Integrated Academic Training (IAT)

This page contains information on trainees within our Integrated Academic Training (IAT) at the Division of Neurosurgery.

Over the last number of years, we have been expanding and improving our Integrated Academic Training (IAT) Programmes. These programmes are funded by the NIHR and provide trainees with the time necessary to progress along academic neurosurgical career paths. Funding for these positions is extremely competitive across England. We feel fortunate that our programmes continue to be supported.

There are two IAT programmes. The first is the Academic Clinical Fellowship (ACF), which is aimed at new trainees, and protects 25% of their first 3 years of training for research.

We have typically been successful in being granted one of these positions every 1-2 years and currently have three trainees in each of the first 3 years of training (ST1-3).

Many of these trainees pursue doctoral training after ST3 if they do not already have their PhD.

The second level is the Clinical Lecturer (CL). These positions are even more competitive as there are far fewer of them. They are geared to senior trainees (ST5 or above), and provide up to 4 years of funding, with 50% of time protected for research. We have been very successful in recent years in being granted these positions, with 3 CLs in post in 2023. All Clinical Lecturers have a PhD, and their research during these years is postdoctoral training to prepare them to transition to independence. Their last period of clinical training will typically be focussed on the subspecialty area to which their research is aligned to ensure integration of their academic research with patient problems.

Current Clinical Lecturers

Imran Noorani, Clinical Lecturer  

Interests: The role of extrachromosomal DNA oncogenes in glioblastoma evolution and resistance to treatment, including targeted and immune-based therapies.

https://www.crick.ac.uk/research/find-a-researcher/imran-noorani    

Aswin Chari, Lewi-Spitz Surgeon-Scientist PhD Candidate  

Interests: Improving the neurobiological understanding and surgical outcomes in paediatric epilepsy. 

https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=Rz_cvVwAAAAJ&hl=en

Anand Pandit, Post-doctoral Research Fellow  

Interests: Using innovative statistical, imaging and machine learning models to improve neurosurgical patient outcomes in neuro-oncology and adult hydrocephalus.

https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=lhYMXBQAAAAJ&hl=en    

Rory Piper, Lewi-Spitz Surgeon-Scientist PhD Candidate  

Interests: Novel therapies for treating children with epilepsy, including deep brain stimulation.  

https://iris.ucl.ac.uk/iris/browse/profile?upi=RJPIP52  

Current Academic Clinical Fellows

John Hanrahan, Academic Clinical Fellow  

Interests: Health systems analysis and process evaluation to improve healthcare delivery.  

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/John-Hanrahan-6  

Current PHD programmes

Danyal Khan, Academic Clinical Fellow  

Interests: Harnessing artificial intelligence and robotics to augment pituitary surgery.

https://iris.ucl.ac.uk/iris/browse/profile?upi=DKHAN91    

Former Clinical Lecturers

Ciaran Hill, currently Academic Consultant Neurosurgery, UCL  

https://iris.ucl.ac.uk/iris/browse/profile?upi=CSHIL96    

Ammar Natalwala, currently Senior Clinical Fellow, UCL

Interests: The pathological mechanisms underlying movement disorders, including dystonia and Parkinson’s disease, and the development of new regenerative therapies to treat these incurable conditions.  

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ammar-Natalwala

Former PhDs

Debayan Dasgupta

https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/78678-debayan-dasgupta

Sebastian Toescu

https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/65277-sebastian-toescu

Former ACFs

Linda D’Antona, Academic Clinical Fellow  

Interests: Intracranial pressure and cerebrospinal fluid dynamics.

https://iris.ucl.ac.uk/iris/browse/profile?upi=LDANT12    

Former SFPs

ALEXANDRA VALETOPOULOU, previously Specialised Foundation Programme Trainee

Currently: Neurosurgical Trainee, London

https://iris.ucl.ac.uk/iris/browse/profile?upi=AVALE79

Previous trainees

Neekhil Patel, previously Academic Clinical Fellow

Currently: Clinical Lecturer (Neurology), Imperial College London  

Ashwini Oswal, previously Academic Clinical Fellow  

Currently: Clinical Lecturer (Neurology), Oxford University

https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?hl=en&user=PVOxx0wAAAAJ    

Francisco Fiorini, previously Academic Clinical Fellow

Currently: Anaesthetics Registrar, Cardiff

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Francesco-Fiorini  

Group output

Group grants

  • Clinical Trial Award, NIHR HTA, £1,800,000
  • GOSH Children’s Charity Translational Research Acceleration award, LifeArc, £415,000
  • Lewis-Spitz Surgeon-Scientist Programme, GOSH, £300,000
  • Therapeutic Catalyst Award, Cancer Research UK, £248,000
  • Pioneer Award, Cancer Research UK, £200,000
  • Postdoctoral Clinical Fellowship, Francis Crick, £40,000
  • Postdoctoral Research Bursary, Cancer Research UK, £35,000
  • Innovation fund, National Brain Appeal, £34,500
  • Post-doctoral Fellowship, RCS England, £30,000
  • Starter Grant for Clinical Lecturers, Academy of Medical Sciences, £30,000
  • Predoctoral Fellowship, Cancer Research UK, £25,000
  • Seed funding award, BRC UCL, £15,000
  • EANS Research Grant, EANS, £10,000
  • EANS-Stryker Research Grant, EANS, £10,000
  • Innovation seed project, National Brain Appeal, £10,000
  • Neuro-Oncology Grant, UCLH BRC, £8,000
  • Small Acorn Fund, National Brain Appeal, £5,000
  • eResearch Grant, UCL, £1,000  

Funders