About me
I have a research and teaching background in the fields of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience. After completing my PhD studies at the University of Leicester, I spent a number of years as a postdoctoral researcher at UCL working with Stuart Cull-Candy and David Colquhoun and then at the University of Washington in Seattle with Bertil Hille. I then set up his own research laboratory, firstly in London when employed as a Lecturer then Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology at UCL and then subsequently, as a Reader in Molecular Neuroscience at Imperial College London. I moved to the University of Kent in 2007 as Professor of Pharmacology and Cell Biology and was both Head of Pharmacy and Deputy Dean for Science at Kent. Following 3 years as Dean of Allied Health Sciences at the University of Suffolk, I took up my current position as Professor of Pharmacology and Head of Life Sciences at the University of Westminster. I hold an Honorary Professorship of Pharmacology and Cell Biology at the University of Kent and I am a Fellow of the British Pharmacological Society and the Higher Education Academy.
Teaching
My teaching experience is primarily in the fields of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience where I have contributed to courses at a number of institutions including UCL, Imperial College London and the University of Kent. My expertise is valued by other universities in the UK and internationally, exemplified by my roles as external examiner for University College London (UCL)’s BSc in Pharmacology, MPharm and MBBS undergraduate degrees. I have also been external examiner for undergraduate degrees at the University of Bristol, University of Manchester and the University of Bath. I have been an external PhD examiner for 41 students at a number of universities including Oxford, UCL, Cambridge, Imperial College London and The Indian Institute of Sciences, Bengaluru.
Research
I am an active researcher with a strong, internationally recognised, research portfolio comprising 251 publications which have received over 19,000 citations (ResearchGate) and I am listed as a ‘Highly Cited Researcher’ in 2025 (Clarivate)
The primary research interests of myself and my colleagues can best be described by the general term “bioelectricity”. This ranges from laboratory-based experiments looking at the molecular and cellular properties of ion channel proteins that carry electrical signals across cell membranes, to research aimed at improving approaches to measure electrical activity in patients (such as ECGs) in order to facilitate detection of conditions such as atrial fibrillation.
A major aim of our current research is to understand the functional properties of ion channels in patients who have rare genetic mutations of these proteins and how these might be rescued either genetically or pharmacologically. Parallel to this, we engage strongly with patient groups and charities to provide information about the disease and the underlying ion channels in an accessible form.
Publications
For details of all my research outputs, visit my WestminsterResearch profile.