Stuart Allan

Overview

The brain is the most important organ in the human body and controls everything we do or think. The brain consists of billions of tiny cells and it links to all other systems in the body, including the immune system. The immune system helps us to fight off infection and to repair the body after an injury. This is done by special cells in the blood, the white blood cells, which can release different chemicals. For many years people believed that this so-called ''inflammatory'' response had little to do with the brain. However, inflammatory responses can occur in the brain but, rather than being a good thing, this brain inflammation is involved in diseases of the brain, including stroke. Stroke is when the blood supply to the brain is stopped, which kills brain cells, leading to death of the patient or severe disability. In my research I am trying to understand how it is that inflammation causes brain cells to die. By doing this one day we hope to be able to design treatments that can stop the inflammation and hence the brain cells from dying. This will lead to a better outcome for patients who have a stroke.

Biography

2012 - present
Professor of Neuroscience, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, UK

2008-2012
Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, UK.

2002-2008
Lecturer, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, UK.

1993-2002
Postdoctoral Research Associate, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, UK.

1990-1993
PhD Biomedical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Scotland.

1986-1990
BSc Pharmacology (Upper 2nd Class Honours), University of Dundee, Scotland.