David Watson

Biography

I was appointed as a Teaching Fellow in Biochemistry in the School of Life Sciences in 2010 and then to Lecturer in 2013 and Senior Lecturer in 2023.

I graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry with Biological Medicinal Chemistry from Keele in 2005 and returned in November of the same year to begin a PhD under the supervision of Dr Anne Loweth investigating mechanisms of pancreatic beta cell destruction induced by inflammatory cytokines and by reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes mellitus, which I completed in 2009.

Research and scholarship

My main research interests are in biochemistry and cell biology, focussing on the regulation of programmed cell death, apoptosis. My PhD research aimed at investigating some of the mechanisms contributing to pancreatic beta cell death and apoptosis in response to inflammatory cytokines and reactive nitrogen and oxygen species. This work focussed on the role of intracellular calcium movements and the activation of downstream endoplasmic reticulum stress signalling events. More recently this has expanded to consider the mechanisms of glucose and saturated fatty acid toxicity in beta cell apoptosis and the mode of action of novel eicosanoids in the attenuation of cytotoxicity. Other current interests include the cytoptotective effects of novel plant extracts in beta cell line models in response to pro-inflammatory cytokine or glucolipotoxicity-induced cell death.

I have supervised two PhD students to completion as lead supervisor.

I have also developed pedagogical research interests in the development of innovative teaching and learning approaches, completing a MA in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education in 2015 and was made a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (Advance HE) in 2022.

Teaching

• LSC-10056: Chemistry for Bioscience
• LSC-10064: Biochemistry (module manager)
• LSC-10068: Professional skills for Biochemists
• LSC-10087: Core Practical Skills (module manager)
• LSC-20016: Metabolism in Health and Disease (module manager)
• LSC-20052: Nutrition and Energy Balance
• LSC-20087: Drug Design
• LSC-20107: Practical Skills in Bioscience (module manager)
• LSC-20109: Research Methods in Human Biology
• LSC-30061: Cancer Biology
• LSC-30045/48: Life Sciences Experimental Research Project
• LSC-40059: Biomedical Science Research Project