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Staff Profile

Professor Roger Whittaker

Professor of Clinical Neurophysiology

  • Telephone: 0191 2083543
  • Address: Henry Wellcome Building for Neuroecology
    Â鶹´«Ã½
    Framlington Place
    Â鶹´«Ã½ upon Tyne
    NE2 4HH
Background

I studied medicine at Cambridge University before moving to the Institute of Molecular Medicine in Oxford on a BMA scholarship. After completing my specialist training in Clinical Neurophysiology in Â鶹´«Ã½ and Edinburgh, I returned to Â鶹´«Ã½ to complete a PhD in cortical network dynamics. I am now Professor of Clinical Neurophysiology, Â鶹´«Ã½, and an Honorary Consultant in the Department of Clinical Neurophysiology in the Royal Victoria Infirmary. Outside work my main interests are my family and anything to do with going up or coming down mountains.

Research

My research interest is in developing novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to neurological diseases, in particular changes in skeletal motor unit structure and function in health and disease. I use a combination of experimental (novel multi-contact intramuscular electromyography electrodes) and more conventional imaging modalities including ultrasound and MRI in clinical trials of patients with neuromuscular disease. A recent focus has been the development of motor unit MRI (MUMRI) which uses a variation of diffusion-weighted MRI scanning to image the contraction of multiple human motor units in vivo. This is of particular relevance in motor neuron disease where spontaneous motor unit contraction (fasciculation) is an early diagnostic sign, and our group is currently leading a multi-centre study of MUMRI to assess its diagnostic potential.

Publications

  • Articles

    • Maitland S, Birkbeck M, Schofield I, Best L, Scott J, Blamire A, Whittaker RG. . Muscle and Nerve 2026, 73(3), 403-411.
    • Birkbeck MG, Schofield IS, Wilson I, Bashford J, Hall J, Marini-Bettolo C, Straub V, Whittaker RG, Blamire AM. . Neuromuscular Disorders 2026, 60, 106337.
    • Dujmovic M, Dunham JP, Gausden J, Groves B, de Cothi EAC, Burgess C, Geddie C, Adams L, Grant A, Maharjan N, Thakkar B, O'Neill A, Young A, Whittaker RG, Colvin L, Pickering AE. . PLoS ONE 2025, 20(12), e0338105.
    • Birkbeck M, Elameer M, Heskamp L, Newman J, Stefanetti R, Barrow I, Pogoryelova O, Gorman G, Hall J, Schofield I, Blamire A, Whittaker R. . NMR in Biomedicine 2025, 38(5), e70021.
    • Heskamp L, Birkbeck MG, Hall J, Schofield IS, Bashford J, Williams TL, De Oliveira HM, Whittaker RG, Blamire AM. . Clinical Neurophysiology 2024, 161, 246-255.
    • Birkbeck MG, Heskamp L, Schofield IS, Hall J, Sayer AA, Whittaker RG, Blamire AM. . Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging 2024, 60(1), 205-217.
    • McMacken G, Whittaker RG, Wake R, Lochmuller H, Horvath R. . Journal of Neurology 2023, 270, 3112-3119.
    • Sorensen DM, Bostock H, Abrahao A, Alaamel A, Alaydin HC, Ballegaard M, Boran E, Cengiz B, de Carvalho M, Dunker O, Fuglsang-Frederiksen A, Graffe CC, Jones KE, Kallio M, Kalra S, Krarup C, Kroigard T, Liguori R, Lupescu T, Maitland S, Matamala JM, Moldovan M, Moreno-Roco J, Nilsen KB, Phung L, Santos MO, Themistocleous AC, Uysal H, Vacchiano V, Whittaker RG, Zinman L, Tankisi H. . Clinical Neurophysiology 2023, 151, 92-99.
    • Maitland S, Hall J, McNeill A, Stenberg B, Schofield I, Whittaker R. . Muscle and Nerve 2022, 66(6), 730-735.
    • Heskamp L, Miller R, Birkbeck MG, Hall J, Schofield I, Blamire A, Whittaker R. . Clinical Neurophysiology 2022, 141, 91-100.
    • Ng YS, Lax NZ, Blain AP, Erskine D, Baker MR, Polvikoski T, Thomas RH, Morris CM, Lai M, Whittaker RG, Gebbels A, Winder A, Hall J, Feeney C, Farrugia ME, Hirst C, Roberts M, Lawthom C, Chrysostomou A, Murphy K, Baird T, Maddison P, Duncan C, Poulton J, Nesbitt V, Hanna MG, Pitceathly RDS, Taylor RW, Blakely EL, Schaefer AM, Turnbull DM, McFarland R, Gorman GS. . Brain 2022, 145(2), 542-554.
    • Maitland S, Escobedo-Cousin E, Schofield I, O'Neill A, Baker S, Whittaker R. . Clinical Neurophysiology 2022, 136, 82-92.
    • Birkbeck MG, Blamire AM, Whittaker RG, Sayer AA, Dodds RM. . Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle 2021, 12(1), 17-29.
    • Heskamp L, Birkbeck MG, Whittaker RG, Schofield IS, Blamire AM. . NMR in Biomedicine 2021, 34(3), e4466.
    • Braz LP, Ng YS, Gorman GS, Schafer AM, McFarland R, Taylor RW, Turnbull DM, Whittaker RG. . Neurology Clinical Practice 2021, 11(2), 97-104.
    • Silveira C, Brunton E, Escobedo-Cousin E, Gupta G, Whittaker R, O'Neill A, Nazarpour K. . IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering 2020, 28(10), 2136-2143.
    • Birkbeck MG, Blamire AM, Whittaker RG, Sayer AA, Dodds RM. . Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle 2020, 12(1), 17-29.
    • Birkbeck MG, Heskamp L, Schofield IS, Blamire AM, Whittaker RG. . Clinical Neurophysiology 2020, 131(6), 1399-1406.
    • McMacken G, Whittaker RG, Charlton R, Barresi R, Lochmuller H, Horvath R. . European Journal of Neurology 2020, 28(1), 297-304.
    • McMacken GM, Spendiff S, Whittaker RG, O'Connor E, Howarth RM, Boczonadi V, Horvath R, Slater CR, Lochmuller H. . Human Molecular Genetics 2019, 28(14), 2339-2351.
    • Whittaker RG, Porcari P, Braz L, Williams TL, Schofield IS, Blamire A. . Annals of Neurology 2019, 85(3), 455-459.
    • McMacken G, Cox D, Roos A, Müller J, Whittaker R, Lochmüller H. . Human Molecular Genetics 2018, 27(9), 1556–1564.
    • Bansagi B, Phan V, Baker MR, O'Sullivan J, Jennings MJ, Whittaker RG, Müller JS, Duff J, Griffin H, Miller JAL, Gorman GS, Lochmüller H, Chinnery PF, Roos A, Swan LE, Horvath R. . Neurology 2018, 90(21), e1842-e1848.
    • Boczonadi V, King MS, Smith AC, Olahova M, Bansagi B, Roos A, Eyassu F, Borchers C, Ramesh V, Lochmuller H, Polvikoski T, Whittaker RG, Pyle A, Griffin H, Taylor RW, Chinnery PF, Robinson AJ, Kunji ERS, Horvath R. . Genetics in Medicine 2018, 20(10), 1224-1235.
    • McMacken G, Whittaker RG, Evangelista T, Abicht A, Dusl M, Lochmuller H. . Journal of Neurology 2018, 265(1), 194-203.
    • Mackay M, Mahlaba H, Gavillet E, Whittaker RG. . Seizure - European Journal of Epilepsy 2017, 51, 180-185.
    • Lanza G, Kosac A, Trajkovic G, Whittaker RG. . Journal of Neuromuscular Diseases 2017, 4(3), 209-215.
    • Bansagi B, Griffin H, Whittaker RG, Antoniadi T, Evangelista T, Miller J, Greenslade M, Forester N, Duff J, Bradshaw A, Kleinle S, Boczonadi V, Steele H, Ramesh V, Franko E, Pyle A, Lochmuller H, Chinnery PF, Horvath R. . Neurology 2017, 88(13), 1226-1234.
    • Yazdani P, Read JCA, Whittaker RG, Trevelyan AJ. . Physiological Reports 2017, 5(5), e13079.
    • White M, Whittaker R, Gandara C, Stoll EA. . Human Gene Therapy Methods 2017, 28(4), 163-176.
    • Shields MC, Bowers MR, Fulcer MM, Bollig MK, Rock PJ, Sutton BR, Vrailas-Mortimer AD, Lochmueller H, Whittaker RG, Horvath R, Reist NE. . PLOS One 2017, 1-25.
    • Hunter E, Rogathi J, Chigudu S, Jusabani A, Jackson M, Whittaker RG, Gray W, McNally RJ, Aris E, Mushi D, Walker R. . Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy 2016, 36, 49-56.
    • Atherton KE, Nobre AC, Lazar AS, Wulff K, Whittaker RG, Dhawan V, Lazar ZI, Zeman AZ, Butler CR. . Cortex 2016, 84, 80-89.
    • Jones RS, daSilva AB, Whittaker RG, Woodhall GL, Cunningham MO. . Journal of Neuroscience Methods 2016, 260, 221-232.
    • Lax NZ, Grady J, Laude A, Chan F, Hepplewhite PD, Gorman G, Whittaker RG, Ng Y, Cunningham MO, Turnbull DM. . Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology 2016, 42(2), 180-193.
    • Yazdani P, Serrano-Pedraza I, Whittaker RG, Trevelyan A, Read JC. . Journal of Vision 2015, 15(13).
    • Read JCA, Georgiou R, Brash C, Yazdani P, Whittaker R, Trevelyan A, Serrano-Pedraza I. . Journal of Vision 2015, 15(1), 5.
    • Whittaker RG, Devine HE, Gorman GS, Schaefer AM, Horvath R, Ng Y, Nesbitt V, Lax NZ, McFarland R, Cunningham MO, Taylor RW, Turnbull DM. . Annals of Neurology 2015, 78(6), 949-957.
    • Whittaker RG, Herrmann DN, Bansagi B, Hasan BAS, Lofra RM, Logigian EL, Sowden JE, Almodovar JL, Littleton JT, Zuchner S, Horvath R, Lochmuller H. . Neurology 2015, 85(22), 1964-1971.
    • Herrmann DN, Horvath R, Sowden JE, Gonzales M, Sanchez-Mejias A, Guan Z, Whittaker RG, Almodovar JL, Lane M, Bansagi B, Pyle A, Boczonadi V, Lochmuller H, Griffin H, Chinnery PE, Lloyd TE, Littleton JT, Zuchner S. . American Journal of Human Genetics 2014, 95(3), 332-339.
    • Simon A, Traub RD, Vladimirov N, Jenkins A, Nicholson C, Whittaker RG, Schofield I, Clowry GJ, Cunningham MO, Whittington MA. . European Journal of Neuroscience 2014, 39(1), 46-60.
    • Kosac A, Gavillet E, Whittaker RG. . Muscle and Nerve 2013, 48(5), 711-715.
    • Elson JL, Cadogan M, Apabhai S, Whittaker RG, Phillips A, Trennell MI, Horvath R, Taylor RW, McFarland R, McColl E, Turnbull DM, Gorman GS. . Neuromuscular Disorders 2013, 23(4), 324-329.
    • Whittaker RG, Hall E, Mansoor MK, Taylor RW, Turnbull DM. . Journal of the Peripheral Nervous System 2013, 18(1), 59-61.
    • Jaiser SR, Baker MR, Whittaker RG, Birchall D, Chinnery PF. . Neurology 2013, 81(2), e5-e9.
    • Basu AP, Bellis P, Whittaker RG, McKean M, Devlin A. . Neurology 2012, 79(17), e153.
    • Lax NZ, Whittaker RG, Hepplewhite PD, Reeve AK, Blakely EL, Jaros E, Ince PG, Taylor RW, Fawcett PR, Turnbull DM. . Brain 2012, 135(1), 62-71.
    • Read JL, Whittaker RG, Miller N, Clark S, Taylor R, McFarland R, Turnbull D. . International Journal Language Communication Disorders 2012, 47(1), 106-111.
    • Cunningham MO, Roopun A, Schofield IS, Whittaker RG, Duncan R, Russell A, Jenkins A, Nicholson C, Whittington MA, Traub RD. . Epilepsia 2012, 53(7), 1205-1214.
    • Burton K, Rogathe J, Whittaker RG, Mankad K, Hunter E, Burton MJ, Todd J, Neville BGR, Walker R, Newton CRJC. . Seizure: European Journal fo Epliepsy 2012, 21(3), 169-174.
    • Baker MR, Fisher KM, Whittaker RG, Griffiths PG, Yu-Wai-Man P, Chinnery PF. . Neurology 2011, 77(13), 1309-1312.
    • Lavender T, Goldsmith P, Whittaker R, Schwab U. . Journal of Infection 2011, 63(6), e117-e118.
    • Blackwood JK, Whittaker RG, Blakely EL, Alston CL, Turnbull DM, Taylor RW. . Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 2010, 393(4), 740-745.
    • Elson JL, Apabhai S, Gorman G, Whittaker RG, Krishnan KJ. . Genetics in Medicine 2010, 12(5), 313-314.
    • Yu Wai Man P, Griffiths PG, Gorman GS, Lourenco CM, Wright AF, Auer-Grumbach M, Toscano A, Musumeci O, Valentino ML, Caporali L, Lamperti C, Tallaksen CM, Duffey P, Miller J, Whittaker RG, Baker MR, Jackson MJ, Clarke MP, Dhillon B, Czermin B, Stewart JD, Hudson G, Reynier P, Bonneau D, Marques W, Lenaers G, McFarland R, Taylor RW, Turnbull DM, Votruba M, Zeviani M, Carelli V, Bindoff LA, Horvath R, Amati-Bonneau P, Chinnery PF. . Brain 2010, 133(3), 771-786.
    • Roopun AK, Simonotto JD, Pierce ML, Jenkins A, Nicholson C, Schofield IS, Whittaker RG, Kaiser M, Whittington MA, Traub RD, Cunningham MO. . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 2010, 107(1), 338-343.
    • Al-Dosary M, Whittaker RG, Haughton J, McFarland R, Goodship J, Turnbull DM, Taylor RW. . Neuromuscular Disorders 2009, 19(12), 841-844.
    • Roopun AK, Traub RD, Baldeweg T, Cunningham MO, Whittaker RG, Trevelyan A, Duncan R, Russell AJC, Whittington MA. . Epilepsy & Behavior 2009, 14(1), 39-46.
    • Whittaker RG, Turnbull DM. . Clinical Genetics 2009, 75(1), 37-38.
    • Schaefer AM, McFarland R, Blakely EL, He L, Whittaker RG, Taylor RW, Chinnery PF, Turnbull DM. . Annals of Neurology 2008, 63(1), 35-39.
    • Moriarty KT, McFarland R, Whittaker R, Burch J, Turnbull HE, Taylor RW, Turnbull DM. . Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 2008, 28(3), 349.
    • Whittaker R, Scott A, Gardner M. . Journal of ECT 2007, 23(1), 11-13.
    • Whittaker RG, Schaefer AM, McFarland R, Taylor RW, Walker M, Turnbull DM. . Diabetologia 2007, 50(10), 2085-2089.
    • Whittaker RG, Schaefer AM, McFarland R, Taylor RW, Walker M, Turnbull DM. . Diabetes Care 2007, 30(9), 2238-2239.
    • Whittaker RG, Ferenczi E, Hilton-Jones D. . Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry 2006, 77(11), 1282-1283.
    • Taylor RW, Schaefer AM, Blakely EL, He L, McFarland R, Whittaker RG, Chinnery PF, Turnbull DM. . Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease 2006, 29(s1), 44.

  • Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

    • Birkbeck MG, Heskamp L, Schofield IS, Sayer AA, Blamire AM, Whittaker RG. . In: 10th Annual Alliance for Healthy Ageing Conference. 2019, Slaley Hall, Hexham.
    • Birkbeck MG, Heskamp L, Schofield I, Whittaker R, Blamire A. . In: Annual Meeting of the British Chapter of the International Society of Magnetic Resonance In Medicine. 2019, Sheffield.
    • Birkbeck MG, Schofield IS, Heskamp L, Whittaker RG, Blamire AM. . In: MYO-MRI Imaging in Neuromuscular Disease 2019. 2019, Berlin: MYO-MRI.
    • Raper J, Jenabi F, Lim A, Whittaker R, Anderson K, Basu A. . In: British Paediatric Neurology Association Annual Meeting. 2017, Cambridge: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
    • Whittaker RG, Herrmann DN, Bansagi B, Hasan BAS, Lofra RM, Lochmuller H, Horvath R. . In: 2015 Peripheral Nerve Society Biennial Meeting. 2015, Quebec City, Canada: Wiley.
    • Shaw S, Ng YS, Whittaker R, McFarland R, Turnbull D, Gorman G, Schaefer A. . In: 2015 ABN Annual Meeting. 2015, London, UK: BMJ Group.
    • Jones K, Whittaker R, Miller J, Jakovljevic D, Turnbull D, Gorman G. . In: Association of British Neurologists (ABN) joint meeting with the Royal College of Physicians (RCP). 2013, London, UK: BMJ Publishing Group.
    • Hunter E, Rogathe J, Iqbal A, Birchall D, Whittaker R, Jackson M, Jusabani A, Aris E, Walker R. . In: Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry: Association of British Neurologists Annual Meeting. 2012, Gateshead, UK: BMJ Group.
    • Gorman G, Turnbull DM, Horvath R, Whittaker R, Phillips A, Cadogan M, Elson JL, McColl E, Apabhai S, MaFarland R. . In: Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry: Annual Meeting of the Association of British Neurologists. 2010, Bournemouth, UK: BMJ Group.
    • Turnbull H, Whittaker RG, Phillips A, Poulton J, McFarland R. . In: Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry: ABN Joint Annual Meeting/Spanish Society of Neurology. 2009, Liverpool, UK: BMJ Group.
    • Al-Dosary M, Whittaker R, Hood J, McFarland R, Goodship JA, Turnbull DM, Taylor RW. . In: Neuromuscular Disorders: 14th International Congress of the World Muscle Society. 2009, Geneva, Switzerland: Elsevier Ltd.
    • Roopun AK, Simonotto JD, Pierce ML, Jenkins A, Schofield IS, Whittaker RG, Kaiser M, Whittington MA, Traub RD, Cunningham MO. . In: Neuroscience 2009: Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting. 2009, Chicago, IL: Society for Neuroscience.
    • Alston C, Whittaker RG, Blakely EL, Blackwood JK, McFarland R, Turnbull DM, Taylor RW. . In: British Human Genetics Conference 2008. 2008, University of York, UK: Journal of Medical Genetics: BMJ Group.

  • Editorials

    • Blamire AM, Heskamp L, Hall J, Whittaker R. . Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging 2022, 56(4), 1116-1117.
    • Whittaker RG, Chinnery PF, Miller JAL. . Neurology 2014, 82(24), E220-E221.
    • Whittaker RG, Blackwood JK, Alston CL, Blakely EL, Elson JL, McFarland R, Chinnery PF, Turnbull DM, Taylor RW. . Neurology 2009, 72(6), 568-569.

  • Letters

    • Whittaker RG, Gorman G, Ng Y, Turnbull DM. . Annals of Neurology 2016, 80(2), 314-314.
    • Brown SM, Williams TL, Whittaker RG. . Muscle & Nerve 2012, 46(1), 144-145.
    • Whittaker RG, Turnbull DM, Whittington MA, Cunningham MO. . Brain 2011, 134(7), e180.
    • Romaniuk L, Turnbull DM, Whittaker RG. . Clinical Neurophysiology 2011, 122(6), 1270-1271.
    • Whittaker RG, Schaefer AM, Taylor RW, Turnbull DM. . Journal of Neurology 2007, 254(8), 1138-1139.

  • Note

    • Boczonadi V, King MS, Smith AC, Olahova M, Bansagi B, Roos A, Eyassu F, Borchers C, Ramesh V, Lochmuller H, Polvikoski T, Whittaker RG, Pyle A, Griffin H, Taylor RW, Chinnery PF, Robinson AJ, Kunji ERS, Horvath R. . Genetics in Medicine 2019, 21, 2163-2164.

  • Reviews

    • Shin-Yi Lin C, Howells J, Rutkove S, Nandedkar S, Neuwirth C, Noto Y-I, Shahrizaila N, Whittaker RG, Bostock H, Burke D, Tankisi H. . Clinical Neurophysiology 2024, 162, 91-120.
    • Heskamp L, Birkbeck MG, Baxter-Beard D, Hall J, Schofield IS, Elameer M, Whittaker RG, Blamire AM. . Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging 2024, 60(6), 2253-2271.
    • White M, Whittaker RG. . Open Access Journal of Clinical Trials 2022, 14, 1-9.
    • White M, Mackay M, Whittaker RG. . Open Access Journal of Clinical Trials 2020, 12, 33-41.
    • Whittaker RG. . Practical Neurology 2015, 15(6), 445-450.
    • Nesbitt V, Whittaker R, Turnbull D, McFarland R, Taylor R. . Future Neurology 2011, 6(1), 63-80.
    • Say RE, Whittaker RG, Turnbull HE, McFarland R, Taylor RW, Turnbull DM. . Obstetric Medicine 2011, 4(3), 90-94.
    • Kisler JE, Whittaker RG, McFarland R. . Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology 2010, 52(5), 422-433.