Profile
I am Head of the Department of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, and a Senior lecturer in Health Sciences. I carried out post-doctoral research at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund in London, and at the Dept of Anatomy, University of Cambridge, before coming to The Open University in 1983. In addition to my work as a central academic I have been an Associate Lecturer, a Tutor-Counsellor, and an Open University student.
Qualifications
My first degree was in Genetics and Microbiology (University of Sheffield, 1974), and my Ph.D. was on “Cell division in Escherichia coli K12: effects of a UV-irradiated plasmid on the host.” (Dept of Molecular Biology, University of Edinburgh, 1977).
In 2009 I was elected Fellow of the Society of Biology.
In 2012 I was elected Chair of the Heads of University Biosciences (HUBS).
Teaching Interests
Since first joining the OU, I have worked on 22 modules: PS621 Biotechnology, S325 Biochemistry and cell biology, T274 Food production systems, S280 Science matters, S327 Molecular biology, SK220 Human biology and health, S804 Communicating science, S204 Biology: uniformity and diversity, S320 Infectious disease, K221 Perspectives on complementary and alternative medicine, S377 Cell and molecular biology, SXR374 Fat: the physiology of adipose tissue, SXR 375 Plants, pigments and light, SXR376 Molecular basis of human disease, BS811 MBA Life science, SK183 Understanding human nutrition, SK120 Diabetes care, SDK125 Introducing health sciences: a case study approach, and three Science Foundation Degrees, involving the work-based courses S110 Health sciences in practice, S210 Developing your health science practice, S211 Developing your Paramedic practice, and S212 Developing your Operating Department practice.
Currently I am working on the level 3 module SK320 Infectious disease and public health.
For several years I was Award Director for Health Sciences.
Research Interests
We have been studying the local interactions that occur between lymph node cells and the surrounding adipocytes, and the effect of diet on these processes. We are particularly interested in the interactions that occur when the lymph node is subjected to an immune challenge, and becomes activated to respond to the challenge. The activated lymph node cells release a variety of inflammatory cytokines, which bind to receptors on the adipocytes. These then respond by upregulating the expression of the cytokine receptors, and releasing some of their stored triacylglycerol fatty acids. The whole adipose depot can be affected, with new blood vessels developing following even a small immune challenge.
The fatty acids released by the adipocytes can be used locally by the lymph node cells to support the immune responses that they are mounting. The fatty acids can be used as a source of energy, but, more interestingly, they can also be used as precursors of new plasma membranes and of eicosanoid signalling molecules. The proximity of adipocytes to lymph nodes means that the immune response can be mounted very rapidly, and this has implications for a successful outcome. The time-course of the whole process can be affected by the fatty acid content of the diet: diets rich in saturated fatty acids slow the process down compared to the rate seen when a more nutritionally balanced diet is eaten.
Current Research
We have developed a tissue culture model in which we can explore this mechanism further. We have devised a three-dimensional co-culture system in which adipocytes and lymph node cells can be grown together in a way that mimics the internal environment (Patent Application number 0606764.9). Using this system, we can apply a simulated immune challenge and monitor the molecular effects. We can also modify the culture conditions in such a way as to model the effects of different diets on the process. The culture system is readily adaptible to the culture of a variety of cell types, including stem cells, where their properties can be investigated in a three-dimensional environment.
We have also become interested in the precise mechanism by which fatty acids are transferred from adipocytes to lymph node cells. We have examined lymph nodes by electron microscopy, and have established that there exists within the nodes a population of small adipocytes laden with fatty acids. These small cells become more prominent when the lymph node is immune challenged, and they become associated with dendritic cells within the lymph node.
We are also conducting dietary experiments to identify metabolic changes resulting from diets differing in their fatty acid and carbohydrate content, and identifying biomarkers of normal and unhealthy metabolic events.
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