Latest news
The latest news from the Centre of Integrative Physiology
Fruit flies can save lives
March 2013: Two CIP members, Professors Andrew Jarman and Richard Ribchester, were interviewed for a BBC Scotland news item highlighting the importance of Drosophila in biomedical research and the position of the University of Edinburgh as a international leader in this area. The item featured on radio and TV, as well as online
Brain rhythms help sense of location
Scientists in the Centre for Integrative Physiology have shed light on how mechanisms in the brain work to give us a sense of location.
Investigating strategies for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension
January 2013: Mark Evans in the Centre for Integrative Physiology, was recently awarded £1.1 million by the British Heart Foundation to fund a 5 year Programme Grant entitled. “Angiotensin II and pulmonary arterial hypertension: calcium signalling nanodomains provide the locks and the keys to smooth muscle contraction, relaxation and gene expression”.
Investigating strategies for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension
Chancellor’s Award for teaching innovations
November 2012: Jamie Davies, Professor of Experimental Anatomy in the Centre for Integrative Physiology, has been honoured by the University for his contribution to teaching. Jamie received his Chancellor’s Award for Teaching from The Princess Royal at a gala dinner.
The award was made in recognition of his teaching of medical students, and in particular innovations he has developed in giving students feedback. These improvements have been well received by students, whose nominations led to him winning the Robert Kendell Prize for Teaching in Medicine in 2012 in the EUSA Teaching Awards.
Research links with China
November 2012: Professor Mark Evans reports on recent events which were organised jointly with Zhejiang University in China. The events resulted from the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Centre for Integrative Physiology and Zhejiang University.
Chancellor's Fellowships: final round of applications
October 2012: Recently the University of Edinburgh has offered around 100 Chancellor’s Fellowships across the University’s 22 Schools as an investment in the future of teaching and research. The College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine now intends to make a further, smaller number of appointments in strategically important areas.
Applications must be made via the University's on-line application procedure. The vacancy reference to search for is 005463. The closing date for applications is 30th November 2012.
Study reveals brain cells' weakest links
September 2012: People with degenerative neurological conditions could benefit from research that shows why their brain cells stop communicating properly.
Scientists believe that the findings could help to develop treatments that slow the progress of a broad range of brain disorders such as Huntingdon’s, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson's diseases.
The team at the University, led by Professor Tom Gillingwater of the Centre for Integrative Physiology, analysed how connection points between brain cells break down during disease and identified six proteins that control the process.
Book wins award from British Medical Association
September 2012: “Building Brains; an Introduction to Neural Development”, a book by David Price, Andrew Jarman, John Mason and Peter Kind, aimed at undergraduates and others new to the field, has won a ‘Highly Commended’ award in the ‘Basic and Clinical Sciences' category of the BMA Medical Book Awards 2012.
Professor Baroness Hollins, FRCPsych, FRCPCH, FRCP, the President of the British Medical Association, presented these awards at a reception at BMA House on Thursday 12th September 2012.
CIP student wins prize at Neurosurgery conference
July 12: Mark Hughes, who is in the first year of an ECAT clinical PhD, has recently won the British Journal of Neurosurgery Prize for the best abstract submission at the Society of British Neurological Surgeons' Meeting in Aberdeen. The prize, a cheque from the BJN, will be presented to Mark at a gala dinner at the next SBNS Meeting in Leeds at the end of September 2012.
Mark’s talk was titled “Progress towards merging neuronal network engineering with semiconductor microelectronics technology: tools for neuroscience and neurosurgery
Success at BioQuarter Innovation Competition 2012
Jun 12: Congratulations to Mark Hughes who scooped second prize for the BioQuarter Innovation Competition 2012.
Mark's entry 'Pre<Optimise is based on gaming technology and allows surgeons to warm up prior to operations.
A tribute to Prof Alison Douglas
May 12:The Head of School pays tribute to Professor Alison Douglas.
New BBSRC grant award
Apr 12: Congratulations to Professor Mike Ludwig, who has been awarded £648,944 for a BBSRC grant on "Vasopressin and the anterior olfactory nucleus".
Kendell Award for Teaching in Medicine
Apr 12: Congratulations to Prof Jamie Davies for winning the Kendell Award for Teaching in Medicine at the fourth EUSA Teaching Awards ceremony this month.
Physiology 2012
Mar 12: The annual meeting of The Physiological Society will be held on 2-5 July at the EICC, Edinburgh.
This is an excellent opportunity for all CIP PhD students, postdocs and academic staff to showcase the outstanding science in CIP.
New RSE Fellow elected for 2012
Mar 12: Congratulations to Prof Gareth Leng, who has been elected as a new Fellow to the Royal Society of Edinburgh for 2012.
Clues to treatment of child motor neurone disease
Feb 12: Prof Tom Gillingwater and Dr Simon Parson have published new research on a possible treatment to reverse a genetic mutation which causes spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), or floppy baby syndrome.
Patrick Wild Centre receives £1 million donation
Jan 2012: The Patrick Wild Centre has received a very generous £1 million donation from Dame Stephanie Shirley.
New MRC grant award
Jan 2012: Congratulations to Professor David Price and co-PI John Mason, who have been awarded £1.2 million for an MRC grant on "Regulation of gene expression in developing cortex by the transcription factor Pax6".
This article was published on Mar 20, 2013