I have been interested in the fundamental questions behind clinical conditions from the beginning of my medical training. I completed a PhD in gene therapy in 2011 whilst at medical school through the MB PhD program at UCL. In my postgraduate training I became fascinated with disorders of the respiratory system and how the immune system can influence pathogenesis and clinical course. I have used NIHR funded posts to develop a core theme of respiratory immunology that I have applied to a broad range of respiratory conditions, most notably lung cancer and the recent COVID-19 pandemic.

Following an intercalated BSc in Immunology, I joined the MB PhD program at UCL in 2008. This led to a PhD in gene therapy, where I worked on how retroviral vectors dysregulate neighbouring gene expression. I also developed a new production system for lentiviral vectors that is scalable, enabling sufficient quantities of vector for widespread application. I graduated from UCL medical school in 2013 and joined the academic foundation program in Cambridge. I started a Respiratory Academic Clinical Fellowship in London in 2015 and relocated to the North West in 2017. I am now an Academic Clinical Lecturer and specialist registrar in Respiratory Medicine

sean.knight@manchester.ac.uk