evelina London Children's Hospital; Consultant Epidemiologist, UK Health Security Agency
Dr. Alicia Demirjian is a distinguished paediatric infectious diseases physician and epidemiologist based in London. At Evelina London Children's Hospital, she leads paediatric antimicrobial stewardship and serves as the deputy lead for infection prevention and control. In her role at the UK Health Security Agency, Dr. Demirjian contributes to the Healthcare-Associated Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance division. She chairs the UK Paediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship network and is currently working on AMR policy with the Institute of Development Studies and the Japanese National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in a Dame Sally Davies fellowship role. Her research focuses on the appropriate use of antibiotics in treating paediatric infections, and she has been involved in studies examining trends in antibiotic use in children's hospitals.
Dr Amy Quinton
Consultant in Medical Oncology, Velindre Cancer Centre, Cardiff
Dr. Amy Quinton is a distinguished medical oncologist at Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff. She specializes in early-phase clinical trials and leads the Acute Oncology Services, focusing on the rapid assessment and management of cancer patients with urgent medical needs.
Sarah Chadwick
AMR Programme Manager at NHS West Yorks ICB
Sarah Chadwick is an experienced antimicrobial resistance Programme Manager at NHS West Yorks ICB. With her strong background, she previously served as the Clinical Effectiveness and NICE manager. Sarah is a passionate advocate for public health and plays an important role in the West Yorkshire AMR Warriors, helping to raise funds for Antibiotic Research UK.
Dr Mark Garvey
Consultant Clinical Scientist in Microbiology and Director of Infection Prevention and Control at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
Dr Mark Garvey is a highly experienced Consultant Clinical Scientist in Microbiology, based in Birmingham. He serves as the Deputy Director of Infection Prevention and Control at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and the Director of the Hospital Infection Research laboratory that investigates hospital infection.
Professor Gavin Barlow
Professor of Infection at Hull York Medical School and the University of York, and Honorary Consultant in Infectious Diseases at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Prof Gavin Barlow is a distinguished Professor of Infection at Hull York Medical School and the University of York, and an Honorary Consultant in Infectious Diseases at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. He played a major role in shaping the local research response to COVID-19 and was a driving force behind the development of the Infection Research Group at Hull University Teaching Hospitals.
Dr Jay Patel
Researcher at the Global Health Governance Programme, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh
Dr Jay Patel is a distinguished researcher at the Global Health Governance Programme at the University of Edinburgh, focusing on the global policy and governance dimensions of antimicrobial resistance. His work contributes to shaping health strategies, and he is a co-author of an article on pandemic preparedness, helping to inform and guide global responses to emerging health threats.
Gemma Saxty
Antimicrobial and Oncology Pharmacist, Velindre Cancer Centre, Cardiff
Gemma is an oncology and antimicrobial pharmacist who works across both clinical and technical pharmacy services with a specialist role in antimicrobials.