Catriona Waitt

Prof. Catriona Waitt, Professor in Clinical Pharmacology and Global Health, University of Liverpool and Wellcome Clinical Research Career Development Fellow, Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University.

What do you do, and what is a typical week for you?

There is no such thing as a typical week, and that is one of the things I love most about my work – there are constantly new challenges, projects at different stages from design through to analysis, deadlines and opportunities and urgent clinical situations. I have never had a dull workday! 

I lead a research programme investigating the safe, effective use of medication in pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and their infants. This programme consists of clinical trials and observational pharmacokinetic studies, development of new laboratory assays, pharmacokinetic modelling and public engagement. Whilst based in Uganda at the Infectious Diseases Institute focussing on treatments for HIV, TB and malaria, this work has global relevance with projects investigating drug-resistant TB in South Africa, and postpartum infections in Liverpool. 

I lead the EDCTP-funded VirTUAL Consortium which combines clinical and mathematical tools to understand drug-drug interactions between second-line HIV drugs and TB treatment. I am lead or co-investigator on a range of other related trials, including Unitaid-funded DolPHIN-2, NIHR-funded WarPATH and APT Sepsis. These projects require innovative methodology, and PhD and masters studentships are integrated into the work. I am also a faculty member for Pharmacometrics Africa which aims to build strong skills across Africa.  

Clinically, I am an honorary consultant in Acute Medicine at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and return to the UK each year for blocks of clinical time. I particularly enjoy managing acute medical problems in pregnant or postpartum women and can see the clear clinical relevance of my research programme. 

Since 2010, I have worked less-than-full-time, sharing childcare responsibilities with my husband. I believe my academic career has profited from me having a healthy life-work balance, and I believe flexible working patterns can be extremely productive. Over the past few years I have increasingly advocated for equity, diversity and inclusion and was awarded the BPS EDI prize in 2021. 

What qualifications and experience do you have?

  • BSc (Hons) Pharmacology (intercalated)
  • MBChB (Hons)
  • Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom (MRCP UK)
  • Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (DTM&H)
  • PhD
  • Postgraduate Certificate in Learning & Teaching in Higher Education (PGCert)

What’s the most interesting aspect of your job?

I particularly love working with pregnant and breastfeeding women and their infants. This is a time of life where there is great hope, but also (particularly in low income settings with high prevalence of infectious diseases such as HIV and TB) a time of considerable risk. Many drugs are 'not recommended' for use in pregnancy or breastfeeding according to the product label, and yet these women require them as lifesaving measures. 
 
My work seeks to find the best and safest drug combinations for both mother and infant, aiming towards the best clinical outcomes. As a mother of five, this is a population with whom I identify, and our work includes engagement activities to co-create materials to provide these women and their communities with the information they need in a way which is accessible and understandable. 
 

What are your research interests?

  • Medicine dosing, safety, and efficacy in populations who are often excluded from clinical trials (ie pregnant and breastfeeding women and their infants, children and adolescents, those with complex comorbidities or potentially interacting medications). 
  • Infectious diseases – particularly HIV and TB, but including malaria, viral haemorrhagic fevers and bacterial infections. 
  • Optimal management of the acutely unwell patient – particularly with respect to the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationships in patients with deranged physiology. 

What one piece of advice would you give to someone seeking a career in clinical pharmacology?

A clinical pharmacologist can develop the skills to answer the questions which cause frustration clinically. Whether this be through developing bioanalytical methods for measurement of drug concentrations in different body fluids, or through use of pharmacometric techniques to understand drug exposure or toxicity in patients with a range of clinical covariates, or through clinical trials, the opportunities are immense. All you need to get started is a good clinical question which fascinates you, and the rest should follow. 

Social media

Twitter handle: @CatrionaWaitt

LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catriona-waitt-8089a1160/



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