Professor Chris McDermott

MBChB, FRCP, PhD

Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Population Health

Professor of Translational Neurology

Honorary Consultant Neurologist

c.j.mcdermott@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 2295
+44 114 226 1049 (Medical NHS Secretary: Helen Rains)

Full contact details

Professor Chris McDermott
Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Population Health
Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN)
385a Glossop Road
Sheffield
S10 2HQ
Profile

Prof McDermott studied for his medical degree at the University in Leeds graduating in 1994. He then continued is general medical and specialist neurology training in Leeds before taking up a clinical research training fellowship at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

He moved to the University of Sheffield with Professor Dame Pamela Shaw in 2000 to undertake his Wellcome Trust Research Training PhD Fellowship and to complete his Specialist Training in Neurology to become a Consultant Neurologist in 2006. Prof McDermott is now the Professor of Translational Neurology at SITraN, an NIHR Research Professor and a Consultant Neurologist at the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Foundation NHS Trust regularly undertaking specialist MND and neuromuscular clinics in Sheffield.

The main drive of Prof McDermott’s research programme is evaluating the new treatments for motor neuron disease. He is also passionate about developing the evidence base for delivering supportive and symptomatic care for patients living with motor neuron disease now.

Qualifications

2021 – to date

NIHR Research Professor

2018 - 2022
Professor of Translational Neurology
Head of Department

2017 – to date
Professor of Translational Neurology
Academic Director for Neuroscience, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

2006 - 2013
Clinical Senior Lecturer in Neurology

2002 - 2006
Specialist Training in Neurology (CCT), Sheffield

2000 - 2002
Wellcome Trust Research Training Fellowship (PhD), University of Sheffield

1998 - 2000
Clinical Research Fellow, University of Newcastle upon Tyne

1997 - 1998
Specialist Training in Neurology, Leeds

1994 - 1997
General professional training (MRCP), Leeds Teaching Hospitals

1989 - 1994
Medicine (MBChB), University of Leeds

Research interests

Current Projects

  • Designing and conducting clinical trials in MND
  • Collaborating with pharmaceutical companies in Phase 1-3 studies
  • Improving symptomatic management for patients with MND
  • Developing and evaluating novel service delivery mechanisms for patients with MND and long term neurological conditions
  • Investigating optimal respiratory support for patients with MND
  • Establishing an evidence base for nutritional support in MND
  • Exploring the role of the microbiome in MND
  • Designing and evaluating assistive technologies for patients with neuromuscular weakness
  • Genetic and phenotypic characterisation of motor system disorders
  • Natural history study of motor system disorders
  • Designing and conducting clinical trials in MND
  • Collaborating with pharmaceutical companies in Phase 1-3 studies
  • Improving symptomatic management for patients with MND
  • Epidemiology of motor neuron disease
Publications

Journal articles

Chapters

Conference proceedings papers

Reports

  • McDermott CJ (2015) NIV withdrawal guidance – published by Association of Palliative Medicine of GB and Northern Ireland. RIS download Bibtex download

Other

Preprints

Research group
  • Esther Hobson
  • Alys Griffiths
  • Theocharis Stavroulakis
  • Liam Knox
  • Mbombe Kazoka
  • Stacy Young
  • Lee Tuddenham
  • Sarah Boddy
  • Emily Mayberry
  • Sean White
  • Jade Howard
  • Harry McDonnogh
  • Madalina Roman
  • Mary Sikonga
  • Leslie Ing
  • Lucy Musson
  • Charlotte Massey
  • Jon Street
  • Sarah Roscoe
Grants

Principal Funding Sources

  • Motor Neurone Disease Association, UK
  • National Institute of Health Research (NIHR)
  • LifeArc
  • My Name’5 Doddie Foundation
  • European Union
Professional activities and memberships
  • Co-Director UK MND Research Institute (2022 onwards)
  • Neuroscience Theme Lead at NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre (2022 onwards)
  • NIHR Research Professor (2021-onwards)
  • Head of Department, Neuroscience, University of Sheffield (2018-2022 onwards)
  • Chair of Association of British Neurologists MND Special Interest Group (2017 onwards)
  • Member of Association of British Neurologists Neuromuscular Advisory Group (2018-2022 onwards)
  • Deputy Director of NIHR BRC Sheffield (2017-2022 onwards)
  • External Examiner Neuroscience MSc, Kings College London (2016 -2020)
  • Expert Advisor for NICE (2016 onwards)
  • Charitable Trustee for Neurocare (2016 onwards)
  • Group Leader for the International ALS Clinical Trials Guidelines (2015-2017).
  • Chair of the NIHR DeNDRoN MND Clinical Studies Group (2015 onwards)
  • Chair of the MND Association Clinical Advisory Board (2015 onwards)
  • Member MND NICE Clinical Guidelines Development Group (2013 – 2016) and NICE Quality Assurance panel (2015 - 2016).
  • Founding Course Leader – Clinical Neurology MSc, University of Sheffield (2011-2015)
  • Clinical Lead for Neurology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (2012-2014)
  • Member of NIHR RfPB (2010-2014) and MNDA healthcare research grant panels (2014 onwards).
  • Representation of the Yorkshire and Humber region nationally on the Joint Royal College of Physician’s Specialty Advisory Committee (2008 - 2013).
  • Training Programme Director for Neurology Yorkshire and Humber (2008-2012)
Invited lectures

2017

  • NICE Guidelines 1 year on Conference, London UK - Managing Symptoms in MND at the MND
  • Association British Neurologists Meeting, Liverpool - Right to try
  • MND Care Centre Meeting, Kettering - MyTube
  • NIHR Annual CRF conference, Glasgow - User Centred Design
  • Newcastle Neurosciences Meeting, Newcastle upon Tyne - MND A Journey through time and space
  • MND Scotland meeting, Stirling - MND Clinical Research update
  • Oxford Neurosciences Meeting, Oxford - MND Surviving the experts

2016

  • Manchester Regional Neurosciences Centre – The evidence base for supportive Care in ALS.
  • Newcastle upon Tyne, MND study day – Delivering evidence based care for individuals with ALS.
  • Sheffield MND Study day – Recent developments in ALS care.
  • St Christopher’s Hospice, London – Nutritional Care in ALS.
  • Primary Care 2016, NEC, Birmingham – NICE guidelines for primary care.

2015

  • British Thoracic Society, London – Diaphragmatic Pacing in ALS
  • Difficult Lung Disease symposium, Sheffield – Neuromuscular disease for the respiratory physician.
  • MNDA Care Centre meeting, Stafford - myNIV
  • Association of palliative medicine neurological palliative care specialist interest forum, Manchester – What is new in MND.
  • 1st UK PLS conference, Oxford – HSP and PLS
  • WFN ALS meeting, Orlando – DiPALS results

2014

  • MNDA Care Centre meeting, Stafford – Head Up
  • Royal Society Medicine, London – The evidence base for symptomatic care in ALS
  • MND Centre, Oxford – Update on symptomatic care.
  • The Walton Centre, Liverpool - Update on symptomatic care.
  • St Christopher’s Hospice, London – Head Up.
  • Royal College of Physicians Regional Update, Sheffield – Neurology for the physician.

2013

  • Plenary speaker: ENCALS, Sheffield - While we wait.
  • MND Care Centre Directors meeting, Birmingham – Head Up and Secretion management
  • St Christopher’s Hospice, London – Diaphragmatic Pacing
  • The Walton Centre Regional Neurosciences Centre, Liverpool – Respiratory management of MND

2012

  • Edinburgh Regional Neurosciences Centre - Respiratory management of MND
  • Home Mechanical Ventilation Meeting, St Thomas Hospital, London – Role of Diaphragmatic Pacing
  • Palliative Care Symposium, Leeds – Living with MND
  • MNDA AGM – Developing the evidence base for clinical care in MND

2011

  • Association of British Neurologists meeting – Clinical advances in MND
  • European federation of neurological sciences, Lisbon – MND and its mimics

2010

  • European Federation of Neurological Sciences, Rhodes - Lump or Split?
  • MNDA Birmingham – Diaphragmatic Pacing in MND
  • Nutrition Course, Leeds – Nutrition in MND

2009

  • Leeds MNDA centre opening – Hereditary spastic paraparesis