Dr Nicola Aberdein BSc (Hons), PhD
Lecturer in Anatomy and Physiology
Summary
Nicola teaches physiology and anatomy at undergraduate level, and is part of the Healthcare Science Degree Apprenticeship lecturing team. Nicola has 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.
About
Nicola 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. Nicola 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.
Nicola lectures on the topics of physiology and anatomy to undergraduate students, she also teaches on her research topic of leptin signaling and obesity. Nicola leads two 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
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.
Research
Understanding the role of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), a negative regulator of leptin signalling, in modulating the cardiometabolic responses to chronic hyperlepinemia or diet induced obesity
Obesity currently affects more than 30% of the adult population in the U.K. and is linked with comorbidities including hepatic steatosis, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Diet induced obesity is associated with resistance to many of leptins metabolic effects including appetite suppression and glucose regulation. Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is a negative regulator of leptin receptor signalling and may contribute to leptin resistance in diet-induced obesity. Understanding the role PTP1B plays in mediating the cardiovascular and metabolic effects of diet induced obesity may give us insight into its use as a potential therapy against many aspects of the metabolic syndrome.
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., 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
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