Professor James Fullerton has been appointed as the John Climax Professor of Clinical Therapeutics in the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS), University of Oxford, and as a Professorial Fellow at St Hilda’s College.
In this role, he will lead efforts to develop and expand experimental medicine approaches, helping to turn scientific discoveries into new drug treatments for patients. His work will focus on early-stage clinical trials, where promising therapies are tested for the first time in people. These studies inform critical ‘go / no-go’ decisions, that is, determine which treatments should move forward, and which should not. Prof Fullerton’s work seeks to increase the information gained at this phase, helping to speed up the development of effective medicines.
He will bring together experts from different fields, strengthening collaboration between academic researchers at Oxford and beyond, and seek to enhance their links with the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and diagnostics industries. This approach is supported by Oxford’s extensive research infrastructure, including the Experimental Medicine Clinical Research Facility (EMCRF) at NDORMS, and close collaboration with NHS partners.
Prof James Fullerton said: ‘It is a great honour and privilege to have been entrusted with this important role. I look forward to working with colleagues across the University to establish Oxford as a globally unique nexus for advancing the theory and practice of drug development, advocating for human experimental medicine as a means to catalyse the translation of discovery science and accelerate the progression of potential new medicines. I am also excited about the prospect of re-establishing Clinical Pharmacology training and expertise locally, re-imagining how the speciality contributes to the NHS and wider UK life science sector’.
Prof Jonathan Rees, NDORMS Head of Department said: ‘James Fullerton’s appointment as the John Climax Professor of Clinical Therapeutics comes at a critical time in supporting one of our new NDORMS ambitions: founding an Oxford Centre for Therapeutic and Regulatory Innovation. James will bring his leadership and drive to this new initiative and support me in appointing a new Chair in Regulatory Health Data Science and a Research Professor in Regulatory Innovation in order to grow clinical pharmacology, experimental medicine and regulatory innovation across the Oxford ecosystem. This will allow us to deliver on our aspirations for safe but accelerated drug development, leading to more cost-effective drugs and earlier life-changing benefits for patients.’
Prof Andrew Brent, Chief Medical Officer of Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) said: ‘I am delighted at James Fullerton’s appointment to this important Chair. James already makes an important contribution to the Trust through the Medicines Management & Therapeutics Committee and his clinical work in Acute General Medicine. I look forward to continuing to working with him in his new role.’
James currently splits his time between research and clinical practice. He is a Principal Investigator at NDORMS, leading the Translational Pharmacology Group, and a practising physician in Acute General Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology at the John Radcliffe Hospital. James is also Deputy Director of the Oxford University Clinical Academic Graduate School (OUCAGS), supporting the development of the next generation of clinician-scientists.