New leadership for women’s health research at the NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre

Dr Alessandro Prete and Dr Rima Dhillon-Smith have been appointed as the new co-leads for the Women’s Metabolic Health research theme at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). They succeed Professor Shakila Thangaratinam, who has made significant contributions to the field.

The Birmingham BRC Women’s Metabolic Health theme adopts a life course approach to improve the metabolic health of women across all generations and backgrounds. Researchers working within the theme are looking at different health issues primarily affecting women, like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), Intracranial Idiopathic Hypertension, Gestational Diabetes, and Mild Autonomous Cortisol Secretion (MACS). By improving our understanding of these conditions, the team aims to enhance their prevention, early detection, and targeted treatment.

Dr Alessandro Prete is a Clinical Associate Professor of Endocrinology at the Department of Metabolism and Systems Science, University of Birmingham. He obtained his PhD from the same University in 2022 and is also a Consultant Endocrinologist at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, UK. Alessandro’s area of research focuses on functioning adrenal tumours, endocrine hypertension, and adrenal insufficiency, combining clinical trials and experimental medicine studies.

“I look forward to driving the direction of the NIHR Birmingham BRC Women’s Metabolic Health research theme. This is the first theme of its kind in any BRC, and there are exciting opportunities to deliver high-impact research on conditions that solely or predominantly affect women. Collaborating with Dr Rima Dhillon-Smith, whose expertise and passion for women’s reproductive and metabolic health are widely recognised, opens up new avenues for impactful research and innovation in this crucial field.”

Dr Alessandro Prete

Dr Rima Dhillon-Smith is a Clinical Associate Professor in Reproductive Medicine at the University of Birmingham’s Department of Metabolism and Systems Science and an honorary Consultant Gynaecologist, subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine, at the Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Dr Smith is internationally recognised for her work in thyroid disease and fertility and pregnancy. She has published in high impact journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine and the Lancet. Her research interests focus on reproductive endocrinology, subfertility, paediatric gynaecology, and early pregnancy. She has a leadership role in the Tommy’s National Centre for miscarriage research. She has led several high-impact studies and is currently a senior investigator on the LOCI trial, a multi-centre project investigating letrozole vs clomifene for ovulation induction in women with PCOS.

“I am very excited to be given the opportunity to co-lead this theme, I am truly passionate about women’s reproductive and metabolic health. I believe the team in Birmingham is strongly placed to produce high-impact meaningful work in this field and I am looking forward to working with Alessandro in building new collaborations to maximise the output of our theme.”

Dr Rima Dhillon-Smith