Dr Margaret Rose Cunningham

Professor

Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences

Personal statement

I am currently the Associate Dean (Learning Enhancement) for the Science Faculty at the University of Strathclyde. I am also a Professor of Pharmacology and the Director of Biomolecular Science (BMS) Programmes in the Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences (SIPBS). I lead the design and development of Strathclyde’s BMS curriculum and successfully led the re-accreditations for the BMS programmes with the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) in 2023 and the Royal Society of Biology (RSB) in 2024.

I am working on establishing alternative models for teaching practical pharmacology, collaborating with UK-based pharmacology educators to move away from the use of rodent models. One of my key interests is promoting inclusive education in STEM to make pharmacology accessible to diverse learners.

I was elected as a Fellow of the British Pharmacological Society (BPS) in 2021 and as an Honorary BPS Fellow in 2023. In the same year, I was honored to receive the British Pharmacological Society Rang Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching. I serve as a Reviewing Editor for the BPS Journal, Pharmacological Research & Perspectives (PR&P) and I am a member of the BPS engagement (2020 - present) and Awards Committees (2020 - 2026).

Since 2021, I have been part of the Core Concepts of Pharmacology research team, and I currently serve as the Secretary of the IUPHAR-Education Section (2023-2026).

I was part of the SAT team leading the Athena SWAN Bronze (in 2017) and Silver (in 2021) awards.

Previous leadership roles Include:

Editor-in-Chief of the BPS Pharmacology Matters magazine (2017-2022)
Elected member and co-Chair of the RSE Young Academy of Scotland (RSE-YAS, 2018 cohort)
RSE-YAS Theme Lead for Health (2019-2021).
SIPBS Public Engagement and Outreach Coordinator (BMS) with Dr Zahra Rattray (Pharmacy) from 2017-2023.
Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellow (2017)

Expertise

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Prize And Awards

2024 AWERB 3Rs Prize: Recipient; 10/2024
Strathclyde Teaching Excellence Award 2024 for Faculty of Science Breaking Barries: Recipient; 8/2024
Strathclyde Women+ in Leadership Network's #CelebrateHER Awards (Nominee): Recipient; 13/2/2024
Fellow of Royal Society of Edinburgh Young Academy of Scotland (RSE-YAS): Recipient; 2024
University of Strathclyde Medal for Faculty of Science Breaking Barriers 2024: Recipient; 2024
British Pharmacological Society Honorary Fellowship: Recipient; 5/12/2023

More prizes and awards

Publications

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Publications

Development and validation of pharmacology concept inventory for concept‐based learning : leveraging theory, expert insights, and student perspectives: Netere Adeladlew K, Hughes Tony, Babey Anna‐Marie, Guilding Clare, Restini Carolina, Hawes Martin, Kelly John P, Djouma Elvan, Koenig Jennifer, McLaughlin Jacqueline E, Olafuyi Olusola, Fernandes Lynette B, Mifsud Janet, Sills Graeme J, van Houwelingen Anneke H, Tucker Steven J, Liang Willmann, Aronsson Patrik, Khan Farhan Ahmad, Hinton Tina, Hernandez Mark, Cormier Lindsay, Kelly‐Laubscher Roisin, Caetano Crowley Fabiana A, Santiago Marina Junqueira, Cunningham Margaret, Richardson Jennelle Durnett, Karpa Kelly, White Paul J; Pharmacology Research & Perspectives Vol 14 (2026); https://doi.org/10.1002/prp2.70237
The behavioural, toxicological, and biochemical effects of caffeine on Lumbriculus variegatus: Labdon Grace E, Kelly-Laubscher Roisin, Cunningham Margaret R, Davies Nia A, Reed Sophie G, Seeley Aidan; Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology Vol 123 (2026); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.etap.2026.104975
At the heart of toxicity : connexin-43 alterations in doxorubicin-induced cardiac dysfunction: Veerman Ben, Wahid Maheen, MacKenzie Graeme, Tinto Kirsty, Wu Jia, Hamilton Benjamin, Rattray Zahra, Macquaide Niall, Currie Susan, Cunningham Margaret Rose; The Scottish Cardiovascular Forum (2026)
Reimagining pharmacology education: Guilding Clare, Kelly-Laubscher Roisin, Cunningham Margaret, Dilles Tinne, Kennedy David, Brinkman David J, Eid Ali H, Quesnelle Kelly M, Engels Ferdi, Maxwell Simon, Christopoulos Arthur, White Paul J; Pharmacological Reviews (2026); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharmr.2026.100126
Decoding tonsillar disease—Differential gene expression highlights lactotransferrin (LTF) in recurrenttonsillitis: Temple-Atkinson Katriona, Cunningham Margaret Rose, Tinto Kirsty, Wahid Maheen, McConnell Gail, Polland Kay, Tosh Lily, Douglas Catriona; British Journal of Pharmacology Vol 183, pp. 760-761 (2026); https://doi.org/10.1111/bph.70263
Fish & molecular chips : Characterising HMGB1 in the short-lived african turquoise killifish (Northobranchius furzeri): Wahid Maheen, Tinto Kirsty, Connolly Shane, Murray James, Cunningham Margaret Rose; British Journal of Pharmacology Vol 183, pp. 166 (2026)

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Teaching

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Teaching

I am the Biomolecular Sciences (BMS) Programme Director (2023–2027) and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), with a Postgraduate Diploma in Academic Practice. In this role, I lead the strategic development and delivery of the BMS programmes, ensuring they remain innovative, inclusive, and aligned with current scientific and educational advancements.

I am an active member of the International Union of Basic & Clinical Pharmacology (IUPHAR) education section where I serve as Secretary (2023-2026). I am also a member of the Core Concepts in Pharmacology Research Team, where I contribute to global efforts to enhance pharmacology education and promote best practices in teaching and research.

I currently serve as the external examiner for the BSc Chemistry of Pharmaceutical Compounds programme (Bioscience areas) at University College Cork, ensuring the maintenance of high academic standards across these programmes.

Research

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Research Interests

My field of expertise is G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-dependent regulation in cardiovascular and metabolic disease with a particular focus on the proteinase-activated receptors (PARs) and purinergic P2Y receptor families. My wider research investigates the molecular mechanisms of GPCR, gap junction, and damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) HMGB1 signaling in processes that underpin platelet function, cardiovascular inflammation, anti-cancer therapy-induced cardiotoxicity, and skeletal muscle function in ageing, particularly its impact on cardiometabolic health. I am especially interested in the interplay between muscle and cardiovascular systems in the context of inflammation and vascular dysfunction.

I have a strong interest in research-led teaching, particularly in developing alternative models that align with the principles of the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement), which can be applied across both research and teaching settings. My work includes exploring the use of 3D printing technology to develop human-body-on-a-chip systems and advancing more sustainable models as alternatives to rodent models in research. These efforts aim to provide innovative, ethical, and environmentally friendly approaches to pharmacological and biomedical science research and education.

Professional Activities

Authentic Assessment in Action - OSPE-culating Learning in pharmacology laboratories: Speaker; 13/7/2026
20th World Congress of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology 2026 (WCP2026) : WCP2026 Congress Workshop: Organiser; 12/7/2026
The Sustainable Attainment Project: Bridging the Staff-Student Gap in Biomedical Science ESD Curriculum Mapping: Contributor; 16/4/2026
Cross-Faculty Connections: Growing Networks and Building Opportunities with and for Children and Young People: Participant; 26/2/2026
Xanthe Hopkinson: Host; 19/2/2026
Sustainability Curriculum Mapping – Check-in and Interim Findings: Organiser; 13/1/2026

More professional activities

Projects

Cultures of Collaborative Research in a Socially Progressive Technological University / R230557-207: Cunningham, Margaret Rose (Co-investigator); 01-Jan-2025 - 28-Jan-2026
Revolutionising Pharmacology Education - Designing a Low-Cost Human Body-on-a-Chip Laboratory for Multi-Level Learning: Cunningham, Margaret Rose (Principal Investigator) Rooney, Liam (Principal Investigator) Monachan, Nikki (CoPI) Coubrough, Katie (CoPI) Wahid, Maheen (CoPI) Tinto, Kirsty (CoPI) Glendinning, Nicola (Co-investigator) Keegan, Joe (Co-investigator) Panelli, Fiona (Co-investigator) Palin, Fiona (Co-investigator) Thompson, Crystal (Co-investigator) Essex, Jane (Co-investigator) Hendry, Pauline (Co-investigator); This education research project is funded by British Pharmacological Society to establish links with Vale of Leven Academy & Lennox Primary (West Dunbartonshire) and Queen Margaret Academy Supported Learning Centre (Ayr) to support student-led STEM Learning on the topic of Pharmacology.

This project involves staff and students across all levels of learning from primary school, secondary school, undergraduate to postgraduate higher education.

The project will use a combination of approaches such as 3D printing technology to address biomedical questions related to 'Space Medicine'. Twenty-two students (S4-S6) from Vale of Leven Academy (VOLA) will support the space-themed STEM activity design as they will go to NASA (Houston) as part of school-organised education trip in June 2025.; 01-Jan-2025 - 31-Jan-2025
CULTURE-GAPS in STEM – Collaborative University Learning for Targeting Under-representation in Research and Education – Addressing Attainment GAPS in STEM: Cunningham, Margaret Rose (Principal Investigator) Gibson, Lorraine (CoPI) Wahid, Maheen (CoPI) Tinto, Kirsty (CoPI) Currie, Susan (CoPI); Wellcome Trust – Internal Funding Call Award as part of the Collaborative Cultures Funding Call 1; 01-Jan-2025 - 31-Jan-2025
Testing the feasibility of using killifish as a sustainable replacement model for multimorbidity research at Strathclyde: Cunningham, Margaret Rose (Principal Investigator) Wahid, Maheen (CoPI) Tinto, Kirsty (CoPI) Murray, James (Co-investigator) Currie, Susan (Co-investigator) Boyd, Marie (Co-investigator) Perrie, Yvonne (Co-investigator) Gould, Gwyn (Co-investigator); AWERB 3Rs Prize 2024 - Strathclyde 3R's: Reduction, Refinement and Replacement Prize; 01-Jan-2025
Therapeutic targeting of IKK alpha in osteosarcoma using first-in-class selective IKK inhibitors: Plevin, Robin (Principal Investigator) Cunningham, Margaret Rose (Co-investigator); 01-Jan-2025 - 31-Jan-2026
Impact of dietary fat on muscle ageing: Exploring sex-based differences using the African Turquoise Killifish Model: Cunningham, Margaret Rose (Academic) Wahid, Maheen (Principal Investigator) Tinto, Kirsty (Research Co-investigator) Murray, James (Research Co-investigator); Scottish Alliance for Food (SCAF) 2024 Pump Priming Awards

The University of Glasgow was the lead applicant in a successful proposal to the Scottish Funding Council to fund a project entitled “The Scottish Alliance for Food” from 2023-2027. As part of the Project, University of Glasgow administers a pot of money to fund small pump priming research projects.

This project was awarded £4935 towards the cost of the 2024 Pump Priming Award titled 'Impact of dietary fat on muscle ageing: Exploring sex-based differences using the African Turquoise Killifish Model'; 01-Jan-2024 - 30-Jan-2025