My research spans both the laboratory and the clinic. I use a scientific approach to help understand how medicines work, how they cause harm, and how they can be used more safely and effectively. In particular I am interested in why variation exists in regards to efficacy and adverse effects, and how this can be explained by genomic variation.

My PhD was in the area of neuroscience and ageing. During this work I used a number of electrophysiology techniques to understand changes that occur during ageing in a neurone that controls feeding, and learning and memory in the CNS of a model system (Lymnaea stagnalis). This model system is a useful tool to examine age-related changes to learning and memory using a top-down, systems level approach, and raises interesting questions about the mechanisms that underlie cognitive decline in humans. I continue to have an interest in this area and supervise several undergraduate students on projects related to ageing, and ageing of the central nervous system.

Current research I'm involved with include:

• The role of genotype in antidepressant response in older people (Better targeting of antidepressants in older people)
• Do Nrf2/Keap1 polymorphisms determine ADR rates in older people (The ADR gene study)
• Changes to Nrf2/Keap1 expression during ageing in humans
• What is the mechanism through which antipsychotics cause metabolic syndrome and induces beta cell toxicity?

I currently supervise PhD, MSc and undergraduate MPharm students.  The projects that my research students are studying include: investigating the mechanisms through which a common drug used to treat schizophrenia can lead to diabetes, the extent to which a new drug used to treat prostate cancer (enzalutamide) interacts with a drug used to prevent the blood from clotting, using genetics to predict patients that are at a high risk of developing an adverse drug reaction.  I supervise projects where data collection occurs in both the laboratory and the patient facing enviroment.  I am very interested in supervising students studing a range of research topics in both the laboratory, the clinic and using computer simulations, particulalry in the area of ageing, pharmacokietics (the study of how the body deals with drug molecules over time) and pharmacodynamics (how drugs interact with the body), and pharmacogenetics (how our genes influence drug response and disposition).