CURRICULUM VITAE FOR DR BENJAMIN P TURNER Consultant ...

CURRICULUM VITAE FOR
DR BENJAMIN P TURNER
Consultant and Honorary Senior Lecturer in Neurology
Barts and The London NHS Trust
The London Bridge & HCA Hospitals
Personal Date of Birth 7 January 1967
Nationality British
Status Single
Education St Mary's Hospital Medical School, London
St Paul's School, Barnes, London
Qualifications DM 2003
MRCP 1996
MBBS 1991
Membership GMC 3591284
MDU 270730G
Association of British Neurologists
American Academy of Neurology
British Medical Association

Key Skills and Achievements:
Clinical Training
Management
My House Officer posts exposed me to the full range of medical and surgical
emergencies.
As a Senior House Officer in busy District General and Teaching Hospitals, I worked in
a wide spectrum of general medical specialities. I performed two years of acute medical
on-calls on a 1:4 rota and attended clinics in all specialities. In addition I dealt with
Paediatric and Gynaecological emergencies while working in casualty. I was a Senior
House officer in Neurology at Sunderland, Newcastle and lastly Sheffield where I was on
the registrar rota for one year. The on-calls covered the region and I was therefore
exposed to the full range of neurological emergencies and was in charge of their acute
management. I learnt and performed investigative and therapeutic procedures including
lumbar punctures, muscle biopsies, ‘tensilon’ testing and apomorphine challenge tests.
I performed clinical duties throughout my research and did my SpR training in
Nottingham. I have worked with all the consultants based at the Queen’s Medical Centre,
Nottingham doing both general and specialist neurology clinics and a 1 in 6 neurology
‘on-call’ rota. Specialist clinics that I regularly attended included epilepsy, movement
disorders and dementia, neuro-ophthalmology, multiple sclerosis, neuro-immunology,
nerve and muscle and motor neurone disease. I performed monthly botulinum toxin
clinics. The neurology department worked closely with the neurosurgeons and
neuroradiologist, sharing meetings and I have observed surgical procedures in theatre. I
also regularly attended neurophysiology sessions for one to one teaching. I have been
able to participate in ancillary clinics such as ophthalmology, neuro-pyschiatry, neurorehablitation
and neuro-otology.
I was Locum Consultant Neurologist at QMC from November 2002 to April 2003, with a
particular view to instigating the Risk Sharing Scheme for MS.
Attended non-clinical professional development for specialist registrars
‘Managing Trainees’ and ‘Supporting Trainees.’
Consultant Management Induction at Barts and the London
Appraisal and Assessment workshop Barts and the London
Education and Audit
Elected as the Secretary for the Association of British Neurologist (ABN) Trainees and
thereby sat, as the trainees observer, on the Royal College of Physicians Specialist
Advisory Committee in Neurology and the ABN Training and Education Subcommittee
(TESC). This has given me a privileged insight into the strengths and weaknesses of
neurological training. The last year was particularly challenging with the need to develop
a new curriculum and assessment tools robust and transparent enough to satisfy the STA
and JCHMT.
Whilst on TESC I have written the Calman training questionnaire and I have submitted
and reviewed questions for the ABN self-assessment exercise.

I was one the founder members of the Neurology SpR national training weekend, an
annual event. This has been running successfully for five years, providing a forum for
registrars to present their research to their peers, along with lectures in clinical and basic
science topics.
Throughout my training I have attended weekly consultant led neurology teaching
sessions and general medical meetings, at which I have regularly presented clinical topics
such as cerebral abscess, Lambert-Eaton syndrome and status epilepticus. As a consultant
I now chair the weekly Clinical Neurological/Neurosurgical Meetings and attend the
weekly General Medical meetings.
Audit performed throughout my career, most recently “Audit of the Use of
Immunoglobulins in Guillain-Barre at QMC.” and ‘BIH, management of.’ ‘In-patient
referrals’
Regular teaching of junior doctors and students, including speaking and examining on
courses for anaesthetists and ophthalmologist.
Attended a postgraduate course ‘Small group and tutorial teaching’ at the University of
Nottingham
Courses and meetings attended in last 5 years
ABN/ Exeter 2000
International Congress of Parkinson’s and Movement disorders/Barcelona 2000
ABN/ London ABN trainees meeting & courses 2000
Northern Neuroimmunology Interest Group/Manchester 2000
Advanced Clinical Neurology Course/Edinburgh 2001
Neuroimmunology/Queen’s Square/London 2001
Stroke/Queen’s Square 2001
World Congress of Neurology/London 2001
Cannabis Investigators meeting and induction/Birmingham 2001
ABNT/Coventry ABN trainees meeting and course 2001
American Academy of Neurology, Denver 2002
SpR Training days/ Nottingham/Sheffield/Leicester 1997-2002
American Academy of Neurology, Hawaii 2003
ECTRIMS, Milan 2003
ABN, London 2004
American Academy of Neurology, San Francisco 2004
Stroke Therapy, Royal College of Physicians
2004
Cambridge Dementia Course, Cambridge 2004
American Academy of Neurology, Miami 2005

Appointments
Current Appointment
Consultant Neurologist and Honorary Senior Lecturer, Barts and The London Trust.
Previous Appointments
Locum Consultant Queen’s Medical Centre, November 2002-April 2003
SpR Training University Hospital, Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham,
January 1999 – November 2002
Research Neurology research registrar January 1997-January 1999
University of Nottingham, Nottingham
Supervisor: Professor L D Blumhardt / Dr CS Constantinescu
Neurology Senior House Officer February 1996-December 1996
Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield
Consultants: Professor H J Sagar/Dr G A B Davies-Jones/Dr G S
Venables/Dr S J L Howell/Dr R A Grunewald
Ophthalmology Senior House Officer August 1995-February 1996
Eye Infirmary, Sunderland
Rheumatology/ Senior House Officer March 1995-July 1995
General Medicine Freeman Hospital, Newcastle
Neurology Senior House Officer February 1995-March 1995
Newcastle General Hospital
Consultants: Dr P Hudgson/Dr T Walls
Neurology/ Senior House Officer August 1994-February 1995
General Medicine District General Hospital, Sunderland
Consultants: Dr P G Cleland/Dr R E Jones
Nephrology/ Senior House Officer February 1994- July 1994
General Medicine Royal Infirmary, Sunderland
Respiratory/ Senior House Officer August 1993- January 1994
General Medicine Royal Infirmary, Sunderland
Accident and Senior House Officer February 1993- July 1993
Emergency Central Middlesex Hospital, London
General Surgery/ House Officer February 1992- August 1992
Cardiothoracic St Mary's Hospital, London
General Medicine House Office August 1991- February 1992

Research
Hillingdon Hospital, Middlesex, London
In July of 2003 I was awarded my MD for my thesis ‘Brain atrophy in multiple
sclerosis’. This involved the development of a novel image analysis methods to estimate
the volume change on magnetic resonance images and the application of these techniques
multiple sclerosis patients and controls. This has resulted in three peer review article. I
have collaborated with my neurosurgical colleagues and applied methods of ventricular
measurement to study the outcome of different surgical procedures for hydrocephalus. I
am interested in the neurological implications of Coeliac disease and have investigated
patients with dermatitis herpetiformis for evidence of neurological disease and
immunological markers, resulting in a peer review publication.
Whilst a research registrar I participated in several multi-national, multi-centre
randomised placebo controlled trials, organising the trials locally and recruiting patients
in Nottingham. Trials include, Glatiramer acetate (TEVA), interferon-β 1a
(PRISMS/Serono), ATM-027 (ASTRA) in relapsing and remitting multiple sclerosis.
Interferon-β 1a (SPECTRIMS) and IVIG in secondary progressive (BAYER). I helped to
run the national CAMS (Cannabis) trial in Nottingham.
At The Royal London I continue to run clinical trials for patients with MS and I am the
UK Principal Investigator for an international, multi-centre trial of Rebif versus
Copaxone in RRMS. I am currently overseeing trials in Tysbari and over novel antiinflammatory
drugs in MS.
I have recently appointed a research registrar and in collaboration with the Department of
Pathology we are studying neurodegeneration in MS.

Publications
Dayan M. Turner B. McGhee C. Acute angle closure glaucoma masquerading as systemic
illness. BMJ 1996; 313(7054): 413-5.
Turner B, Wills AJ. Cerebral infarction complicating intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in
a patient with Miller Fisher syndrome. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2000; 68: 790-1.
Tattersall R, Turner B. Brown-Sequard and his syndrome. Lancet 2000; 356: 61-3.
Turner B, Wills AJ. Intravenous immunoglobulin causing reversible postleukoencephalopthy
syndrome? J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2000; 69: 704.
Turner B, Ramli N, Jaspan T, Blumhardt LD. Ventricular enlargement in multiple sclerosis: a
comparison of linear and three dimensional MRI estimates. Neuroradiology 2001; 43(8):
608-14.
Wilson M, Morgan PS, Lin X, Turner B, Blumhardt LD. Quantitative diffusion weighted
magnetic resonance imaging, cerebral atrophy and disability in multiple sclerosis. J Neurol
Neurosurg Psychiatry 2001; 70: 318-22.
Wills AJ, Turner B, Unsworth J, Fry L. Dermatitis herpetiformis, coeliac disease and
neurological dysfunction. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2001: 72(2): 259-261.
Buxton N, Turner B, Ramli N, Vloeberghs M. Changes in third ventricular size with
neuroendoscopic third ventriculostomy: a blinded study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2001;
72(3): 385-7.
Turner B, Wills AJ. Superficial siderosis associated with anterior horn cell dysfunction. J Neurol
Neurosurg Psychiatry 2002: 72(2): 274-5
Turner B, Lin X, Calmon G, Roberts N, Blumhardt LD. Cerebral atrophy and disability in
relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis over 4 years. Multiple
Sclerosis 2003; 9: 21-7.
Lin X, Tench C R, Turner B, Blumhardt L D, Constantinescu C S. Spinal cord atrophy and
disability in multiple sclerosis over four years: application of a reproducible automated
technique in monitoring disease progression in a cohort of the interferon ß-1a (Rebif)
treatment trial. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2003; 74: 1090-1094.
Everett C M, Dhillon H, Samarasinghe D, Berry L, Warwick S, Turner B. A Case of Cerebral
Nocardiosis Following Brief Immunosuppression. European Journal of Neurology 2005.

Abstracts
Turner B, Liu C, Edwards S, Gong Q, Roberts N, Blumhardt LD. Correlations of hypointense
T1 lesions with cerebral volumes in multiple sclerosis. Journal of Neurology 1998; 245 :441.
Turner B, Calmon G, Roberts N, Blumhardt LD. Cerebral atrophy and disability in multiple
sclerosis: a four-year serial MRI study. Journal of Neurology 1999; 246: I/22.
Turner B, N Ramli, T Jaspan, L D Blumhardt. Ventricular volumes in multiple sclerosis:
which linear measures correlate best with 3D volumes and clinical parameters ? Journal of
Neurology 1999; 246: I/64.
Turner B, Ramli N, Jaspan T, Blumhardt LD. 2D and 3D measurements of ventricular size in
multiple sclerosis: cross-sectional and serial studies. Multiple Sclerosis. 1999; 5: P215
Turner B, Calmon G, Roberts N, Blumhardt LD. A four-year study of cerebral atrophy,
ventricular enlargement and disability in multiple sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis 1999; 5: P223.
Lin X, Turner BP, Blumhardt LD. Ventricular enlargement and brain atrophy in multiple
sclerosis: A serial MRI study. Journal of Neurology 2000; 247 (Suppl. 3): 39-40.
Turner B, Pelosi L, Blumhardt LD. Localised, temperature-sensitive weakness in peripheral
motor neuropathy. Journal of Neurology 2000; 247 (Suppl. 3): 147.
Barkhof, F, Arfors L, Blumhardt LD, Olsson T, Landtblom AM, Fagius J, Hillert J, Turner B,
Killestein J, Redmond I, Polman CH. MRI effects in MS patients after selective suppression
of VB5.2/5.3 T cells. Revue Neurologique 2000; 156: 3S41.
Turner B, Lennox G, Pelosi L, Lowe J. Corticobasal degeneration and amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis, overlap in the lobar atrophies. Movement Disorders 2000; 15 (Suppl. 3): S226.
Tengah C, Unsworth DJ, Fry L, Turner B, Wills AJ. Dermatitis herpetiformis, coeliac disease
and neurological dysfunction. Journal of Neurological Sciences 2001;187 (Suppl. 1); S492.
Turner B, Constantinescu CS, Powell RJ. Infliximab in the treatment of CNS vasculitis with
uveitis. Neurology 2002; 58 (Suppl. 3): P06.080.
Lin X, Turner B, Constantinescu C, Blumhardt LD, Fazekas F, Filippi M, Comi G, Maas
enriquez M, Hommes OR and the European study on IVIG in Multiple Sclerosis (ESIMS).
Cerebral volume change in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis: effect of intravenous
immunoglobulins (IVIG) ENS 2002
Turner B, Vaithianathar L, Tench CR, Morgan PS, Lin X, Constantinescu CS. Third ventricle
volume: a surrogate marker for disability and disease burden in multiple sclerosis. ENS 2002

Talks
‘Treatment developments in multiple sclerosis’
Trent region MS society, Nottingham, 1998.
‘Optic neuritis; implications of early treatment of multiple sclerosis’
South Yorkshire regional Ophthalmology meeting, Royal Hallamshire Hospital,
Sheffield, 1998.
‘Disease modifying therapy and cerebral atrophy in multiple sclerosis’
West and East Sussex Neuroscience meeting, Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath,
1999.
‘Axonal loss and cerebral atrophy in multiple sclerosis’
Northwestern Neuroscience meeting, Hope Hospital, Manchester 2000.
‘Does Education improve compliance in DMT MS patients ?’
Biogen Meeting, Edinburgh, 2005.
‘Developments in MS’
MS society, Wanstead, Essex, 2005.
Chairman for National MS nurse convention, Coventry, March 2004
Chairman for Essex MS group, a regional group of clinicians and MS nurses who meet
bi-monthly.
Interests
Sport: windsurfing, tennis, skiing, snowboarding, rowing (1st 8 at St Paul's),
motorcycles. Travelled extensively in South, Central and North America, Jamaica,
Russia. Worked in Cameroon on elective and in a leper colony in Thailand.