Dr Alex Richter MBChB, MRCP, FRCPath, MD

Image of Alex Richter

Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy
Senior lecturer and Consultant in Clinical Immunology

Contact details

Telephone
+44(0)121 414 4069
Fax
+44(0)121 414 3069
Email
a.g.richter@bham.ac.uk
View my research portal
Address
Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy
College of Medical and Dental Sciences
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Qualifications

  • MBChB (Birmingham)
  • MRCP (London)
  • FRCPath
  • MD (Birmingham)

Biography

Dr Alex Richter earned her undergraduate medical degree from the University of Birmingham (UoB) and undertook her junior doctor training within the British Army. After 10 years military service she returned to Birmingham to undertake a doctorate at UoB exploring the immunology of pulmonary vasculitis and interstitial lung disease. She undertook specialist training in Immunology and Allergy, predominantly at the Birmingham Heartlands Hospital and was appointed as Clinical Lecturer at the University of Birmingham to complete her training. This time was spent establishing clinical services at University Hospitals Birmingham, where she is now a Consultant Clinical Immunologist running a comprehensive Immunology and Allergy service. She holds the position of Senior lecturer at the University of Birmingham, where she is developing her research interest in the diverse and emerging field of secondary immunodeficiency. Alex contributes to teaching in the college, including programme lead for the MSc in Blood sciences and module lead for 2nd year medical students, and is a Consultant for the Clinical Immunology Service NHS and research laboratory.

Teaching

  • MSc in Blood Sciences
    • Programme Lead
    • Personal Mentor
  • MBChB
    • 2nd year Immunity, infection and haematology – module lead, lecturer and small group tutor
    • 3rd year Allergy lecturer
    • Personal Mentor
  • BMedSc
    • Clinical Pathology – Lecturer for year 2 & year 3
    • Clinical Sciences – Lecturer and project supervisor
  • MSc in Immunology and Immunotherapy – Lecturer
  • MPharm – 2nd year Immunology module

Postgraduate supervision

Alex currently supervises:

  • 1 PhD student
  • 1 MD student
  • 1 Clinical research fellow
  • 2 MSc students
  • 1 Mpharm student
  • 1 BMedSc Clinical Sciences student

If you are interested in studying with Alex, please contact her on the contact details above, or for any general doctoral research enquiries, please email: dr@contacts.bham.ac.uk or call +44 (0)121 414 5005.

For a full list of available Doctoral Research opportunities, please visit our Doctoral Research programme listings.

Research

Research interests are focused on the emerging field of secondary immunodeficiency; exploring diagnostics, vaccination and management of patients with an immunodeficiency secondary to either haematological malignancy or prolonged immunosuppression for an inflammatory disorder. Grant funding includes: Fight For Sight Small Grant Awards Scheme, MRC Infections & Immunity project grant.

Other activities

  • Clinical lead for Immunology and Allergy services at University Hospitals Birmingham
    Clinical interests include secondary immunodeficiency and complex aeroallergy
  • Clinical Immunology Laboratory service – Consultant
  • Examiner for the FRCPath examination
  • Chair of West Midlands Immunology Network meeting

Publications

Selection of publications:

Haldar D, Cockwell P, Richter AG, Roberts KJ and Hirschfield GM (2016) An overview of the diagnosis and management of immunoglobulin G4-related disease. CMAJ [Epub ahead of print]

MacLennan CA, Richter A, Hodson J, Faustini S, Birtwistle J, Whitelegg A, Chigiga J, Singo M, Walker-Haywood J, Mulugeta B, Masuka S, Mainey C, Plant T, Drayson MT and Manavi K (2016) Immunization of HIV-infected adults in the UK with Haemophilus influenzae b/meningococcal C glycoconjugate and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr [Epub ahead of print]

David Morgan M, Richter A, Al-Ali S, Flint J, Yiannakis C, Drayson M, Goldblatt D and Harper L (2016) Association of Low B Cell Count and IgG Levels With Infection, and Poor Vaccine Response With All-Cause Mortality in an Immunosuppressed Vasculitis Population. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 68(6):853-60

Webb G, Chen YY, Li KK, Neil D, Oo YH, Richter A, Bigley V, Collin M, Adams DH and Hirschfield GM (2016) Single-gene association between GATA-2 and autoimmune hepatitis: A novel genetic insight highlighting immunologic pathways to disease. J Hepatol 64(5):1190-3

Parry HM, Birtwistle J, Whitelegg A, Hudson C, McSkeane T, Hazlewood P, Mudongo N, Pratt G, Moss P, Drayson MT, Murray J and Richter AG (2015) Poor functional antibody responses are present in nearly all patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, irrespective of total IgG concentration, and are associated with increased risk of infection. Br J Haematol 17(5):887-90

Mirakian R, Leech SC, Krishna MT, Richter AG, Huber PA, Farooque S, Khan N, Pirmohamed M, Clark AT and Nasser SM; Standard of Care Committee of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (2015) Management of allergy to penicillins and other beta-lactams. Clin Exp Allergy 45(2):300-27

Dickinson RE, Milne P, Jardine L, Zandi S, Swierczek SI, McGovern N, Cookson S, Ferozepurwalla Z, Langridge A, Pagan S, Gennery A, Heiskanen-Kosma T, Hämäläinen S, Seppänen M, Helbert M, Tholouli E, Gambineri E, Reykdal S, Gottfreðsson M, Thaventhiran JE, Morris E, Hirschfield G, Richter AG, Jolles S, Bacon CM, Hambleton S, Haniffa M, Bryceson Y, Allen C, Prchal JT, Dick JE, Bigley V and Collin M (2014) The evolution of cellular deficiency in GATA2 mutation. Blood 123(6):863-74

Richter AG, Nasser SM and Krishna MT (2013) A UK national survey of investigations for beta-lactam hypersensitivity - heterogeneity in practice and a need for national guidelines - on behalf of British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI). Clin Exp Allergy 43(8):941-9

Whitelegg AM, Birtwistle J, Richter A, Campbell JP, Turner JE, Ahmed TM, Giles LJ, Fellows M, Plant T, Ferraro AJ, Cobbold M, Drayson MT and MacLennan CA (2012) Measurement of antibodies to pneumococcal, meningococcal and haemophilus polysaccharides, and tetanus and diphtheria toxoids using a 19-plexed assay. J Immunol Methods 377(1-2):37-46

Richter AG, Wong G, Goddard S, Heslegrave J, Derbridge C, Srivastava S, Diwakar L, Huissoon AP and Krishna MT (2011) Retrospective case series analysis of penicillin allergy testing in a UK specialist regional allergy clinic. J Clin Pathol 64(11):1014-8

Richter AG, Perkins G, Chavda A, Sapey E, Harper L and Thickett DR (2011) Neutrophil chemotaxis in granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Eur Respir J 38(5):1081-8

Richter AG, Nightingale P, Huissoon AP and Krishna MT (2011) Risk factors for systemic reactions to bee venom in British beekeepers. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 106(2):159-63

Diwakar L, Heslegrave J, Richter AG, Huissoon AP and Krishna MT (2010) Self-injectable adrenaline devices: is training necessary? J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol 20(5):452-3

Richter AG, Harding S, Huissoon AP, Drayson M and Pratt G (2010) Multiple myeloma with monoclonal free IgG3 heavy chains and free kappa light chains. Acta Haematol 123(3):158-61

Diwakar L, Gorrie S, Richter A, Chapman O, Dhillon P, Al-Ghanmi F, Noorani S, Krishna MT and Huissoon A (2010) Does rituximab aggravate pre-existing hypogammaglobulinaemia? J Clin Pathol 63(3):275-7

View all publications in research portal