Dr Jason Twohig
PhD, BSc (Hons), SFHEA
Teams and roles for Jason Twohig
Senior Lecturer in Medical Education and Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences
Overview
I am a Medical MBBCh Senior Lecturer with a particular interest in creative problem solving, critical thinking, and developing inclusive teaching practice. I am passionate about improving undergraduate medical education, enhancing opportunities of learners and sharing knowledge amongst educators using creative cooperative team-work. I have a strong interest in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) and would like to introduce opportunities for students and staff to learn about and engage in these processes. This year, I have supported the introduction of a novel 4th Year SSC undergraduate I&E program, Learn-2-Innovate, designed and directed by a Dr Alex Coombs. We will be seeking to grow and support this program for Medical students and we are looking to acquire sufficient funding to allow students to build clinical prototypes. Next year, I hope to design and implement innovation engagement opportunities for 3rd Year SSC students as a stepping stage for prototype design.
Within Cardiff University Medical School, I am the 4th year Student Select Component (SSC) Unit Lead, and acting 3rd year SSC Lead, coordinating and administrating the 7-week individual clinical research capstone projects within several hospitals for around 290 students annually. This follows on from 5 years as the 1st year Case-based Unit Educational Lead (CBEL), which I still support, coordinating staff teams to deliver student facilitation, CBL (Case-Based Learning), tutorials and practical demonstrations. I also maintain my own lecturing portfolio within Medicine delivering lectures to the Medical Pharmacology BSc course on topics such as next generation sequencing, pharmacokinetics, drug metabolism and endocrine systems. I maintain a strong service focus as a member of committees including the extenuating circumstances committee, the exam preparation committees, admissions committees, & equality, diversity & inclusion committee.
I also maintain external links to enrich my practice as evidenced by my position as an external marker for Newcastle Universities MSc degree program.
Publication
2026
- Derrac Soria, A. et al. 2026. IL-6 and IL-27 negatively regulate CRTAM-expressing CD4+ T-cells associated with lymphoid-driven synovitis. null (10.1101/2024.09.03.610972)
2023
- Rubina, A. et al. 2023. ADAM17 targeting by human cytomegalovirus remodels the cell surface proteome to simultaneously regulate multiple immune pathways. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 120 (33) e2303155120. (10.1073/pnas.2303155120)
2020
- Cuff, S. M. et al. 2020. Toll-like receptor linked cytokine profiles in cerebrospinal fluid discriminate neurological infection from sterile inflammation. Brain Communications 2 (2) fcaa218. (10.1093/braincomms/fcaa218)
2019
- Twohig, J. P. et al. 2019. Activation of naïve CD4+ T cells re-tunes STAT1 signaling to deliver unique cytokine responses in memory CD4+ T cells. Nature Immunology 20 , pp.458-470. (10.1038/s41590-019-0350-0)
2017
- Singh, R. et al. 2017. Death receptor 3 regulates distinct pathological attributes of acute versus chronic murine allergic lung inflammation. Cellular Immunology 320 , pp.62-70. (10.1016/j.cellimm.2017.09.005)
2016
- Perks, W. V. et al. 2016. Death Receptor 3 promotes chemokine directed leukocyte recruitment in acute resolving inflammation and is essential for pathological development of mesothelial fibrosis in chronic disease. American Journal of Pathology 186 (11), pp.2813-2823. (10.1016/j.ajpath.2016.07.021)
2014
- Wang, E. C. Y. et al. 2014. Regulation of early cartilage destruction in inflammatory arthritis by death receptor 3. Arthritis and Rheumatology 66 (10), pp.2762-2772. (10.1002/art.38770)
2012
- Al-Lamki, R. S. et al., 2012. DR3 signaling protects against cisplatin nephrotoxicity mediated by tumor necrosis factor. American Journal of Pathology 180 (4), pp.1454-1464. (10.1016/j.ajpath.2012.01.003)
- Twohig, J. P. et al. 2012. The death receptor 3/TL1A pathway is essential for efficient development of antiviral CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell immunity. The FASEB Journal 26 (8), pp.3575-3586. (10.1096/fj.11-200618)
2011
- Jones, G. W. et al. 2011. Naive and activated T cells display differential responsiveness to TL1A that affects Th17 generation, maintenance, and proliferation. The FASEB Journal 25 (1), pp.409-419. (10.1096/fj.10-166843)
- Wang, E. C. Y. et al. 2011. Control of early cartilage destruction in inflammatory arthritis by death receptor 3 [Abstract]. Immunology 135 (s1), pp.153-153. (10.1111/j.1365-2567.2011.03534.x)
2010
- Twohig, J. P. et al. 2010. Age-dependent maintenance of motor controland corticostriatal innervation by death receptor 3. Journal of Neuroscience 30 (10), pp.3782-3792. (10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1928-09.2010)
- Jones, G. W. et al. 2010. Differential responsiveness of naive and activated T cells to TL1A that affect Th17 generation, maintenance and proliferation [Abstract]. Immunology 131 (s1), pp.102-102. (10.1111/j.1365-2567.2010.03390.x)
2009
- Twohig, J. P. et al. 2009. Defective B cell ontogeny and humoral immune response in mice prematurely expressing human complement receptor 2 (CR2, CD21) is similar to that seen in aging wild type mice. Molecular Immunology 46 (10), pp.2002-2013. (10.1016/j.molimm.2009.03.007)
- Williams, A. S. et al. 2009. A functional role for death receptor-3 in arthritis [Abstract]. Cytokine 48 (1-2), pp.134-134. (10.1016/j.cyto.2009.07.568)
- Williams, A. S. et al. 2009. Functional role of dr3 in inflammatory arthritis: A novel target for therapy? [Abstract]. Rheumatology 48 (s1), pp.I8-I8. (10.1093/rheumatology/kep704)
2008
- Bull, M. J. et al. 2008. The Death Receptor 3-TNF-like protein 1A pathway drives adverse bone pathology in inflammatory arthritis. Journal of Experimental Medicine 205 (11), pp.2457-2464. (10.1084/jem.20072378)
- Williams, A. S. et al. 2008. The role of death receptor 3 in inflammatory arthritis [Abstract]. Immunology 125 , pp.34-34. (10.1111/j.1365-2567.2008.02974.x)
2007
- Betts, G. et al., 2007. The impact of regulatory T cells on carcinogen-induced sarcogenesis. British Journal of Cancer 96 (12), pp.1849-1854. (10.1038/sj.bjc.6603824)
Articles
- Derrac Soria, A. et al. 2026. IL-6 and IL-27 negatively regulate CRTAM-expressing CD4+ T-cells associated with lymphoid-driven synovitis. null (10.1101/2024.09.03.610972)
- Rubina, A. et al. 2023. ADAM17 targeting by human cytomegalovirus remodels the cell surface proteome to simultaneously regulate multiple immune pathways. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 120 (33) e2303155120. (10.1073/pnas.2303155120)
- Cuff, S. M. et al. 2020. Toll-like receptor linked cytokine profiles in cerebrospinal fluid discriminate neurological infection from sterile inflammation. Brain Communications 2 (2) fcaa218. (10.1093/braincomms/fcaa218)
- Twohig, J. P. et al. 2019. Activation of naïve CD4+ T cells re-tunes STAT1 signaling to deliver unique cytokine responses in memory CD4+ T cells. Nature Immunology 20 , pp.458-470. (10.1038/s41590-019-0350-0)
- Singh, R. et al. 2017. Death receptor 3 regulates distinct pathological attributes of acute versus chronic murine allergic lung inflammation. Cellular Immunology 320 , pp.62-70. (10.1016/j.cellimm.2017.09.005)
- Perks, W. V. et al. 2016. Death Receptor 3 promotes chemokine directed leukocyte recruitment in acute resolving inflammation and is essential for pathological development of mesothelial fibrosis in chronic disease. American Journal of Pathology 186 (11), pp.2813-2823. (10.1016/j.ajpath.2016.07.021)
- Wang, E. C. Y. et al. 2014. Regulation of early cartilage destruction in inflammatory arthritis by death receptor 3. Arthritis and Rheumatology 66 (10), pp.2762-2772. (10.1002/art.38770)
- Al-Lamki, R. S. et al., 2012. DR3 signaling protects against cisplatin nephrotoxicity mediated by tumor necrosis factor. American Journal of Pathology 180 (4), pp.1454-1464. (10.1016/j.ajpath.2012.01.003)
- Twohig, J. P. et al. 2012. The death receptor 3/TL1A pathway is essential for efficient development of antiviral CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell immunity. The FASEB Journal 26 (8), pp.3575-3586. (10.1096/fj.11-200618)
- Jones, G. W. et al. 2011. Naive and activated T cells display differential responsiveness to TL1A that affects Th17 generation, maintenance, and proliferation. The FASEB Journal 25 (1), pp.409-419. (10.1096/fj.10-166843)
- Wang, E. C. Y. et al. 2011. Control of early cartilage destruction in inflammatory arthritis by death receptor 3 [Abstract]. Immunology 135 (s1), pp.153-153. (10.1111/j.1365-2567.2011.03534.x)
- Twohig, J. P. et al. 2010. Age-dependent maintenance of motor controland corticostriatal innervation by death receptor 3. Journal of Neuroscience 30 (10), pp.3782-3792. (10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1928-09.2010)
- Jones, G. W. et al. 2010. Differential responsiveness of naive and activated T cells to TL1A that affect Th17 generation, maintenance and proliferation [Abstract]. Immunology 131 (s1), pp.102-102. (10.1111/j.1365-2567.2010.03390.x)
- Twohig, J. P. et al. 2009. Defective B cell ontogeny and humoral immune response in mice prematurely expressing human complement receptor 2 (CR2, CD21) is similar to that seen in aging wild type mice. Molecular Immunology 46 (10), pp.2002-2013. (10.1016/j.molimm.2009.03.007)
- Williams, A. S. et al. 2009. A functional role for death receptor-3 in arthritis [Abstract]. Cytokine 48 (1-2), pp.134-134. (10.1016/j.cyto.2009.07.568)
- Williams, A. S. et al. 2009. Functional role of dr3 in inflammatory arthritis: A novel target for therapy? [Abstract]. Rheumatology 48 (s1), pp.I8-I8. (10.1093/rheumatology/kep704)
- Bull, M. J. et al. 2008. The Death Receptor 3-TNF-like protein 1A pathway drives adverse bone pathology in inflammatory arthritis. Journal of Experimental Medicine 205 (11), pp.2457-2464. (10.1084/jem.20072378)
- Williams, A. S. et al. 2008. The role of death receptor 3 in inflammatory arthritis [Abstract]. Immunology 125 , pp.34-34. (10.1111/j.1365-2567.2008.02974.x)
- Betts, G. et al., 2007. The impact of regulatory T cells on carcinogen-induced sarcogenesis. British Journal of Cancer 96 (12), pp.1849-1854. (10.1038/sj.bjc.6603824)
Research
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
2020 | External Examiner, PhD Thesis
University of Melbourne
Provided independent examination and academic assessment of a doctoral thesis in biomedical research.
2018-2019 | Lecturer in Transcriptomic Medicine (0.4 FTE)
Infection & Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University
In conjunction with a 0.6 FTE teaching lectureship.
Research Focus:
Transcriptomic investigation of neonatal virus-induced sepsis, with an emphasis on identifying gene expression signatures associated with disease progression and clinical diagnosis.
2015-2018 | Named Senior Research Associate
Infection & Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University
With Professor Simon Jones
Research Focus:
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Transcriptomic approaches to the diagnosis and therapeutic stratification of clinical rheumatoid arthritis.
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Investigation of STAT1- and STAT3-dependent cytokine signalling pathways in synovial inflammation.
2013-2014 | Lecturer, Independent Researcher Secondment Scheme
Infection & Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University
Combined research-led teaching with the development of independent translational research activities.
2012-2015 | Post-Doctoral Researcher
Infection & Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University
With Professor Simon Jones
Research Focus:
Novel biomarker discovery in chronic arthritis through translational research approaches, conducted in partnership with Roche.
2004-2012 | Post-Doctoral Researcher
Infection & Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University
With Dr Eddie C. Wang
Research Focus:
Investigation of the role of Death Receptor 3 (DR3) in:
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Mammalian brain development and homeostasis.
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Antiviral immune responses.
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Chronic inflammatory disease.
This work contributed to multiple high-impact publications in immunology, neuroscience, and inflammatory disease.
2001-2003 | Post-Doctoral Researcher
Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford
With Professor Fiona Powrie
Research Focus:
Exploration of dendritic cell subsets and regulatory T-cell biology in experimental models of arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease using SCID and transgenic mouse systems.
1997-2001 | Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department of Foetal and Neonatal Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Melbourne
Supervised by Dr Wayne Kimpton
PhD Thesis:
The Role of Recent Thymic Emigrants in the Development of the Peripheral T-cell Pool
This research examined the contribution of newly generated T cells to the establishment and maintenance of adaptive immunity during immune system development.
Teaching
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2026-Present | Senior Lecturer in Medical Education
Cardiff University School of Medicine
2026-Present | External Examiner, Biomedical Sciences (in process)
Newcastle University
2025-2026 | Acting Third Year MBBCh Student Selected Component (SSC) Unit Lead
Cardiff University School of Medicine
Responsible for the management and administration of the Third Year SSC programme, overseeing approximately 290 students undertaking individual research projects across hospital health boards and GP surgeries. Students disseminate their work through research papers, poster presentations, and conference talks.
2023-Present | Fourth Year MBBCh Student Selected Component (SSC) Unit Lead
Cardiff University School of Medicine
Lead the administration and delivery of the Fourth Year SSC programme, overseeing approximately 290 students undertaking seven-week individual research projects across NHS and primary care settings. Students produce substantial research reports and present their findings at a dedicated conference. I have also supported the development and implementation of the Learn-2-Innovate undergraduate innovation programme, designed and directed by Dr Alex Coombs.
2023-Present | External Examiner, MSc Immunology
Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University
Provide external scrutiny and quality assurance for the MSc Immunology programme.
2023-Present | International MBBCh Admissions Officer
Cardiff University School of Medicine
Support international admissions processes, applicant assessment, and programme administration.
2018-Present | Senior Lecturer in Medical Education and Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences
Cardiff University School of Medicine
Deliver lectures, tutorials, and small-group teaching across a range of subjects including neurology, sepsis, biochemistry, physiology, and genomics. Monitor and analyse undergraduate student feedback to support curriculum development and enhancement. Supervise undergraduate research projects in areas including autism research, equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), and neonatal sepsis.
2022 | Invited Lecturer, MSc Infection & Immunity
Cardiff University
Delivered teaching on bioinformatics, transcriptomic analysis, and sequencing technologies.
2019 | Invited Lecturer, MSc Critical Care
Cardiff University
Delivered teaching on genetics and genomics in sepsis.
2019 | Invited Lecturer, MSc Biomedical Sciences
Cardiff Metropolitan University
Delivered teaching on bioinformatics, systems biology, and the ethical and legal considerations of genomics.
2018-2023 | First Year Case-Based Learning Educational Lead (CBEL)
MBBCh Programme, Cardiff University
Led case-based learning delivery, tutorials, practical sessions, and small-group teaching. Coordinated a team of eight academic staff to support the first-year medical curriculum.
2017 | Continuing Professional Development Trainer
CUBRIC, Cardiff University
Delivered CPD training: "Data Challenges in Systems Immunology."
2016-2017 | Continuing Professional Development Trainer
BIOSI, Cardiff University
Delivered CPD training in immunology for secondary school teachers.
2014-2016 | Curriculum Design Lead
Cardiff University School of Medicine
Led the design of the proposed BSc programme in Essential Skills in Biological and Medical Science and served on the associated Management and Development Group.
2013-Present | BSc Pharmacology Teaching
Cardiff University School of Medicine
Teaching across second and third-year Pharmacology modules (ME2363 and ME3052), including lectures, tutorials, laboratory classes, group work, assessment design, and examination marking.
2013-2014 | Lecturer, Independent Researcher Secondment Scheme
Cardiff University School of Medicine
Supported research-led teaching and academic development activities.
2009-2013 | MBBCh Teaching
Cardiff University School of Medicine
Delivered lectures, practical sessions, and work-group teaching for undergraduate medical students.
2003 | Fast Track Teaching (Future Leaders) Programme Award
2001-2003 | Demonstrator
Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford
Provided laboratory-based teaching and practical demonstration support for undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Biography
Dr Jason P. Twohig PhD, BSc(Hons), SFHEA
I am a Senior Lecturer in Medical Education at Cardiff University School of Medicine and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. My work focuses on advancing undergraduate medical education through innovative, inclusive, and student-centred approaches that foster critical thinking, creativity, and professional development. As Fourth Year Student Selected Component (SSC) Unit Lead and Acting Third Year SSC Lead, I oversee large-scale clinical research programmes that enable medical students to undertake authentic research experiences across healthcare settings. I am particularly interested in educational innovation and entrepreneurship, and I support initiatives that encourage students to develop solutions to real-world healthcare challenges while enhancing their research, leadership, and collaborative skills.Honours and awards
TEACHING AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS
2025 Awarded Senior Fellowship, Higher Education Academy (SFHEA).
2025 Nominated for Cardiff University Teaching Award: Outstanding Learning Experience.
2022 Nominated for Award for Service to the School of Medicine and Medical Admissions
2017 Awarded fellowship. Higher Education Academy
Contact Details
+44 29206 87320
Neuadd Meirionnydd, Floor 8th , University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4YS
Research themes
Specialisms
- Medical Education
- Genomics and transcriptomics
- Cellular immunology