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Ruth Andrew (BSc, PhD, MRPharmS)

Personal Chair of Pharmaceutical Endocrinology

  • Centre for Cardiovascular Science

Contact details

Address

Street

The Queen's Medical Research Institute,
Edinburgh BioQuarter,
47 Little France Crescent

City
Edinburgh
Post code
EH16 4TJ

Biography

Background

Ruth Andrew graduated as a pharmacist from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK in 1989 and carried out her PhD in pharmaceutical analysis using GC-MS to study synthesis and metabolism of adrenal medullary hormones in hypertensive subjects. She gained a lectureship in the University of Edinburgh in 1994 and was awarded a Chair in Pharmaceutical Endocrinology in 2015. She specialises in understanding regulation of glucocorticoid action in metabolic and inflammatory diseases and has developed innovative tools to study steroid metabolism and flux in vivo, most recently by mass spectrometry imaging. She also is the Director of the Mass Spectrometry Core of the Edinburgh Clinical Research Facility; this laboratory supports a broad spectrum support for clinical researchers requiring small molecule analysis in their research programmes, including studies of toxicology, drug discovery, experimental physiology and pathology. She plays an active role in undergraduate and post-graduate teaching in Endocrine Pharmacology.

Qualifications

BSc Hons First Class Pharmacy (specialisation Pharmaceutical Chemistry)

PhD Pharmaceutical Chemistry

MRPharmS

Post-graduate Certificate in Higher Education

Responsibilities & affiliations

Director, Edinburgh Clinical Research Facility, Mass Spectrometry Core

Society for Endocrinology Trustee, Council Member and Finance Committee Member

Scottish Metabolomics Network, Treasurer

European Oxysterol Research Network Scientific Board

British Journal of Pharmacology Editor

Frontiers in Endocrinology, Specialty Chief Editor, Systems Endocrinology

Chair Seminar Committee, Centre for Cardiovascular Science.

Undergraduate teaching

Endocrine Physiology and Pharmacology, Honours Biomedical Sciences, Deputy Course Organiser

Contributing Lecturer, Y3 BSc Clinical Biochemistry and Endocrinology  

Postgraduate teaching

Centre for Cardiovascular Science Post-graduate Committee Member

University Post-graduate Appeals Committee Member

Contributing Lecturer, MSc Cardiovascular Biology

External Lecturer,MSc Pharmaceutical Analysis, University of Strathclyde

Open to PhD supervision enquiries?

Yes

Research summary

My research interests are in steroid biochemistry and applied mass spectrometry. I study glucocorticoids and their actions on fuel metabolism and inflammation. I have a particular interest in the enzyme 5alpha-reductase, which activates androgens and modulates glucocorticoid action. Inhibitors of the enzyme used in prostate disease alter steroid hormone action and my group has shown that inhibition of this enzyme increases susceptibility to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. I am also interested in studying 5alpha-reduced glucocorticoids as potential dissociated glucocorticoid receptor modulators. Lastly I apply mass spectrometry to enable tracking of steroid metabolism, using stable-isotope tracers and also advanced methods of MS detection e.g. imaging.

Current research interests

Pharmacoepidemiology of adverse effects of 5alpha-reductase inhibitors on devlopment of type 2 diabetes. The role of 5alpha-reductases in modulating fuel homeostaisis. Application of advanced mass spectrometry to visualise and track steroid hormoness in biological systems.

Knowledge exchange

Consultant for Actinogen Medical

Organiser

Programme Organising Committee Member as follows

Society for Endocrinology Career Development Workshop Co-organiser 2007-2014

Metabolomics Society, Glasgow 2013

Scoiety for Endocrinology, UK Meetings, 2013-2018

Scottish Metabolomics Network, Edinburgh 2015

Androgens, Edinbrugh 2018

European Oxysterol Research Network, Edinburgh 2019

 

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