CURRICULUM VITAE
PERSONAL DETAILS
Surname:
AQUILINA
Christian Name:
Joseph
Date of Birth:
4th May 1963
Status:
Married with two daughters
Address:
139 Rushmore Road London, E5 0HA
Telephone No:
020 8533 3232 (Home)
07790 275947 (Mobile)
020 8504 5381(Private Secretary)
GMC No:
4168337(Full)
Email
Joe.Aquilina@bartsandthelondon.nhs.uk
QUALIFICATIONS
1987
MD University of Malta
1994
MRCOG
1995
MFFP
2007
FRCOG
CURRENT APPOINTMENT
Oct 2000 -
June 2011
Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist with an interest
in Feto-Maternal Medicine/Gynae Ultrasound
Lead Clinician Fetal Medicine
Bart's and The London NHS Trust
PREVIOUS APPOINTMENTS
Oct 1999 - Sep2000
Senior Registrar, Southend General Hospital
Prittlewell-Chase, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex
Nov 1997- Sep 1999
Lecturer, Feto-Maternal Medicine, St.Bartholomew’s and the Royal
London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Homerton Hospital NHS
Trust, London
May 1996 – Oct 1997
Research Fellow, Feto-Maternal medicine,
The Homerton Hospital NHS Trust, London
Mar 1995 - Mar 1996
Research Fellow, Fetal Medicine
Harris Birthright Research Centre for Fetal
Medicine, King's College Hospital, London
Mar 1993 – Feb 1995
Registrar, Obstetrics & Gynaecology,
Greenwich/King’s College Hospital London
Feb 1992 – Feb 1993
Registrar, Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton
Aug 1991 – Jan 1992
Senior SHO, Obstetrics
Bristol Maternity Hospital, Bristol
May 1991 – Aug 1991
Senior SHO, Gynae-Oncology, BGH, Bristol
May 1990 – Apr 1991
Senior House Officer, Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Southmead Hospital, Bristol
Apr 1989 – Apr 1990
Senior House Officer, Accident & Emergency
St Luke’s Hospital, Malta
Apr 1987 – Mar 1989
House Physician & Surgeon
St. Luke’s Hospital Malta
June 2011
GYNAECOLOGY
I have had comprehensive training in minor and intermediate procedures, including diagnostic
laparoscopy and hysteroscopy at SHO level. As a Registrar and Senior Registrar I became proficient at
performing common major surgical procedures, which I am now confident of performing
independently. During my attachments at King’s College Hospital I developed skills in acute and
outpatient gynaecological ultrasound, in particular with the use of endovaginal transducers. At
Homerton Hospital, I have consolidated on these skills by establishing with Dr Kevin Harrington, a
combined hysteroscopy/transvaginal ultrasound clinic for problem vaginal bleeding which I ran for
two years during my tenure as a lecturer. I now run a one-stop Menstrual Disorders Clinic at St.
Bartholomew’s Hospital. I have extensive experience of sonohysterography hycosy scans for
inferitility and have performed over 600 of these scans. I am Royal College Preceptor for Gynae
Ultrasound Training in North East London and ATSM director of Training for Fetal Medicine
North East London.
FETO-MATERNAL MEDICINE
Prenatal Diagnosis
My initial obstetric ultrasound training started at the Harris Birthright Research Centre for Fetal
Medicine where I was trained in the prenatal diagnosis, investigation and management of pregnancies
presenting with a wide range of structural and karyotype abnormalities. During that time I achieved
competence in high-resolution scanning throughout pregnancy and in the performance of
amniocentesis. During the lecturer's tenure at Homerton I worked closely with Dr Basky
Thilaganathan and Dr Kevin Harrington in the provision of a tertiary level clinical, prenatal diagnostic
and therapeutic service for the East London area. I consolidated my ultrasound prenatal diagnostic
skills and achieved competence in chorion villous sampling.
High-Risk Pregnancy Screening and Surveillance
I have acquired extensive experience in Doppler measurements of the uterine artery, umbilical
artery, fetal arterial and venous circulation. I was responsible for the provision of a tertiary level
perinatology service for the East London area. This has enabled me to acquire extensive experience
in the screening of high-risk pregnancies and in the antepartum fetal surveillance of suspected
intrauterine-growth restriction. I have also been a significant contributor in the revision of
management protocols for the early pregnancy assessment unit, fetal welfare unit and routine
ultrasound scanning during pregnancy.
June 2011
Present post
I set up the Fetal Medicine Unit at Royal London Hospital on my appointment to the post in 2000.
The department at the time only had one machine and one dedicated sonographer with about 2000
obstetric scans per year. The department now has 5 ultrasound rooms with facilities for 4D
scanning. The obstetric ultrasound service last year performed over 17,000 routine scans. There are
now two consultants in Fetal Medicine (including myself) with plans for a third appointment this
year, three full time obstetric sonographers, one qualified midwife sonographer, and two Fetal
Medicine fellows working within the department. The unit offers the combined test for trisomy 21
screening to the whole population, and this service is co-ordinated by the Antenatal Screening
midwife. The Royal London is the regional referral centre for North East London region for all
antenatally diagnosed surgical lesions (gastroschisis, diaphragmatic hernias) and I have set up
monthly multidiscplinary Fetal Medicine/Neonatal Surgical Clinics and MDT meetings to discuss
management of all surgical cases.
Medico-legal Experience
I have been an expert witness in three coroner’s cases in the last 5 years involving perinatal deaths. I
have given expert review in two medico-legal gynae cases in the last three year. I have been the chair
person for gynaecology governance board at St. John and St. Elizabeth hospital for the last 6 years
dealing and investigating all gynaecological serious untoward incidents.
PUBLICATIONS
1.
Lees C., Kelleher C., Aquilina J., Lawton F. (1994) Primary Malignant Tumours of the
2.
Fallopian Tube. Oncol (Life Sci Adv.) 1994, 13: 141 - 151.
Armstrong V, Harrington K, Aquilina J, Freeman J, Campbell S. Fetal Sexing by
Ultrasound in the Second Trimester: Maternal preference and professional ability.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Ultrasound Obstet Gynaecol, 8 (1996). 318-321.
Aquilina J, Harrington K. Pregnancy Hypertension and Uterine Artery Doppler
Ultrasound. Current Opinion in Obstetrics & Gynaecology 1996,8:435-440.
Harrington K, Aquilina J. Prediction of Pre-eclampsia with Doppler and its management
with aspirin. Contemp. Rev. Obstet. Gynaecol. 1996, 8: 204-208.
Harrington K, Aquilina J, Thompson O. Prediction of pre-eclampsia, RCOG Yearbook,
Volume 5,1997.
Harrington K, Aquilina J, Thompson O. Doppler ultrasound of the utero-placental circulation
- physiological changes in pregnancy. Textbook of Perinatal Medicine 1998 Volume I; 4: 422426.
Aquilina J, Thompson O, Harrington K. Doppler ultrasound of the utero-placental circulation
- the prediction of pre-eclampsia and intrauterine growth retardation. Textbook of Perinatal
Medicine 1998 Volume I; 4: 427-432.
Kurdi W, Campbell S, Aquilina J, England P, Harrington K. The role of color Doppler
imaging of the uterine arteries at 20 weeks gestation in stratifying antenatal care. Ultrasound
Obstet Gynaecol November 1998; 12:339-345.
June 2011
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
Aquilina J, Barnett A, Thompson O, Harrington K. (1999) Second trimester maternal serum
inhibin-A as an early marker for pre-eclampsia. Am J Obstet Gynaecol, 181, 131-6.
Harrington K, Aquilina J, Kurdi W, England P, Campbell S (2000). The use of slow-release
aspirin in the palliation of uteroplacental insufficiency identified by uterine Doppler.
Ultrasound Obstet Gynaecol; 15: 13-18. .
Aquilina J, Maplethorpe R, Ellis P, Harrington K (2000). Correlation between second
trimester maternal serum inhibin-A and human chorionic gonadotrophin for the prediction
of pre-eclampsia. Placenta 21; 487-492.
Aquilina J, Harrington K, Barnett A, Thompson O. Comprehensive analysis of uterine artery
flow velocity waveforms at 20 week's gestation for the prediction of pre-eclampsia.
Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2000; 16: 163-170.
Aquilina J, Thompson O, Thilaganathan B, Harrington K. Improved early prediction of
pre-eclampsia by combining second trimester maternal serum inhibin-A and uterine artery
Dopplers. Ultrasound in Obstet Gynecol 2001; 17: 477-484
Thomson MO, Vines SK, Aquilina J, Wathen NC, Harrington K. Are placental lakes of any
clinical significance ? Placenta 2002, 23, 685-690.
Garg M, Hudeyin S, Aquilina J. Silent massive heamoperitoneum during labour secondary
to a spontaneous rupture of a utero-ovarian vessel. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
2003, 15, 208.
Harrington K, Fayyad A, Thakur V, Aquilina J. The value of uterine artery Doppler in the
prediction of uteroplacental complication in multiparous women. Ultrasound Obstet
Gynecol 2004; 23, 50-55.
Talukder, Y S. Kafatos, G. Pinot de Moira, A. Aquilina, J. Parker, S P. Crowcroft, N S.
Brown, D W G. Breuer, J. The seroepidemiology of varicella zoster virus among pregnant
Bangladeshi and white British women in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, UK.
Epidemiology & Infection. 135(8):1344-53, 2007 Nov.
S. Saleh, A. Antoniou, K. Harrington, and J. Aquilina. Second Trimester Maternal Serum
Cystatin C Levels in Preeclamptic and Normotensive Pregnancies: A Small Case-Control
Study. Hypertension in Pregnancy 29:112–119, 2010
PRESENTATIONS BY INVITATION & OTHER ABSTRACTS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Antenatal tests of fetal well being. Homerton Hospital Postgraduate meeting June 1996.
Prediction and prevention of Pre-eclampsia. Homerton Hospital Postgraduate seminar December
1996.
Uterine artery Doppler in the prediction and aspirin for the prevention of pre-eclampsia. Newham
Hospital Postgraduate meeting January 1997.
The use of uterine artery colour Doppler as a screening test for pre-eclampsia - Does it pass with flying
colours ? St. Bartholomew’s Hospital Grand Round March 1997.
How does ultrasound change antenatal care? Whipp’s Cross Hospital Postgraduate meeting.
November 1997
Screening for uteroplacental complications and high-risk pregnancies. Advanced course in
Ultrasound. Portsmouth University, November 1997.
Should women with unexplained abnormal serum biochemistry be offered uterine artery Doppler
studies? Poster at the British Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Harrogate, June 1998.
Pregnancy complications cause by utero-placental insufficiency. 2 Workshop Mediterraneo,
Naples, 23-24 October 1998.
Second trimester inhibin-A is an early marker of pre-eclampsia and related uteroplacental
complications. Oral presentation, Registrar's Prize meeting, Royal Society of Medicine 30 th
March 1998.
Prediction of Pre-eclampsia using inhibin-A and uterine artery Dopplers. Oral presentation,
Specialist Registrar's conference, RCOG, Bristol May '99.
June 2011
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
Evaluation of uterine artery flow velocity waveforms for the prediction of pre-eclampsia in a
population of mixed parity. Oral presentation, Victor Bonney Society Meeting May 1999.
Comprehensive analysis of uterine artery flow velocity waveforms at 20 weeks gestation for the
prediction of pre-eclampsia. Oral presentation, 9th World Congress in Obstetrics and
Gynaecology Argentina, November 1999.
The significance of placental sonolucencies at 20 weeks gestation and subsequent adverse pregnancy
outcome. Oral presentation, 9th World Congress in Obstetrics and Gynaecology Argentina,
November 1999.
Assessment of Blood volume flow in the uterine artery; the influence of arterial distensibility and
waveform abnormality. Oral presentation, 9th World Congress in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Argentina, November 1999.
The prediction of adverse perinatal outcome in multiparous women using uterine artery Doppler.
Oral presentation, British Medical Ultrasound Society 31 st Annual Scientific Meeting,
December 1999.
Improved early prediction of preterm pre-eclampsia by combining second trimester maternal serum
alpha-fetoprotein and uterine artery Doppler. Oral presentation, British Maternal and Fetal
Medicine Society. Fifth Annual Conference. March 2000.
Correlation between second trimester maternal serum inhibin-A and human chorionic
gonadotrophin for the prediction of pre-eclampsia. Poster presentation, British Maternal and
Fetal Medicine Society. Fifth Annual Conference. March 2000.
The value of sonohysterography in one-stop menstrual disorder clinic: one year audit. Oral
presentation, Fifth Maltese Medical School Conference December 2003.
Section Editor Current Opinion In Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Vol 15 No6 December 2003.
Section Editor Current Opinion In Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Vol 16 No6 December 2004
Section Editor Current Opinion In Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Vol 17 No6 December 2005
Section Editor Current Opinion In Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Vol 18 No6 December 2006
Section Editor Current Opinion In Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Vol 19 No6 December 2007
Section Editor Current Opinion In Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Vol 20 No6 December 2008
Section Editor Current Opinion In Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Vol 21 No6 December 2009
Section Editor Current Opinion In Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Vol 22 No6 December 2010
REFEREES
1.
2.
Professor Basky Thilaganathan
Director
Fetal Medicine Unit
St. George's Hospital
Blackshaw Road
London SW17 0QT
Email; bthilaga@sgul.ac.uk
Professor Ovrang Djahanbakhch
Dept of Reproductive Endocrinology
St.Bartholomew’s Hospital
West Smithfield
London EC1A
Email; o.b.djahanbakhch@qmul.ac.uk
June 2011
Tel: 020 8725 1911/0071
Tel 00447711140304