Dr Andrew Kirby

Dr Andrew Kirby

Profile

I trained in medicine at the University of Liverpool, completing training in 2001. I then undertook an MSc in Medical and Molecular Microbiology at the University of Manchester.

After medical posts in the UK, Australia and New Zealand I undertook training in medical and molecular microbiology whilst a Clinical Lecturer at the University of Liverpool. During this time i completed an MD into the diagnosis and epidemiology of norovirus infection and completed professional exams in medical microbiology, before moving to Leeds.

In Leeds, I work as an Associate Clinical Professor in Microbiology and as an Honorary Consultant Microbiologist. I am deputy chair of the grants review committee at the Healthcare Infection Society.

I am the Consultant Chair of the National Infection Trainee Collaborative for Audit and Research which can be accessed here.

Responsibilities

  • Microbiology lead for medical student education

Research interests

Research: The EXTEND trial

We are leading a multicentre NIHR funded trial into the antibiotic managmenet of complicated intra-abdominal infection (cIAI), in collaboration with the University of York. The trial is titled:

The EXTEND trial: Fixed-extended-duration antibiotics (28 days) compared to standard care antibiotic durations in adult patients with complicated intra-abdominal infection and their impact on treatment failure-a phase III multicentre, open label, two-arm, parallel group, pragmatic, randomised controlled trial with internal pilot

Research: Colo-Pro_2

We are leading a trial to optimise antibiotic prophyalxis for patients undergoing colorectal surgery called Colo-Pro_2. The trial uses targetted antibiotic infusions to respond to the increased threat of antmicrobial resistant Infecrions to routine surgical procedures.

Education_The GermBugs

This is a medical education resource to teach medical students core clinical microbiology concepts. The website for the resource is available here.

Collaboration_ The National Infection Teams Collaborative for Audit and Research

The National Infection Teams Collaborative for audit and research is a UK wide organisation which faciitates national projects in the field of infection. We have undertaken a range of projects on topics such as Hospital Onset Diarrhoea, Meningitis, Encephalitis, Intra-abdominal infection, Gentamicin prescribing, Necrotising otitis externa and Vertebral Osteomyelitis. Adopted studies are carreid out at up to 80 UK hospitals and have gone on to receive competitive national funding. I started NITCAR in 2014 and continue to be its consultant chair. More information is available here.

Qualifications

  • MBChB
  • MSc Medical and Molecular Microbiology
  • MD Medical Microbiology
  • FRCPath

Professional memberships

  • British Infection Association
  • British Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
  • European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
  • Healthcare Infection Society
  • National Infection Trainee Collaborative for Audit and Research

Student education

I am the lead for the microbiology curriculum in the undergraduate medical school. I supervise medical students on ESREP (Extended Student Research projects) and MRes projects.

Additionally i have worked collaboratively with staff across the University of Leeds to develop online story based resources for microbiology education. See below for more information:

Research groups and institutes

  • Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's
  • Healthcare Associated Infection Research Group
<h4>Postgraduate research opportunities</h4> <p>We welcome enquiries from motivated and qualified applicants from all around the world who are interested in PhD study. Our <a href="https://phd.leeds.ac.uk">research opportunities</a> allow you to search for projects and scholarships.</p>