Contact details

Professor Jenny M Higham

Deputy Principal of the Faculty of Medicine
Faculty of Medicine Centre

Tel: +44 (0)20 7594 9802
Email: Email address for Professor Jenny M Higham

Professor Jenny M Higham

Professor Jenny Higham is Deputy Principal and Director of Education in the Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College. The Faculty of Medicine is the largest of the academic groupings within the College, and employs over 2,300 staff with a turnover in excess of £220million. As Deputy Principal, Professor Higham works closely with the Principal and senior Faculty management team to define and deliver its strategic objectives.

She was Head of Undergraduate Medicine from 2006 and was promoted to Director of Education in 2009, retaining this title alongside that of Deputy Principal. In her educational leadership roles, she has led both a General Medical Council (GMC) Quality Assurance Review and initiated substantial curriculum development and educational innovation.

Singapore

Professor Higham has been at the forefront of negotiations and is now leading planning for the creation of the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine in Singapore, a joint medical school of Imperial College London and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. She is a member of the Pro Tem Governing Board and she also chairs the Imperial Project Board responsible for ensuring the course is ready for the first student admission in 2013 and the continuing success of this 18 year relationship.

Research

Her research has focused on reproductive medicine and, more latterly, on education. She was the author of a highly cited paper on a new method of menstrual blood loss assessment (Pictorial Blood Loss Assessment Chart) which has changed research practice. Original work on abnormal menstrual bleeding developed her reputation as a widely recognised expert, contributing to national and international definitions. She continues research in Imperial’s Uterine Biology Group focusing on endometrial function.

Education publications include curriculum development and mapping core competencies and electronic learning journals include Medical Education and British Medical Journal. The use of hybrid and enhanced simulation involves collaborations with both engineers and the Royal Veterinary College. An example of a recent publication being, ‘Hidden practice revealed: using task analysis and novel simulator design to evaluate the teaching of digital rectal examination’ (Jan 2011); Am J Surg.; 201:46-53.

She continues to have clinical responsibilities as a Consultant Surgical Gynaecologist at St Mary’s Campus, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. She has particular clinical expertise in the management of abnormal uterine bleeding, out-patient Hysteroscopy and reproductive surgery.

Professor Higham sits on the Medical Schools Council and the GMC committee responsible for the approval of trainers. She also sits on the Partnership Board for the Health Innovation and Education Cluster (HIEC), North West London. She is also a Non-Executive Director of West Middlesex University Hospital and has recently become a Governor of the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

In November 2011, Professor Higham was awarded the 'Mentor of the Year' award at the Women of the Future Awards.

Selected Publications

Journals

Low-Beer N; Kinnison T; Baillie S; Bello F; Kneebone R; Higham J. (Jan 2011). Hidden practice revealed: using task analysis and novel simulator design to evaluate the teaching of digital rectal examination. Am J Surg. 201:46-53. DOI.
Low-Beer N; Lupton M; Higham J. (Nov 2010). A novel method of defining the core objectives of a specialty undergraduate curriculum. Med Educ. 44:1120. DOI.
Cloke B; Shah K; Kaneda H; Lavery S; Trew G; Fusi L; Higham J; Dina RE; et alGhaem-Maghami S; Ellis P; Brosens JJ; Christian M. (1 Aug 2010). The Poly(C)-Binding Protein-1 Regulates Expression of the Androgen Receptor. ENDOCRINOLOGY. 151:3954-3964. DOI.
Higham JM; Nestel D; Lupton M; Kneebone R. (Dec 2007). Teaching and learning gynaecology examination with hybrid simulation. The Clinical Teacher. 4:238-243. Publisher weblink DOI.
Hickey M; Higham J; Fraser IS. (2007). Progestogens versus oestrogens and progestogens for irregular uterine bleeding associated with anovulation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. CD001895. DOI.
Kajihara T; Jones M; Fusi L; Takano M; Feroze-Zaidi F; Pirianov G; Mehmet H; Ishihara O; et alHigham JM; Lam EW; Brosens JJ. (Oct 2006). Differential expression of FOXO1 and FOXO3a confers resistance to oxidative cell death upon endometrial decidualization. Mol Endocrinol. 20:2444-2455. DOI.
Higham J. (May 2006). How can we make our medical students enthusiastic about a future in obstetrics and gynaecology?. BJOG. 113:499-501. DOI.
Labied S; Kajihara T; Madureira PA; Fusi L; Jones MC; Higham JM; Varshochi R; Francis JM; et alZoumpoulidou G; Essafi A; Fernandez de Mattos S; Lam EW; Brosens JJ. (Jan 2006). Progestins regulate the expression and activity of the forkhead transcription factor FOXO1 in differentiating human endometrium. Mol Endocrinol. 20:35-44. DOI.
Higham J; Steer PJ. (17 Jan 2004). Gender gap in undergraduate experience and performance in obstetrics and gynaecology: analysis of clinical experience logs. BMJ. 328:142-143. DOI.
Hickey M; Pillai G; Higham JM; Sullivan M; Horncastle D; Doherty D; Stamp G. (May 2003). Changes in endometrial blood vessels in the endometrium of women with hormone replacement therapy-related irregular bleeding. Hum Reprod. 18:1100-1106.
Dheenadayalu K; Mak I; Gordts S; Campo R; Higham J; Puttemans P; White J; Christian M; et alFusi L; Brosens J. (Oct 2002). Aromatase P450 messenger RNA expression in eutopic endometrium is not a specific marker for pelvic endometriosis. Fertil Steril. 78:825-829.
Hickey M; Higham J; Sullivan M; Miles L; Fraser IS. (Feb 2001). Endometrial bleeding in hormone replacement therapy users: preliminary findings regarding the role of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and tissue inhibitors of MMPs. Fertil Steril. 75:288-296.
Venkat-Raman N; Murphy KW; Ghaus K; Teoh TG; Higham JM; Carvalho JS. (Jan 2001). Congenital absence of portal vein in the fetus: a case report. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 17:71-75. DOI.
Hickey M; Higham JM; Sullivan M. (1 Jun 2000). Mechanisms of irregular bleeding in HRT users: the roles of matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors in vascular damage. HUMAN REPRODUCTION. 15:79-79. Author weblink.
Higham JM; Shaw RW. (Nov 1993). A comparative study of danazol, a regimen of decreasing doses of danazol, and norethindrone in the treatment of objectively proven unexplained menorrhagia. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 169:1134-1139.

Conferences

Cloke B; Shah K; Kaneda H; Lavery S; Trew G; Fusi L; Higham J; Dina R; et alGhaem-Maghami S; Ellis P; Christian M; Brosens J. The Poly(C)-binding protein PCBP1 regulates the expression of the androgen receptor in decidualizing human endometrial stromal cells. 26th Annual Meeting of ESHRE, 27 Jun 2010 - 30 Jun 2010. 25:I70-I71. OXFORD UNIV PRESS (1 Jun 2010).
Kajihara T; Ishihara O; Fusi L; Higham JM; Brosens JJ. FOXO3a inhibition confers resistance to apoptosis induced by oxidative stress in decidualizing human endometrial stromal cells. 22nd Annual Meeting of the European-Society-of-Human-Reproduction-and-Embryology, 18 Jun 2006 - 21 Jun 2006. 21:I186-I186. OXFORD UNIV PRESS (1 Jun 2006). Author weblink.
Heeps A; Crouch N; Backos M; Brosens J; Higham J; Rai R; Regan L. Successful prevention of second trimester pregnancy loss using high cervical cerclage. 53rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society-for-Gynecologic-Investigation. 13:333A-333A. (Feb 2006).