Professor Rachel Jordan MA (Cantab), MPH, PhD

• PhD in Epidemiology University of Birmingham, 2007
• MPH University of Birmingham, 2000
• MA (Cantab) Natural Sciences, University of Cambridge, 1993

Rachel Jordan qualified with a BA in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge (Emmanuel College) in 1993.

After a brief spell in the pharmaceutical industry she went on to take her first post in epidemiology at the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine with Professors Nick Wald and Malcolm Law, undertaking a series of systematic reviews including one which led to the generation of the Polypill idea.

Returning to her home town of Birmingham in 1998, Rachel joined the systematic review team in Public Health & Epidemiology, gaining her MPH and being awarded the Thomas McKeown project prize.  In 2000, although still based at the University of Birmingham, Rachel took up a research role with the Health Protection Agency, gaining her PhD part time over a 6-year period, and publishing further related papers, including 3 invited editorials in the BMJ. Most of her work during this period focussed on acute respiratory hospital admissions and the epidemiology of influenza and influenza vaccines.

Following completion of her PhD Rachel became a Lecturer with responsibility for helping to manage the MPH and moving to work more on chronic respiratory diseases, before in 2008 being awarded a research fellowship from the NIHR entitled “Towards a better understanding of the definition, characteristics and health service requirements of patients with COPD in the UK” comprising a series of studies using the Health Survey for England, the GPRD and published literature. 

She was an integral part of a team of investigators awarded a £2m NIHR programme grant entitled “COPD in Primary Care: from case finding to improving patient outcomes, co-PI on an HTA-funded evidence review of the effectiveness of self-management for COPD and a key investigator on a number of other related primary and secondary research grants. In 2017 she was awarded an NIHR Global Health Research Group grant on COPD in primary care. Her recent trial “TargetCOPD” was awarded 2016 RCGP Research Paper of the Year for the respiratory category.

In 2011 she was promoted to Senior Lecturer, in 2018 to Reader and in 2023 to Professor.

Teaching Programmes

• MBChB years 1 & 3
• MBChB POSH intercalating programme
• Public Health MPH/PGDip/PGCert 
• MSc in Respiratory Medicine
• MSc in Clinical Trials

Research themes

COPD screening; COPD epidemiology (aetiology, prognosis and effectiveness of new interventions); COPD self-management; health of healthcare workers; seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccine epidemiology; systematic reviews; epidemiological studies; health services research; global health.

Current projects

Rachel is the Co-Chief Investigator and Director of Breathe Well South America; an NIHR-funded Global Health Research Group on COPD in Primary Care in South America (£3M; 2024-2028).

COLT Foundation (COl). A mixed-methods study to evaluate the influence of bio-psycho-social and cultural factors on the presence of work-exacerbated asthma; 2022-23; £55,674

NIHR HTA (CoI): Effectiveness of Electronic Cigarettes compared with varenicline for smoking cessation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and effect on Lung health (ECAL study); 2021-2024; £1,707,927

Previous grants

Breathe Well; NIHR-funded Global Health Research Group on COPD in Primary Care (£2M; 2017-2021).

NIHR HS&DR (PI): Enhancing the Health of NHS Staff: eTHOS. A randomised controlled pilot trial of an employee health screening clinic for NHS staff. 2018-2020; £701,136

DHSC/UKRI COVID-19 Rapid Response Initiative (coI): COPE-Birmingham: The contribution of occupational exposures to risk of COVID-19 and approaches to control among healthcare workers; 2020-2022; £441,309

NIHR HTA (coI): Sputum colour charts to guide antibiotic self-treatment of acute exacerbation of COPD (Colour-COPD); 01/03/2019 to: 28/02/2023 (48 months). £2,056,942.37

LUPUS UK (CoI): Improving working lives and productivity amongst South Asian people with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus; 2019-2020; £25,000

NIHR Programme Grant
COPD in Primary Care: from case finding to improving patient outcomes
2011-2018; £2.4m

NIHR Post-doctoral Research Fellowship:
Towards a better understanding of the definition, characteristics and health service requirements of patients with COPD in the UK
2008 – 2013; £337,041

NIHR HTA programme: Supported self-management for patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): an evidence synthesis and economic analysis
2011-2013; £241,472.

NIHR HTA programme
The cost-effectiveness of community based non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in patients with stable end stage COPD with hypercapnic respiratory failure. A systematic review and economic evaluation
2012-2013; £213,264.

National Schools of Primary Care
Evaluation of the PiKo-6 as a novel screening test for case finding for COPD in primary care
Jan – Dec 2012: £58,957

National Schools of Primary Care
Patient self-management in primary care in patients with COPD
Jan 2013– Dec 2015: £802,000

National Schools of Primary Care
A pilot study to assess the prevalence and characteristics of emphysematous lung change in patients with symptoms of COPD and normal spirometry
Jan – Dec 2012: £50,000

NIHR HS&DR Programme
Enhancing the Health of NHS Staff: eTHOS.  A randomised controlled pilot trial of an employee health screening clinic for NHS staff. 
2018-2020; £701,136

NIHR HTA programme
Sputum colour charts to guide antibiotic self-treatment of acute exacerbation of COPD (Colour-COPD)
2019-2023; £2,056,942

• npjPCRM editorial Board member
• NIHR Global Health Research Panel Member
• RfPB COPD panel member
• Past member of British Lung Foundation Research Committee