Following a competitive process, we are proud to announce the recipients of the 2021 Research Grants:
- Dr Zoe Mann, King’s College London, UK, An RNAscope approach to quantify differential distribution of metabolic genes in single cells of the developing cochlea
- Dr Paul Ansdell, Northumbria University, UK, Neurophysiology and plasticity across the female lifespan
- Dr Bernard Drumm, Dundalk Institute of Technology, Ireland, Do Ca2+-activated Cl- channels modulate urethral tone?
- Dr Stephanie Koch, University College London, UK, Identifying spinal mechanisms of the intersegmental reflex following chronic pain
- Dr Ioannis Smyrnias, University of Surrey, UK, The interplay between the mitochondrial Unfolded Protein Response (UPRmt) and the Integrated Stress Response (ISR) in the stressed heart
- Dr Sophie Joanisse, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK, The effect of female sex hormones on human skeletal muscle – an in vitro approach
- Dr Owen Vaughan, University College London, UK, Determining the mechanistic role of microRNA-142 in fetal cardiac dysfunction, using systemic antagomir administration in a mouse model of maternal obesity
- Dr Alessio Gallina, University of Birmingham, UK, Vastus-specific neural drive in the presence of altered medio-lateral forces to the patella
What the recipients say…
“I am delighted to have received this award from The Physiological Society. This funding will allow me to investigate cell metabolism in the developing cochlea. With these experiments, I will investigate a role for metabolism in driving the fate and phenotypic refinement of cochlear hair cells during development. Funding for this project will allow me to generate pilot for future funding applications.” — Dr Zoe Mann
“I am thrilled to be have been awarded a Research Grant from The Physiological Society to study the circuits underlying widespread pain. This funding is instrumental in helping me set up my independent career by giving me the means to collect pilot data for future studies and purchase new equipment for the laboratory.” — Dr Stephanie Koch
“The research grant is going to provide crucial support for pilot studies underpinning an MRC grant, which will investigate miR-142 as a therapeutic target in pregnancies complicated by maternal obesity.” — Dr Owen Vaughan
About Research grants
The Physiological Society’s Research Grant Scheme has been running since 2012. It is intended to support physiologists in their first permanent academic position or returning to a permanent position after a career break. The grants provide funding to individuals wishing to conduct pilot studies, develop a new technique or finalise a project. Funds of up to £10,000 are available. A new grants programme will be available in 2022 and the Research Grant scheme will be replaced. Information about the new programme will be available on the website soon.