Biography
Dr Ricardo José obtained his undergraduate degree in Medicine (MBChB) from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. He holds a Diploma in Anaesthetics from the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa, Postgraduate Certificate in Public Health from the University of Manchester, and PhD in Respiratory Infection, Inflammation and Immunity from University College London (UCL). He is a Member of the Royal College of Physicians (London) and is trained in bronchoscopy, endoscopic bronchial ultrasound and thoracic ultrasound.
Dr José has been an elected member of the British Thoracic Society Council, member of the BTS Standards of Care Committee and member of the BTS Science and Research Committee. He is a current member and clinical respiratory immunologist of the North West London sub-regional immunoglobulin assessment panel. More information is available here.
Dr José has a special interest in complex respiratory infections, bronchiectasis and pulmonary complications associated with cancer therapy.
Areas of expertise
Dr José is a respiratory specialist with expertise in complex respiratory infections and respiratory disease associated with cancer therapy. He has a special interest in respiratory disease in the assessment of immunodeficiency and runs a clinic dedicated to the management of respiratory infection and respiratory disease in patients with primary and secondary immunodeficiency with consultant immunologist, Dr Kelleher, offering immunoglobulin replacement therapy.
His opinion if often sought by patients with immunodeficiency secondary to cancer (e.g. leukaemia and lymphoma), therapies for cancer (e.g. systemic and targeted chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, haematopoietic stem cell transplantation), and therapies for inflammatory disease (e.g. biological therapies and other immunosuppressant drugs).
Areas of expertise include:
- Bronchiectasis
- Severe, persistent, unusual, or recurrent chest infections
- Primary and secondary immunodeficiency
- Primary ciliary dyskinesia
- Fungal lung infection
- Airway disease due to fungal sensitisation (e.g. allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis)
- Non-tuberculous mycobacteria
- Latent tuberculosis
- Pneumonia
- Pulmonary complications of cancer (solid organ and haematological malignancy) and cancer therapy (e.g. immunotherapy-related pneumonitis and pulmonary graft-versus-host disease)
Research
Dr José started his training in respiratory medicine as an academic clinical fellow. In 2013 he was awarded a prestigious Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Training Fellowship for research into lung infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae. This research was performed at UCL and led to a PhD, several publications, conference presentations and awards. He continued his research as a clinical lecturer investigating de novo bronchiectasis in haematological malignancies. He is a Honorary Associate Professor at UCL Respiratory and continues his research interest in host susceptibility and pathogenesis of respiratory infections.
Dr José was associate editor of the journal of clinical case reports and the Annals of Research Hospitals for eight years. He is frequently asked to review manuscripts for the European Respiratory Journal and Thorax. Additionally, he receives requests to peer review for other journals including Nature, Immunity, Mucosal Immunology, Journal of Critical Care, Cancer Supportive care, Annals of Thoracic Medicine, Allergy and Therapy, BMC Pulmonary Medicine, PLOS one, and journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.
See a full list of Dr José’s publications here.
Teaching
Dr José has extensive experience of teaching and examining undergraduate and postgraduate students. He is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy and past clinical lead of the prestigious UCL MBPhD programme. He is invited to teach at conferences and courses including at the Royal Society of Medicine. As an Honorary Associate Professor at UCL he continues to teach 1st year medical students on the UCL breathing and circulation module.
Amongst Dr José’s extensive publication record he has authored several book chapters on respiratory infections and pulmonary complications of cancer therapy. He is also a section editor for the 2nd edition of the Encyclopaedia of Respiratory Medicine.
Awards
- Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (2018)
- National Institute for Health Research Academic Clinical Lecturer in Translational Medicine (Respiratory Medicine, 2016)
- European Respiratory Society Lung Science conference best oral presentation award (2015)
- Academy of Medical Sciences spring meeting: runner up prize (2015)
- Royal Society of Medicine Young Respiratory Investigator Prize: First prize (2014)
- European Respiratory Society Lung Science conference distinguished poster award (2014)
- European Respiratory Society Lung Science conference travel bursary for an outstanding abstract (2014)
- British Lung Foundation/GSK travel award to ERS conference (2014)
- British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology travel fellowship (2014)
- Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Training Fellowship (2013)
- National Institute for Health Research Academic Clinical Fellowship in Respiratory Medicine (2009)
- 2008 Chelmsford Medical Education & Research Trust Award: First Prize in the Audit category (2008)
- 2007 Chelmsford Medical Education & Research Trust Award: First Prize in the Audit category (2007)
- 2003 Elected member of the Golden Key International Honour Society (2003)
Private patient referral
If you would like to make an appointment with this specialist for private care, contact the RB&HH Specialist care team.