Wikipedia

Anthony David Edwards

Anthony David Edwards MBE (born 26 November 1954) is a British Paediatrician and Neuroscientist. He is Professor of Paediatrics and Neonatal Medicine, and the Director of the Centre for the Developing Brain, at King's College London and Consultant Neonatologist at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust.[1]

His work has focused on the care of the sick newborn infant and human brain development around the time of birth. He has been awarded a Membership of the Order of the British Empire,[2] the James Spence Medal[3] by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the Arvo Ylppo Prize by the Finnish Academy[4] for his work on treatments for infants who suffer brain damage, notably therapeutic hypothermia, and the development of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the newborn. In 2024 Edwards was invited to give oral evidence to the House of Lords Committee on Preterm Birth[5]

Education

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Edwards attended the King's School Worcester, St Peter's College Oxford, Harvard University and Guy's Hospital Medical School.[1] In 2010 he received the first Doctor of Science Degree to be awarded in the Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London.[6]

Career

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Edwards was Weston Professor of Neonatal Medicine at Imperial College London, and Consultant Neonatologist at the Hammersmith and Queen Charlotte's Hospitals 1993-2012.[1] He was a Group Head in the Medical Research Council Clinical Sciences Centre at Hammersmith 1999-2011.[1] From 2006 to 2012 was Associate Director of the National Institute for Health Research Medicines for Children Research Network.[7] Since 2012 he has been Professor of Paediatrics and Neonatal Medicine, and the Director of the Centre for the Developing Brain, at King's College London and Consultant Neonatologist at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust.[1] He is a Trustee of Action Medical Research and the Galen and Hilary Weston Foundation.[8][9]

Research

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Birth asphyxia and therapeutic hypothermia

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Edwards was one of the group of scientists that discovered that a modest reduction in brain temperature prevents the development of brain damage if applied after oxygen starvation during birth; it remains the only effective treatment for infants suffering birth asphyxia. He participated: in the laboratory experiments which demonstrated the effect;[10] in work elucidating the mechanisms involved;[11] in human pilot studies[12] and in the definitive trials;[13][14] in meta-analysis of the trial data;[15] post-implementation monitoring;[16] and in long-term follow up of the effect of treatment.[17] The National Institute for Clinical Excellence mandated therapeutic hypothermia in the United Kingdom in 2011[18] and Edwards helped write the British Association of Perinatal Medicine Guidelines for the implementation of the therapy in the United Kingdom.[19]

Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Premature Birth

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Edwards and his colleagues worked to extend the use of MRI to understand the problems suffered by infants born extremely preterm. They installed the world-first dedicated neonatal MRI scanner in the Hammersmith Hospital in 1994 with full intensive care capabilities, able to image the smallest and sickest infants needing intensive care.[20] This approach has improved understanding of the issues of preterm birth and provides a tool for testing new therapies to improve outcomes for affected infants.[21][22][23]

Connectomics

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Connectomics is the novel scientific field which aims to map all the connections in the brain at micro, meso or macro scale. Macroscale connectomics which investigates links of the scale of millimetres predominantly uses MRI. Edwards led the Developing Human Connectome Project,[24] a major programme funded by the European Research Council which mapped the development of connectivity in the fetal and newborn human brain using structural and functional MRI.[25] Early results from this project can be seen in the BBC Horizon programme "10 things you need to know about the future".[26] The brain images from the project were made freely available to researchers, together with collateral demographic, clinical, neuodevelopmental, genetic and epigenetic information through the National Institute for Mental Health data repository portal.[27] The data form part of the first map of human brain development across the lifespan,[28] and are being used by scientists across the world to understand human brain development and connectivity[29]

Awards and Honours

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Publications

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Edwards had edited one book "Neonatal Neural Rescue" and published over 250 scientific papers[35]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Who's who. London: AC Black and Co. 2022.
  2. ^ a b "The King's New Years Honours List 2024". Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  3. ^ "Professor David Edwards". RCPCH. Retrieved 2024-02-02.
  4. ^ a b "Arvo Ylppö Medal 2007". 29 October 2007. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Parliamentlive.tv". www.parliamentlive.tv. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  6. ^ Figueira, Helen (2010-10-25). "Far From Restful". LMS Laboratory of Medical Sciences. Retrieved 2024-02-02.
  7. ^ Smyth, Rosalind L; Edwards, A David (2006-08-19). "Medicines for children". The Lancet. 368 (9536): 645–646. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(06)69244-1.
  8. ^ https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5072941/trustees
  9. ^ "THE GALEN AND HILARY WESTON FOUNDATION - Charity 1167260". register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  10. ^ Thoresen, M.; Penrice, J.; Lorek, A.; Cady, E. B.; Wylezinska, M.; Kirkbride, V.; Cooper, C. E.; Brown, G. C.; Edwards, A. D.; Wyatt, J. S. (May 1995). "Mild hypothermia after severe transient hypoxia-ischemia ameliorates delayed cerebral energy failure in the newborn piglet". Pediatric Research. 37 (5): 667–670. doi:10.1203/00006450-199505000-00019. ISSN 0031-3998. PMID 7603788.
  11. ^ Edwards, A. D.; Yue, X.; Squier, M. V.; Thoresen, M.; Cady, E. B.; Penrice, J.; Cooper, C. E.; Wyatt, J. S.; Reynolds, E. O.; Mehmet, H. (1995-12-26). "Specific inhibition of apoptosis after cerebral hypoxia-ischaemia by moderate post-insult hypothermia". Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 217 (3): 1193–1199. doi:10.1006/bbrc.1995.2895. ISSN 0006-291X. PMID 8554576.
  12. ^ Azzopardi, D.; Robertson, N. J.; Cowan, F. M.; Rutherford, M. A.; Rampling, M.; Edwards, A. D. (October 2000). "Pilot study of treatment with whole body hypothermia for neonatal encephalopathy". Pediatrics. 106 (4): 684–694. doi:10.1542/peds.106.4.684. ISSN 1098-4275. PMID 11015509.
  13. ^ Azzopardi, Denis V.; Strohm, Brenda; Edwards, A. David; Dyet, Leigh; Halliday, Henry L.; Juszczak, Edmund; Kapellou, Olga; Levene, Malcolm; Marlow, Neil; Porter, Emma; Thoresen, Marianne; Whitelaw, Andrew; Brocklehurst, Peter; TOBY Study Group (2009-10-01). "Moderate hypothermia to treat perinatal asphyxial encephalopathy". The New England Journal of Medicine. 361 (14): 1349–1358. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa0900854. ISSN 1533-4406. PMID 19797281.
  14. ^ Gluckman, Peter D.; Wyatt, John S.; Azzopardi, Denis; Ballard, Roberta; Edwards, A. David; Ferriero, Donna M.; Polin, Richard A.; Robertson, Charlene M.; Thoresen, Marianne; Whitelaw, Andrew; Gunn, Alistair J. (Feb 19–25, 2005). "Selective head cooling with mild systemic hypothermia after neonatal encephalopathy: multicentre randomised trial". Lancet. 365 (9460): 663–670. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(05)17946-X. ISSN 1474-547X. PMID 15721471. S2CID 17683547.
  15. ^ Edwards, A. David; Brocklehurst, Peter; Gunn, Alistair J.; Halliday, Henry; Juszczak, Edmund; Levene, Malcolm; Strohm, Brenda; Thoresen, Marianne; Whitelaw, Andrew; Azzopardi, Denis (2010-02-09). "Neurological outcomes at 18 months of age after moderate hypothermia for perinatal hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy: synthesis and meta-analysis of trial data". BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.). 340: c363. doi:10.1136/bmj.c363. ISSN 1756-1833. PMC 2819259. PMID 20144981.
  16. ^ Azzopardi, Denis; Strohm, Brenda; Linsell, Louise; Hobson, Anna; Juszczak, Edmund; Kurinczuk, Jennifer J.; Brocklehurst, Peter; Edwards, A. David; UK TOBY Cooling Register (2012). "Implementation and conduct of therapeutic hypothermia for perinatal asphyxial encephalopathy in the UK--analysis of national data". PLOS ONE. 7 (6): e38504. Bibcode:2012PLoSO...738504A. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0038504. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 3374836. PMID 22719897.
  17. ^ Azzopardi, Denis; Strohm, Brenda; Marlow, Neil; Brocklehurst, Peter; Deierl, Aniko; Eddama, Oya; Goodwin, Julia; Halliday, Henry L.; Juszczak, Edmund; Kapellou, Olga; Levene, Malcolm; Linsell, Louise; Omar, Omar; Thoresen, Marianne; Tusor, Nora (2014-07-10). "Effects of hypothermia for perinatal asphyxia on childhood outcomes". The New England Journal of Medicine. 371 (2): 140–149. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1315788. ISSN 1533-4406. PMID 25006720.
  18. ^ "Overview | Therapeutic hypothermia with intracorporeal temperature monitoring for hypoxic perinatal brain injury | Guidance | NICE". www.nice.org.uk. 2010-05-26. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
  19. ^ "Therapeutic Hypothermia for Neonatal Encephalopathy". British Association of Perinatal Medicine. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
  20. ^ Battin, M.; Maalouf, E. F.; Counsell, S.; Herilhy, A. H.; Edwards, A. D. (1997-06-14). "Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain of premature infants". Lancet. 349 (9067): 1741. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(97)24024-9. ISSN 0140-6736. PMID 9193386. S2CID 27858646.
  21. ^ Ajayi-Obe, M.; Saeed, N.; Cowan, F. M.; Rutherford, M. A.; Edwards, A. D. (2000-09-30). "Reduced development of cerebral cortex in extremely preterm infants". Lancet. 356 (9236): 1162–1163. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(00)02761-6. ISSN 0140-6736. PMID 11030298. S2CID 45618130.
  22. ^ Duggan, P. J.; Maalouf, E. F.; Watts, T. L.; Sullivan, M. H.; Counsell, S. J.; Allsop, J.; Al-Nakib, L.; Rutherford, M. A.; Battin, M.; Roberts, I.; Edwards, A. D. (2001-11-17). "Intrauterine T-cell activation and increased proinflammatory cytokine concentrations in preterm infants with cerebral lesions". Lancet. 358 (9294): 1699–1700. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(01)06723-x. ISSN 0140-6736. PMID 11728550. S2CID 22882730.
  23. ^ Ball, Gareth; Srinivasan, Latha; Aljabar, Paul; Counsell, Serena J.; Durighel, Giuliana; Hajnal, Joseph V.; Rutherford, Mary A.; Edwards, A. David (2013-06-04). "Development of cortical microstructure in the preterm human brain". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 110 (23): 9541–9546. Bibcode:2013PNAS..110.9541B. doi:10.1073/pnas.1301652110. ISSN 1091-6490. PMC 3677430. PMID 23696665.
  24. ^ https://www.developingconnectome.org
  25. ^ Eyre, Michael; Fitzgibbon, Sean P.; Ciarrusta, Judit; Cordero-Grande, Lucilio; Price, Anthony N.; Poppe, Tanya; Schuh, Andreas; Hughes, Emer; O'Keeffe, Camilla; Brandon, Jakki; Cromb, Daniel; Vecchiato, Katy; Andersson, Jesper; Duff, Eugene P.; Counsell, Serena J. (2021-08-17). "The Developing Human Connectome Project: typical and disrupted perinatal functional connectivity". Brain: A Journal of Neurology. 144 (7): 2199–2213. doi:10.1093/brain/awab118. ISSN 1460-2156. PMC 8370420. PMID 33734321.
  26. ^ BBC (30 October 2018). "10 things you need to know about the future". Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  27. ^ "NIMH Data Archive - Data - Collection". nda.nih.gov. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
  28. ^ Bethlehem, R. a. I.; Seidlitz, J.; White, S. R.; Vogel, J. W.; Anderson, K. M.; Adamson, C.; Adler, S.; Alexopoulos, G. S.; Anagnostou, E.; Areces-Gonzalez, A.; Astle, D. E.; Auyeung, B.; Ayub, M.; Bae, J.; Ball, G. (April 2022). "Brain charts for the human lifespan". Nature. 604 (7906): 525–533. doi:10.1038/s41586-022-04554-y. ISSN 1476-4687. PMC 9021021. PMID 35388223.
  29. ^ ""developing human connectome" - Search Results - PubMed". PubMed. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
  30. ^ "British Association of Perinatal Medicine Honorary Members". Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  31. ^ "Academy of Medical Sciences Fellows Directory". Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  32. ^ "NIHR Senior Investigators Directory". Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  33. ^ "Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health James Spence Medalists". Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  34. ^ "Neonatal Society Honorary Members". Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  35. ^ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=(Edwards%20AD%5BAuthor%5D)%20AND%20(%22Imperial%20College%22%5BAffiliation%5D%20OR%20%22King%27s%20College%22%5BAffiliation%5D%20OR%20%22University%20College%22%5BAffiliation%5D%20OR%20%22Guy%27s%22%5BAffiliation%5D)&sort=date
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