Summary
I am currently a Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology in the Department of Medicine at Imperial College London.
Qualifications:
1996 - BSc Pharmacology, Kings College London
2000 - PhD Pharmacology, Imperial College London
2004 - Certificate of Advanced Study in Learning & Teaching
2013 - MEd in University Learning & Teaching
Teaching:
My current leadership roles within the Faculty of Medicine include the Head of Programme for the BSc in Biomedical Science and the Course Director for the BSc in Pharmacology. I am heavily involved in the organisation of pharmacology teaching across the Faculty for both undergraduate medical students and scientists. I was previously Head of Graduate Entry Medicine and Head of Programme for the BSc in Pharmacology & Translational Medical Science.
In 2008, I was awarded the Rector's Award for Excellence in Teaching.
I am particularly interested in innovative approaches to education. Recent approaches have included (i) the use of concept mapping to identify areas within the curriculum that students find troublesome coupled with approaches to help facilitate better understanding (ii) the development of a robust group assessment to help students to improve team working skills.
Research:
The continued neuroendocrine characterisation of the link between stress and disease. A major focus is the influence of (i) social isolation and (ii) treatment with glucocorticoids in utero on stress sensitivity and the subsequent development of disease. In addition, I am interested in the cellular mediators of stress at the pituitary level.
Publications
Journals
Ma Y, Ratnasabapathy R, De Backer I, et al., 2020, Glucose in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus regulates GLP-1 release, Jci Insight, Vol:5, ISSN:2379-3708
Muttoni S, Ardissino M, John C, 2019, Classical psychedelics for the treatment of depression and anxiety: A systematic review, Journal of Affective Disorders, Vol:258, ISSN:0165-0327, Pages:11-24
Basharat S, Parker JA, Murphy KG, et al., 2014, Leptin fails to blunt the lipopolysaccharide-induced activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary- adrenal axis in rats, Journal of Endocrinology, Vol:221, ISSN:0022-0795, Pages:229-234
Mehet DK, Philip J, Solito E, et al., 2012, Evidence From In Vitro and In Vivo Studies Showing that Nuclear Factor-Kappa B Within the Pituitary Folliculostellate Cells and Corticotrophs Regulates Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone Secretion in Experimental Endotoxaemia, Journal of Neuroendocrinology, Vol:24, ISSN:0953-8194, Pages:862-873
John CD, Gavins FNE, Buss NAPS, et al., 2008, Annexin A1 and the formyl peptide receptor family: neuroendocrine and metabolic aspects, Current Opinion in Pharmacology, Vol:8, ISSN:1471-4892, Pages:765-776