Ann Vernallis

I joined the School of Life & Health Sciences as a Lecturer in 2008. Prior to coming to Aston, I was a post-doctoral fellow in the laboratory of Prof. John K. Heath at the University of Oxford and later at the University of Birmingham. My work focused on cytokines. In particular, I worked on the characterisation of Leukemia Inhibitory Factor Receptor (LIF-R) antagonists.

Before studying cytokines, I studied ion channels in the nervous system. I earned my PhD in the laboratory of Prof. Darwin K. Berg within the neurobiology group of the Biology Department at the University of California at San Diego. My thesis addressed the subunit composition of neuronal nicotinic receptors.

My main interest is in cytokines and other mediators of inflammation. I collaborate with Prof Peter Lambert and others on the host response to bacteria infection and the therapeutic potential of tetracyclines to reduce inflammation.

I primarily teach on the Biomedical Sciences and Biology Programmes. In the first year of the undergraduate programmes, I teach Cell Biology and Developmental Biology. In the second year, I teach Endocrinology (signal transduction), Molecular Pathology, and Molecular Genetics (including Bioinformatics). In the final year, I teach options in Cell Biology (including cell culture) and supervise final year projects. I also contribute to the MSc in Biomedical Sciences.

• Summer student, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Colorado, USA, 1983

• B.S., Biology (top 5%) Stanford University, Standford, California, USA.

• PhD., Neurobiology Department of Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA, 1992

• Professional Certificate in Teaching and Learning Aston University Birmingham, United Kingdom - Accreditation as a Teacher in Higher Education awarded by Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA), 2000

• 2014-date: Senior Lecturer in Cell Biology, Aston University

• 1998-2014: Lecturer in Cell Biology, Aston University

• 1996-98: Cancer Research Campaign, Post-doctoral Research Fellow, University of Birmingham
• 1993-95: American Cancer Society, Post-doctoral Fellow, University of Oxford

• International Cytokine Society

• Biochemical Society

• British Society for Cell Biology