Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with adverse brain outcomes, finds Dr Topiwala, OUCAGS Clinical Lecturer

9 June 2017

Moderate drinking has no protective effect on the brain and is in fact associated with brain decline. Such is the finding of the Oxford-UCL study led by Dr Anya Topiwala, OUCAGS Clinical Lecturer.

The study, 'Moderate alcohol consumption as risk factor for adverse brain outcomes and cognitive decline: longitudinal cohort study', was published in The BMJ. Reflecting on its results, Dr Topiwala said:

‘Our findings support the recent reduction in UK safe limits and call into question the current US guidelines, which suggest that up to 24.5 units a week is safe for men, as we found increased odds of hippocampal atrophy at just 14-21 units a week, and we found no support for a protective effect of light consumption on brain structure.’

Dr Topiwala’s study was co-authored, amongst others, by Dr Charlotte Allan, formerly also an OUCAGS Clinical Lecturer, and has received wide media coverage, including by The Guardian and The Independent.

Sudden cardiac death in young people may be preventable, finds Dr Rina Ariga, Clinical Lecturer at Oxford

3 July 2019

A new scanning technique may enable doctors to diagnose hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in the young. Such is the finding of the study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology by Dr Rina Ariga and colleagues.

Multi-use thermometers pose 'Candida auris' risk, finds Dr David Eyre, OUCAGS Clinical Lecturer

1 May 2018

According to Dr David Eyre, OUCAGS Clinical Lecturer, multi-use patient equipment can contribute to health-care associated outbreaks of infection, such as that caused by 'Candida auris'.

Oxford-UCL study: clinical academics need better postdoctoral opportunities

29 August 2017

An Oxford-UCL study of the career plans of doctors doing PhDs has been published in BMJ Open: ‘The clinical academic workforce of the future: a cross-sectional study of factors influencing career decision-making among clinical PhD students at two research-intensive UK universities’.

Women in Science: Oxford’s new site to support women developing academic careers

1 June 2016

Women in Science is Oxford University’s new site featuring women scientists who are developing academic careers. The site provides an opportunity for visitors to explore a broad range of personal career experiences, which are shared in video interviews by female scientists, including many clinical academics.

BMJ blog: OUCAGS Clinical Lecturer on effective mentoring and clinical academic careers

14 April 2016

Dr Kamal Mahtani, GP Clinical Lecturer at the University of Oxford, discusses the importance of mentoring in clinical academic careers, and what makes for good mentors and receptive mentees.

OUCAGS in BMJ Letter of the Week about clinical academic careers

18 January 2016

OUCAGS’ most recent contribution to the debate about clinical academic careers was a rapid-response to BMJ article ‘It’s the duty of every doctor to get involved with research’. We argued that health and healthcare require sufficient numbers of doctors to actually take up clinical academic careers, rather than just being involved in research. The BMJ highlighted our contribution as Letter of the Week on 9th January.