Sophie Hambleton

Sophie Hambleton is a British physician who is Professor of Paediatrics and Immunology at Newcastle University. She is a clinical paediatric immunologist at the Great North Children's Hospital, which specialises in treating children with immunodeficiencies. Hambleton looks to understand the cellular and molecular basis of immune system errors. She was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2020.

Early life and education Hambleton grew up in North West England. She studied medicine at Oxford, before training in paediatric immunology and laboratory science in the United Kingdom and United States. She was made a Consultant in Paediatric Immunology at Great North Children's Hospital in 2008.

Research and career Hambleton is a clinical physician who cares for children with inherited immunodeficiencies, many of which can be cured through bone marrow transplants. Her studies of immunodeficiency use DNA sequencing methods to better understand the human immune system, identify any erroneous genes and provide genetic therapies or inform patient care. Hambleton has focussed on susceptibility to intracellular pathogens, and uncovered that defective type I interferon signalling can cause viral susceptibility, complex autoimmunity and immunodeficiency. Hambleton leads the Genomics England Clinical Interpretation Partnership.

Personal life Hambleton has two children, both of whom attended Royal Grammar School.

Selected publications