David Nicholl (neurologist)

{{short description|Northern Irish doctor}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

David Nicholl is a neurologist, human rights activist, fundraiser for Amnesty International, and online columnist from Belfast, Northern Ireland.{{Cite web|url=http://thestirrer.thebirminghampress.com/david_nicholl.html|title=Dr David Nicholl at The Stirrer|website=thestirrer.thebirminghampress.com|access-date=18 November 2019|archive-date=22 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922024033/http://thestirrer.thebirminghampress.com/david_nicholl.html|url-status=dead}} In March 2006 he initiated a letter in the medical journal The Lancet, signed by more than 250 medical experts, urging the United States to stop force-feeding at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base and close down the prison camp.{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6983858.stm|title=Guantanamo medics 'fail patients'|date=September 7, 2007|via=news.bbc.co.uk}} He is also a principal author of a reference work on neurological conditions [http://us.elsevierhealth.com/product.jsp?isbn=9780443060199 Clinical Neurology CD-ROM] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710184354/http://us.elsevierhealth.com/product.jsp?isbn=9780443060199 |date=2011-07-10 }}.

Nicholl holds the position of consultant neurologist at City Hospital & Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, and is honorary senior lecturer at the University of Birmingham.

Nicholl is a specialist in Parkinson's disease, and is best known scientifically for his participation in the project for cloning a gene, PARK8, linked with at least one form of the disease."Cloning of the gene containing mutations that cause PARK8-linked Parkinson's disease" by Paisan-Ruiz C, Jain S, Evans EW, Gilks WP, Simon J, van der Brug M, de Munain AL, Aparicio S, Gil AM, Khan N, Johnson J, Martinez JR, Nicholl D, Carrera IM, Pena AS, de Silva R, Lees A, Marti-Masso JF, Perez-Tur J, Wood NW, Singleton AB. Neurology 44(4):595-600 2004

In 2014, Nicholl signed a statement of support for Moazzam Begg, following Begg's arrest for allegations of supporting terrorism in the Syrian Civil War[http://www.cageuk.org/content/statement-support-moazzam-begg Statement of support for Moazzam Begg], 2014, Cageprisoners in a case which subsequently collapsed.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/01/moazzam-begg-freed-case-collapses|title=Moazzam Begg freed after terrorism case against him collapses|last=Cobain|first=Ian|date=2014-10-01|work=The Guardian|access-date=2020-01-28|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/03/moazzam-begg-malicious-vindictive-detainment|title=Moazzam Begg complains of 'malicious' and 'vindictive' detention|last1=Cobain|first1=Ian|date=2014-10-03|work=The Guardian|access-date=2020-01-28|last2=Ramesh|first2=Randeep|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}

He stood for the Liberal Democrats in Bromsgrove at the 2019 general election. He got 6,779 votes (12.5%), and lost to the Conservative candidate Sajid Javid.{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/djnicholl?s=17|title=Dr David Nicholl Lib Dem PPC for Bromsgrove (@djnicholl) | Twitter|website=twitter.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.markpack.org.uk/159872/doctor-smeared-by-jacob-rees-mogg-to-stand-for-the-liberal-democrats/|title=Doctor smeared by Jacob Rees-Mogg to stand for the Liberal Democrats|date=September 27, 2019|website=Mark Pack}}