Cynthia Wright Drakesmith
DPhil; BSc
Principal Investigator
I joined the department in 2019 with a background in immunology, proteomics and genomics. My primary aim is to support evidence-based equitable allocation of precision medicine and high cost drugs within the NHS.
Currently, I lead an NIHR-funded projects that utilise electronic health records and genomic data to identify patients who would most benefit from early pharmacogenetic testing in primary care.
I am also principal investigator of two studies within the Our Future Health cohort: one investigating equitable access to biologic medications for patients with Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Disease, and another assessing the utility of patient-reported, genetic, and hospital data for pharmacogenetic research.
My collaborations include various research areas, including anaemia, multiple long-term conditions, deprescribing, cardiovascular disease, and mental health.
I lecture on the MSc Evidence-Based Health Care, Applied Digital Health and DPhil training programmes, and supervise DPhil, MSc, and undergraduate students.
Recent publications
Adiposity and the first-onset of diagnosed mental illnesses: a population-based cohort study of 10 million UK adults
Journal article
Dong X. et al, (2026), BMC Medicine, 24
Exploring the implementation and integration of structured medication reviews in primary care: a qualitative evaluation using normalisation process theory
Journal article
Reidy C. et al, (2026), British Journal of General Practice the Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners, 76, e613 - e623
Impact of structured medication reviews on prescribing in English primary care: a retrospective observational cohort study
Journal article
Sheppard JP. et al, (2026), British Journal of General Practice the Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners, 76, e603 - e612
Ferritin across long-term conditions in England: cross-sectional primary care study
Preprint
Katumba A. et al, (2026)
Patterns of testing and the high burden of iron deficiency anemia in cirrhosis: a national cohort study
Journal article
Maynard S. et al, (2026), Blood Red Cells & Iron, 2, 100070 - 100070
