Profile

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Damian Mole

My CV

  • Education

    Pooh Corner, Athens 1976-77; St Catherine’s British Embassy School, Athens, 1977-1980; Dulwich Hamlet 80-81, Dulwich College 1982-91; University of Birmingham Medical School 1992-98

  • Qualifications

    BMedSc, MBChB, PhD, FRCS

  • Work History

    Hammersmith Hospital – *as a porter*; QEH Birmingham; St. Thomas’ Hospital; Guy’s Medical School; RVH Belfast, Mater Hospital Belfast; Mid-Ulster Hospital, Centre of the Known World (Magherafelt); University of Edinburgh (Surgery, and MRC Centre for Inflammation Research)

  • Current Job

    MRC Senior Clinical Fellow

  • Name of MRC-funded unit/centre/institute:

    MRC Centre for Inflammation Research

  • My university:

    University of Edinburgh

  • About Me:

    Surgeon and a Scientist

  • My Work:

    I see problems that my patients are facing, then think of ways how we might solve them, then design and do experiments in the lab to come up with solutions. At the moment, I am researching how metabolism and inflammation control critical illness and its legacy.

  • My Typical Day:

    Coffee. More coffee. Come up with brilliant idea. Decide brilliant idea is in fact rubbish. Continue working on current very good idea.

  • Read more

    Usually up early – and bouncing around – to the annoyance of nearest and dearest. I always have breakfast – I’m miserable without it. Quick coffee. Walk to work. Come up with next brilliant idea. Keep walking. Decide brilliant idea is rubbish. Arrive at work. Quick coffee. See my patients, or go to operating theatre. If not an operating day, have a more relaxed coffee with the team. Caffeine shakes. Attend/avoid meetings. Work on grant/paper/data analysis. Catch up with lab team. Go to seminar. More thinking and writing – gotta love it! Home. See family. Try and help at home…read stories. Play trumpet somewhere insulated for sound, or far away. Sleep – rarely long enough.

  • What I'd do with the prize money:

    Wow! I’ve won?…Well, in that case I’m going to use the money to help fund my project to make a virtual reality model of inflammation, where you can walk inside cells!

  • My Interview

    • How would you describe yourself in 3 words?

      Always asking questions

      What or who inspired you to follow your career?

      I have had, and still have, inspiring role models at every stage - I don't think everyone is that lucky! It makes all the difference

      What was your favourite subject at school?

      Chemistry - it's basically physics, but for earth dwellers!

      What did you want to be after you left school?

      An explorer

      Were you ever in trouble at school?

      Always! I seemed to be permanently skating on thin ice - and although it frequently cracked, I managed never to fall in...

      If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?

      Archaeologist...or Marine Biologist...or Mountaineer

      Who is your favourite singer or band?

      Esk Valley Swing Band - see my photo!

      What's your favourite food?

      I grew up in Greece - there is nothing that can beat a home-made spanakopita - made in an island village. Except maybe some grilled fish sitting by the harbour...Stop, you're making me hungry

      What is the most fun thing you've done?

      Gone to high altitude to do physiology research

      If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!

      1) More hours in each day - so that I can carry on doing all the things I love doing -and see more of the people I love too! 2) The gift of hindsight - wouldn't that be great? 3) The gift of insight - probably the best thing you could hope for.

      Tell us a joke.

      Well, I'd like to tell you the one about the butter, but I'm afraid I can't...you might spread it.

  • My profile link:
    https://ias.im/u.180980

Expert Briefing Notes

I'm a Scientist Briefing NotesIf you haven't read them already, please take a couple of minutes to have a quick look at the briefing notes here. Most questions you have will already be answered in here.

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About the MRC Festival


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