Originally from Ireland, I graduated in Biology from Strathclyde University in 1987 and gained my PhD from the University of Glasgow. I am currently a Lecturer in the Faculty of Clinical and Laboratory Sciences, Cardiovascular Research Group, University of Manchester. I have had a long-standing interest in endothelial and vessel wall dysfunction, and my work has involved the use of rodent models and adenoviral-mediated gene transfer as study tools to understand gene regulation and protein function in relation to cardiovascular disease mechanisms. I collaborate in a wide network of international researchers, have published original papers and invited reviews, act both on review panels and as a reviewer of manuscripts for international journals and also hold a number of research grants. I have given a number of invited lectures, communicating enthusiasm for cardiovascular biology and striving to translate scientific discoveries into improved clinical practice.
My research now focuses on the understanding of how endothelial dysfunction leads to the development of atherosclerosis. In particular we are focusing on endothelial shedding, modulation of smooth muscle cell phenotype and development of calcification in the advanced plaque lesion, and how these three phenomena interlink to predispose to coronary heart disease. The research uses human studies and cellular and in vivo models. As a basic scientist with many clinical collaborators, the goal of my research is to provide a better molecular understanding of atherosclerotic disease so that improved therapy can be designed. |
