James Underwood
Encyclopedia
Professor Sir James Underwood is a British
pathologist who was awarded a knighthood for services to medicine
in the 2005 New Year honours list.
in 1942, where his father, John Underwood, was a general practitioner. The family settled in Cheltenham
in 1948.
He was educated at Downside School
, Somerset
. From 1960-1965 he was a medical student at St Bartholomew's Hospital
, London
, and a house doctor at St Stephen's Hospital, Chelsea
.
at the same university as well as Consultant Histopathologist to the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
. From 2000-2002, by election
, he served as the President of the British Division of the International Academy of Pathology
and he was later elected to be the President of the Royal College of Pathologists
from 2002-2005.
He led his profession's response to the problems arising from tissue retention and use in the UK. Just before retirement, at the age of 64, professor Underwood became a fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences
.
He was a member of the Human Tissue Authority
, which monitors and regulates use of human organs in research and education. During his career Sir James recalled making a mistake when he mistook a benign
adenomatoid tumor
for a malignant
testicular tumor, which resulted in the patient having a testicle
removed unnecessarily.
interesting and he enjoys walks with his family.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
pathologist who was awarded a knighthood for services to medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
in the 2005 New Year honours list.
Early life and education
Underwood was born at WalsallWalsall
Walsall is a large industrial town in the West Midlands of England. It is located northwest of Birmingham and east of Wolverhampton. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Walsall is a component area of the West Midlands conurbation and part of the Black Country.Walsall is the administrative...
in 1942, where his father, John Underwood, was a general practitioner. The family settled in Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
in 1948.
He was educated at Downside School
Downside School
Downside School is a co-educational Catholic independent school for children aged 11 to 18, located in Stratton-on-the-Fosse, between Norton Radstock and Shepton Mallet in Somerset, south west England. It is attached to Downside Abbey...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. From 1960-1965 he was a medical student at St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital, also known as Barts, is a hospital in Smithfield in the City of London, England.-Early history:It was founded in 1123 by Raherus or Rahere , a favourite courtier of King Henry I...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and a house doctor at St Stephen's Hospital, Chelsea
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
.
Career
He was formerly the Dean of Sheffield University's Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and the Joseph Hunter Professor of PathologyPathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
at the same university as well as Consultant Histopathologist to the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
National Health Service (England)
The National Health Service or NHS is the publicly funded healthcare system in England. It is both the largest and oldest single-payer healthcare system in the world. It is able to function in the way that it does because it is primarily funded through the general taxation system, similar to how...
. From 2000-2002, by election
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
, he served as the President of the British Division of the International Academy of Pathology
International Academy of Pathology
The International Academy of Pathology was founded in the early 20th century, with the first documented meeting in 1907. Dr. William Osler, a scientist, played a key role in establishing the International Association of Medical Museums ....
and he was later elected to be the President of the Royal College of Pathologists
Royal College of Pathologists
The Royal College of Pathologists, founded in 1962, was established to co-ordinate this development and maintain the internationally renowned standards and reputation of British pathology. Today the College advises on a vast range of issues relating to pathology...
from 2002-2005.
He led his profession's response to the problems arising from tissue retention and use in the UK. Just before retirement, at the age of 64, professor Underwood became a fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences
Academy of Medical Sciences
The Academy of Medical Sciences is the United Kingdom's national academy of medical sciences. It was established in 1998 on the recommendation of a group that was chaired by Michael Atiyah. Its president is John Irving Bell....
.
He was a member of the Human Tissue Authority
Human Tissue Authority
The Human Tissue Authority is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom that regulates the removal, storage, use and disposal of human bodies, organs and tissue for a number of scheduled purposes such as research, transplantation, and education and training.It was created by the Human...
, which monitors and regulates use of human organs in research and education. During his career Sir James recalled making a mistake when he mistook a benign
Benign
A benign tumor is a tumor that lacks the ability to metastasize. Common examples of benign tumors include moles and uterine fibroids.The term "benign" implies a mild and nonprogressive disease. Indeed, many kinds of benign tumors are harmless to human health...
adenomatoid tumor
Adenomatoid tumor
Adenomatoid tumor is a benign mesothelial tumor. It generally presents in the genital tract, in regions such as the testis and epididymis. However, it also has been found in the pancreas....
for a malignant
Malignant
Malignancy is the tendency of a medical condition, especially tumors, to become progressively worse and to potentially result in death. Malignancy in cancers is characterized by anaplasia, invasiveness, and metastasis...
testicular tumor, which resulted in the patient having a testicle
Testicle
The testicle is the male gonad in animals. Like the ovaries to which they are homologous, testes are components of both the reproductive system and the endocrine system...
removed unnecessarily.
Research interests
- LiverLiverThe liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals. It has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion...
diseaseDiseaseA disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune... - BreastBreastThe breast is the upper ventral region of the torso of a primate, in left and right sides, which in a female contains the mammary gland that secretes milk used to feed infants.Both men and women develop breasts from the same embryological tissues...
disease - Medical EducationMedical educationMedical education is education related to the practice of being a medical practitioner, either the initial training to become a doctor or additional training thereafter ....
(particularly the role of autopsyAutopsyAn autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
) - He has worked on over 100 research articlesAcademic publishingAcademic publishing describes the subfield of publishing which distributes academic research and scholarship. Most academic work is published in journal article, book or thesis form. The part of academic written output that is not formally published but merely printed up or posted is often called...
- Distinguished lecturerNottingham Trent UniversityNottingham Trent University is a public teaching and research university in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It was founded as a new university in 1992 from the existing Trent Polytechnic , however it can trace its roots back to 1843 with the establishment of the Nottingham Government School of Design...
Books
- Co-editor of General and Systematic Pathology, Churchill Livingstone, 2009 (5th edition). Previous editions have won Sir James and contributing authors the Royal Society of MedicineRoyal Society of MedicineThe Royal Society of Medicine is a British charitable organisation whose main purpose is as a provider of medical education, running over 350 meetings and conferences each year.- History and overview :...
Book Award (2000, 3rd Edition) and the British Medical AssociationBritish Medical AssociationThe British Medical Association is the professional association and registered trade union for doctors in the United Kingdom. The association does not regulate or certify doctors, a responsibility which lies with the General Medical Council. The association’s headquarters are located in BMA House,...
Student Textbook Award (2005, 4th Edition) and a first prize in the British Book Design and Production Awards (2001, 3rd Edition). - Former co-editor of Recent Advances in Histopathology
- Editor of Introduction to biopsyBiopsyA biopsy is a medical test involving sampling of cells or tissues for examination. It is the medical removal of tissue from a living subject to determine the presence or extent of a disease. The tissue is generally examined under a microscope by a pathologist, and can also be analyzed chemically...
interpretation and surgical pathologySurgical pathologySurgical pathology is the most significant and time-consuming area of practice for most anatomical pathologists. Surgical pathology involves the gross and microscopic examination of surgical specimens, as well as biopsies submitted by non-surgeons such as general internists, medical subspecialists,... - Editor of Pathology of the nucleusCell nucleusIn cell biology, the nucleus is a membrane-enclosed organelle found in eukaryotic cells. It contains most of the cell's genetic material, organized as multiple long linear DNA molecules in complex with a large variety of proteins, such as histones, to form chromosomes. The genes within these...
- Editor of Case studies in General and Systematic Pathology
- Former editor of the journalAcademic journalAn academic journal is a peer-reviewed periodical in which scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. Academic journals serve as forums for the introduction and presentation for scrutiny of new research, and the critique of existing research...
Histopathology
Personal
Sir James Underwood and his wife, Lady Alice, have three children. Outside work, he finds musicMusic
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
interesting and he enjoys walks with his family.