Teaching

Dr Nick Croft’s teaching role lies in organizing the highly regarded MSc in Gastroenterology, which supports research both via projects run within the course and by attracting quality students to study for higher degrees. Recently, the Centre for Digestive Diseases has secured funding from the UEGF to develop a pan-European e-learning MSc programme in Gastroenterology, with neurogastroenterology being one of the main modules in this programme.

Clinical Training

The GI Physiology Unit is an accredited national training facility. Dr Scott, Professor Sifrim and Dr Yazaki supervise the training of both internal and external practitioners (physiologists, nurses, physicians and surgeons) in GI physiological investigative techniques.

Research Training

The senior faculty of the neurogastroenterology group supervise a number of graduate and postgraduate students. In addition to the 20 research fellows listed on this website, we have supervised numerous PhD students, MPhil students, MD students, and post-doctoral fellows in the past five years. Note: Prospective students should contact Professor Qasim Aziz at neurogastro@qmul.ac.uk to discuss possibilities for future research.

Education

The Neurogastroenterology group is delivering an education programme through organisation of regular national and international meetings, seminars and workshops. Members of the group already have a leadership role in Education in Europe. Professor Aziz is a member of the executive committee and the lead for education for the European Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility. He is also a member of the Executive Committees of the neurogastroenterology section of the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG), and serves on the Education and Scientific Committee’s of United European Gastroenterology Federation (UEGF). Other members of the group such as Mr Knowles, Dr Scott and Professors Sifrim, MacDonald and Giovannoni also have leadership roles in education within UK and Europe.

Our educational programme has received support and sponsorship from the BSG, UEGF, and European Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility, which has facilitated international meetings, workshops and seminars on a range of topics. Furthermore, The Centre for Digestive Diseases has recently secured funding from the UEGF to develop a pan-European e-learning MSc programme in gastroenterology, with GI neuroscience being one of the main modules in this programme.

Public engagement

Through our link with the SMD’s award winning outreach project called Centre of the Cell, we have engaged in seminars and ‘Meet the Investigator Meetings’ with local school children, regularly provide work experience opportunities, and are developing class room educational resources for school children. In addition, we are helping to develop ‘patient journeys’ (a web based educational programme for patients about what the patients should expect from the doctors and other hospital staff when referred to hospital for management of specific symptoms).

Collaboration with Dr Leslie Hill, Principal Research Fellow in performance technologies at East London University, and Dr Helen Paris, Reader in performance at Brunel University, has led to the development of a performance called ‘Gut feelings’ which has been staged nationally including at the Edinburgh Festival. Another play on the same theme called ‘From the moment I saw you I knew I could love you’ was developed by the Royal Shakespeare Company and premiered at the Chelsea Theatre in October 2009. A film called ‘Gut feelings’ is now in production with well-known British filmmaker Andrew Kötting. This research project is supported by a Wellcome Trust Arts Award and The Arts Council England (collaboration with Professor Aziz).