Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine

Clinically-relevant research and teaching across the spectrum of translational research from bench to bedside

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The Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine undertakes research across the translational spectrum from bench to bedside, including laboratory based, clinical trials and outcomes research.

The objectives of the Division are:

To provide clinical and research leadership across the medical disciplines at a national and international level
To perform high quality research which directly impacts patient care and outcomes
To provide high quality teaching for undergraduate and postgraduate students

The Division is embedded within Ninewells Hospital and Medical School and associated Institutes and Centres making it ideally located to support laboratory, clinical and translational research, as well as implement the outcomes of our research into improvements in clinical practice.

Our impacts

In this ideal environment our leading researchers are having life changing impacts on the people in our communities locally and globally.

In Drug Safety

The Medicines Monitoring Unit (MEMO Research) led by Prof Tom MacDonald and Prof Isla Mackenzie aims to improve the safe and effective use of medicines in patients, and has developed world leading innovative ways to perform clinical trials and drug safety research.

In Cardiovascular disease

Dr Ify Mordi works on "Integration of imaging, genomics and big data to understand cardiovascular disease".
Prof Jacob George has made internationally renowned contributions "Managing the spectrum of Cardiovascular risk from Salt, Smoking, Lipids to Left Ventricular Hypertrophy".
Prof Chim Lang’s research takes a multi-disciplinary approach to the pathophysiology and pharmacogenetics of cardiovascular diseases leading to new treatment strategies improving the daily life experiences of patients.
Dr Anna Maria Choy, has discovered a new diagnostic test for aortic aneurysm

In respiratory disease

Prof James Chalmers has gone "back to the future" leading a revolution in our understanding of bronchiectasis and it importance as a major disease today.
Dr Amelia Shoemark backs up this important work "Investigating mucociliary clearance as a target for therapies in chronic lung disease".

In liver disease

Prof John Dillon has been “Killing killer diseases by demonstrating the elimination of HCV and detecting liver disease early by developing "iLFT".

In Gastrointestinal Cancers

Professor Russell Petty develops precision medicine approaches to improve outcomes for ‘hard to treat’ oesophageal and gastric cancers aiming to ensure that each patient receives the right medicine, at the right time and at the right dose.
Dr Mairi Maclean researches chronic inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract and it role in the pathogenies of cancers utilising novel primary cell culture models.

In Endocrinology

Dr Paul Newey explores the molecular and genetic landscape of endocrine tumours as well as the utility of genetic testing in the clinic
Dr Esther Sammler leads a translational bench to bedside Parkinson’s research programme working with many international clinical and basic science teams. She has discovered a clinical assay to interrogate the Parkinson’s associated LRRK2 kinase for personalized approach for patient stratification and runs clinical trials.

In Photobiology

The focus of Professor Ibbotson and the Photobiology Unit team is on interactions between light and skin and our areas of research interest include investigating LEDs to diagnose photosensitivity diseases, photosafety of emerging drugs and use of UV and visible light to treat skin diseases, including the use of daylight to treat certain skin cancers and investigations into the human use and safety of UVC light for disinfection of SARS-CoV-2.

In Skin Cancer

Professor Charlotte Proby investigates the genetic basis of skin cancers that do badly, in pursuit of tailored treatments and novel drug targets. In melanoma, she is validating a genetic signature that can predict whether sentinel lymph node biopsy is needed and she is improving patient outcomes with home-delivered, blood spot monitoring of cancer drug treatments, thus facilitating use of combination therapies to inhibit drug resistance. She is involved in the development and delivery of clinical trials aiming to prevent and/or treat skin cancers.

Our students

The Division has students enrolled in Bachelor of Medical Science (BMSci Hons), Master of Science, Doctorate of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy. The Division also regularly hosts students for research training on exchange from International Universities.