Professor Amtul Carmichael

I am an experienced and dedicated Breast Surgeon, engaged in basic science research to enhance our understanding about the effective treatment of breast cancer. I have been involved in the education of undergraduate students throughout my career; I have recently achieved the Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy; I am a Faculty and the Course Director for various Educational courses at the Royal College of Surgeons and have served as Senior Academy tutor, a Senior examiner for Mb ChB and MRCS.

PG. Cert (Distinction) 2015
MD 2002
FRCS (Gen. Surg.)2000
ATLS, Provider, Instructor 1992, 98
FRCS 1991
MB BS Honours 1986

Consultant Breast Surgeon since 2004

I am committed and involved in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. At Aston University, I have been involved in teaching modules to the pharmacy students reading the patient perspective and chemotherapy.

I have been involved in lectures for Biomedical sciences students regarding breast cancer and obesity.

Course Director at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, London     

• The Care of the Critically Ill Patient (CCrISP)

• Training the Trainer Course

• Training and Assessment in the Clinical Environment (TrACE)

Faculty at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, London   

• Educational Leadership Programme for Surgeons

• ATLS Course both as a provider and an Instructor.

Invited Lecturer for master’s programmes

I actively participate in the teaching programme of Masters in Surgical Oncology and Medical Oncology.
 

 

• Phytoestrogens in the development and treatment of breast cancer. In collaboration with the Aston University, I am involved in some basic science projects investigating the role of phytoestrogens in the development and treatment of breast cancer.  We found that FOXO3a is upregulated by a number of receptor-dependent and -independent anti-cancer drugs and associates with apoptosis. The identification of MicroRNA that regulates FOXO3a directly suggest that it offers a tangible therapeutic target that merits wider evaluation.

• Body composition and breast cancer progression. Previous research has suggested that elevated intra-abdominal adipose tissue is a significant risk factor for breast cancer in women matched for age, weight and waist circumference. As the levels of obesity are projected to significantly increase in the future, it is essential that a better understanding of this phenomenon is gained so that targets for therapeutic/lifestyle intervention can be identified.

• Trastuzumab and Cardiac Vascular Endothelial Function  To study the effect of trastuzumab exposure on microvascular endothelial function, macrovascular endothelial function, arterial stiffness and carotid intimamedia thickness of breast cancer survivors. We have now completed the recruitment and our initial analysis shows that patients who have been treated with Traztuzumab have evidence of functional, but not structural vascular abnormalities which are mainly confined to the microvasculature.
  

• Mitochondria Biogenesis.  Metabolomics has emerged as a new discovery tool with the promise of identifying therapeutic targets in cancer.  Recent advances suggest that metabolic profiling provides new opportunities to improve outcomes in breast cancer. We are looking at the mitochondrial biogenesis in paraffin embedded sections alongside analysis of mitochondrial number and size. These data will be compared to data on outcome, prior exercise and body composition data.

• DEXA Scan abnormalities in breast cancer.We are currently analysing data looking for abnormalities on baseline DEXA scan. This project is a collaborative study between breast surgeons and rheumatologists including patients from the East and West Midlands. There is a possible link between breast cancer and high BMD that could be explained by the 'oestrogen environment' promoting higher BMD and risk of breast cancer. A higher BMD might predict the future development of breast cancer, or the development of metastases in patients where it is already diagnosed.
  

Masters projects

• Is overexpression of heparanase a factor in promoting lymph node metastasis in breast cancer? MSc granted with Honours 2010.

• A study of alcohol intake and cancer characteristics and survival from breast cancer. MSc 2012

• A Systematic Review of Complications of the DIEP Flap Reconstruction for Breast Cancer. MSc 2015

PhD Projects (Supervised/ collaborated)

• The cytotoxic activity of Fagonia cretica against human breast cancer cells. Aston University. 2012

• Physical Activity and Breast Cancer. University of Wolverhampton.  2013

• The role of aquaporin 3 (AQP3) in breast cancer. Aston University. 2014
  

 

• Associations of Breast Surgeons.

• British Association of Surgical Oncology

• European Society of Surgical Oncology

• Association for the Study of Medical Education

• International Society of Surgery

• Breast Surgery International