Dr Robert Drummond

Teaching Fellow

Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences

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Publications

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Publications

Electrophysiological modulation of cholinergic neurotransmission by biologically active peptides from Bothrops bilineatus (Viperidae: Crotalinae) venom: Couceiro Fernanda Y G M, Pacagnelli Francis L, Torres-Bonilla Kristian A, Hyslop Stephen, Lomonte Bruno, Drummond Robert M, Pimenta Daniel C, Borges Rafael J, Floriano Rafael S; Archives of toxicology (2025); https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-025-04176-z
Are endothelial cells glycolytic? A systematic review and meta-analysis of Seahorse extracellular flux data: Stevenson Ross, Lee Matthew David, Zhang Xun, Chalmers Susan, Buckley Charlotte, Drummond Robert, McCarron John, Wilson Calum; (2025); https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/JYSV5
How selective antagonists and genetic modification have helped characterise the expression and functions of vascular P2Y receptors: Dales Markie O, Drummond Robert M, Kennedy Charles; Purinergic Signalling Vol 21, pp. 11-22 (2025); https://doi.org/10.1007/s11302-024-10016-z
Characterisation of P2Y receptor subtypes mediating vasodilation and vasoconstriction of rat pulmonary artery using selective antagonists: Dales Markie O, Mitchell Callum, Gurney Alison M, Drummond Robert M, Kennedy Charles; Purinergic Signalling Vol 18, pp. 515-528 (2022); https://doi.org/10.1007/s11302-022-09895-x
Characterisation of P2Y₂ receptors in human vascular endothelial cells using AR-C118925XX, a competitive and selective P2Y₂ antagonist: Muoboghare Markie O, Drummond Robert M, Kennedy Charles; British Journal of Pharmacology Vol 176, pp. 2894-2904 (2019); https://doi.org/10.1111/bph.14715
Hibiscus acid from hibiscus sabdariffa (malvaceae) has a vasorelaxant effect on the rat aorta: Zheoat Ahmed M, Gray Alexander I, Igoli John O, Ferro Valerie A, Drummond Robert M; Fitoterapia Vol 134, pp. 5-13 (2019); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2019.01.012

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Research

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Research Interests

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia that is encountered clinically and it is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. A significant breakthrough in the understanding of atrial fibrallation occurred in the late 1990s when it was known that ectopic electrical activity that originates within the pulmonary veins is an important trigger for this type of arrhythmia. The pulmonary veins in most species are surrounded by an external sleeve of cardiomyocytes that extends from the left atrium towards the lungs. It is these cells that are considered to be responsible for generating the abnormal electrical activity that triggers atrial fibrillation, although the underlying mechanisms are unknown.

My current focus is on understanding the mechanisms whereby pulmonary vein cardiomyocytes generate spontaeneous electrical activity, and in particular the role that intracellular Ca²+ plays in this process. I am also interested in determining how electrical activity is propagated along the pulmonary vein to the atria, where it can then trigger atrial fibrillation. Since current drug treatments for atrial fibrallation are of limited efficacy, identification of potential novel therapeutic targets for future drug development is extremely important.