BSc (University of Copenhagen, Denmark) Biology

MSc (King's College London) Biomedical Sciences

PhD (King's College London) Physiology.

Diabetes is one of the most well-known and rapidly expanding chronic metabolic conditions, affecting more than 3.3 million people in the UK today. My current research interests focus on the regulation of insulin production from the beta cell within the pancreatic islet, since beta cell dysfunction is one of the main underlying causes of the disease.

The islets are small, spherical organs scattered throughout the pancreas and I am particularly interested in how different cell types within these structures communicate with each other and modulate the functional capacity of the islets both with regard to hormone release and beta cell survival. Both of these factors are important when developing new treatments for Type 2 diabetes, and for improving the outcome of islet transplantation therapy of Type 1 diabetes. In addition to intra-islet interactions I am also interested in how insulin secretion is regulated by the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system and how this may be altered in the development of diabetes.

2021-2022: ‘A novel and sex-specific role for LEAP2 in the regulation of pancreatic islet function’. Pump Priming Grant (£20,000) from Diabetes Research and Wellness Foundation. Lead PI: Astrid Hauge Evans, Co-investigator: Dr Michael Patterson, University of Roehampton. Collaborators: Dr Aileen King, King’s College London, Professor Patrick Gilon, University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.

2017-2021: A role for coffee derivatives in the regulation of pancreatic islet function in type 2 diabetes. Primary supervisor on PhD project.

2018-2019: 'Interaction between gut microbiota in typ 2 diabetes and beneficial wholegrain polyphenols with subsequent impact on pancreatic islet function'. Early Career Small Grant (£15,000) from Diabetes UK. Lead PI: Astrid Hauge Evans, co-investigators: Dr Adele Costabile and Dr Giulia Corona, University of Roehampton. Collaborators: Dr Aileen King, King's College London, Dr David Vazour, University of East Anglia and Prof. Dennis Sandris Nielsen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

2016-2019: 'Intercellular communication and pancreatic islet function in type 2 diabetes'. Primary supervisor on three-year PhD project funded by the University of Roehampton.

2016: 'Interaction between ghrelin and pancreatic somatostatin in the regulation of beta cell function'. Supported by a £10,000 equipment grant from Society for Endocrinology.

2010-2015: 'Cell-cell communication and the regulation of islet function'. 5-year RD Lawrence Fellowship, Diabetes Research Group, King's College London (KCL), funded by Diabetes UK.

2008-2010: 'Pseudoislets as a model system to study beta cell dysfunction in diabetes'. Project funded by NC3R^s. PI: Professor Peter Jones, Diabetes Research Group, KCL; collaborator: Professor Noel Morgan, University of Exeter.

2005-2008: The role of interactions between somatostatin-secreting pancreatic delta-cells and other islet cells in islet secretory function using a somatostatin KO mouse model. PI: Professor Peter Jones, Diabetes Research Group, KCL; collaborator: Professor Ian Robinson, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London.

2002-2004: 'Effectiveness of tamoxifen and letrozole with and without a receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor in human breast cancer cell lines according to HER2 status'. PI: Dr Lesley-Ann Martin, The Institute of Cancer Research, London.

Professional member, Diabetes UK (2005-present)

Professional member, Society for Endocrinology (2012-present)

Professional member, European Association for Diabetes (EASD, 2011-present)

Innovators in Diabetes (IDia, Diabetes UK) programme recipient (2011-2013)

Fellow, The Higher Education Academy (HEA, Jan 2016-present).

Professional member, The Nutrition Society (2023-)

Project grant and fellowship reviews for Diabetes UK, BBSRC and MRC.

Manuscript reviews for Nature Communications, Scientific Reports, Diabetes, Diabetologia, Journal of Endocrinology, PLOS One, Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry, Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, Frontiers in Nutrition, Frontiers in Endocrinology (Diabetes: Molecular Mechanisms) as well as Regulatory Peptides.

• Module convenor for 'Professional and Academic Skills for Nutritionists' (HEA020C117A), 'Advances in Nutrition and Health' (HEA020X339S), 'Dissertation' (HEA040X350Y) and 'Critical Review' (HEA020X340Y).
• Lecturer on 'Principles of Human Nutrition', 'Clinical Nutrition', 'Introduction to Human Diseases' and 'Biosciences Research Methods'.
• Module convenor for 'Principles of Nutrition' (HEP020L034/HEP020LD34).
• Programme Leader, BSc Nutrition and Health.