Awards presentation
Prior to Professor Morrell’s inaugural lecture, the 2012 Awards for Teaching Excellence for NHS Teachers will be presented.
Abstract
Every night when we go to sleep, we settle down safe in the knowledge that our sleeping brain will control our body’s vital functions. As we sleep we breathe, but it is a curious thing that we know so little about how these functions are regulated. What happens if the control mechanisms go wrong? What if every time you fell asleep you could not breathe? Mary’s research career started when she tried to answer these questions.
Obstructive sleep apnoea is the third most common respiratory disease. It is caused by a sleep-related loss of muscle tone in the throat and upper airway. Symptoms include profound daytime sleepiness and repeated dips in blood oxygen levels that increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and potentially increased memory problems. The prevalence of sleep apnoea is increased in older people, and treatments to improve health for these patients could reduce healthcare costs. Mary’s research is now focused on understanding the physiological mechanisms of obstructive sleep apnoea and developing targeted treatment strategies.
Biography
Mary Morrell is Professor of Sleep and Respiratory Physiology in the National Heart & Lung Institute at Imperial. She received her PhD in Physiology from the University of London, having previously been a Nurse at St Mary’s Hospital. Following a Fellowship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she set up the Unit of Sleep and Breathing with clinical colleagues at Royal Brompton Hospital upon her return to the UK. Its aim is to investigate the causes and consequences of sleep-related breathing disorders and translate research into improvements in patient care. Her current research focuses on the cardiovascular and neurological impact of sleep apnoea.
Mary is committed to education and is involved in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. She served on the Board of Directors for the American Thoracic Society, and is currently on the Executive Board of the Physiological Society. When not in the lab Mary has also carried out research projects at high altitude and held a Wellcome Trust Sciart award.