Dr Emma English is an Associate Professor in Health Sciences at the University of East Anglia, Honorary Consultant Biochemist at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and Chair of IFCC committee for the Education in the Utility of Biomarkers for Diabetes.

Emma graduated with a BSc in Microbiology and Medical Biosciences from the University of Kent before undertaking a PhD at the University of East Anglia investigating the role of electron transfer chains in Azorhizobium caulinodans. Wanting a more applied health role, she then trained as a Clinical Scientist at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. Whilst at Cambridge she undertook an MSc in Clinical Biochemistry at University College London. She successfully gained registration with the Health and Care Professions Council and is entered on the national register as Clinical Biochemist.

Emma’s research focuses on the use of diagnostic testing in health and disease, with three interrelated themes of; analytical quality of diagnostic testing, clinical utility of diagnostic tests and development of future diagnostic tests. Current focus is around diabetes testing.

Key external links include the WHO, International Diabetes Federation, International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine

Key topics of interest:

• Point of Care testing for diabetes
• Global quality standards and policy
• Clinical utility of diabetes biomarkers

• 2020 - present Associate Professor, Health Sciences
• 2018 – 2021 Director of Postgraduate Research
• 2016 – 2020 Lecturer in Health Sciences, School of Health Science, University of East Anglia
• 2010 – 2016 Lecturer in Healthcare Science, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham
• 2009 – 2011 Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Science, School of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University.
• 2004 – 2009 Grade A Clinical Scientist, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge.
• 1998 – 2000 Cross Channel Swim Pilot (The English Channel).

Emma’s research focuses on the use of diagnostic testing in health and disease, with three interrelated themes of; analytical quality of diagnostic testing, clinical utility of diagnostic tests and development of future diagnostic tests. Current focus is around diabetes testing. 

More specifically current research focuses on the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with diabetes. Diabetes is a global issue, the numbers of cases is increasing rapidly worldwide and deaths from the disease and its complications may soon overtake those from HIV/AIDS or tuberculosis. The mainstay for the monitoring of patients with diabetes is HbA1c testing, which has also recently been advocated by the World Health Organization for the diagnosis of diabetes.

As the Chair of the IFCC Committee on Education in the Use of Biomarkers in Diabetes (C-EUBD) Dr English is investigating the clinical use of the this marker with national and international partners. Key areas of focus are the clinical use of point of care testing (POCT) for HbA1c, improving quality and access to diabetes testing in low and middle income countries and large database studies around the accurate and appropriate use of diabetes testing in populations.

Emma has worked with partners such as the WHO and IDF assessing quality and provision of diabetes testing, in line with WHO guidance; the UK diabetes prevention programme as an expert panel member for the use of POCT in the DPP and has developed and delivered workshops aimed at improving knowledge and understanding of diabetes testing in sub-Saharan Africa and China.

Emma moved back into academia in 2009. She has experience teaching on a broad range of programmes, including BSc Biomedical Sciences (HCPC approved programme), BSc. Medical Physiology and Therapeutics (MPT), Graduate Entry Medicine and BSc Paramedic Science and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Her academic leadership experience has included module leadership for numerous modules, exams officer for BSc MPT including liaison with external examiners, co-ordination of exam boards and final degree recommendations. Admissions tutor for BSc MPT, and interviewer for the Graduate Entry Medicine programme using MMI. Academic Lead for Clinical Chemistry teaching for the 4, 5 and 6 year medicine programmes, pre-clinical and clinical phases whilst at the University of Nottingham.