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Staff Profile

Dr Sunil Bhopal

NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer in Paediatrics

Background

I am a UK-based academic paediatrician.

Prior to re-joining Newcastle University in 2020 I was Wellcome Trust Research Training Fellow at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine where I remain an honorary assistant professor.

I work within networks including the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration - North East & North Cumbria, the Reproduction, Development and Child Health theme within the Faculty of Medical Sciences, and the KERNEL collaboration aiming to "promote healthier and happier lives for all, from early on...". I'm trustee/board member at Foundation Years Information & Research, The Children's Foundation, the Child Health & Wellbeing Network, and at a local secondary school. 

I completed my PhD which was supervised by Prof Betty Kirkwood in 2019. My viva examiners were Dr Andrew Prendergast and Dr Melissa Gladstone (University of Liverpool). I was awarded the LSHTM Cicily Williams prize (for research advancing the health of vulnerable populations), and the Royal College of Paediatrics & Child Health Lorber prize (for best scientific paper in paediatrics by a pre-consultant grade medical practitioner) for my work done during this time.

My initial academic training was through the Academic Foundation Programme, then Academic Clinical Fellowship progammes in Newcastle. I would be delighted to supervise those who wish to follow this route.

My undergraduate degrees were in International Health (2008) and Medicine (2010) from the University of Leeds. I am a Member of the Royal College of Paediatrics by examination (2014) and my masters degree in clinical research was from Newcastle University (2015).

I am former chair of the International Child Health Group, a specialty group of the Royal College of Paediatrics & Child Health, and was previously a trustee of the student global health charity Medsin (now Students for Global Health).

 

Research

My research aims to improve health and wellbeing for young children in low- and middle-income countries, and in the UK and focuses on the first thousand days through pregnancy and the early years of life which are critical to optimal lifelong health. I am particularly interested in the role of childhood adversity during this time, and science-based approaches to improving life chances for children living with adversity.

My publications are listed here: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1229-781X

I am currently working on the following as a collaborator/co-applicant:

1. Follow-up of the SPRING cluster randomised controlled trial in rural India (funded by Wellcome Trust) and my SPRING-ELS sub-study

2. A Sure start in slums? Nairobi Early Childcare in Slums (NECS) study (funded by British Academy Early Childhood Education Programme)

3. Automated measurement of responsive caregiving at scale using machine learning (funded by Global Challenges Research Fund Frontiers of Development Seed Funding)

4. Artificial Intelligence, Passive Sensing and Early Childhood Development (Funding from Royal Academy of Engineering via the Frontiers Champions programme)

I am also working on a number of projects relating to advocacy for children and young people, child rights, racism & health, and the UK Covid-19 response.

I would be delighted to hear from students looking for projects within any of these areas.

Teaching

I have taught on global health, child health, and early childhood development at LSHTM, UCL and Oxford University. I am currently (December 2021) supervising two PhD students in Early Childhood Development in India & Kenya, and one Masters student working on data from SPRING-ELS. I have a track record of supporting masters students to successful completion.

I welcome approaches from students who wish to work collaborate on dissertation projects and the like.

Publications