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Anna Schuh

Director of Molecular Diagnostics

  • Honorary Consultant Haematologist

Research Summary

My research focuses in haematology is with the identification and validation of markers of disease progression for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, high-grade transformation and precursor B-cell malignancies using whole genome sequencing and single-cell analyses focussing on two clinical trials: OXPLORED and STELLAR.

My second research interest is with the development, evaluation and implementation of methodologies to analyse circulating tumour DNA for early cancer detection and minimal residual disease monitoring. My group analyses 1000s of liquid biopsy samples from patients with different types of cancers recruited into multi-centre clinical trials.

The group also develops and evaluates technologies for early cancer detection from liquid biopsies using deep whole genome sequencing and novel methylation analyses in collaboration with the biotech sector. Finally, I lead an NIHR-funded Global Health Programme in East Africa that evaluates the role of liquid biopsies in the diagnosis of EBV-positive Burkitt’s lymphoma.

Biography

Professor Anna Schuh completed academic and clinical haematology training in Oxford, United Kingdom. From 2006 to 2014, she acted as the clinical director of the haematology laboratories including molecular diagnostics of Oxford University NHS Hospital Trust, one of the largest NHS trusts in the UK.

She was appointed as a professor of the University of Oxford in 2014. She led over 50 early and late phase clinical trials in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia as a principle or chief investigator. A number of these have changed clinical practice for patients in the UK and worldwide. She served as chair of the UK CLL forum from 2015 to 2018, was the chair of the National Cancer Research Institute Collaborative Group for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia from 2018 to 2022, and was appointed to the board of the iwCLL in 2019 where she established the Global Partnership Committee.

She is the founder and clinical director of the Oxford Molecular Diagnostics Centre with fifteen members of staff. She established an online part-time multidisciplinary MSc programme in Precision Cancer Medicine with students from six continents.

She became a senior member of MUHAS faculty in Dar es salaam, Tanzania, in 2019 where she actively contributes in the MMed programme for haematology, delivers bedside teaching of residents and supervises MSc and PhD students.

Professor Schuh has authored or co-authored over 150 peer-reviewed publications. Her h-index is 50 with over 8000 citations since 2017. She holds a patent in non-invasive prenatal diagnosis, has been a co-founder of two biotechnology start-ups and of Seren, a social enterprise to improve access to DNA-based diagnostic in sub-Saharan Africa.

GROUP MEMBERS


Research Scientists

Dr Dimitris Vavoulis, PhD, Head of Bioinformatics
Dr Kate Ridout, PhD, senior bioinformatician
Kieran Howard, Clinical Scientist and bioinformatician
Dr Grigore-Aristide Gafencu , MD, PhD and bioinformatician
Dr Anthony Cutts, PhD, Scientific Lead
Helene Dreau, Lead Clinical Scientist
Dr Adam Burns, Lead Scientist Global Health

DPhil Students

Ismail Draguma
Niamh Appleby, MD
Sandra Maseno, MD

Operations

Dr Claire El Moulden, Programme Manager AI-REAL
Gagandeep Batth, Operational manager
Mickey Leonte, Laboratory Logistics Manager 

Laboratory Assistants
Georgeta Ciuban
Melinda Kormany
Kayleigh Mainwood
Thomas Wenban-Smith