Phone: Phone:+44 (0)1483 68-6383 Address: Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Molecular Toxicology Research Group
University of Surrey
Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH
United Kingdom
The link between dietary fat and coronary heart disease has attracted much attention since the ef... more The link between dietary fat and coronary heart disease has attracted much attention since the effect of long-chain fatty acids on gene transcription has been established. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of long-chain fatty acids and clofibrate on mRNA levels of specific lipid metabolism-related genes and to determine their effects on global transcriptome levels in a cardiovascular cell-line. After culturing P19CL6 cells with long-chain fatty acids or clofibrate, the expression levels of heart-type fatty-acid binding protein and peroxisome proliferators-activated receptors (PPARalpha,beta,gamma) were determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Additionally, global transcriptome profiles were compared using microarray analysis. Long-chain fatty acids significantly increased the abundance of PPAR and PPAR. Moreover, microarray analysis showed that the effects of linoleic and -linolenic acids, and clofibrate were similar but differed from those o...
Introduction & Objective: The link between dietary fat and coronary heart disease has attracted m... more Introduction & Objective: The link between dietary fat and coronary heart disease has attracted much attention since the effect of long?chain fatty acids (LCFA) on gene transcription has been established, which in part, these effects can be explained by the regulation of gene transcription. In this study, the P19CL6 cardiac cell?line was targeted for the investigation of (i) the effects of long?chain fatty acids (LCFA) and clofibrate on mRNA levels of specific lipid metabolism?related genes, such as heart?type fatty acid?binding protein (H?FABP) and peroxisome proliferator?activated receptors (PPARa,b,g) in the P19CL6 cell?line, and (ii) to determine the effects of LCFAs and clofibrate on global transcriptome levels, using cDNA microarray analysis. Materials & Methods: After culturing P19CL6 cells with LCFAs or clofibrate, the total?RNA was extracted and expression levels of H-FABP, PPARa, PPARb, and PPARg genes were determined by RT?PCR. In addition, microarray analysis was used to...
The School of Biosciences & Medicine teaches a wide range of BSc programmes with module cohort si... more The School of Biosciences & Medicine teaches a wide range of BSc programmes with module cohort sizes of up to 450 students. In this study we explored the student perspective of teaching excellence by surveying FHEQ-level 4, 5 and 6 Bioscience students. Our findings reveal that students prefer enthusiastic and engaging teachers in a traditional lecture environment with clear guidance, advice and feedback on assessments provided. The respondents were less keen on collaborative work, a key employability skill. We conclude that Bioscience teaching could focus less on an accumulation of facts and rather be remodelled to develop a lifelong learning ethos.
Purpose Concept maps have been described as a valuable tool for exploring curriculum knowledge. H... more Purpose Concept maps have been described as a valuable tool for exploring curriculum knowledge. However, less attention has been given to the use of them to visualise contested and tacit knowledge, i.e. the values and perceptions of teachers that underpin their practice. This paper aims to explore the use of concept mapping to uncover academics’ views and help them articulate their perspectives within the framework provided by the concepts of pedagogic frailty and resilience in a collaborative environment. Design/methodology/approach Participants were a group of five colleagues within a Biochemical Science Department, working on the development of a new undergraduate curriculum. A qualitative single-case study was conducted to get some insights on how concept mapping might scaffold each step of the collaborative process. They answered the online questionnaire; their answers were “translated” into an initial expert-constructed concept map, which was offered as a starting point to art...
Estrogen is a vital hormone that regulates many biological functions within the body. These inclu... more Estrogen is a vital hormone that regulates many biological functions within the body. These include roles in the development of the secondary sexual organs in both sexes, plus uterine angiogenesis and proliferation during the menstrual cycle and pregnancy in women. The varied biological roles of estrogens in human health also make them a therapeutic target for contraception, mitigation of the adverse effects of the menopause, and treatment of estrogen-responsive tumours. In addition, endogenous (e.g. genetic variation) and external (e.g. exposure to estrogen-like chemicals) factors are known to impact estrogen biology. To understand how these multiple factors interact to determine an individual's response to therapy is complex, and may be best approached through a systems approach. We present a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model (PBPK) of estradiol, and validate it against plasma kinetics in humans following intravenous and oral exposure. We extend this model by replaci...
Estrogen is a vital hormone that regulates many biological functions within the body. These inclu... more Estrogen is a vital hormone that regulates many biological functions within the body. These include roles in the development of the secondary sexual organs in both sexes, plus uterine angiogenesis and proliferation during the menstrual cycle and pregnancy in women. The varied biological roles of estrogens in human health also make them a therapeutic target for contraception, mitigation of the adverse effects of the menopause, and treatment of estrogen-responsive tumours. In addition, endogenous (e.g. genetic variation) and external (e.g. exposure to estrogen-like chemicals) factors are known to impact estrogen biology. To understand how these multiple factors interact to determine an individual's response to therapy is complex, and may be best approached through a systems approach. We present a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model (PBPK) of estradiol, and validate it against plasma kinetics in humans following intravenous and oral exposure. We extend this model by replaci...
The link between dietary fat and coronary heart disease has attracted much attention since the ef... more The link between dietary fat and coronary heart disease has attracted much attention since the effect of long-chain fatty acids on gene transcription has been established. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of long-chain fatty acids and clofibrate on mRNA levels of specific lipid metabolism-related genes and to determine their effects on global transcriptome levels in a cardiovascular cell-line. After culturing P19CL6 cells with long-chain fatty acids or clofibrate, the expression levels of heart-type fatty-acid binding protein and peroxisome proliferators-activated receptors (PPARalpha,beta,gamma) were determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Additionally, global transcriptome profiles were compared using microarray analysis. Long-chain fatty acids significantly increased the abundance of PPAR and PPAR. Moreover, microarray analysis showed that the effects of linoleic and -linolenic acids, and clofibrate were similar but differed from those o...
Introduction & Objective: The link between dietary fat and coronary heart disease has attracted m... more Introduction & Objective: The link between dietary fat and coronary heart disease has attracted much attention since the effect of long?chain fatty acids (LCFA) on gene transcription has been established, which in part, these effects can be explained by the regulation of gene transcription. In this study, the P19CL6 cardiac cell?line was targeted for the investigation of (i) the effects of long?chain fatty acids (LCFA) and clofibrate on mRNA levels of specific lipid metabolism?related genes, such as heart?type fatty acid?binding protein (H?FABP) and peroxisome proliferator?activated receptors (PPARa,b,g) in the P19CL6 cell?line, and (ii) to determine the effects of LCFAs and clofibrate on global transcriptome levels, using cDNA microarray analysis. Materials & Methods: After culturing P19CL6 cells with LCFAs or clofibrate, the total?RNA was extracted and expression levels of H-FABP, PPARa, PPARb, and PPARg genes were determined by RT?PCR. In addition, microarray analysis was used to...
The School of Biosciences & Medicine teaches a wide range of BSc programmes with module cohort si... more The School of Biosciences & Medicine teaches a wide range of BSc programmes with module cohort sizes of up to 450 students. In this study we explored the student perspective of teaching excellence by surveying FHEQ-level 4, 5 and 6 Bioscience students. Our findings reveal that students prefer enthusiastic and engaging teachers in a traditional lecture environment with clear guidance, advice and feedback on assessments provided. The respondents were less keen on collaborative work, a key employability skill. We conclude that Bioscience teaching could focus less on an accumulation of facts and rather be remodelled to develop a lifelong learning ethos.
Purpose Concept maps have been described as a valuable tool for exploring curriculum knowledge. H... more Purpose Concept maps have been described as a valuable tool for exploring curriculum knowledge. However, less attention has been given to the use of them to visualise contested and tacit knowledge, i.e. the values and perceptions of teachers that underpin their practice. This paper aims to explore the use of concept mapping to uncover academics’ views and help them articulate their perspectives within the framework provided by the concepts of pedagogic frailty and resilience in a collaborative environment. Design/methodology/approach Participants were a group of five colleagues within a Biochemical Science Department, working on the development of a new undergraduate curriculum. A qualitative single-case study was conducted to get some insights on how concept mapping might scaffold each step of the collaborative process. They answered the online questionnaire; their answers were “translated” into an initial expert-constructed concept map, which was offered as a starting point to art...
Estrogen is a vital hormone that regulates many biological functions within the body. These inclu... more Estrogen is a vital hormone that regulates many biological functions within the body. These include roles in the development of the secondary sexual organs in both sexes, plus uterine angiogenesis and proliferation during the menstrual cycle and pregnancy in women. The varied biological roles of estrogens in human health also make them a therapeutic target for contraception, mitigation of the adverse effects of the menopause, and treatment of estrogen-responsive tumours. In addition, endogenous (e.g. genetic variation) and external (e.g. exposure to estrogen-like chemicals) factors are known to impact estrogen biology. To understand how these multiple factors interact to determine an individual's response to therapy is complex, and may be best approached through a systems approach. We present a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model (PBPK) of estradiol, and validate it against plasma kinetics in humans following intravenous and oral exposure. We extend this model by replaci...
Estrogen is a vital hormone that regulates many biological functions within the body. These inclu... more Estrogen is a vital hormone that regulates many biological functions within the body. These include roles in the development of the secondary sexual organs in both sexes, plus uterine angiogenesis and proliferation during the menstrual cycle and pregnancy in women. The varied biological roles of estrogens in human health also make them a therapeutic target for contraception, mitigation of the adverse effects of the menopause, and treatment of estrogen-responsive tumours. In addition, endogenous (e.g. genetic variation) and external (e.g. exposure to estrogen-like chemicals) factors are known to impact estrogen biology. To understand how these multiple factors interact to determine an individual's response to therapy is complex, and may be best approached through a systems approach. We present a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model (PBPK) of estradiol, and validate it against plasma kinetics in humans following intravenous and oral exposure. We extend this model by replaci...
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Papers by Alfred Thumser