Dr Francesca Arrigoni

Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education
Department of Pharmacy
School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy and Chemistry
Penrhyn Road

Associate Professor Physiology/ Pharmacology

[email protected]

ORCID

About

Dr Francesca Arrigoni is an Associate Professor in Physiology and Pharmacology in the Department of Pharmacy at Kingston and has close ties working with UCL. She gained her PhD and post-doctoral experience at UCL and completed her undergraduate degree at Glasgow University with several awards and distinctions (John Hunter Medal two consecutive years).

Her pioneering transdisciplinary teaching seamlessly integrates art and science, breaking traditional boundaries to enhance public understanding and revolutionise teaching practices in higher education. Her innovative approach not only informs and engages diverse audiences but also fosters creative and critical thinking.

Francesca has been recognised for her exceptional contributions to education and innovation at Kingston University. In 2024, she received the EDI Award for her outstanding efforts in promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion within the university community. Her innovative approaches in nursing education earned her the Teaching Innovation of the Year award in 2023, presented by the Student Nursing Times. Additionally, Francesca was honoured with the Kingston Learning and Teaching Fellowship Award in 2020, celebrating her dedication to enhancing teaching practices and student outcomes.

Francesca has forged impactful collaborations that bridge diverse fields and foster interdisciplinary learning. Her partnership with the Hunterian Museum has been instrumental in creating seminars, lectures, and exhibitions that enrich the educational experience for students and the public alike. This collaboration highlights the museum's historical and scientific significance, making it a vibrant hub for learning and discovery. Francesca consequently curated the "Transforming Lives" exhibition in collaboration with The Hunterian Museum and The Physiology Society, showcasing student work and highlighting the transformative power of education in 2024.

At the Economic Botany Collection in Kew, Francesca led a pioneering pilot programme on the pharmacognosy of poisons. This unique initiative brought together needlework students and pharmaceutical science and pharmacy students, offering them a hands-on approach to understanding the medicinal properties and toxicology of plants. This program not only enhanced their scientific knowledge but also fostered creativity and collaboration across very diverse disciplines.

Francesca's development of transdisciplinary teaching strategies in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) has revolutionised the way nursing, pharmacy, and pharmacology courses are taught. By integrating art into scientific education, she has created engaging and innovative learning experiences that help students grasp complex concepts more effectively. Her approach encourages critical thinking, creativity, and a deeper appreciation for the interconnectedness of different fields.

She designed the pin badge for Kingston School of Pharmacy, symbolising pharmacy's commitment to excellence.

She developed and recorded lectures on Acid Base Balance for the Physiology Society Training Hub Films, contributing to an international repository of physiology lessons. Her podcasts, including the 'Immunology Series' and 'What’s Art got to do with it?' on franscienceart.com, have garnered over 53,000 listens globally, featuring interviews with notable figures like Professor Ole Petersen, Jo Le Gleud, Yasmin Crawford, Dr Ed Bloomer, and Dawn Kemp.

Her most recent grants crossing disciplines have been the Paton Award, investigating the illustrative impact of Hookes Micrographia(2025), and 'promoting transdisciplinary creative thinking skills to improve accessibility of Physiology and STEM teaching' (2023).

Qualifications

PhD Pharmacology UCL
BSc (Hons) Physiology Glasgow University
Senior Fellowship Higher Education Authority
PGCE
SFHEA
SFSEDA

Domains

Francesca Arrigoni, Course Director for Pharmacy with Preparatory Year, is an Associate Professor at Kingston University, has made significant contributions to cardiovascular disease and inflammation research, collaborating with prestigious institutions like UCL and Great Ormond Street. Her dedication to student success is evident through her innovative teaching methods, including the development of a Critical Thinking Toolkit for Science, honing on those skills essential for critical evaluation and scientific method, which has been widely adopted across multiple faculties. Her commitment to interdisciplinary teaching is showcased by her Art-Physiology lessons, which blend science and art to enhance student engagement and resilience.

These efforts have led to improved student outcomes, such as higher progression rates and better exam scores. Additionally, Francesca has supported colleagues in achieving HEA accreditation and led initiatives to promote gender equality within her department. Her work has been recognised with several awards, including the Kingston Teaching Fellowship and the Student Nursing Times Innovation of the Year and nomination for Times Higher Education Research supervisor of the Year. Her ongoing professional development includes pursuing an MA in Illustration to further explore the intersection of science and art. Through her innovative approaches and dedication to excellence, Arrigoni has significantly impacted both student learning and the teaching profession.

Course Director for Pharmacy with Preparatory Year (2024)
Associate Professor of Physiology Pharmacology (2022-present).
Teaching Innovation of the Year (2023) by the Student Nursing Times for creative physiology workshops.
Kingston Learning and Teaching Fellowship Award (2020) for developing critical and creative thinking skills.
Senor Fellowship Staff Education Development Association (2023) and Fellowship of SEDA (2021).
Fellow Physiological Society (2012) and Fellow British Pharmacological Society (2012).
Redesign of Pharmacy Curriculum (2022-2023) to meet revised standards and embed inclusivity.
Creation of transdisciplinary partnerships with institutions like the Hunterian Museum and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

External conference talks (art and science)

BERA Specialist Interest Group: "What is the value of STEAM in education?" Virtual, 2 October 2024.
Memorial Lecture: "Anna Croft Memorial Lecture." September 2024. 'What's art got to do with it?'
BERA: "Pharmacy, poisons and plants: A transdisciplinary approach to learning
pharmacology." Birmingham, 12-14 September 2023.
Physiology Society: "Innovative ways to teach Physiology" session at Physiology in Focus. Leeds, 12-13 April 2023.
GLAD: "Sewing the seeds for transdisciplinary learning." University of the Arts, Central St Martins College of Art, 2023.

Qualifications

Senior Fellow HEA
PGCE
Kingston University Learning and Teaching Fellow
Senior Fellow SEDA

Courses taught

Publications (last five years):

2024: Arrigoni, F. work credited in:Conway, Clare, and Aybige Yilmaz. "‘A space to question the current ways of life’—fostering creative possibilities through liminal experiences." Innovative Practice in Higher Education 6.2 (2024).
2023: Arrigoni, F. work credited in: Heron, M. and Wason, H., 2023. Supporting critical thinking through purposeful classroom talk. Educational Developments, 24(4), pp.4-8.
2023: Arrigoni, F. work credited in: Wason, H. and Heron, M., 2023. Developing dialogic stance through professional development workshops. Innovations in Education & Teaching International. [online]
2023: Arrigoni, F.I., et al. "Impact of sub-optimal HIV viral control on activated T-cells; an EARNEST substudy." AIDS, September 2023. DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000003488
2021: Kelly, C., et al. "Inflammatory pathways amongst people living with HIV in Malawi differ according to socioeconomic status." PloS One, 16(8), e0256576. DOI: 10.1101/2020.06.14.20130971
2021: Kelly, C., et al. "Inflammatory Phenotypes Predict Changes in Arterial Stiffness Following Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation." Clinical Infectious Diseases, 71(9), 2389-2397. DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaa186
2021: Prendergast, A.J., et al. "The impact of viraemia on inflammatory biomarkers and CD4 cell subpopulations in HIV-infected children in sub-Saharan Africa." AIDS (London, England), 35(10), 1537. DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000002916
External conference talks (art and science)
- BERA Specialist Interest Group: "What is the value of STEAM in education?" Virtual, 2 October 2024.
- Memorial Lecture: "Anna Croft Memorial Lecture." September 2024.
- BERA: "Pharmacy, poisons and plants: A transdisciplinary approach to learning
- pharmacology." Birmingham, 12-14 September 2023.
- Physiology Society: "Innovative ways to teach Physiology" session at Physiology in Focus. Leeds, 12-13 April 2023.
- GLAD: "Sewing the seeds for transdisciplinary learning." University of the Arts, Central St Martins College of Art, 2023.

Artistic experience

MA Illustration (2023-2025), Kingston University
Art Physiology Lessons: Developed and led creative physiology workshops integrating art and science.

Transdisciplinary projects

Hunterian Museum Partnership: Created a partnership for seminars, lectures and exhibition, funded by Physiology Society grant
Economic Botany Collection, Kew: Led a pilot program on pharmacognosy of poisons observed at Kew, between needlework students and Pharmaceutical science and Pharmacy students.
STEAM Teaching: Developed transdisciplinary teaching strategies combining science and art in nursing, pharmacy and pharmacology courses.

Grants and funding

Paton Historical Prize (2025), Physiological Society. “Hooke’s Micrographia through a New Lens”
Physiological Society Education and Teaching Award (2023), £9,928. “Promoting transdisciplinary creative thinking skills to improve accessibility of Physiology and STEM teaching”
NHS Croydon Long COVID Study (2021), £60,000, PhD studentship.

Awards and honours

EDI Award (2024), Kingston University
Teaching Innovation of the Year (2023), Student Nursing Times
Kingston Learning and Teaching Fellowship Award (2020)
SFSEDA (2023), SFHEA (2018)

Community engagement

Designed pin badge for Kingston School of Pharmacy
Book of STIs: Arrigoni-Halliday, F., 2025. The Book of STIs. Dialogues. [Accessed 22 April 2025].
Exhibition "Transforming Lives": Curated in collaboration with The Hunterian Museum and The Physiology Society, showcasing student work.
Physiology Society Training Hub Films: Developed and recorded lectures for an international repository of physiology lessons (Acid Base Balance).
Podcasts: Franscienceart.com ‘Immunology Series’, ‘What’s Art got to do with it?’ available on multiple platforms with over 53,000 listens globally. https://soundcloud.com/user-817469363
- Interviewees:
- Professor Ole Petersen, CBE FRS
- Jo Le Gleud, Interior Designer
- Yasmin Crawford, Photographer
- Dr Ed Bloomer, Astronomer
- Dawn Kemp, Director of the Hunterian Museum
Physiology News Articles:
- 2023: "Transdisciplinary Science and Art: How drawing and notebook creation improved student accessibility to complex scientific concepts." Physiology News, Issue 130.
- 2023: "Pharmacy, poisons and plants: A transdisciplinary approach to learning pharmacology." Physiology News, Summer 2023.
Nursing Summer Elective KU: Developed creative physiology workshops for nursing students.
CritTALK Community: [KU University of Surrey] Contributed to a good practice guide on critical thinking.
Adult Education: Informal Sci art classes at Physiology Society 2024 and staff at KU 2025.

Qualifications

PhD Pharmacology
BSc Hons Physiology
SFSEDA
SFHEA

Specialisms

Immunology of HIV
The Vascular Endothelium
Cardiovascular Disease
Inflammation and damage to the lining of blood vessels
Teaching and Learning

Scholarly affiliations

Member of the Physiological Society
Member of the British Pharmacological Society
Senior Research Associate (Honorary) Institute of Child Health, Great Ormond Street Hospital, UCL
SEDA
BERA

Publications

Association between COVID-19 vaccination and long COVID symptoms in hospitalised survivors: distinguishing prevention from reverse causality

Daodu, Lanre Peter, Raste, Yogini, Allgrove, Judith E., Arrigoni, Francesca I.F. and Kayyali, Reem, 2026, Biomedicines (14), 2, Published

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A retrospective observational study of pulmonary impairments in long COVID patients

Daodu, Lanre Peter, Raste, Yogini, Allgrove, Judith E., Arrigoni, Francesca I.F. and Kayyali, Reem, 2026, Biomedicines (14), 1, Published

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Transdisciplinary science and art: how drawing and notebook creation improved student accessibility to complex scientific concepts

Arrigoni, Francesca, 2023, Physiology News Magazine pp 21-23, Published

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Impact of sub-optimal HIV viral control on activated T-cells: an earnest sub study

Olal, Patrick, Paton, Nicholas I., Walker, A. Sarah, Klein, Nigel, Alber, Dagmar, Kityo, Cissy, Hakim, James, Matubu, Allen, Arrigoni, Francesca I.F., Spyer, Moira and Hunter, Patricia, 2023, AIDS, E-pub ahead of print

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Inflammatory pathways amongst people living with HIV in Malawi differ according to socioeconomic status

Kelly, Christine, Tinago, Willard, Alber, Dagmar, Hunter, Patricia, Luckhurst, Natasha, Connolly, Jake, Arrigoni, Francesca, Abner, Alejandro Garcia, Kamn’gona, Raphael, Sheha, Irene, Chammudzi, Mishek, Jambo, Kondwani, Mallewa, Jane, Rapala, Alicja, Mallon, Patrick W.G., Mwandumba, Henry, Klein, Nigel and Khoo, Saye, 2021, PLoS ONE (16), 8, Published

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The impact of viraemia on inflammatory biomarkers and CD4 cell subpopulations in HIV-infected children in sub-Saharan Africa

Prendergast, Andrew J., Szubert, Alexander J., Pimundu, Godfrey, Berejena, Chipo, Pala, Pietro, Shonhai, Annie, Hunter, Patricia, Arrigoni, Francesca I.F., Musiime, Victor, Bwakura-Dangarembizi, Mutsa, Musoke, Philippa, Poulsom, Hannah, Kihembo, MacKlyn, Munderi, Paula, Gibb, Diana M., Spyer, Moira J., Walker, A. Sarah and Klein, Nigel, 2021, AIDS (35), 10 pp 1537-1548, Published

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Inflammatory phenotypes predict changes in arterial stiffness following antiretroviral therapy initiation

Kelly, Christine, Tinago, Willard, Alber, Dagmar, Hunter, Patricia, Luckhurst, Natasha, Connolly, Jake, Arrigoni, Francesca, Abner, Alejandro Garcia, Kamngona, Ralph, Sheha, Irene, Chammudzi, Mishek, Jambo, Kondwani, Mallewa, Jane, Rapala, Alicja, Heyderman, Robert S., Mallon, Patrick W.G., Mwandumba, Henry, Walker, A. Sarah, Klein, Nigel and Khoo, Saye, 2020, Clinical Infectious Diseases (71), 9 pp 2389-2397, Published

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Microvascular function in pre-eclampsia is influenced by insulin resistance and an imbalance of angiogenic mediators

Ghosh, Anshuman, Freestone, Nicholas S., Anim-Nyame, Nicholas and Arrigoni, Francesca I.F., 2017, Physiological Reports (5), 8, E-pub ahead of print

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Dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase 2 regulates nitric oxide synthesis and hemodynamics and determines outcome in Polymicrobial sepsis

Lambden, Simon, Kelly, Peter, Ahmetaj-Shala, Blerina, Wang, Zhen, Lee, Benjamin, Nandi, Manasi, Torondel, Belen, Delahaye, Matthew, Dowsett, Laura, Piper, Sophie, Tomlinson, James, Caplin, Ben, Colman, Lucy, Boruc, Olga, Slaviero, Anna, Zhao, Lan, Oliver, Eduardo, Khadayate, Sanjay, Singer, Mervyn, Arrigoni, Francesca and Leiper, James, 2015, Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology (35), 6 pp 1382-1392, Published

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Relationship between insulin resistance and circulating endothelial cells in pre-eclampsia.

Anim-Nyame, Nick, Ghosh, Anshuman, Freestone, Nick and Arrigoni, Francesca I.F., 2015, Gynecological endocrinology : the official journal of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology (31), 10 pp 788-791, Published

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Levels of circulating endothelial cells and colony forming units are influenced by age and dyslipidaemia

Fabbri-Arrigoni, Francesca I., Clarke, Lindsey, Wang, Guosu, Charakida, Marietta, Ellins, Elizabeth, Halliday, Neil, Brogan, Paul A., Deanfield, John E., Halcox, Julian P. and Klein, Nigel, 2012, Pediatric Research (72), 3 pp 299-304, Published

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Extended extraocular phenotype of PROM1 mutation in kindreds with known autosomal dominant macular dystrophy

Arrigoni, Francesca I., Matarin, Mar, Thompson, Pamela J., Michaelides, Michel, McClements, Michelle E., Redmond, Elizabeth, Clarke, Lindsey, Ellins, Elizabeth, Mohamed, Saifullah, Pavord, Ian, Hunt, David M., Moore, Anthony T., Halcox, Julian and Sisodiya, Sanjay M., 2011, European Journal of Human Genetics (19), 2 pp 131-137, Published

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The biology and therapeutic potential of the DDAH/ADMA pathway

Arrigoni, F., Ahmetaj, B. and Leiper, J., 2010, Current Pharmaceutical Design (16), 37 pp 4089-4102, Published

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Endothelial injury and repair in systemic vasculitis of the young

Clarke, L. A., Hong, Y., Eleftheriou, D., Shah, V., Arrigoni, F., Klein, N. J. and Brogan, P. A., 2010, Arthritis and Rheumatism (62), 6 pp 1770-1780, Published

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Tumour cell adhesion of endothelial cell monolayer

Abdullah, A, Arrigoni, F and Freestone, N, 2010, Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology (62), 10 pp 1496-1498, Published

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Quantitative detection of circulating endothelial cells in vasculitis: comparison of flow cytometry and immunomagnetic bead extraction

Clarke, L. A., Shah, V., Arrigoni, F., Eleftheriou, D., Hong, Y., Halcox, J., Klein, N. and Brogan, P. A., 2008, Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis (6), 6 pp 1025-1032, Published

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Developmental regulation of GTP-CH1 in the porcine lung and its relationship to pulmonary vascular relaxation.

Nandi, Manasi, Leiper, James, Arrigoni, Francesca, Hislop, Alison, Vallance, Patrick and Haworth, Sheila, 2006, Pediatric Research (59), 6 pp 767-772, Published

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Dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase activity modulates ADMA levels, VEGF expression, and cell phenotype

Smith, Caroline L., Birdsey, Graeme M., Anthony, Shelagh, Arrigoni, Francesca I., Leiper, James M. and Vallance, Patrick, 2003, Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications (308), 4 pp 984-989, Published

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Metabolism of asymmetric dimethylarginines is regulated in the lung developmentally and with pulmonary hypertension induced by hypobaric hypoxia

Arrigoni, Francesca I., Vallance, Patrick, Haworth, Sheila G. and Leiper, James M., 2003, Circulation (107), 8 pp 1195-1201, Published

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all-trans-retinoic acid increases nitric oxide synthesis by endothelial cells: a role for the induction of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase

Achan, Vinod, Tran, Cam T.L., Arrigoni, Francesca, Whitley, Guy St J., Leiper, James M. and Vallance, Patrick, 2002, Circulation Research (90), 7 pp 764-769, Published

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The value and meaning of STEAM education

Trowsdale, Jo, Chappell, Kerry, McCrory, Amanda, Agustian, Hendra, Boylan, Mark, Kinsella, Victoria, Salehjee, Saima, Burnard, Pamela and Arrigoni, Francesca(2024). [Published]

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Innovative approaches to teaching physiology through art

Arrigoni, Francesca(2024). [Published]

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A 'show and tell': innovative ways to teach physiology

Arrigoni, Francesca, Namvar, Sara and Schmitt, Nicole(2024). [Published]

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The art of doing

Arrigoni, Francesca(2024). [Published]

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Pharmacy, poisons and plants: a transdisciplinary approach to learning pharmacology

Arrigoni, Francesca, Conway, Clare and Wyman, Angie(2023). [Published]

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'Sewing‘ the seeds for transdisciplinary learning

Conway, Clare, Arrigoni, Francesca, Wyman, Angie and Messenger, Erin(2023). [Published]

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Learning pharmacological science in context using art

Arrigoni, Francesca and Conway, Clare(2023). [Published]

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Putting STEAM into nursing teaching

Arrigoni, Francesca and Blackie, Carmel(2023). [Published]

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Transdisciplinary teaching in physiology to improve creative thinking

Arrigoni, Francesca(2021). [Published]

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Dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase levels in blood outgrowth endothelial cells

Halliday, Loryn, Freestone, Nicholas and Arrigoni, Francesca(2021). [Published]

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ADA2 expression and activity in blood outgrowth endothelial cells

Halliday, L., Brogan, P., Freestone, N. and Arrigoni, F.(2020). [Published]

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Adenosine deaminase 2 restores the endothelial glycocalyx of blood outgrowth endothelial cells

Halliday, Loryn, Esposito, Giulia, Brogan, Paul, Freestone, Nicholas and Arrigoni, Francesca(2019). [Published]

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Influence of adenosine deaminase 2, on the angiogenic function of blood outgrowth endothelial cells

Halliday, Loryn, Brogan, Paul, Freestone, Nicholas and Arrigoni, Francesca(2019). [Published]

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Circulating microparticle levels in children following the initiation of antiretroviral therapy

Luckhurst, Natasha, Kenny, Julia, Hunter, Patricia, Freestone, Nicholas, Klein, Nigel and Arrigoni, Francesca(2019). [Published]

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Monocyte-derived microparticles activate human monocytes and promote their transendothelial migration

Freestone, Nicholas, Klein, Nigel, Arrigoni, Francesca, Luckhurst, Natasha and Hunter, Patricia(2019). [Published]

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Adenosine deaminase 2 promotes growth and migration of blood outgrowth endothelial cells, in the presence of adenosine

Halliday, L., Brogan, P., Freestone, N. and Arrigoni, F.(2019). [Published]

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Embedding critical thinking skills in the scientific curricula: how good are we?

Arrigoni, Francesca, Micallef, Ricarda and Wason, Hilary(2019). [Published]

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Inflammatory phenotypes predict pulse wave velocity change on ART in Malawian adults

Kelly, Christine, Tinago, Willard, Garcia Abner, Alejandro, Hunter, Patricia, Alber, Dagmar, Luckhurst, Natasha, Connolly, Jake, Arrigoni, Francesca, Kamngona, Ralph, Mallon, Patrick, Mwandumba, Henry, Walker, Sarah, Khoo, Saye and Klein, Nigel(2019). [Published]

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Alterations in cellular microparticle levels as a marker of cellular activation and injury in children with HIV infection

Klein, N., Arrigoni, F., Luckhurst, N., Kenny, J., Hunter, P. and Freestone, N.(2018). [Published]

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A tale of three faculties: addressing student's barriers to critical thinking using a collaborative learning and teaching approach

Wason, Hilary, Whiting, Cheryl and Arrigoni, Francesca(2018). [Published]

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How do we transform our students critical thinking abilities?

Wason, Hilary, Whiting, Cheryl and Arrigoni, Fran(2017). [Published]

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Transforming our teaching: using the Critical Thinking Skills Toolkit

Wason, Hilary, Whiting, Cheryl and Arrigoni, Fran(2017). [Published]

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Gallery of work

Collecting the Athena SWAN award with Sir Paul Nurse

The Athena SWAN Bronze award for LSPC

Alterations in cellular microparticle levels as a marker of cellular activation and injury in children with HIV infection

N. Luckhurst, PhD student of Dr Arrigoni, delivering her findings at ESPID (European Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases), May 2018

BPS Edinburgh 2019 successes

PhD students old (Blerina Ahmetaj Shala- Bulbring Award ) and new (Loryn Halliday Tocris Travel Award) collect awards, and I meet up with my PhD supervisor Jane Mitchell.

Dr Francesca Arrigoni

About

Qualifications

Domains

Teaching and learning

Research

Leadership and management

Publications

Articles

Book Sections/Chapters

Conference Items

Working Papers

Other

Gallery of work

Collecting the Athena SWAN award with Sir Paul Nurse

Alterations in cellular microparticle levels as a marker of cellular activation and injury in children with HIV infection

BPS Edinburgh 2019 successes

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