Dr Nicola Aberdein BSc, PhD, FHEA

Lecturer in Anatomy and Physiology

Summary

I teach physiology content across a number of the department's undergraduate bioscience courses as well as lead modules on our degree apprenticeships in cardiovascular and respiratory sleep science. I am also one of the admissions tutors for the Department of Bioscience and Chemistry. I have an active research portfolio which centres around micro-computed tomography and lead our micro-CT facility with the Biomolecular Science Research Centre.

About

Dr Nicola Aberdein obtained a BSc with honours in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Dundee before completing her Ph.D. at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh whilst researching the effects of short chain fatty acids on adipose tissue metabolism and function. Dr Aberdein most recently spent time in the United States as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Mississippi Medical Center where she took an integrative approach to physiology investigating leptin's major actions in the central nervous system in response to diet induced obesity.

Dr Aberdein lectures on the topics of physiology and anatomy to undergraduate students, she also teaches on her research topic of leptin signalling, obesity and bone physiology. Dr Aberdein leads three modules as part of the Healthcare Science Degree Apprenticeship for Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sleep Scientists and also supports the development of student professional portfolios.

Teaching

School of Biosciences and Chemistry

College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences

Nicola teaches in the areas of physiology and anatomy at undergraduate level as well as in her specialist area of leptin signaling and obesity. Nicola has also taught on the undergraduate operation department practitioner (ODP) and nursing degree programmes.

Subject area

Physiology and Anatomy

Modules taught

Disease, Diagnostics and Therapeutics
Human Nutrition and Health
Healthcare Science: Anatomy and Physiology
Advanced Professional Skills for Scientists
Research Projects

Research

Microbial Community Dynamics and Biocide Susceptibility Profiles in Chronic Wound Biofilms with Dr Sarah Forbes and Dr Keith Miller
Optimisation and development of 3D bone models using high resolution Micro-Computed Tomography with Professor Christine Le Maitre and Dr Tim Nichol
Creating a 3D Cell Atlas of the Germinating Barley Grain with Professor Neil Bricklebank and Professor Mathew Lewsey
Selective inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B: evaluating the binding of in silico designed inhibitors by X-ray crystallography with Dr Daniel Allwood and Professor Alessandra Princivalle
Role of Hormones and Load on Trabecular and Cortical Bone Remodelling with Professor Christine Le Maitre and Dr Daniel Kelly

Collaborators

La Trobe University
University Of Mississippi Medical Centre

Publications

Key Publications

Aberdein, N., Dambrino, R.J., do Carmo, J.M., Wang, Z., Mitchell, L.E., Drummond, H.A., & Hall, J.E. (2018). Role of PTP1B in POMC neurons during chronic high fat diet: Sex differences in regulation of liver lipids and glucose tolerance. AJP: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 314 (3), R478-R488. http://doi.org/10.1152/ajpregu.00287.2017

do Carmo, J.M., da Silva, A.A., Wang, Z., Fang, T., Aberdein, N., Perez de Lara, C.E., & Hall, J.E. (2017). Role of the brain melanocortins in blood pressure regulation. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Molecular Basis of Disease, 1863 (10), 2508-2514. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbadis.2017.03.003

Wang, Z., Do Carmo, J., Aberdein, N., Zhou, X., Williams, J.M., Da Silva, A.A., & Hall, J.E. (2017). Synergistic interaction of hypertension and diabetes in promoting kidney injury and the role of endoplasmic reticulum stress. Hypertension, 69 (5), 879-891. http://doi.org/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.116.08560

do Carmo, J.M., da Silva, A.A., Wang, Z., Fang, T., Aberdein, N., de Lara Rodriguez, C.E.P., & Hall, J.E. (2016). Obesity-induced hypertension: brain signaling pathways. Current Hypertension Reports, 18, 58. http://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-016-0658-1

Aberdein, N., Schweizer, M., & Ball, D. (2014). Sodium acetate decreases phosphorylation of hormone sensitive lipase in isoproterenol-stimulated 3T3-L1 mature adipocytes. Adipocyte, 3 (2), 121-125. http://doi.org/10.4161/adip.27936

Journal articles

Williamson, A., Bateman, L., Le Maitre, C., Jones, T.H., Aberdein, N., & Kelly, D.M. (2024). 8711 The Effect of Testosterone Therapy Upon Bone Remodelling in Testosterone Deficient APOE -/- Mice Fed a High Fat Diet [abstract only]. Journal of the Endocrine Society, 8 (Supp 1). http://doi.org/10.1210/jendso/bvae163.1829

Doolan, O., Lewsey, M.G., Peirats-Llobet, M., Bricklebank, N., & Aberdein, N. (2024). Micro Computed Tomography Analysis of Barley During the First 24 Hours of Germination. Plant Methods, 20. http://doi.org/10.1186/s13007-024-01266-4

Williamson, A., da Silva, A., do Carmo, J.M., Le Maitre, C., Hall, J.E., & Aberdein, N. (2023). Impact of leptin deficiency on male tibia and vertebral body 3D bone architecture independent of changes in body weight. Physiological Reports, 11 (19). http://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.15832

Wang, Z., do Carmo, J.M., da Silva, A.A., Bailey, K.C., Aberdein, N., Moak, S.P., & Hall, J.E. (2019). Role of SOCS3 in POMC Neurons in metabolic and cardiovascular regulation. AJP: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 316 (4), R338-R351. http://doi.org/10.1152/ajpregu.00163.2018

Conference papers

Dascombe, L., Nichol, T., Le Maitre, C., & Aberdein, N. (2023). Translating resolution: Altering micro-computed tomography outputs for 3D bio-printing. TISSUE ENGINEERING PART A, 29 (13-14).

Shafiq, S., Evans, H., Le Maitre, C., Hall, J., & Aberdein, N. (2019). Leptin differentially remodels vertebrae and tibia trabecular bone independent of load in vivo(abstract only). In Physiology 2019, Aberdeen, UK, 8 July 2019 - 10 July 2019 (pp. 197-198). The Physiological Society: https://www.physoc.org/abstracts/leptin-differentially-remodels-vertebrae-and-tibia-trabecular-bone-independent-of-load-in-vivo/

Wang, Z., do Carmo, J.M., Aberdein, N., Fang, T., & Hall, J.E. (2017). The Role of TRPC6 Channels in Glomerular Capillary Endothelial Cell Injury Induced by Mechanic Stretch and High Glucose. FASEB JOURNAL, 31.

Aberdein, N., Wang, Z., do Carmo, J.M., Fang, T., & Hall, J.E. (2017). Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) Deficiency in Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) Neurons Attenuates Body Weight, Fat Mass and Liver Lipid Accumulation in Mice Fed a High Fat Diet. FASEB JOURNAL, 31 (1). https://www.fasebj.org/doi/abs/10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.1038.6

Wang, Z., do Carmo, J., da Silva, A., Aberdein, N., & Hall, J. (2016). Role of Suppressor of Cytokines Signaling 3 (SOCS3) in POMC Neurons in Regulating Metabolic and Cardiovascular Functions in Dietary-Induced Obesity [abstract only]. Hypertension, 68. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/hyp.68.suppl_1.077

Aberdein, N., do Carmo, J.M., Wang, Z., Fang, T., de Lara, C.P., & Hall, J.E. (2016). Role of Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) Specific PTP1B in Differential Regulation of Blood Pressure, Liver Lipid Accumulation and Glucose Tolerance in Response to a High Fat Diet [Abstract only]. Hypertension, 68 (Supp 1). http://doi.org/10.1161/hyp.68.suppl_1.037

Fang, T., do Carmo, J.M., Wang, Z., Aberdein, N., Rodriguez, C.P.D.L., & Hall, J.E. (2016). Role of brainstem melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) in regulating glucose, energy balance and body fat in female mice (Abstract only). The FASEB Journal, 30. https://www.fasebj.org/doi/abs/10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.750.2

Aberdein, N., do Carmo, J.M., & Hall, J.E. (2016). Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) Deficiency In Pro-Opiomelanocortin (POMC) Neurons Does Not Enhance Leptin's Anorexigenic Effect, But Improves Glucose Tolerance And Increases Energy Expenditure In Mice Fed A High Fat Diet (Abstract only). The FASEB Journal, 30 (1 Supp). https://www.fasebj.org/doi/abs/10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.961.2

Theses / Dissertations

Wootton, T.L. (2024). Synthesis and drug development ofsmall molecule inhibitors of PTP1B. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Allwood, D., Aberdein, N., & Princivalle, A. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00609

Posters

Leyland, R., Aberdein, N., Wright, R., & Button, M.L. (2018). Providing productive feedback to Higher Education students. Presented at: SHU Annual Learning and Teaching Conference, Sheffield, UK, 2018

Other activities

Reviewer for Journal of Endocrinology

Postgraduate supervision

Primarily interested in the internal microarchitecture of bone and the use of Micro-Computed Tomography to assess changes in response to hormonal and loading changes associated with obesity. Also collaborate with other researchers to utilise Micro-CT technology for non-destructive imaging of a number of areas of interest including agriculture and crop optimisation, heart development in response to CO exposure and many more.

Nicola Aberdein