Emma Magavern

Dr. Emma Magavern is a Clinical Lecturer and Clinical Pharmacology specialist at Queen Mary University of London's Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, affiliated with the William Harvey Research Institute. She holds a unique academic-clinical position, splitting her time 50% between clinical work and research. Her PhD in pharmacogenomics explored genetic influences on drug response, and she now focuses on leveraging genomic medicine to address health disparities. Key roles include co-secretary of the Royal College of Physicians/British Pharmacological Society pharmacogenomics working group and co-lead for the NHS England Pharmacogenomics Network of Excellence. She also chairs the British Pharmacological Society SpR Committee and contributes to the Health Education England GeNotes initiative.

• Education: BA in English, MD, MSc in Bioethics, MSc in Genomics
• Research: Investigates how genetic variants affect medication efficacy/safety, particularly in underrepresented groups like British South Asians. Recent work highlights CYP2C19 variants reducing clopidogrel effectiveness in this population.
• Public Engagement: Develops patient/prescriber resources, surveys public attitudes on pharmacogenomics, and advocates for inclusive genomic medicine practices.

Her research emphasizes translating genetic insights into clinical practice to improve personalized medicine while ensuring equitable access. Collaborators include Prof. Mark Caulfield and Prof. Damian Smedley, with funding from Barts Charity and the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre.