DrNorris Igbineweka

Dr Norris is a haematology registrar at King’s College Hospital London. He has joined Imperial College London doing his PhD in molecular haematology using gene-editing experimental work to investigate certain undiagnosed red blood diseases in collaboration with Oxford University. Dr Norris is also part of the UK arm, of an international multi-centre study, investigating genomic Integrity and the safety of gene therapy in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Dr Norris's additional present work surrounds exploring new gene-environmental modulators that may contribute to understanding SCD phenotype through Space and Microgravity on SCD red blood cells. This work has led to acceptance of publication in Nature Genomic Medicine.

Dr Norris has done previous research into fetal haemoglobin (HbF), a known biological marker of clinical severity in sickle cell disease (SCD). Dr Norris also initiated studies examining genetic regulators of HbF in patients with certain haematological malignancies. He found that some HbF gene variants may affect pathobiological processes and treatment responses in certain blood cancers. This study received a BSH early investigator grant and ASH abstract achievement award, with an abstract published in Blood Journal and a full article in Annals of Haematology and Oncology. In 2016, Dr Norris was awarded and undertook a Fulbright scholarship for research at the SCD branch, NIH, USA.