Dr Susan Chalmers
Senior Lecturer
Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences
Personal statement
I am a Chancellors Research Fellow, examining the role of mitochondria in the normal function of cells of the brain (neurons, glia and cerebrovasculature), as well as the role that mitochondria play in protecting or contributing to neurodegeneration or dysfunction in disease. Current particular areas of focus include alterations in mitochondrial motility and functionality due to amyloid-β or hyperglycaemia.
Find out more about neuroscience research at Strathclyde and view our MSc Neuroscience & Mental Health programme.
Area of Expertise
I am the University representative for The Physiological Society (https://www.physoc.org/) - please do contact me with any queries relating to membership, grant applications, conferences or any other aspect of support that the Society offers.
Core lab techniques and capabilities include:
- primary neuronal / glial / smooth muscle cell isolation and culture
- live-cell fluorescence imaging (Ca2+, organelle transport, ROS etc)
- image analysis & quantification
Qualifications
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
PhD (Dundee / Buck Institute for Age Research, CA)
BSc (Hons) (Aberdeen)
Publications
- Sunitinib and imatinib display differential cardiotoxicity in adult rat cardiac fibroblasts that involves a role for calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II
- McMullen Calum J, Chalmers Susan, Wood Rachel, Cunningham Margaret R, Currie Susan
- Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine Vol 7 (2021)
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2020.630480
- MSc Neuroscience & Mental Health
- Chalmers Susan
- FENS Forum of Neuroscience 2020 (2020)
- Oscillating glucose impairs anterograde motility of mitochondria in neuron
- Greenwood Eleanor, Chalmers Susan
- FENS Forum of Neuroscience 2020 (2020)
- Sunitinib mediates mitochondrial ROS production in adult rat cardiac fibroblasts via CaMKII oxidation
- McMullen CJ, Chalmers S, Cunningham MR, Currie S
- Heart Vol 106 (2020)
- https://doi.org/10.1136/heartjnl-2020-SCF.8
- MYC regulates fatty acid metabolism through a multigenic program in claudin-low triple negative breast cancer
- Casciano Jessica C, Perry Caroline, Cohen-Nowak Adam J, Miller Katelyn D, Voorde Johan Vande, Zhang Qifeng, Chalmers Susan, Sandison Mairi E, Lui Qin, Hedley Ann, McBryan Tony, Tang Hsin-Yao, Gorman Nicole, Beer Thomas, Speicher David W, Adams Peter D, Lui Xuefeng, Schlegel Richard, McCarron John G, Wakelam Michael J O, Gottlieb Eyal, Kossenkov Andrew V, Schug Zachary T
- British Journal of Cancer Vol 122, pp. 868-884 (2020)
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41416-019-0711-3
- Multi-omics studies demonstrate Toxoplasma gondii-induced metabolic reprogramming of murine dendritic cells
- Hargrave Kerrie E, Woods Stuart, Millington Owain, Chalmers Susan, Westrop Gareth D, Roberts Craig W
- Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology : Parasite and Host Vol 9 (2019)
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2019.00309
Teaching
I teach on both the Biomedical Sciences and MPharm degree programs and am course coordinator for the in MSc Neuroscience & Mental Health, as well as module coordinator for year 3 MPharm Management of Cardiovascular Conditions. I host Masters students in the lab - MSc, MSci and MRes projects, in addition to supervising/co-supervising 2 PhD students and 2 EngD students.
Find out more about neuroscience research at Strathclyde and view our MSc Neuroscience & Mental Health programme.
Research Interests
My primary research interest is in mitochondria, with a particular focus on the involvement of these small organelles with calcium signalling processes and the changes associated with age and diseases. I use high-speed and timelapse fluorescence imaging to visualise and modulate mitochondria and calcium signals within live cells and tissue.
Professional Activities
- Using storytelling to recount the untold narratives of breast cancer
- Contributor
- 15/12/2022
- Recounting the Untold Stories of Breast Cancer: Narratives from the Patient, Clinician and Scientist Perspective
- Contributor
- 2/8/2022
- Automated tracking of mitochondrial motility using image processing and epifluorescence microscopy
- Contributor
- 25/11/2020
- Career Carousel: opting for a career in science
- Speaker
- 3/10/2019
- Explorathon 2019 European Researchers Outreach Event
- Presenter
- 23/9/2019
- Day of Science @ Strathclyde - SIPBS: Cat Allergy Simulation and STEM activity stands
- Contributor
- 9/5/2019
Projects
- Mitochondrial amplification of local calcium entry and vascular contraction in hypertension
- McCarron, John (Principal Investigator) Buckley, Charlotte (Co-investigator) Chalmers, Susan (Co-investigator) Wilson, Calum (Co-investigator)
- Mitochondrial control of voltage-dependent calcium entry in hypertension
- 03-Jan-2020 - 08-Jan-2024
- EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Medical Devices and Health Technologies | Lachendro, Flynn James
- Reid, Stuart (Principal Investigator) Chalmers, Susan (Co-investigator) Lachendro, Flynn James (Research Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2017 - 22-Jan-2022
- Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP 2016-2017 University of Strathclyde) | Kim, So Jeong
- Chalmers, Susan (Principal Investigator) Sandison, Mairi (Co-investigator) Kim, So Jeong (Research Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2016 - 01-Jan-2020
- Targeting mitochondria to protect the brain: visualising the influence of diet and exercise in brain slice models of neurodegeneration
- Chalmers, Susan (Principal Investigator)
- Targeting mitochondria to protect the brain: visualising the influence of diet and exercise in brain slice models of neurodegeneration
- 01-Jan-2016 - 31-Jan-2017
- A neuroprotective diet? Imaging diet-induced mitochondrial and cellular perturbations in brain slice neurovascular junctions
- Chalmers, Susan (Principal Investigator)
- A neuroprotective diet? Imaging diet-induced mitochondrial and cellular perturbations in brain slice neurovascular junctions
- 04-Jan-2016 - 03-Jan-2017
- The influence of exercise on age-associated alterations in neuronal, astrocytic and cerebrovascular calcium signalling and mitochondrial physiology
- Chalmers, Susan (Principal Investigator)
- The influence of exercise on age-associated alterations in neuronal, astrocytic and cerebrovascular calcium signalling and mitochondrial physiology
- 01-Jan-2015 - 30-Jan-2016
Contact
Dr
Susan
Chalmers
Senior Lecturer
Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences
Email: s.chalmers@strath.ac.uk
Tel: 548 4570