University of Manchester
Dr Gina Galli
Biography
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I am a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences at The University of Manchester, UK.
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My PhD was focussed on comparative vertebrate cardiovascular physiology at The University of Birmingham from 2003-2006 , under the supervision of Prof Ted Taylor.
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During that time, I worked with Ted on the evolution of cardiac shunting in reptiles, and collaborated with many of his colleagues, including Prof Tobias Wang (University of Aarhus, Denmark), Prof Holly Shiels (The University of Manchester, UK), Prof Richard Brill (Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences) and Prof Barbara Block (Stanford University, USA).
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From 2006-2008 I went to Barbara Blocks lab at Hopkins marine station in California to study the diving physiology of bluefin tuna.
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Between 2008-2011 I moved to The University of British Columbia in Vancouver as a Killam Memorial Postdoctoral Fellow, under the supervision of Tony Farrell and Jeff Richards. During that time I studied extreme cardiac anoxia tolerance in freshwater turtles
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Finally, I moved back to the UK in 2011 and took up a postdoctoral position at The University of Manchester in Holly Shiel's lab, and I joined the faulty as a Lecturer in 2013.
My Interests
My research is broadly focussed on the physiology of the vertebrate cardiovascular system. Our lab utilises a variety of animal models to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms that drive cardiovascular disease, with a special focus on cardiac conditions that involve oxygen deprivation (hypoxia). In particular, our team is very interested in fetal hypoxia, and the mechanisms that lead to the programming of cardiovascular disease during early development.
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In addition to studying cellular function in hypoxia-sensitive mammals, we utilise a comparative approach by considering species that have naturally evolved hypoxia tolerance. Remarkably, some ectothermic organisms, such as freshwater turtles, have successfully exploited hypoxic environments and can survive in the complete absence of oxygen for hours, days and even months. The fact that the hearts of these species continue to beat without oxygen has far reaching, clinical implications. Studying them may lead to the development of novel drug targets for the treatment of human oxygen-related diseases of the heart.
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Our research is generously supported by The British Heart Foundation and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Contact
We are always looking for enthusiastic cardiovascular scientists to join our team! Please get in touch if you are looking for PhD or Postdoctoral research opportunities.