About
Professor Alexander Ford is a Professor of Gastroenterology at the University of Leeds, affiliated with the School of Medicine within the Faculty of Medicine and Health. His research focuses on disorders of gut-brain interaction, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional dyspepsia, emphasizing clinical trials, epidemiology, and evidence-based medicine. He holds qualifications including MBChB, MD, MRCP, FRCP, and RFF.
His career began with an MRC-funded fellowship on the CUBE study (2002), leading to a BMJ-published trial in 2008. After a post-doctoral fellowship at McMaster University, he returned to the UK in 2008, becoming Associate Professor in 2010 and promoted to Professor in 2016. He has authored over 450 peer-reviewed publications, including high-impact journals like JAMA and Gut, with an h-index of 84. His work has influenced NICE guidelines and global management strategies for dyspepsia and IBS.
Professor Ford leads three NIHR-funded trials and has secured over £6 million in grants. He mentors junior doctors and has supervised multiple postgraduate students. Awards include the Rome Foundation’s top honor (2020) and recognition as a Highly Cited Researcher (2020-2022). He serves as Associate Editor of Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics and contributes to NICE guidelines.
His research addresses the epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders, advocating for evidence-based practices. He collaborates globally and is a leading figure in advancing care for IBS, a condition affecting 10% of the UK population.
