Courses

Dr Afshan Ahmad

Afshan Ahmed 
  • Position: Teaching Fellow and Admissions Lead
  • Phone Number: 0121 204 5254
  • Email: a.afshan@aston.ac.uk
  • Room Number: MB510a
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    I joined Aston Medical School in 2014 as a Teaching Fellow to head up recruitment of General Practices for Community Health teaching of medical students. I am also the Director of Research and Development for Vaccine Research International Plc which I helped establish in 2002 and which has developed a vaccine against Staphylococcal infections which has undergone a successful Phase I clinical trial.

    After graduating, I started my research career at Birmingham University in hospital infection and then moved on to vaccine research. 

    • BSc Immunology/Microbiology, Chelsea College, University of London. 1983. 
    • MSc Medical Microbiology, University of Birmingham. 1994. 
    • PhD Medical Microbiology, University of Birmingham. 1999.
    • Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (PGCert) Aston University. 2016.
    • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), UK.  2017.
    • Teaching Fellow and Admissions Lead, Aston Medical School, Birmingham, UK April 2014 – Present day                     
    •  Director of Research and Development, Vaccine Research International Plc Birmingham, UK. August 2001 – February 2017.
    • Research Associate Department of Infection, Medical School, University of Birmingham, UK and Vaccine Research Trust, Birmingham, UK. September 1984 – July 2001
    • My research career has involved work mainly in the development of a Staphylococcal vaccine and application of that method to vaccines against other organisms for example Streptococci and Dermatophilus. This involved laboratory work and studies investigating the immune response of vaccinated patients in Italy and the United Kingdom. I have also been instrumental in organisation and prosecution of a Phase I clinical trial of the Staphylococcus aureus vaccine.
    • My other research interest has been in the area of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and hospital acquired infections.
    • I have also worked in the  development of antiviral compounds.

    Fundraising through shareholders to establish Vaccine Research International Plc in 2002 and subsequent fundraisings through the same funding source; latest in 2013. 

    Society for General Microbiology

    GRB Skinner, M Billstrom, S Randall, A Ahmad, S Patel, J Davies, A Deane. A system for isolation, transport, and storage of herpes simplex viruses. Journal of Virological Methods. 1997. Vol  65: 1-8. 

    J Benitez, J Davies, A Ahmad, GRB Skinner. Environmental influence on immune inhibition of release (IVR) of herpes simplex virus from cells. Intervirology. 1998. Vol   41: 120-126.

    GRB Skinner, M Billstrom, A Buchan, J Davies, A Ahmad. Antiviral efficacy of disinfectant solution MRI-1. Intervirology. 1998. Vol  41(6) 238-243. 

    G R B Skinner, D Holmes, A Ahmad, J Davies and J Benitez. Clinical response to thyroxine sodium in clinically hypothyroid but biochemically euthyroid patients.  Journal of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine  2000. Vol   10 115-124.

    GRB Skinner, A Ahmad, A Zafar, MG Hullin, D Dick. Case report: vaccination against Staphylococcal infection prior to tertiary knee joint replacement. Orthopaedics.2001. Vol   24(3)289-291.

    GRB Skinner, A Ahmad, JA Davies. The infrequency of transmission of herpesviruses between humans and animals; postulation of an unrecognised protective host mechanism. Comparative Immunology Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. 2001. Vol   24: 255-269.

    Interviews with the media related to the development of the Staphylococcal vaccine 2005-2007.