Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Staff Profile

Professor Iain Keenan

Professor of Anatomical Education

  • Email: iain.keenan@ncl.ac.uk
  • Telephone: +44(0) 191 208 6861
  • Address: School of Medicine
    Â鶹´«Ã½
    Framlington Place
    Â鶹´«Ã½ upon Tyne
    NE2 4HH
Background

Professor Iain D Keenan B.Sc. (Hons), M.Med.Ed., Ph.D., N.T.F., F.A.S.

Iain is Professor of Anatomical Education in the School of Medicine (SoM) and is an . Iain leads anatomical sciences teaching for medicine and medical sciences degree programmes; leads a programme of anatomy education research; and supervises undergraduate and postgraduate research projects. Iain is a Fellow of the Anatomical Society () and was previously an Anatomical Society Councillor and Committee Chair (2015-2022).

Iain leads research in learning and teaching for the School of Medicine (School of Medicine Research); is PGR Co-ordinator for the School of Medicine (Postgraduate Research); is ERDP Lead for the School of Medicine: ; is Co-Lead of the FMS Education Research Theme.

Career

Professor of Anatomical Education, School of Medicine, Â鶹´«Ã½ ( 2024-present)

Senior Lecturer in Anatomy, School of Medicine, Â鶹´«Ã½ (2019-2024)

Lecturer in Anatomy, School of Medical Education, Â鶹´«Ã½ (2015-2019)

Teaching Fellow in Anatomy, School of Medical Education, Â鶹´«Ã½ (2012-2015)

Senior Postdoctoral Research Associate, Institute of Genetic Medicine, Â鶹´«Ã½ (2010-2012)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of St Andrews (2007-2009).

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Dundee (2004-2007)

Qualifications

PhD, Biology, University of York (2004)

BSc (Hons), Biology, University of York (2000)

Master of Medical Education (2016)



 


Teaching

Professor Iain D Keenan B.Sc. (Hons), M.Med.Ed., Ph.D., N.T.F., F.A.S.

Learning and Teaching

Iain leads anatomy, embryology, and histology teaching for undergraduate medical, physicians associates, dental and biomedical sciences programmes, and for postgraduate medical sciences programmes. 

Iain currently leads the MBBS Year 2 Case 14 unit of study (Embryology, Development, Reproduction, and Fertility). Iain was module lead for the Life Cycle 1 and Life Cycle 2 units of study 2014-2017, and Case 10 (Liver Disease) unit of study lead 2017-2020. Iain was academic timetable co-ordinator for the MBBS programme (2017-2019).

Iain supervises PhD student projects, Master of Medical Education dissertation projects, MBBS Student Selected Component projects, Undergraduate Vacation Scholarship projects, and final year Biomedical, Nutritional, and Sport Sciences projects. While working with student partners, Iain has led the implementation of a number of teaching and curricular innovations for the School of Medicine, including art-based learning, 3D digital learning technologies, and 3D printing

Education Awards

Iain was awarded a from Advance HE in 2020 based on Iain's implementation of educational frameworks, evidence-based learning approaches, student-partnerships and commitment to global open-open access communication. Iain has also achieved Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, having achieved Descriptor 3 (2018) and Descriptor 1 and 2 (2013) of the United Kingdom Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF).

Iain led the School of Medicine Anatomy Team in being awarded the Â鶹´«Ã½ Vice Chancellor's Educational Excellence Award in 2022 and Iain contributed to the Anatomy Team being awarded the Engagement and Place Awards 'Inclusive Education, Lifelong Learning and Continuing Professional Development' Award 2023 for World Anatomy Day events.

Iain received the for Innovative Teaching (Faculty of Medical Sciences) in 2015, an award that is voted for by Â鶹´«Ã½ students. Iain has also been nominated for TEA awards in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020.

Research

Professor Iain D Keenan B.Sc. (Hons), M.Med.Ed., Ph.D., N.T.F., F.A.S.

Iain leads a research programme and supervises postgraduate research students and undergraduate projects. Iain's research involves strategic design, evaluation and curricular implementation of art-based and technology-enhanced three-dimensional learning approaches to support visual and haptic observation in anatomy learning, and student understanding of complex spatial anatomical concepts.

Iain has a number of successful research collaborations within Â鶹´«Ã½ and beyond, including working with colleagues in the School of Medicine, with numerous undergraduate and postgraduate student partners, and with (University of Cape Town, South Africa).

Iain and Leonard have created a massive open online course called , with the aim of supporting spatial understanding for a global audience of anatomy students and educators.

Iain has published work in high ranking journals including (2021 Impact Factor 6.7); is editor for two volumes of the Springer book series; is an Associate Editor for ; and is on the reviewer board for several esteemed journals. Iain was guest co-editor for a theme edition ‘Life Sciences in an Integrated Curriculum’ for the journal.

Iain has supervised a PhD student funded by the . Iain has also been awarded several small grants to support research, including funding from the ; the ; two grants from the Faculty of Medical Sciences Educational Research Development and Practice (ERDP); and two awards from the Â鶹´«Ã½ Institute for Creative Arts Practice.



. 

Publications

  • Articles

    • Green EJ, Brown MEL, Vance GHS, Keenan ID. . BMC Medical Education 2026, 26(1), 103.
    • Zhang J, Sachdeva M, McCaig C, Gordon E, Shapiro L, Keenan ID. . Anatomical Sciences Education 2026, ePub ahead of print.
    • Horne CA, Hepworth D, Saunders E, Keenan ID. . Anatomical Sciences Education 2024, 17(5), 1080-1096.
    • Shapiro L, Hobbs E, Keenan ID. . Anatomical Sciences Education 2023, 16(4), 677-693.
    • Ben Awadh A, Clark J, Clowry G, Keenan ID. . Anatomical Sciences Education 2022, 15(1), 127-142.
    • Shapiro L, Bell K, Dhas K, Branson T, Louw G, Keenan ID. . Anatomical Sciences Education 2019, 13(4), 488-503.
    • Keenan ID, Hutchinson J, Bell K. . MedEd Publish 2017, 6(2), 1-13.
    • Keenan ID, Slater JD, Matthan JM. . MedEdPublish 2017, 1(7), 1-27.
    • Backhouse M, Fitzpatrick M, Hutchinson J, Thandi CS, Keenan ID. . Anatomical Sciences Education 2017, 10(1), 7-22.
    • Boczonadi V, Gillespie R, Keenan ID, Ramsbottom SA, Donald-Wilson C, Al Nazer M, Humbert P, Schwarz RJ, Chaudhry B, Henderson DJ. . Cardiovascular Research 2014, 104(1), 103-115.
    • Keenan ID, Rhee HJ, Chaudhry B, Henderson DJ. . FEBS Letters 2012, 586(13), 1790-1794.
    • Ekerot M, Stavridis MP, Delavaine L, Mitchell MP, Staples C, Owens DM, Keenan ID, Dickinson RJ, Storey KG, Keyse SM. . Biochemical Journal 2008, 412(2), 287-98.
    • Smith TG, Karlsson M, Lunn JS, Eblaghie MC, Keenan ID, Farrell ER, Tickle C, Storey KG, Keyse SM. . FEBS Letters 2006, 580(17), 4242-4245.
    • Keenan ID, Sharrard RM, Isaacs HV. . Developmental Biology 2006, 299(2), 478-88.
    • Reece-Hoyes JS, Keenan ID, Pownall ME, Isaacs HV. . Developmental Biology 2005, 282(2), 509-523.
    • Reece-Hoyes JS, Keenan ID, Isaacs HV. . Developmental Dynamics 2002, 223(1), 134-140.

  • Book Chapters

    • Keenan ID, Stabile I, Venkatesh A. Preface: International Anatomical Education, The Trans-European Pedagogic Anatomy Research Group. In: Iain D. Keenan, Isabel Stabile, Asha Venkatesh, ed. International Anatomical Education The Trans-European Pedagogic Anatomy Research Group. Cham, Switzerland: Springer Cham, 2026, pp.v-vi.
    • Almen J, Parkes AE, Chaudhry A, Saunders EL, Scotcher K, Swamy M, Keenan ID. . In: Flora Gröning, ed. Enhancing Biomedical Education: Integrating Digital Visualization and 3D Technologies. Cham: Springer, 2024, pp.43-73.
    • Keenan ID, Green E, Haagensen E, Hancock R, Scotcher K, Swainson H, Swamy M, Walker S, Woodhouse L. . In: Biomedical Visualisation: Volume 14‒COVID-19 Technology and Visualisation Adaptations for Biomedical Teaching. Springer International Publishing, 2022, pp.1-19.
    • Abdel Meguid EM, Holland JC, Keenan ID, Mishall P. . In: Paul M. Rea, ed. Biomedical Visualisation: Volume 11. Cham: Springer, 2022, pp.173-193.
    • Thompson B, Green E, Scotcher K, Keenan ID. . In: Rea PM, ed. Biomedical Visualisation: Volume 11. Cham: Springer, 2022, pp.299-317.
    • Keenan ID, Powell M. . In: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. Springer, 2020, pp.103-116.
    • Keenan ID, Ben Awadh A. . In: Paul M. Rea, ed. Biomedical Visualisation. Cham: Springer, 2019, pp.39-53.

  • Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

    • Swainson H, Kajal K, Keenan ID, Matthan J. . In: British Association of Clinical Anatomists Summer Meeting. 2022, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
    • Keenan I, Green E, Swainson H, Scotcher K, Swamy M, Saunders E, White P. . In: Anatomical Society summer meeting. 2022, Glasgow and Virtual: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
    • Swainson H, Kevat K, Keenan ID, Matthan J. . In: Summer Meeting of the Anatomical Society. 2022, Dublin: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
    • Ben Awadh A, Clark J, Clowry G, Keenan ID. . In: Anatomical Society Virtual Winter Meeting. 2021, Virtual: Journal of Anatomy.
    • Almen J, Chaudhry A, Saunders E, Scotcher K, Keenan I. . In: Anatomical Society Summer Meeting Glasgow 2021: Cutting Edge Anatomy. 2021, Glasgow: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
    • Ben Awadh A, Keenan ID. . In: Anatomical Society Virtual Winter Meeting. 2021, Virtual: Wiley.
    • Thompson B, Green E, Scotcher K, Saunders E, Keenan I. . In: Anatomical Society Summer Meeting Glasgow 2021: Cutting Edge Anatomy. 2021, Glasgow: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
    • Ben Awadh A, Clark J, Lindsay S, Clowry G, Keenan ID. . In: 19th International Federation of Associations of Anatomists Congress. 2020, London: Wiley.
    • Shapiro L, Keenan ID. . In: International Federation of Associations of Anatomists 19th Congress. 2020, London: Journal of Anatomy.
    • Henessy C, Brown K, Pascoe M, Holland J, Keenan ID, Royer D, Meyer A. . In: International Federation of Associations of Anatomists 19th Congress. 2020, London: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
    • Carr H, Kui C, Beh SZ, Neszmelyi M, Lee EKM, Li CKH, Keenan ID. . In: Winter Meeting of the Anatomical Society. 2019, Lancaster: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
    • Hennessy C, Brown K, Pascoe M, Holland J, Keenan ID, Meyer A, Royer D. . In: Winter Meeting of the Anatomical Society. 2019, Lancaster: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
    • Keenan ID, Shapiro L, Bell K, Dhas K, Branson T, Louw G. . In: Winter Meeting of the Anatomical Society. 2019, Lancaster: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
    • Cheong JJE, Keenan ID. . In: Winter Meeting of the Anatomical Society. 2019, Lancaster: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
    • Ben Awadh A, Clark J, Clowry G, Keenan ID. . In: Winter Meeting of the Anatomical Society. 2019, Lancaster: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
    • Chu TSM, Oo AMM, Keenan ID. . In: Winter Meeting of the Anatomical Society. 2019, Lancaster: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
    • Cheong JJE, Bhandari F, Hardy S, Shapiro L, Keenan ID. . In: Winter Meeting of the Anatomical Society. 2019, Lancaster: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
    • Juin DLY, Keenan ID. . In: Winter Meeting of the Anatomical Society. 2019, Lancaster: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
    • Keenan ID, Border S, Hennessy C. . In: Anatomical Society Winter Meeting 2016. 2017, King's College London, UK: Journal of Anatomy.
    • Woodward R, O'Sullivan J, Holmes E, Keenan ID. . In: Anatomical Society Summer Meeting at Brighton and Sussex Medical School. 2017, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, UK: Journal of Anatomy.
    • Keenan ID, Backhouse M, Fitzpatrick M, Hutchinson J, Thandi CS. . In: Anatomical Society Summer Meeting at Brighton and Sussex Medical School. 2017, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, UK.
    • Keenan ID, Solim ZN, Quigg S, Kerwin J, Lindsay S. . In: Anatomical Society Winter Meeting 2016. 2017, King's College London, UK: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
    • Hennessy C, Keenan ID, Border S. . In: Anatomical Society Summer Meeting at Brighton and Sussex Medical School. 2017, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
    • Keenan ID, Shapiro L. . In: Anatomical Society Winter Meeting 2016. 2016, King's College London, UK: Journal of Anatomy.
    • Backhouse M, Fitzpatrick M, Selwyn-Gotha J, Allen R, Keenan I. . In: Anatomical Society Summer Meeting: Skin and Bones. 2015, University of Bradford: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
    • Keenan ID, Backhouse M, Bashir A, Allen R. . In: Anatomical Society Winter Meeting 2013: Assessment Within Medical Education & Sense Organs. 2014, Â鶹´«Ã½ upon Tyne, UK: Journal of Anatomy.
    • Backhouse M, Bashir A, Allen R, Jackson S, Keenan ID. . In: Anatomical Society Winter Meeting 2013. 2014, Â鶹´«Ã½, Â鶹´«Ã½ upon Tyne, UK: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
    • Backhouse M, Pergolizzi C, Fitzpatrick M, Allen R, Holmes E, Jackson S, Matthan J, Keenan ID. . In: Anatomical Society Winter Meeting 2013. 2014, Â鶹´«Ã½, Â鶹´«Ã½ upon Tyne, UK: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
    • Matthan J, Keenan I. . In: Anatomical Society Summer Meeting Skin and Bones. 2014, University of Bradford: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
    • Pergolizzi C, Matthan J, Keenan I. . In: Anatomical Society Winter Meeting 2013: Assessment Within Medical Education & Sense Organs. 2013, Â鶹´«Ã½, Â鶹´«Ã½ upon Tyne, UK: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  • Digital or Visual Media

    • Keenan ID. . London: Henry Stewart Talks Ltd, 2025.

  • Editorials

    • Keenan ID, Border S. . Biomedical Visualisation volume 16: Digital Visualisation in Biomedical Education 2023, 1421, v-vi.
    • Jennings BA, Keenan ID. . MedEdPublish 2017, 6(2).
    • Keenan ID, Jennings BA. . MedEdPublish 2017, 6(2), 52.

  • Review

    • Li K, Kui C, Lee E, Ho C, Wong S, Wu W, Wong W, Voll J, Li G, Liu T, Yan B, Chan J, Tse G, Keenan ID. . MedEdPublish 2017, 6(2), 1-22.