Dr Simon Fox

• Deputy Head of the School of Biomedical Sciences
• Associate Professor (Senior Lecturer) in Molecular Pathology
• Senior UG Personal Tutor
• Non-NHS Placements Coordinator

Qualifications:

• Ph.D. (1998) Cellular Biology; University of London
• B.Sc. (Hons) (1992) Anatomical Science; University of Bristol 
• PG.Cert (2005) Learning and teaching in higher education.

Research Interests
I am a member of the Agri-Pharmacy research group which is delving into the pharmaceutical potential of plant extracts cultivated under completely controlled environmental conditions. By controlling growth factors such as light, temperature, and nutrient levels, we aim to harness the full medicinal potential of these plants whilst reducing the carbon footprint for medicine production to net zero.  My research in particular examines the effect of compounds on bone, with a focus on mechanisms governing preferential metastasis of breast and prostate cancer cells to the skeleton.

Grants and Contracts
Arthritis Research Campaign: (September 2002-August 2005, £ 104,834) Fox SW and Chambers TJ. To test the role of TGF-beta signalling pathways and SOCS expression in osteoclast/macrophage lineage commitment. (Ref F0558).
Wellcome Trust: (Awarded August 2005 for 36 months, £ 136,360) Fox SW. Analysis of the signalling mechanism by which TGF-beta determines osteoclast/macrophage lineage-switching.
Diving Diseases Research Centre: (Awarded October 2009 for 36 months, £10,500) Fox SW. Effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on osteoclast differentiation.
Seal Hayne Trust: (Awarded June 2009 for 6 months £4,750) Owens M, Davies S and Fox SW. Molecular analysis of telost bone remodelling.

Conferences Organised
Member of the organising committee for the Heads of University Centres of Biomedical Science Annual Conference 2021, 22, 23, 24

• Fellow of AdvanceHE

• Executive Committee member of the Heads of University Centres of Biomedical Sciences (HUCBMS)
• Member of the editorial board for Nutrients- 5 year impact factor 7.18

• (University of London) Alison Lovibond 2005, PhD
• (Plymouth University) Matthew Owens 2011, PhD 
• (Plymouth University) Sahar Karieb 2012, PhD 
• (Plymouth University) Hadil Al Hadi 2013, PhD
• (University of Plymouth) Safaa Salaman Mezban Al-Thamiree 2019, PhD

I teach molecular & cellular biology and learning skills on numerous modules across the faculty.

Module Lead

BHCS1001 Biomedical Investigation and Experimentation

BHCS1011 Study Skills and Personal Development

BHCS2027 Placements and Employability

BHCS3002 Molecular and Cellular Pathology

BHCS3030 Biomedical Science: Placements

BHCS3031 Personal Development and Employability

In the school of Biomedical Sciences I teach on.

BSc

BHCS002  Current Developments in Human Biology and Biomedical Sciences

FMD002    Introduction to Human Physiology

FMD003    Learning Skills for Healthcare

BHCS1001 Biomedical Investigation and Experimentation

BHCS1004 Introduction to Human Pathology

BHCS1005 Human Disease

BHCS1011 Study Skills and Personal Development

BHCS1017 Investigation and Experimentation in Nutrition and Exercise Sciences

BHCS2001 Biology of Disease

BHCS2002 Evidence-based practice in Biomedical Science

BHCS2004 Cell Biology in Health and Disease

BHCS2027 Placements and Employability

BHCS3001 Personal Research Project

BHCS3002 Molecular and Cellular Pathology

BHCS3030 Biomedical Sciences: Placement

BHCS3031 Personal Development and Employability

MSc

BIOM5005 Project Design and Development

BIOM5006 Research Project

BHCS5009 Cancer Biology and Therapeutics

Previous School and Faculty Roles

Associate Head of School- Teaching and Learning (2015-2021)

Interim Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning- Faculty of Health (2020)

Programme Lead BSc Biomedical Sciences Foundation (2018-2020)

Programme Lead BSc Biomedical Science (2009-2015)

External Examining
I am currently an external examiner for BSc (Hons) Applied Medical Sciences at University College London and BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science at Anglia Ruskin University.
External examiner for BSc and MSc Applied Biosciences at the University of the West of Scotland 2011-2015.
I have examined PhDs thesis for the National Centre for Cell Science Pune University India, St George's Hospital Medical School University of London, University College London, University of Oxford and the University of Plymouth.