David Beard

David Beard is Professor of Musculoskeletal & Surgical Sciences at the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS) in the University of Oxford. He is also Rosetrees Director of the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) Surgical Intervention Trials Unit (SITU-NDORMS) and one of the five RCS Chairs in Surgical Trials in the UK. He is responsible for a portfolio of surgical and complex intervention trials, many as co-applicant and some as Chief Investigator.

His academic qualifications include an MSc in Biomedical Science (Research Methodology) from KCL (London) and a Doctorate in Medicine (Oxford) awarded for studies on knee joint proprioception and compensatory mechanisms after anterior cruciate injury. He was also awarded an honorary Fellowship by the Royal College of Surgeons of England for services to surgical science in 2017 and made a British Orthopaedic Association Honorary Fellow in 2021. 

He has previously held senior academic posts at Oxford and in Australia, and held honorary academic positions in Cardiff and Bristol. Initially qualified in Nottingham as a physiotherapist he completed clinical posts in the UK and Canada, and maintains an active clinical role as Advanced Practitioner (Knee) for Swansea Bay University Health Board.  He is also a Professorial Governing Body Fellow of Kellogg College and Member of Wolfson College.

Current research interests include surgical clinical trials methodology, including placebo control designs, outcome measurement in MSK health, and a variety of musculoskeletal intervention studies.  He is currently involved in several surgical trials and studies including those evaluating robotic surgery, knee, hip, spine, hand and shoulder surgery, plastic surgery, ENT and work related to long duration space flight.  David supervises several PhD, DPhil and MSc students within in NDORMS and NDS and is a regular examiner on behalf of the University.