Dr Robert Boyle

Summary

Clinical Reader in Paediatric Allergy, St Mary's Campus.

Dr Boyle was appointed to Imperial College London as NIHR Clinical Lecturer in 2007, Clinical Senior Lecturer in 2009, Director of the Paediatric Research Unit from 2013 and Clinical Reader from 2017. Prior to this he trained in Paediatric Allergy and Immunology at the Royal Children's Hospital and Melbourne University, Australia where his PhD investigated the mechanisms through which dietary interventions may prevent eczema.

Dr Boyle works in a specialist Clinical Research Facility for studies of Children and Young People, with a focus on the development of new ways of preventing, diagnosing and treating inflammatory conditions which affect young people. His research focuses on the primary prevention of allergic diseases, and the need for more robust regulation of the formula industry.

Dr Boyle's clinical trial work has explored several different approaches to preventing allergic diseases. Current studies are focussed on the possibility that eczema or food allergy could be prevented by improving infant skin care during the first months of life. He is leading food allergy assessment in the UK BEEP trial, updating an individual participant data meta-analysis of infant skin care studies for preventing allergic outcomes and co-leading a feasibility study of a new approach to baby skincare for preventing eczema - studies which are all funded by the UK National Institute for Health Research.

Dr Boyle's evidence syntheses for the UK Food Standards Agency influenced infant feeding guidance in the UK and internationally. Key findings were that early introduction of egg and peanut reduce risk of allergy to these foods JAMA and that specific maternal dietary supplements during pregnancy and lactation may reduce risk of allergic disease in young children PLOS Medicine. Full reports are on the Food Standards Agency website Timing of Allergenic Food Introduction , Hydrolysed Formula and Other Dietary Exposures and Interventions. 

Dr Boyle's team also identified a lack of evidence for recommending hydrolysed formula to prevent allergic disease in the Food Standards Agency project, which resulted in a BMJ publication and associated Committee of Toxicity statement. This led to a reversal of international recommendations to use hydrolysed formula for allergy prevention, which had been made for several decades. The team subsequently described commercially-influenced overdiagnosis of cow's milk allergy in England, leading to excess use of specialised formula and clinical advice which may serve to undermine breastfeeding. 

External Appointments

Dr Boyle is Joint Coordinating Editor of the Cochrane Skin Group and a member of Cochrane's Editorial Board. He is Joint Editor in Chief of the journal Clinical and Experimental Allergy. He is a member of two committees which provide advice to UK government - the UK Nutrition and Health Claims Committee and the Subgroup on Maternal and Child Nutrition of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition.

Teaching Commitments

Dr Boyle contributes to teaching through his roles as Director of the Follow my Footsteps course, and Deputy Director of the Allergy MSc. He regularly supervises BSc and MSc projects and has supervised four MD or PhD students to completion and five postdoctoral fellowships.

Publications

Journals

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