Richard Barrett-Jolley’s
University of Liverpool
(Institute of
Ageing and Chronic Disease)
Research Homepage
For Research: Follow @officialRBJ
Please feel free to come along
to our "Meet The Scientist"
Event at Liverpool World
Museum
AND our free reception and Health Science
talk by Professor Sir Ian Gilmore:
Click here for a free ticket!
For Teaching: Follow @DrRBJ
OR just plain old me...
On
Flickr, Or on ScienceBlog
OR...
Research Interests
Ion Channels
in health and disease
(1) How the
head rules the heart!!
In vitro studies of the
properties and modulation of ion
channel currents in the PVN,
especially those of neurones involved with the cardiovascular response to
psychological stress. For a very general explanation, see below.
(2) The Matrix Revolution:
The very peculiar pharmacology of
chondrocytes.
What are all their ion channels for (!?), are they involved with the
pathogenesis of arthritis? We find that
the ion channels of chondrocytes have two linked functions in the control of
cellular volume: (a) they act as “osmolyte” channels as proposed by others many
years ago (Bush,
Hall,
Wilkins,
Ellory and others (sorry if I misquote)). (b) They (naturally) set the membrane potential, which is, in
turn, vital to the control of volume (see below). We think pharmacological
control of chondrocyte volume could be important for modifying the progression
of OA. Watch this space!
Meet the ion channels:
Next is the overall
scheme, lots of this comes from Guilak.
Nuki, Salter,
Stockwell and Wright and showed many years ago (early mid 1990’s) that the
membrane potential of chondrocytes is way more positive than “normal” cells,
but many others have since suggested that this is not the case. We find similar to the original work by Nuki, Salter, Stockwell and Wright.
Below is why the
(relatively) positive membrane potential is so important. How did people miss this for so long!?
(At review; one reviewer
said this is nonsense, the other said this is obvious! That’s the thrill of science!!). Please cite Lewis et al 2011 if you
use this.
Jobs!?
None current: Previous:(here)
PhD
places?
A PhD place for home UK/EU
students is currently available.
Please feel free to contact me!
R B J @ L I V . A C . U K
Projects are as
above: Ion Channel function in connection with cardiovascular control and musculo-skeletal system.
With Dr Richard Morris (Neurobiology).
Otherwise, if
you are interested in PhD opportunities and if you have your own funding
(BIG catch), let us know!
Teaching
Biovet
students: if there is any info on projects, it will be
here.
Vet Students:
Sorry, I keep most stuff locked up under VITAL, for registered students only!
Except the BIO/VETS 242 synopsis
& links.
Third
Year BMedSci (Birmingham University Students only)
Neuroscience Links
Previous U/G
Projects
Effects
of steroids on recombinant potassium channels
Techniques
Single-channel
and whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology. We use this
software.
Heart Rate
variability and frequency analysis
Bioinformatic analysis of
transcriptomic data
Mathematical
modelling of cell function.
Funding
BBSRC, IMB.
RBJ is a
Senior Lecturer at Liverpool University
Question: Why
the British Heart Foundation (BHF) interest?
Answer: For
very good reasons. The head really does rule the heart! Several
neural
outputs from the brain (largely the
medulla)
project to the heart and blood vessels. These neural pathways control or
influence the normal and pathophysiological
behaviour of the circulatory system. Disturbances of this control can result in
diseases of the cardiovascular
system, such as hypertension.
Less commonly known is another group of neurones which project from the
hypothalamus
(specifically the PVN)
directly to
sympathetic
pre-ganglionic neurones in the spinal cord (e.g., neurones which modulate
the cardiovascular system). Our belief is that sudden
stress
could result in the activation of these neurones, with potentially, serious
consequences. This BHF funded project is looking into the
cellular
mechanisms by which
chemical
stress factors could activate these neural pathways. When we understand how
and why these neurones become active, we can think about how we could intervene
to allow normal activity, but prevent abnormal, and
dangerous activation of this pathway.
Most Please
search the regular database for publications.
If you use Web of Science you have to use:
“Barrett-jol* OR barrettjol*”
My main
Faculty Duty here is as Senior Tutor. Cv available
here: RBJ
CV
Contact RBJ@liv.ac.uk
© The
University of Liverpool
Last
modified
13 May 2013 10:54:41 +0100
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