Dr Benjamin Pickard

Senior Lecturer

Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences

Personal statement

Ben Pickard obtained a BSc in Biochemistry from Imperial College London (1992), and a PhD from the University of Edinburgh (1996). Before coming to the University of Strathclyde, he worked at the Babraham Institute, Cambridge on factors regulating DNA methylation, and at the Molecular Medicine Centre, Edinburgh, identifying genetic risk factors for common psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression.

Publications

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Publications

Genes associated with amyloid-beta-induced inflammasome-mediated neuronal death identified using functional gene trap mutagenesis approach: Yap Jeremy Kean Yi, Pickard Benjamin Simon, Gan Sook Yee, Chan Elaine Wan Ling; International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology Vol 136 (2021); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocel.2021.106014
The role of neuronal NLRP1 inflammasome in Alzheimer's disease : bringing neurons into the neuroinflammation game: Yap Jeremy Kean Yi, Pickard Benjamin Simon, Chan Elaine Wan Ling, Gan Sook Yee; Molecular Neurobiology Vol 56, pp. 7741-7753 (2019); https://doi.org/10.1007/s12035-019-1638-7
PEGylation of polypropylenimine dendrimers : effects on cytotoxicity, DNA condensation, gene delivery and expression in cancer cells: Somani Sukrut, Laskar Partha, Altwaijry Najla, Kewcharoenvong Paphitchaya, Irving Craig, Robb Gillian, Pickard Benjamin S, Dufès Christine; Scientific Reports Vol 8 (2018); https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-27400-6
Specialised information processing deficits and distinct metabolomic profiles following TM-domain disruption of Nrg1: O'Tuathaigh Colm M P, Mathur Naina, O'Callaghan Matthew J, MacIntyre Lynsey, Harvey Richard, Lai Donna, Waddington John L, Pickard Benjamin S, Watson David G, Moran Paula M; Schizophrenia Bulletin Vol 43, pp. 1100–1113 (2017); https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbw189
Genomics of lithium action and response: Pickard Benjamin S; Neurotherapeutics Vol 14, pp. 582-587 (2017); https://doi.org/10.1007/s13311-017-0554-7
Brain changing tubers : gene expression changes following mediaeval tuber consumption: Woods N, Gebril A, Simpson Ann, Iannetta Ppm, Kenicer G, Tate R J, Pickard B, Gray A I, Ferro V A; Planta Medica Vol 81, pp. S1-S381 (2016); https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0036-1596241

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Teaching

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Teaching

Teaching across Biomedical Sciences classes: BM110, 108, 109, 210, 214, 321, 326, 327, 422, 423, 430, 432; Pharmacy: MP422; Postgraduate: BM934, 937, 951, 942, 952, 953, 959.
Coordinator of Biomedical Sciences classes BM321, BM423; Postgraduate: BM934, 937, 952.
Personal Development Advisor
Internal/external examiner PhD theses
External examiner MSc Neuroscience, UCL, (2013-2015)

Certificates of Recognition in University of Strathclyde Student Union Teaching Excellence Awards: 2012, 2013, 2014. Winner: Most Supportive Teacher 2017.

Research

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Research Interests

The use of gene traps in human cell lines to create mutational libraries that can be screened to reveal biological pathways: e.g., lithium mood stabiliser action, the formation of the perineuronal net, beta-amyloid toxicity in Alzheimers, human defence mechanisms against bacterial infection.
The formation of the special type of extracellular matrix called the Perineuronal Net (PNN) which surrounds certain brain neurons and, when defective, may be a causative factor in psychiatric disorders.
Two new rules we have discovered that link the amino acid composition of a protein to its expression level.

Projects

REGULATION OF PANCREATIC BETA CELL PHYSIOLOGY BY THE S-ACYLATION ENZYME ZDHHC17: Chamberlain, Luke (Principal Investigator) Pickard, Ben (Co-investigator) Allan Cockerill, Jack (Post Grad Student); 01-Oct-2023 - 30-Sep-2026
DTP 2224 University of Strathclyde | Campbell, Iona: Chamberlain, Luke (Principal Investigator) Pickard, Ben (Co-investigator) Campbell, Iona (Research Co-investigator); 01-Oct-2022 - 01-Apr-2026
Development of a long-lifetime dye for gated-STED microscopy: Edkins, Robert (Principal Investigator) Pickard, Ben (Co-investigator); 01-Sep-2020 - 31-Mar-2021
Biomedical Vacation Scholarships: Coats, Paul (Principal Investigator) Jiang, Hui-Rong (Principal Investigator) Lawrence, Catherine (Principal Investigator) McDonald, James (Principal Investigator) Pickard, Ben (Principal Investigator); 09-Jul-2018 - 31-Aug-2018
Biomedical Vacation Scholarships / R180191-5: Pickard, Ben (Principal Investigator); 02-Jul-2018 - 17-Aug-2018
Pharmacells contribution to IAA Secondment: Carswell, Hilary (Principal Investigator) Pickard, Ben (Co-investigator) McKittrick, Craig (Research Co-investigator); 25-Jun-2016 - 31-Mar-2017