Zoeb Jiwaji

Personal profile

• 2005: BA(Hons) University of Cambridge (First Class)
• 2008: MBBCh Clinical Medicine and Surgery - University of Oxford (Distinction)
• 2008 – 2015: Foundation and Specialty Training in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine (Edinburgh)
• 2012: Membership of the Royal College of Physicians
• 2014: Fellowship of the Royal College of Anaesthetists (Magill Prize winner)
• 2015 -2018: Wellcome-funded Clinical PhD Fellowship (supervised by Giles Hardingham and Siddharthan Chandran).
• 2018 – 2021:  Clinical Lecturer - UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh.
• 2021:  Fellowship of the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine (Exam Prize winner).
• 2021 - 2023: Chief Scientist Office Postdoctoral Clinical Lecturer, University of Edinburgh
• 2023 – 2025:  Senior Clinical Research Fellowship, University of Edinburgh

Research

Zoeb is an Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer and Consultant in Anaesthesia, Intensive Care Medicine, and Intensive Care Recovery. He leads translational work to prevent brain injury and cognitive decline after critical illness, with a focus on patients with dementia and other vulnerabilities. His research spans cellular and molecular mechanisms of reduced brain resilience under anaesthesia and critical illness, alongside clinical studies that aim to advance monitoring and interventions to improve recovery after surgery and critical illness. 

Recent publications

• M. Stavrou, Á. Heffernan, R. N. Carter, O. Dando, Z. Jiwaji, et al. Astrocytes control motor neuronal mitochondrial axonal transport deficits in C9ORF72 ALS, bioRxiv (2025)p. 2025.06.10.658820.
• Á. B. Heffernan, M. Steinruecke, G. Dempsey, S. Chandran, B. T. Selvaraj, Z. Jiwaji, M. Stavrou, Role of glia in delirium: proposed mechanisms and translational implications. Molecular Psychiatry, 1–10 (2024).
• Z. Jiwaji, G. E. Hardingham, The consequences of neurodegenerative disease on neuron-astrocyte metabolic and redox interactions. Neurobiol. Dis., 106255 (2023).
• Z. Jiwaji, N. M. Márkus, J. McQueen, et al., General anesthesia alters CNS and astrocyte expression of activity-dependent and activity-independent genes. Frontiers in Net. Physiology 3 (2023).
• I. Molina-Gonzalez, R. K. Holloway, Z. Jiwaji, et al., Astrocyte-oligodendrocyte interaction regulates central nervous system regeneration. Nature. Commun. 14, 3372 (2023).
• Z. Jiwaji, G. E. Hardingham, Good, bad, and neglectful: Astrocyte changes in neurodegenerative disease. Free Radic. Biol. Med. 182, 93–99 (2022).
• Z. Jiwaji, S. S. Tiwari, R. X. Avilés-Reyes, M. Hooley, et al.  Reactive astrocytes acquire neuroprotective as well as deleterious signatures in response to Tau and Aß pathology. Nature Commun. 13, 135 (2022).
• Hasel P, Dando O*, Jiwaji Z*, et al. Neurons and neuronal activity control gene expression in astrocytes to regulate their development and metabolism. Nature Commun. 2017;8(May):15132. *equal authorship
• Jiwaji Z, Hasel P, Chandran S, et al. The role of neuronal activity in regulating metabolism in mouse and human astrocytes. Lancet 2017;389:S5.
• Jiwaji Z, Nunn KP, Conway-Morris A, et al. Leukoreduced blood transfusion does not increase circulating soluble markers of inflammation: a randomized controlled trial. Transfusion May 2014.
• Jiwaji Z, Brady S, McIntyre L, et al. Emergency department management of early sepsis: a national survey of emergency medicine and intensive care consultants. Emerg. Med. J. 2013:1-6.
• Hughes TC, Jiwaji Z, Lally K, et al. Advanced Cardiac Resuscitation Evaluation (ACRE): a randomised single-blind controlled trial of peer-led vs. expert-led advanced resuscitation training. Scand. J. Trauma Resusc. Emerg. Med. 2010;18:3.
• Jiwaji Z, Parker ERA, Thevanayagam JTH, et al. Hearing impairment in Tanzanians with albinism. Int. Health 2009;1(2):178-181.

Recognition

• 2025- Academy of Medical Sciences - Clinical Academic Post-Doctoral Prize
• 2023- Intensive Care Society - Rising Star Gold Medal
• 2023 - Scottish Intensive Care Society - National Quality Improvement Prize
• 2022 - Neuro Anaesthesia and Critical Care Society - Harvey Granat Prize.
• 2021 - Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine - FFICM Exam Prize
• 2018 - Academy of Medical Sciences - CATAC conference Poster Prize
• 2014 -  Royal College of Anaesthetists - Magill Prize
• 2013 - Intensive Care Society - SoA Meeting Research Paper Oral Presentation (Runner Up).