Prof Dave Lewis

Profile

An education-focused academic, I am currently Professor of Education for Professional and Sustainable Development in the School of Biomedical Sciences. I joined the School in 1999 as a Lecturer, appointed Senior Lecturer in 2004, and Professor in 2024.

Whilst at Leeds I have held a secondment with the Interdisciplinary Ethics Applied Centre and Fellowships with the Leeds Institute of Teaching Excellence. I am currently the University Curriculum Redefined (its tranformative programme of educational change) Academic Lead for Capstone projects.

Prior to returning to Leeds, I was a PhD student, PDRA, independent Senior Research Fellow and Lecturer in the Department of Physiology, University of Birmingham (UK). My PhD studies, supervised by Professor John H Cooote, and subsquent research utilised animal models to investigate the neurophysiology and pharmacology of the brains pathways controlling the cardiorespiratory systems.

I am Visiting Professor in Education for Professional Development at the University of Lincoln, and previously Visiting Professor in Student Education at the University of Ulster. I have been an External Lecturer at the Karolinska Institutet (Sweden), the University’s of Cape Town and KwaZulu Natal (South Africa) and the University of Science and Technology Houari Boumediene (Algeria).

I have revieved many prestigous national and international awards for my educational and professional educational activities including the Biochemical Society’s Teaching Excellence Award (2022); British Pharmacological Society’s Zaimis Prize for Sustained Achievement and Leadership in Pharmacology Education (2021); Advance HE Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (2021); University & Faculty Collaborative Teaching Excellence Awards (2021); Fellow, British Pharmacological Society (2020);  Advance HE National Teaching Fellow (2015); Physiological Society’s Otto Hutter Teaching Prize (2013); British Pharmacological Society’s Rang Prize for Outstanding Achievements in Education (2012); University of Leeds Student Education Fellowship (2010).

I am currently the Deputy Vice-President (Academic Development) of the British Pharmacological Society, Chair of the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology’s Integrative and Organ Systems Pharmacology Initiative, co-founder of the Pan-African Network for Laboratory Animal Science and Ethics (PAN_LASE) and a Member of the Stakeholder Board of the EU Education and Training Platform for Laboratory Animal Science (ETPLAS). I was previously Chair of the British Pharmacological Society’s Animal Welfare and In-Vivo Pharmacology Committee, and Theme Lead for the Physiological Society’s Education theme.

Responsibilities

• Curriculum Redefined Academic Lead for capstone projects
• Chair, Faculty Research Ethics Committee
• Member, Animal Welfare & Ethical Review Body

Research interests

My educational research activities gather good practice from around the world, creating and delivering inclusive and inspirational educational and professional educational opportunities. My goal to support learners in their transition into the next stage of their career and/or life-long learning journey.

Enhancing Graduate Outcomes (Capstone projects & Education for Sustainable Development)

Employers increasingly seek graduates who possess work-ready experiences and competencies rather than disciplinary knowledge. I develop and deliver inspirational research-based education, not normally found in the curriculum, yet which addresses a clear demand from employers.

Most learners do not go onto careers in research. There was a need to better prepare them, through their final year research, Honours or Masters projects, for the diversity of careers they go onto.
I developed the concept of the capstone enquiry-based project, developing a portfolio of 19 different opportunities under 3 broad themes-research, workplace, and social justice. Capstone projects are inclusive, and enable learners to realise their full academic potential, goals and ambitions.

I am the University of Leeds Academic Lead for Capstone projects, supporting educators across the Institution, and increasingly globally, to implement capstone projects into their programmes.

In an increasingly global world, employers require graduates who possess cultural awareness and competencies. I create collaborative online education for sustainable development learning partnerships with Global South and North Institutions. 

They enable learners from both institutions to learn from each other, drawing on their different lived-experiences and cultures to co-create solutions to UN Sustainable Development Goals or Grand Challenges relevant to their discipline. These opportunities develop cultural capital and awareness, and promote understanding of diverse cultures and communities.

Research Animal Sciences, welfare and ethics

Animals are involved in research to understand human and animal biology, develop new medicines, the conservation of species and many other areas. Legislation, regulation, and ethical review processes for research and educational activities involving animals varies considerably across the world.

I Chair the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology’s Integrative and Organ Systems Initiative, collaborating with colleagues, particularly in the Global South, to co-create and co-deliver professional education courses in the host country or region for all those involved in the care and use of animals for research or educational purposes. Delivered as “Educate the Educator” courses, participants are equipped with the tools and resources to deliver similar courses to their own networks.

In Africa, I co-founded the Pan-African Network of Laboratory Animal Science and Ethics (PAN-LASE). PAN-LASE has provided professional educational opportunities for 3600 stakeholders from 28 African countries, created Africa-centric Guidelines for Animal Ethics Committees in Africa, supported the establishment of animal research ethics committees, and created Learning Outcomes Frameworks for veterinary and para-veterinary professionals and animal caretakers. 

We have created a sustainable, low-cost model for professional education for use in other research constrained countries or regions, and/or applicable to any discipline. 

Research Ethics

I am passionate about research ethics, research culture, and in enabling and supporting high-quality ethical research.

I was principal author of the University of Leeds first research ethics policy, and current lead a task and finish group revising the current version. 

I Chair the Faculty of Biological Sciences Research Ethics Committee, a member of the University of Leeds Research Ethics Committee, and its Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body.

I collaborate with Institutions and Organisations in the Global South, supporting them in creating or strengthening ethical review committees and processes. Recognising that values differ across cultures and communities; I provide tailored ethics professional educational opportunities for all stakeholders.

Research involving research animals encompasses many ethical issues including the 3Rs (replacement, refinement and reduction). To support researchers, particularly those new to ethics, to understand and apply these different ethical constructs and issues, I created, with Prof Tiaan Brink (Northwest University, South Africa), a new graphical framework, the 12Rs Framework, which encompasses these different issues. Colleagues are invited to visit this Framework.

If you would like to know more about any of the above activities or opportunities, or may wish to collaborate, please get in touch.

Qualifications

• BSc Pharmacology, Leeds
• PhD Physiology 1989, Birmingham.

Professional memberships

• British Pharmacological Society
• Physiological Society
• South African Association of Laboratory Animal Sciences
• Association of National Teaching Fellows

Student education

Educational Activities

My focus is providing personal and professional development opportunities both within and outside the curriculum for learners to gain the work-ready experiences and competencies (knowledge, skills, behaviours) to support them in their future careers and the workplace

I am module leader for the Schools Capstone project module and undergraduate and Taught Postgraduate modules on Animal models in pre-clinical drug development and discovery. I contribute to Professional Development and Team-based challenges modules for all years, and deliver all the Schools ethics education. I develop collaborative online Education for Sustainable Development opportunities, where students learn in partnership with students in Africa.

I mentor undergraduate and PGT workplace and social justice themed capstone projects including Education for Sustainable Development, research animal sciences, ethics and law (including New Approach Methodologies and Non-Animal Technologies).

I offer extra-curricula personal and professional development opportunities including Laidlaw Scholarships and Q-Step internships,

I am a member of the School of Biomedical Sciences Taught Student Education Committee, and the Pharmacology Programme Team

Postgraduate Studentship information

• Research animal sciences, welfare, ethics and law
• Education for Sustainable Development
• Education for Professional Development
• Active and experiential learning
• Capstone projects

See also:

• Faculty Graduate School