Previously a Wellcome Trust Intermediate Clinical Fellow, I am now running my own group to study the 'omic epidemiology of common complex traits related to rheumatic diseases. In particular my focus is on the chronic pain syndromes including low back pain and intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). This ties in well with my clinical interests of DDD and chronic musculoskeletal pain. I also run an NHS clinic for Musicians and Performing Artists, many of whom have chronic pain conditions which threaten their occupational wellbeing. I have led several of the world's first GWAS studies (IDD) as well as the largest to date of back pain and shown that many of the so-called environmental risk factors (eg. social class) share genetic predisposition with back pain.

Genetic and omic epidemiology of chronic pain syndromes, in particular intervertebral disc degeneration as a cause of back pain; and age-related hearing impairment