Imperial College London

Professor James Seddon

Faculty of MedicineDepartment of Infectious Disease

Professor of Global Child Health
 
 
 
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Contact

 

+44 (0)20 7594 3179james.seddon

 
 
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Location

 

235Norfolk PlaceSt Mary's Campus

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Summary

 

Research

My main research area is the epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis infection and disease in children, particularly drug-resistant forms. I am particularly interested in new drugs and new regimens for both prevention and treatment of tuberculosis in children, as well as the use of biomarkers to guide treatment decisions.

Current projects include:

  1. Clinical trial of preventive therapy for child contacts of MDR-TB (TB-CHAMP). With Anneke Hesseling, Simon Schaaf (Stellenbosch University), Angela Crook, Anna Turkova and Di Gibb (MRC CTU at UCL)
  2. Clinical trial of tuberculosis meningitis treatment in children (SURE). With Di Gibb, Anna Turkova, and Angela Crook (MRC CTU at UCL) and Guy Thwaites (Oxford University)
  3. Clinical Trial of treatment for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in children (SMART KIDS). With Tony Garcia-Prats, Anneke Hesseling and Simon Schaaf (Stellenbosch University)
  4. Correlates of risk in children exposed to multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. With Myrsini Kaforou (Imperial College London), Anneke Hesseling (Stellenbosch University), and David Moore (LSTHM).
  5. Exploring the role of cytomegalovirus in TB pathogenesis in young children. With Gert van Zyl, Anneke Hesseling (Stellenbosch University), Helen Fletcher (LSHTM) and Andrew Prendergast (QMUL)
  6. Understanding the biology, morbidity and social context of adolescent tuberculosis (Teen TB). With Liz Whittaker, Mike Levin (Imperial College London), Anneke Hesseling, Marieke van der Zalm, Megan Palmer, Alex Doruyter, Graeme Hoddinott, Gert van Zyl, Ruan Swanepoel (Stellenbosch University)
  7. Hotspots, hospitals and households: enhanced drug-resistant tuberculosis case finding in Namibia (H3TB). With Mareli Claassens (University of Namibia) and Graeme Hoddinott (Stellenbosch University).
  8. Mathematical modelling the burden of tuberculosis in children with evaluation of interventions to reduce this burden. With Pete Dodd (University of Sheffield) and Finn McQuaid (LSHTM).
  9. Evaluation of antibiotic use on the microbiome and antimicrobial resistance in children. With Andrew Whitelaw and  Anneke Hesseling (Stellenbosch University)
  10. Analysis of routine national TB register data in South Africa. With Muhammad Osman and Karen Du Preez (Stellenbosch University) and Jay Achar (Karolinska Institute) 
  11. Estimating the disease burden and outcomes for children with tuberculous meningitis. With Karen Du Preez (Stellenbosch University)
  12.  Understanding ischemia in children with tuberculous meningitis (iThemba) - NIH-funded R01.
  13.  Validation of treatment decision algorithms for childhood tuberculosis at low levels of healthcare in high burden countries - effectiveness, implementation, and integration into policy and practices (Decide TB) - EDCTP-funded project
  14.  Understanding the role of chest radiology in the diagnosis and management of children with TB. With Megan Palmer (Stellenbosch University).
  15.  Cost effectiveness of MDR-TB preventive therapy. With Tommy Wilkinson (University of Cape Town).
  16. Changes in transcriptomic signatures while on TB treatment. With Myrsini Kaforou (Imperial College) and Tom Scriba (University of Cape Town).

Research Funding

show research
  • EDCTP (2023-2027). Validation of treatment decision algorithms for childhood tuberculosis at low levels of healthcare in high burden countries - effectiveness, implementation, and integration into policy and practices (Decide-TB) (Co-Investigator; EUR 5.3 million)
  • US NIH R01 (2022-2027). Understanding ischemia in children with tuberculous meningitis (iThemba) (PI; $2.5 million) 1R01HD107063-01
  • MRC African Research Leader (2020-2024) Hotspots, hospitals and households: enhanced drug-resistant tuberculosis case finding in Namibia (H3TB) (PI; £750,000) MR/T008814/1
  • EDCTP Senior Fellowship (2020-2024) Hotspots, households and hospitals: targeted drug-resistant tuberculosis case finding in Namibia (Co-Investigator; PI: Mareli Claassens; EUR 500,000) TMA2018SF-2462
  • NIH K43 (2020-2024) Interdisciplinary and multi-level approach to estimate the disease burden and outcomes of childhood tuberculous meningitis (Co-investigator; PI: Karen du Preez; $540,000)
  • Imperial College GCRF (2019-2020) Understanding the biology, morbidity and social context of adolescent tuberculosis (PI; £100,000) Imperial College Global Health Clinical Research Training Fellowship
  • Imperial College Global Health Clinical Research Training Fellowship (2019-2020) Defining the relationship between tuberculosis and cytomegalovirus in adolescents (Sponsor; Applicant: Sarah Johnson; £12,000)
  • TB-MAC (2019-2020) Risk-benefit modelling of preventive therapy strategies to inform household contact management policies in high-burden countries (Co-Investigator; PI: Courtney Yuen; $50,000) http://tb-mac.org/tb-mac-news/winners-of-the-tb-mac-2018-grant/
  • Unitaid (2019-2021) Benefit-Kids MDR-TB (Co-investigator; PI: Anthony Garcia-Prats; $10 million)
  • IMPAACT 2020 (2019-2023) Shortened oral treatment for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in children: a phase II multi-centre trial. SMaRT Kids (Co-investigator; PI: Tony Garcia-Prats)
  • MRC Clinician Scientist (2018-2022) Correlates of risk in children exposed to multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MR/R007942/1; Fellowship; £1.2 million) https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=MR/R007942/1
  • SA NHLS Research Award (2017-2019) The effect of antibiotics on the gut microbiome of children from Cape Town communities (Co-investigator; PI Andrew Whitelaw; ZAR 500,000)
  • SA NHLS Development Grant (2017-2019) The effect of long-term fluoroquinolone prophylaxis on carriage of antimicrobial resistant organisms in children (Co-Investigator; ZAR100,000)
  • MRC/DFID/WT (2017-2022) Short enhanced anti-tuberculosis and anti-thrombosis treatment for children with tuberculous meningitis: SURE (Co-Investigator; £3.24 million) MR/R006113/1 https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=MR/R006113/1
  • Academy of Medical Sciences Starter Grant (2014-2016) Understanding Bacillus Calmette–Guérin vaccination and its adverse effects (PI; £28,000)
  •  South African MRC (2014-2019) A phase III cluster randomised placebo-controlled trial to assess the efficacy of preventive therapy in child and adolescent contacts of MDR-TB (Co-PI; ZAR 5 million)
  • MRC/DFID/WT (2014-2019) A phase III cluster randomised placebo-controlled trial to assess the efficacy of preventive therapy in child contacts of MDR-TB (Co-PI; £2.5 million) MR/M007340/1 https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=MR/M007340/1
  • Unitaid (2014-2016) Modelling childhood TB including mortality, drug resistance and preventive therapy. Part of TB-STEP funded through TB Alliance (Addressing neglected childhood tuberculosis) (Co-PI; £86,000) https://unitaid.org/assets/UNITAID-STEPTB-Final-Evaluation-04July2017.pdf
  • TB CARE (2013-2014) Childhood TB online training for national TB programmes, district level and community care workers (Co-PI; $100,000)
  • TB Alliance (2013) Mathematical modelling estimates of the burden of childhood TB in the 22 high-burden countries (Co-PI; $15,000) https://unitaid.org/assets/UNITAID-STEPTB-Final-Evaluation-04July2017.pdf
  • BRC (2013-2016) Is vitamin D a risk factors for infection in children exposed to TB? (PI; £5,000)
  • NIH Ro1 (2011-2016) Pharmacokinetics and toxicity of second-line anti-TB drugs in HIV infected and uninfected children (Co-investigator; $2.2 million) http://grantome.com/grant/NIH/R01-HD069169-01
  • Sir Halley Steward Trust (2010-2012) MDR-TB in children (Fellowship; £55,000) 
  • USAID (2010-2012) TREAT-TB; MDR-TB in children (Co-investigator; $350,000)