Dr Gillian Hunter (nee Hamilton) - Principle Investigator
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Gillian is a geneticist who combines her research interests in neurodegeneration with teaching responsibilities. She carried out her undergraduate degree in Genetics at the University of Glasgow, during which she spent a work placement year in the Research and Development Genetics section at Astrazeneca, Alderley Edge. She graduated with a First Class MSci degree in 2001. She then undertook a PhD in Genetics and Neuroscience at the Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, working on a project looking for novel genetic factors for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) with Professors John Powell and Simon Lovestone. On completion of her PhD, Gillian was awarded an Alzheimer's Research Trust postdoctoral research fellowship and moved to the laboratory of Professor Richard Wade-Martins at the University of Oxford. Here, she worked on optimising infectious BAC (iBAC) methodology to investigate functional differences between different haplotypes of the nicastrin gene, a potential risk factor for AD. In 2008, she was awarded a fellowship from the Alzheimer's Society to use the iBAC method to study functional genetic variation in Abeta degrading enzymes, work she carried out at the Molecular Medicine Centre, University of Edinburgh. During this time, she also became involved with the work of the Lothian Birth Cohorts and developed an interest in the genetic contribution to normal cognitive ageing. In 2011, Gillian moved to the lab of Professor Thomas Gillingwater (University of Edinburgh) as a senior postdoctoral research fellow. Her research demonstrated that Schwann cells are affected in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and she developed a novel mouse model for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) that restored SMN expression to Schwann cells, ameliorating some, but not all, pathology. She joined Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) as a Lecturer in 2015 and is interested in understanding more about the effect reduced SMN levels have on multiple pathologies in SMA and in investigating the potential epigenetic contribution to SMA pathology.
Qualifications
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PgC Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, 2018, Glasgow Caledonian University
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PhD Neuroscience, 2005, Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London
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MSci Genetics (First Class Honours), 2001, University of Glasgow
Personal Profile
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August 2015 to present, Lecturer (Cell and Molecular Biology), Glasgow Caledonian University
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November 2011 - July 2015, Senior postdoctoral research fellow, University of Edinburgh, Centre for Integrative Physiology
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October 2008 - October 2011, Postdoctoral research fellow, University of Edinburgh, Medical Genetics
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January 2006 - September 2008, Postdoctoral research fellow, University of Oxford, Department of Physiology, Genetics and Anatomy
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October 2005 - December 2005, Postdoctoral research fellow, Kings College London, Institute of Psychiatry
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March 2005 - June 2005, Research assistant, Kings College London, Institute of Psychiatry
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September 2001 - December 2004, PhD student/Research assistant, Kings College London, Institute of Psychiatry
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September 1999 - August 2000, Industrial work placement, Research and Development Genetics, Astrazeneca, Cheshire
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September 1996 - July 2001, MSci Genetics, University of Glasgow
Member
2018 - present, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
2016 - present, The Genetics Society
2015 - present, Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease
Prizes
2018 Shortlisted, Outstanding Research Student Supervision and Support, GCU Student's Association Teaching Awards
2013 Research communication prize, Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, Annual conference
2009 Winner, I'm a Scientist get me out of here
2001 Best overall performance in Genetics Senior Honours Examinations, University of Glasgow
1999 Best overall performance in Genetics Junior Honours Examinations, University of Glasgow
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Teaching responsibilities
​Masters level
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Biomolecular Studies, Module leader, GCU, 2016-present
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Current Topics in Pharmacology, Module tutor, GCU, 2018-present
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Molecular Aspects of Medicine, ​​Deputy module leader, GCU​, 2016-present
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MSc Research Project, Module tutor, GCU​, 2016-present
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Biomedical MSc Preparation for Project, Module tutor, GCU, 2018-present
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Biomedical MSc Research Project, Module tutor, GCU, 2018 - present
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Lecturer, Human Genetics, University of Edinburgh​, 2009-2012
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Undergraduate level
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Level 2, Fundamental Cell Biology, Module tutor, GCU​, 2018-present
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Level 2, Mechanisms of Cellular Regulation, Module tutor, GCU​, 2016-present
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​Level 2, Practical Skills in Biomolecular Sciences, Module leader, GCU​, 2018-present
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Level 3, Molecular Diagnostics, Deputy module leader, GCU​, 2016-present
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Level 4, Biology of Disease, Deputy module leader, GCU, 2016-present
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Level 4, Pharmacology: Special Topics, Module tutor, GCU, 2018-present
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Level 4, Projects and Workshops, Module tutor, GCU​, 2015-present
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Lecturer, Neurogenetics, University of Edinburgh, 2009-2013
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