St Mary’s consultant wins national award for research work
Dr Liz Whittaker has been announced as one of the winners of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) Members’ Award 2023. Dr Whittaker is a consultant in paediatric infectious diseases at St Mary’s Hospital, part of West London Children's Healthcare*, and a senior clinical lecturer at Imperial College London.
Dr Whittaker was recognised for her research work, in particular, her efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic as a member of the RCPCH Expert Reference Group and for helping RCPCH develop guidelines for acute non-A-E hepatitis and Mpox (monkeypox). She has a strong research track record and during the pandemic helped describe a novel inflammatory syndrome in children knowns as PIMS-TS (paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome) and was co-lead on several studies, including the CLoCK study investigating Long Covid in children.
Dr Whittaker has a strong interest in education and training, having been quality advisor to the Paediatric Allergy, Immunology and Infectious Diseases College Specialty Advisory Committee. She is now Convenor of the British Paediatric Allergy Immunity and Infection Group which is affiliated to RCPCH.
Dr Whittaker said, “I am really honoured to receive a Members' Award from RCPCH, recognising the contribution of the paediatric infectious diseases team during the Covid-19 pandemic and in particular our hard work establishing research to inform rapid guidelines and policy to help children and young people. This underscores the significance of our collective efforts during the pandemic and beyond.
“It also highlights the importance of nurturing and training the next generation of clinicians and researchers. By instilling a passion for scientific inquiry and fostering a culture of continuous learning, we empower future leaders to make lasting contributions to the health and well-being of generations to come.”
Find out more about these awards.
*The integrated children's services of both Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.
