Professor James J Walker
- Position: Professor (Clinical)
- Areas of expertise: High Risk Obstetrics; Pre-eclampsia; Early Pregnancy loss; Clinical Governance; Patient Safety; Investigations; Leadership; Organisation review; Report writing
- Email: J.J.Walker@leeds.ac.uk
- Phone: +44(0)113 206 5872
- Location: Level 8, Clinical Science Building, St James's University Hospital
- Website: Twitter | LinkedIn | Googlescholar | ORCID
Profile
Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James. Graduated in Glasgow 1976 and trained and progressed to Senior Lecturer/Reader Glasgow in 1987. Appointed to Professor in Leeds in 1994, UG and PG teaching in obstetrics and gynaecology; Patient safety; Clinical governance; Pre-eclampsia, Caesarean Section; Obstetrics and Gynaecology; Research Studies into the aetiology of pregnancy pathology, specifically the genetics of pre-eclampsia, the role of inflammation in pregnancy pathology and the pathophysiology of placental invasion. Patient safety, clinical governance and guideline development. Investigation, review and report writing. Qualifications; MBChB, MD, FRCP(Edin), FRCPS (Glasgow), FRCOG.
Responsibilities
- Section Head, Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Research interests
For most of my career, I have been involved in research into pre-eclampsia. I studied the aetiology, prediction and intervention of the disease. I pioneered antenatal day units which are now established in all hospitals in the UK, I developed the use of oral labetalol as an intervention to lower blood pressure and developed the guidelines for its use to reduce the deaths from intracerebral bleeding. I pioneered the "run them dry" management of fluid replacement to reduce the deaths from pulmonary oedema. With these interventions, the UK now has the lowest maternal mortality for pre-eclampsia in the world. In the last ten years only about 1 women a year has died from this condition in the UK.
I pioneered the research into the genetics of pre-eclampsia building liaisons leading to the largest genetic collection of pre-eclamptic pregnancies in the world. We were the first to demonstrate a fetal genetic link. I was one of the founding PIs of the SCOPE study into the predictors of pre-eclampsia.
Qualifications
- MBChB
- MD
Professional memberships
- FRCP(Edin)
- FRCPS(Glasgow)
- FRCOG
Student education
When I arrived in Leeds, I completely redeveloped the undergraduate teaching in Obstetrics and disease
I chaired the Assessment Committee for all the course in the medical school and developed the program for yearly assessments
I developed the concept of theme sessions in undergraduate teaching in obstetrics and gynaecology mixing up lectures with interactive sessions and patient involvement.
I teach in both set sessions and the clinical area.
I provide teaching in global health to the first years.
Research groups and institutes
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's