Staff Profile

Current Work

I came to Newcastle in 1999 to study medicine, knowing that the medical school is one of the best in the country and that the University has an international reputation for world-class research.

I intercalated a masters in biomolecular research after 4th year of medical school, working in the mitochondrial genetics department under the supervision of Prof Doug Turnbull, and then went on to complete my medical degree in 2005, graduating with honours. I worked for 2 years completing the clinical foundation programme, gained full GMC registration and then successfully applied for an Academic Clinical Fellow post which I took up in August 2007.

The ACF programme allowed me to combine clinical work with research, thus I rotated through the medical specialties and completed my postgraduate medical exams (MRCP) and also had the opportunity to spend 8 months of the programme pursuing my research interests in endocrinology under the supervision of Prof Simon Pearce at the Institute of Human Genetics. I packed a lot into my research time to make the most of the opportunity: I got back into the lab to collect some preliminary data, gained some good publications, presented my research at a number of local and national meetings and successfully applied for an MRC clinical research training fellowship.

I have now completed my core medical training and started a PhD looking into the genetics of Addison’s disease. I have a deferred ST3 post in diabetes and endocrinology to move back into clinical training on completion of a PhD. My long term career plan is to become an academic endocrinologist. I envisage that my research in the future will encompass both laboratory and clinical research and that my main goal will be to strive to take basic endocrine scientific research forward and translate it into clinical practice.

I have not been disappointed with Newcastle. The University is friendly with fantastic facilities, and the city is vibrant and exciting, living up to its reputation as a great party city. However, within minutes of leaving the city you can be in beautiful countryside or on one of the country’s most beautiful beaches enjoying one of the North East’s sunny, fresh days. I came here almost 10 years ago, and I haven’t yet found another place that I would want to leave Newcastle for!

• Lane LC, Allinson KR, Campbell K, Bhatnagar I, Ingoe L, Razvi S, Cheetham T, Cordell HJ, Pearce SH, Mitchell AL. Analysis of BAFF gene polymorphisms in UK Graves' disease patients. Clinical Endocrinology 2018, 90(1), 170-174.
• Pazderska A, Pearce SH, Mitchell AL. Autoimmune addison’s disease: Genetic aetiology and pathophysiology. In: Adrenal Disorders: Physiology, Pathophysiology and Treatment. Cham: Humana Press, 2018, pp.85-108.
• Lane LC, Allinson K, Cordell HJ, Mitchell AL, Pearce S. Association of a promoter BAFF polymorphism in Graves' disease. In: Society for Endocrinology BES 2017. 2017, Harrogate: BioScientifica Ltd.
• Perros P, Hegedus L, Bartalena L, Marcocci C, Kahaly GJ, Baldeschi L, Salvi M, Lazarus JH, Eckstein A, Pitz S, Boboridis K, Anagnostis P, Ayvaz G, Boschi A, Brix TH, Curro N, Konuk O, Marino M, Mitchell AL, Stankovic B, Toruner FB, Von Arx G, Zarkovic M, Wiersinga WM. Graves’ orbitopathy as a rare disease in Europe: a European Group on Graves’ Orbitopathy (EUGOGO) position statement. Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases 2017, 12(1), 72.
• Mitchell AL, Devine K, Lal V, Galloway P, House M, White K, Watson J, Parry S, Miller M, Morris M, James RA, Perros P, Pearce SHS, Quinton R. Improving the prehospital safety of steroid-dependent patients in northern England: A hospital-initiated ambulance service registration pathway. Clinical Endocrinology 2017, 87(6), 881-882.
• Mellington FE, Dayan CM, Dickinson AJ, Hickey JL, MacEwen CJ, McLaren J, Perros P, Rose GE, Uddin J, Vaidya B, Foley P, Lazarus JH, Mitchell A, Ezra DG, on behalf of The Thyroid Eye Disease Amsterdam Declaration Implementation Group (TEAMeD). Management of thyroid eye disease in the United Kingdom: A multi-centre thyroid eye disease audit. Orbit 2017, 36(3), 159-169.
• Mitchell AL, Hickey J, Vaidya B, Mason R, Ajjan R, Zammitt N, Perros P, Dayan C, on behalf of TEAMeD. Raising awareness of Graves' orbitopathy with early warning cards. Clinical Endocrinology 2017, 87(6), 853-859.
• Gan EH, Mitchell AL, Plummer R, Pearce S, Perros P. Tremelimumab-Induced Graves Hyperthyroidism. European Thyroid Journal 2017, 6(3), 167-170.
• Pazderska A, Oftedal BE, Napier CM, Ainsworth HF, Husebye ES, Cordell HJ, Pearce SHS, Mitchell AL. A Variant in the BACH2 Gene Is Associated With Susceptibility to Autoimmune Addison's Disease in Humans. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2016, 101(11), 3865-3869.
• Napier CM, Mitchell AL. Central lines and the general medical registrar - time for a change in the curriculum?. Clinical Medicine 2016, 16(6), 604-604.
• Pazderska A, Fichna M, Mitchell AL, Napier CM, Gan E, Ruchala M, Santibanez-Koref M, Pearce SH. Impact of Month of Birth on the Risk of Development of Autoimmune Addison's Disease. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 2016, 101(11), 4214-4218.
• Mitchell AL, Gandhi A, Scott-Coombes D, Perros P. Management of thyroid cancer: United Kingdom National Multidisciplinary Guidelines. Journal of Laryngology and Otology 2016, 130(S2), S150-S160.
• Gan EH, MacArthur K, Mitchell AL, Joshi A, Crock P, Pearce SHS. Spontaneous and tetracosactide-induced anti-ACTH antibodies in man. Clinical Endocrinology 2016, 84(4), 489-495.
• Mitchell AL, Pearce SHS. Subclinical hyperthyroidism: first do no harm. Clinical Endocrinology 2016, 85(1), 15-16.
• Wolff ASB, Mitchell AL, Cordell HJ, Short A, Skinningsrud B, Ollier W, Badenhoop K, Meyer G, Falorni A, Kampe O, Undlien D, Pearce SHS, Husebye ES. CTLA-4 as a genetic determinant in autoimmune Addison's disease. Genes & Immunity 2015, 16(6), 430-436.
• Mitchell AL, Goss L, Mathiopoulou L, Morris M, Vaidya B, Dickinson AJ, Quinn A, Dayan C, McLaren J, Hickey JL, Lazarus JH, Rose GE, Foley P, MacEwen CJ, Perros P. Diagnosis of Graves' Orbitopathy (DiaGO): Results of a Pilot Study to Assess the Utility of an Office Tool for Practicing Endocrinologists. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 2015, 100(3), E458-E462.
• Perros P, Dayan CM, Dickinson AJ, Ezra DG, Hickey JL, Hintschisch C, Kahaly G, Lazarus JH, Ludgate M, Bartes B, MacEwen CJ, Mitchell AL, Morris D, O'Connor N, Pearce SH, Rose GE, Salvi M, Wiersinga WM, Williamson A, Thyroid Eye Dis Amsterdam Declarat, European Grp Graves Orbitopathy EU. Future Research in Graves' Orbitopathy: From Priority Setting to Trial Design Through Patient and Public Involvement. Thyroid 2015, 25(11), 1181-1184.
• Mitchell AL, Bøe Wolff A, MacArthur K, Weaver JU, Vaidya B, Bensing S, Erichsen MM, Darlay R, Husebye ES, Cordell HJ, Pearce SHS. Linkage Analysis in Autoimmune Addison’s Disease: NFATC1 as a Potential Novel Susceptibility Locus. PLoS ONE 2015, 10(6), e0123550.
• Napier C, Mitchell AL, Gan E, Wilson I, Pearce SHS. Role of the X-Linked Gene GPR174 in Autoimmune Addison's Disease. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2015, 100(1), E187-E190.
• Mitchell AL, Macarthur KDR, Gan EH, Baggott LE, Wolff ASB, Skinningsrud B, Platt H, Short A, Lobell A, Kämpe O, Bensing S, Betterle C, Kasperlik-Zaluska A, Zurawek M, Fichna M, Kockum I, Nordling Eriksson G, Ekwall O, Wahlberg J, Dahlqvist P, Hulting AL, Penna-Martinez M, Meyer G, Kahles H, Badenhoop K, Hahner S, Quinkler M, Falorni A, Phipps-Green A, Merriman TR, Ollier W, Cordell HJ, Undlien D, Czarnocka B, Husebye E, Pearce SHS. Association of Autoimmune Addison's Disease with Alleles of STAT4 and GATA3 in European Cohorts. PLoS ONE 2014, 9(3), e88991.
• Dawoodji A, Chen JL, Shepherd D, Dalin F, Tarlton A, Alimohammadi M, Penna-Martinez M, Meyer G, Mitchell AL, Gan EH, Bratland E, Bensing S, Husebye ES, Pearce SH, Badenhoop K, Kampe O, Cerundolo V. High Frequency of Cytolytic 21-Hydroxylase-Specific CD8⁺ T Cells in Autoimmune Addison's Disease Patients. Journal of Immunology 2014, 193(5), 2118-2126.
• Gan EH, MacArthur K, Mitchell AL, Hughes BA, Perros P, Ball SG, James RA, Quinton R, Chen S, Furmaniak J, Arlt W, Pearce SHS. Residual Adrenal Function in Autoimmune Addison's Disease: Improvement After Tetracosactide (ACTH_1-24) Treatment. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2014, 99(1), 111-118.
• Mitchell AL, Napier C, Asam M, Siddaramaiah N, Heed A, Morris M, Miller M, Perros P, James RA, Ball SG, Pearce SHS, Quinton R. Saving lives of in-patients with adrenal insufficiency: implementation of an alert scheme within the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Hospitals e-Prescribing platform. Clinical Endrocrinology 2014, 81(6), 937-938.
• Mitchell AL, Gan EH, Morris M, Johnson K, Neoh C, Dickinson AJ, Perros P, Pearce SHS. The effect of B cell depletion therapy on anti-TSH receptor antibodies and clinical outcome in glucocorticoid-refractory Graves' orbitopathy. Clinical Endocrinology 2013, 79(3), 437-442.
• Pearce SHS, Mitchell AL, Bennett S, King P, Chandran S, Nag S, Chen S, Smith BR, Isaacs JD, Vaidya B. Adrenal Steroidogenesis after B Lymphocyte Depletion Therapy in New-Onset Addison's Disease. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2012, 97(10), E1927-E1932.
• Mitchell AL, Pearce SHS. Autoimmune Addison disease: pathophysiology and genetic complexity. Nature Reviews Endocrinology 2012, 8(5), 306-316.
• Gan EH, MacArthur K, Mitchell AL, Pearce SHS. The role of functionally defective rare germline variants of sialic acid acetylesterase in autoimmune Addison's disease. European Journal of Endocrinology 2012, 167(6), 825-828.
• Mitchell AL, Pearce SHS. "Grading" subclinical thyroid disease may be misleading: Authors' response to Goichot, Vinzio and Luca. Clinical Endocrinology 2011, 74(1), 137-138.
• Mitchell AL, Dwyer A, Pitteloud N, Quinton R. Genetic basis and variable phenotypic expression of Kallmann syndrome: towards a unifying theory. Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism 2011, 22(7), 249-258.
• Swalwell H, Kirby DM, Blakely EL, Mitchell A, Salemi R, Sugiana C, Compton AG, Tucker EJ, Ke X, Lamont PJ, Turnbull DM, McFarland R, Taylor RW, Thorburn DR. Respiratory chain complex I deficiency caused by mitochondrial DNA mutations. European Journal of Human Genetics 2011, 19(7), 769-775.
• Gan EH, Mitchell AL, MacArthur K, Pearce SHS. The role of a nonsynonymous CD226 (DNAX-accessory molecule-1) variant (Gly 307Ser) in isolated Addison's disease and autoimmune polyendocrinopathy type 2 pathogenesis. Clinical Endocrinology 2011, 75(2), 165-168.
• Mitchell AL, Pearce SHS. How should we treat patients with low serum thyrotropin concentrations?. Clinical Endocrinology 2010, 72(3), 292-296.
• Mitchell AL, Pearce SHS. An elderly woman with weight loss and diarrhoea. British Medical Journal 2009, 338, b1721.
• Mitchell AL, Cordell HJ, Soemedi R, Owen K, Skinningsrud B, Wolff AB, Ericksen M, Undlien D, Husebye E, Pearce SHS. Programmed Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) Gene Variants Contribute to Autoimmune Addison's Disease and Graves' Disease Susceptibility. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2009, 94(12), 5139-5145.
• Mitchell AL, Hickey B, Hickey JL, Pearce SHS. Trends in thyroid hormone prescribing and consumption in the UK. BMC Public Health 2009, 9, 132.
• Mitchell AL. The treatment of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. Crown, 2008. Available at: http://www.toxbase.org/.
• Mitchell AL, Elson JL, Howell N, Taylor RW, Turnbull DM. Sequence variation in mitochondrial complex I genes: Mutation or polymorphism?. Journal of Medical Genetics 2006, 43(2), 175-179.
• Blakely EL, Mitchell AL, Fisher N, Meunier B, Nijtmans LG, Schaefer AM, Jackson MJ, Turnbull DM, Taylor RW. A mitochondrial cytochrome b mutation causing severe respiratory chain enzyme deficiency in humans and yeast. FEBS Journal 2005, 272(14), 3583-3592.