Director, Professor Sheikh, wins Principal's Medal

Professor Aziz Sheikh has been named as recipient of this year's Principal's Medal.

The Principal’s Medals are one of the most important ways in which the University recognises both support and academic colleagues or current students who have made outstanding contributions to both the University and wider communities.

Exceptional service

Professor Aziz Sheikh

The Principal's Medal for Exceptional Service recognises a staff member, or team, who makes a contribution to the University that far exceeds what is expected of their role.

Professor Aziz Sheikh, Director of the Usher Institute, receives the award in recognition of his large contribution in establishing the Allergy and Respiratory Research Group and the many important initiatives that have flowed from it.

Over the past 12 years, he and his team, which includes Dr Lynn Morrice, Dr Allison Worth and Professor Hilary Pinnock, have built the critical mass to attract major research funding, and had a lasting effect on clinical training and practice which has influence throughout the UK and internationally. Most importantly, it has brought great benefit to people affected by asthma – both through improvements to practice and through carefully designed patient engagement in research.

Allergy and Respiratory Research

The Allergy and Respiratory Research Group, led by Professor Aziz Sheikh, is a well establised research group within the Usher Institute. Initiatives from Professor Sheikh and team that have reached byeond the research group include the Scottish Allergy and Respiratory Academy (SARA), the Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research and the very recently launched NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Respiratory Health (RESPIRE) at the University of Edinburgh.

Allergy and Respiratory Research Group on Twitter: @ARRG_EdUni

SARA - for healthcare professionals

The Scottish Allergy and Respiratory Academy runs training courses for healthcare professionals across Scotland and beyond, in person and online. SARA was set up and is directed by Professor Aziz Sheikh and Professor Jürgen Schwarze.  Professor Hilary Pinnock is Course Director. 

If you are a healthcare professional in Scotland please make a note of their list of upcoming events, and take a moment to look at their excellent video resources available via their website and YouTube channel.

Scottish Allergy and Respiratory Academy website

Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research

The focus of the Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research is on improving treatment and care for people living with asthma.

A collaborative venture between universities from across the UK, Asthma UK, people affected by asthma, healthcare professionals, NHS partners and other organisations, the Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research brings together leading UK clinical and non-clinical researchers from a variety of specialities including behavioural sciences, respiratory physiology, clinical trials, health economics and implementation research.

This UK-wide collaboration is led by Directors Professor Aziz Sheikh of the University of Edinburgh, and Professor Chris Griffiths of Queen Mary University of London.

Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research website

NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Respiratory Health (RESPIRE)

1 August 2017 saw the launch of Professor Sheikh's latest major new respiratory research unit.  With funding from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) the new Global Health Research Unit on Respiratory Health at the University of Edinburgh, to be known as RESPIRE, will work with groups in Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, and Pakistan to identify key challenges in respiratory healthcare and to ensure potential interventions are fit for purpose around the world. They are also setting up training programmes to equip research teams in these four countries with the skills needed to carry out high quality research in respiratory illnesses. 

RESPIRE will enable us to accelerate and extend our work with low and middle income country partners around the world to tackle major respiratory health challenges faced by the world’s most deprived populations.

Professor Aziz Sheikh Co-Director of RESPIRE and Director of the Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh
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