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Experimental and Translational Medicine

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Human Health and Performance

Head of Centre

Professor Hugh Montgomery

Lab members

  • Dr Sampath Weerakoddy (Clinician Scientist)
  • Yege Wu (MSc student)
  • Mingyu Jiang (MSc student)

Publications

Human gene for physical performance. Montgomery HE, Marshall R, Hemingway H, Myerson S, Clarkson P, Dollery C, Hayward M, Holliman DE, Jubb M, World M, Thomas EL, Brynes AE, Saeed N, Barnard M, Bell JD, Prasad K, Rayson M, Talmud PJ, Humpries SE. Nature. 1998 May 21:393(6682):221-2. 
This publication was the first report of a genetic variant influencing human physical performance – work which has been expanded extensively by other groups. It was of social consequence – stimulating an extensive media debate as to the role of the ‘new genetics’ in society. Scientifically, this paper suggested a totally novel role for ACE in the regulation of human skeletal muscle function – a finding of some import to a variety disease states. 

Acute skeletal muscle wasting in critical illness. Puthucheary ZA, Rawal J, McPhail M, Connolly B, Ratnayake G, Chan P, Hopkinson NS, Padhke R, Dew T, Sidhu PS, Velloso C, Seymour J, Agley CC, Selby A, Limb M, Edwards LM, Smith K, Rowlerson A, Rennie MJ, Moxham J, Harridge SD, Hart N, Montgomery HE. JAMA. 2013 Oct 16;310(15):1591-600. 
This paper was the first longitudinal prospective study to detail skeletal muscle phenotype change in critical care. It used imaging, histopathology and chemistry (protein:DNA ratio) to quantify wasting, and expression studies, principle component analysis and isotope infusion to show that protein synthesis is deactivated, and catabolic pathways activated. Further, increased feeding was associated with greater muscle loss. 

Romanello M et al, Montgomery H, Costello A.  The 2022 Report of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change: health at the mercy of fossil fuels.  Lancet.  2022 Nov 5;400(10363):1619-1654. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)01540-9
This annual report is the preeminent international publication on the health impacts of climate change.

Related Courses

  • MSc Global Health, Climate Change Module
  • Undergraduate medical school: Environment and Health
  • [clinical teaching of undergrad medical students at the Whittington Hospital]

Youtube

YouTube Widget Placeholderhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfZdVinu2Jc

Podcasts

Funders

Funders: The Oak Foundation: https://oakfnd.org/
Collaborators: Prof Walter Schmidt (Germany); Prof Andrew Murray (Cambridge)