Pamela J. Shaw

Professor Dame Pamela J. Shaw is an academic neurologist and a world-leading researcher in motor neuron disease (MND). She has held extensive leadership roles at local/national/international levels including: Director-Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) (2010-present); Director University of Sheffield Cross-Faculty Neuroscience Institute (2019-present); Pro-Vice Chancellor Faculty of Health (2016-2019). NIHR leadership roles include DeNDRoN Associate Director (2006-15);Yorkshire&Humber CRN Division 4 Lead (2014-16);Director-Sheffield NIHR BRC (2017-present). Nationally she led the Association of British Neurologists (ABN) Clinical Research Academic Committee and served as panel member for MRC, Wellcome, Academy Medical Sciences, UKRI, Lister Institute, NIHR Senior Investigator awards. Internationally she is a founding/executive member of ENCALS and chaired the International Scientific Programme Committee for ALS/MND (2004-10).

She has systematically built scientific and clinical facilities and diverse, multidisciplinary teams to deliver effective translational research for neurodegeneration. She uses genetics and biological studies in pre-clinical model systems linked to human biosamples, to define novel pathways of disease, and to identify promising small molecule and gene-therapy targets, together with novel biomarkers.

Significant contributions from MND clinical research include: identification and introduction into clinical practice of riluzole; evaluation of further potential neuroprotective therapies in >22 clinical trials; demonstration that support with non-invasive ventilation (NIV) has a major positive impact on QOL and survival which changed management internationally. She has contributed significantly to the genetic subclassification of MND including identification of changes in CHMP2B;TARDB;FUS;C9ORF72;TUBA4A;NEK1;Annexin A11;GLT8D1 genes, together with the associated clinical phenotype and molecular pathology. She has also demonstrated the value of offering routine genetic screening for MND patients.

Her team has generated a translational pipeline of potential neuroprotective therapies. Using viral vectors (AAV9) to deliver neuroprotective cargoes to the CNS, she has demonstrated dramatic therapeutic effects in pre-clinical models of SOD1-MND and SMA. This work has underpinned successful experimental medicine trials. Transcriptomic work has identified several pathways which can be modified therapeutically including the NRF2-anti-oxidant response and SRSF1, which are currently being developed towards MND clinical trials.

She has authored >560 publications (H-index 116, Citations 48,225) and secured >£140m in research funding. She has supervised and mentored the career development of >190 young scientists and clinicians, including 55 PhD students. She has delivered >600 presentations at national/international venues including many plenary/keynote invited lectures.

Multiple awards recognising her translational research contributions include: NIHR Senior Investigator Award-2013-2021; DBE for Services to Neuroscience-2014; American Academy of Neurology Sheila Essey Award-2001;International ALS/MND Alliance Forbes Norris Award-2007;Royal College of Physicians Jean Hunter Award-2006/Croonian Lecture-2016; FMedSci-2007; Fellowship American Association for the Advancement of Science-2015;ABN Medallist-2019; Queen’s Anniversary Award to SITraN-2019; Singhal Award Lecture World Congress of Neurology 2021; Platinum Clinical Excellence Award-2013-present; British Neuroscience Research Excellence award 2022.

She has supported academic capacity development locally, building a department of >300 staff and graduate students since 2000 and nationally through DeNDroN and the ABN. She has mentored future research leaders through the NIHR Academy and the Academy of Medical Sciences. As Pro-VC she led the Medical School Athena Swan Silver award and promoted the Faculty Equality-Diversity-Inclusion agenda appointing a Faculty EDI Director and introducing mandatory EDI staff training.

Professor Shaw graduated in Medicine with 1st Class Honours from the University of Newcastle in 1979. She undertook her MRCP and Specialist Training in Neurology in Newcastle.

In 1988 she was awarded an MD with commendation for her work on the neurological complications of coronary bypass surgery. After an intermediate fellowship award from the Wellcome Trust, she was awarded a Wellcome Senior Fellowship in Clinical Science which she held from 1991 -2001.

In 1997 she was appointed Professor of Neurological Medicine at the University of Newcastle and in 2000 was appointed as Professor of Neurology at the University of Sheffield.