Keywords: Vascular Biology; Cardiovascular Medicine; Ophthalmology; Angiogenesis; OIR; Endothelial cells (EC); Microglial cells; ROP; Hypoxia; Hyperoxia; NOS (eNOS and iNOS); BH4; NADPH oxidase; ROS; RNS; Notch/Dll

Vascular Biology and Cell-Cell Communication: Endothelial / Mural (Pericyte and Smooth Muscle)/ Microglial Cell cross talk 

Disease Focus:  Vascular Disease; Endothelial Dysfunction; Retinal Diseases; Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP); Diabetic Retinopathy

Signalling Pathways:  Nitric oxide Synthases (NOS); NADPH oxidase; Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species (ROS/RNS); Notch/Delta (Dll), Hypoxia; Hyperoxia and Inflammation

Model Systems:   Primary cell isolation and culture (endothelial cell, pericyte, microglial); gene delivery (adenoviral, lentiviral); retina as a model of vascular development in health and disease; oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR); aortic explants; green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged fusion construct generation and imaging

Biography

I trained in Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology at Queen’s University Belfast, the University of Leeds and the University of Oxford (in the Cardiovascular Medicine Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, a British Heart Foundation Centre of Excellence). 

I am currently Senior Lecturer in the Institute for Experimental Medicine where my research focuses on developing strategies to preserve normal vasculature and prevent vascular diseases caused by diabetes and aging, with a particular interest in oxidative stress and its impact on vascular growth/function/recovery and tissue repair.

My work has been funded externally by, among others, the Wellcome Trust, Fight for Sight, British Heart Foundation and Action Medical Research.

• Cardiovascular Pathobiology & Treatment (BMS2017) – (Co-ordinator)

• Masters in Medical Research Training Programme

• Portfolio Mentor – Level 1 & 2 Medical students

Select Lecture titles

• Vascular Development: Angiogenesis & Vasculogenesis

• The Eye: Target and Model of Neovascular Disease

• Retinopathy of Prematurity

• Vasculogenesis & Angiogenesis I

• Tumour Angiogenesis

• Novel Therapeutic Targets for Tumour Angiogenesis: Role of Vessel Normalisation and Metabolism

• Gene Therapy for the Eye & Cardiovascular Diseases

• NOTCH in Retinal Angiogenesis