Biography

I was appointed as a Lecturer at Keele University in 2003 and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2006. Having worked in the pharmaceutical industry for a number of years, I took a career break to have my family in 1985 before coming to Keele in 1989, as a mature undergraduate student. I obtained a BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry in 1992 and enjoyed the academic environment so much that I stayed on to complete my PhD, on the mechanisms of cell death in the endocrine pancreas, in 1995. I then spent a further three years at Keele as a postdoctoral research fellow, continuing my research in the field of diabetes mellitus, before taking up a lectureship at Liverpool John Moores University in 1998. Five years later I came back to Keele – there’s obviously something about the place that I like!

Research and scholarship

Throughout my academic career, my research interests have focussed on how pancreatic beta cells are destroyed during the onset of type 1 diabetes mellitus. In particular, looking at how signalling pathways involving nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species can lead to apoptosis in beta cells.

Teaching

  • LSC10030 Case Studies in Medicine (Module Manager)

  • LSC20005 Endocrinology and Signalling (Module Manager)

  • LSC20040 Professional Relationships

  • LSC30007 Biology Dissertation

  • LSC30008/ 12 Experimental Research Projects

  • LSC-30014 Biochemistry research Project (Non-experimental)

  • LSC30015 Biology of Disease

  • LSC30019 Applied Life Sciences Placement

  • LSC30026 Case Studies in Biomedical Sciences (Module Manager)

Selected Publications

  • Watson D and Loweth AC. 2009. Oxidative and nitrosative stress in beta-cell apoptosis: their contribution to beta-cell loss in type 1 diabetes mellitus. Br J Biomed Sci, 208-215, vol. 66(4). link> doi>
  • Brown CA, Loweth AC, Smith SA, Morgan NG. 1993. Stimulation of insulin secretion by imidazoline compounds is not due to interaction with non-adrenoceptor idazoxan binding sites. Br J Pharmacol, 312-317, vol. 108(2). link> doi>
  • Trigwell SM, Radford PM, Page SR, Loweth AC, James RF, Morgan NG, Todd I. 2001. Islet glutamic acid decarboxylase modified by reactive oxygen species is recognized by antibodies from patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Clin Exp Immunol, 242-249, vol. 126(2). link> doi>
  • WATSON D, HOSKER BS, HAZLEWOOD SA, SCARPELLO JHB, LOWETH AC. 2008. A bioinformatics approach to assessing the functional and structural role of protein S-nitrosylation in beta cell apoptosis. Diabetic Medicine, 49, vol. 25(Suppl 1).
  • Watson D, Kinsey E, Hoskert BS, Hazlewood SA, Scarpello JHB, Loweth AC. 2007. A role for mitochondrial calcium uptake in oxidant-induced beta-cell death. DIABETIC MEDICINE (p. 34, vol. 24). link>

Full Publications Listshow

Journal Articles

  • Watson D and Loweth AC. 2009. Oxidative and nitrosative stress in beta-cell apoptosis: their contribution to beta-cell loss in type 1 diabetes mellitus. Br J Biomed Sci, 208-215, vol. 66(4). link> doi>
  • Brown CA, Loweth AC, Smith SA, Morgan NG. 1993. Stimulation of insulin secretion by imidazoline compounds is not due to interaction with non-adrenoceptor idazoxan binding sites. Br J Pharmacol, 312-317, vol. 108(2). link> doi>
  • Trigwell SM, Radford PM, Page SR, Loweth AC, James RF, Morgan NG, Todd I. 2001. Islet glutamic acid decarboxylase modified by reactive oxygen species is recognized by antibodies from patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Clin Exp Immunol, 242-249, vol. 126(2). link> doi>
  • WATSON D, HOSKER BS, HAZLEWOOD SA, SCARPELLO JHB, LOWETH AC. 2008. A bioinformatics approach to assessing the functional and structural role of protein S-nitrosylation in beta cell apoptosis. Diabetic Medicine, 49, vol. 25(Suppl 1).
  • WATSON D, HAZELWOOD SA, SCARPELLO JHB, LOWETH AC. 2007. Differential use of calcium stores in reactive oxygen species-dependent pancreatic beta cell death. Diabetologia, Article S182, vol. 50(Suppl 1).
  • HOSKER BS, BILTON RF, LOWE GM, LOWETH AC. 2003. Nitric oxide, but not peroxynitrite, activities p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) and induces apoptosis in RINm5F pancreatic beta cells. Diabetic Medicine, vol. 20(Suppl 2).
  • HOSKER BS, BILTON RF, LOWE GM, LOWETH AC. 2003. Sequential nitrosylation, p38MAPK activation and apoptosis in RINm5F ß-cells in response to nitric oxide. Diabetologia, 531, vol. 46(Suppl 2).
  • HOSKER BS, BILTON RF, LOWE GM, LOWETH AC. 2002. A spectrophotometric method for measuring S-nitrosylation of proteins in RINm5F cells. Diabetologia, Article A172, vol. Suppl 2.
  • HOSKER BS, BILTON RF, LOWE GM, LOWETH AC. 2002. Effects of reactive nitrogen species on protein S-nitrosylation and apoptosis in pancreatic -cells. Biochem Soc, Article Trans 30.
  • Hosker BS, Bilton RF, Lowe GM, Loweth AC. 2001. Quantification of the contribution of peroxynitrite to mixed radical- and nitric oxide-mediated beta cell death. DIABETOLOGIA, A144, vol. 44. link>
  • McBAIN SC, WATTS K, LOWETH AC, SCARPELLO JHB, TADAYYON M, MORGAN NG. 2001. Expression of Fas isoforms in isolated human islets of Langerhans. Diabetic Medicine, vol. 18.
  • Loweth AC, Watts K, McBain SC, Williams GT, Scarpello JH, Morgan NG. 2000. Dissociation between Fas expression and induction of apoptosis in human islets of Langerhans. Diabetes Obes Metab, 57-60, vol. 2(1). link> doi>
  • Loweth AC, Williams GT, Scarpello JHB, James RFL, Morgan NG. 1998. Fas engagement leads to apoptosis of human islet cells following exposure to interleukin-1 beta. DIABETOLOGIA, A57, vol. 41. link>
  • Loweth AC, Williams GT, James RF, Scarpello JH, Morgan NG. 1998. Human islets of Langerhans express Fas ligand and undergo apoptosis in response to interleukin-1beta and Fas ligation. Diabetes, 727-732, vol. 47(5). link> doi>
  • Loweth AC and Morgan NG. 1998. Methods for the study of NO-induced apoptosis in cultured cells. Methods Mol Biol, 311-320, vol. 100. link> doi>
  • Loweth AC, Williams GT, Scarpello JH, Morgan NG. 1997. Evidence for the involvement of cGMP and protein kinase G in nitric oxide-induced apoptosis in the pancreatic B-cell line, HIT-T15. FEBS Lett, 285-288, vol. 400(3). link> doi>
  • Di Matteo MA, Loweth AC, Thomas S, Mabley JG, Morgan NG, Thorpe JR, Green IC. 1997. Superoxide, nitric oxide, peroxynitrite and cytokine combinations all cause functional impairment and morphological changes in rat islets of Langerhans and insulin secreting cell lines, but dictate cell death by different mechanisms. Apoptosis, 164-177, vol. 2(2). link> doi>
  • Loweth AC, Williams GT, Scarpello JH, Morgan NG. 1996. Heterotrimeric G-proteins are implicated in the regulation of apoptosis in pancreatic beta-cells. Exp Cell Res, 69-76, vol. 229(1). link> doi>
  • Loweth AC, Scarpello JH, Williams GT, Morgan NG. 1996. Evidence for the involvement of cGMP in nitric oxide-induced apoptosis in HIT-T15 cells. DIABETOLOGIA, 391, vol. 39. link>
  • Loweth AC, Scarpello JH, Morgan NG. 1996. A specific inhibitor of cytosolic phospholipase A2 activity, AACOCF3, inhibits glucose-induced insulin secretion from isolated rat islets. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 423-427, vol. 218(2). link> doi>
  • LOWETH AC, SCARPELLO JHB, MORGAN NG. 1995. PHOSPHOLIPASE A(2) EXPRESSION IN HUMAN AND RODENT INSULIN-SECRETING CELLS (VOL 112, PG 177, 1995). MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR ENDOCRINOLOGY, 227-228, vol. 114(1-2). link>
  • Loweth AC, Scarpello JH, Morgan NG. 1995. Phospholipase A2 expression in human and rodent insulin-secreting cells. Mol Cell Endocrinol, 177-183, vol. 112(2). link> doi>
  • LOWETH AC, SCARPELLO JHB, WILLIAMS GT, MORGAN NG. 1995. EFFECTS OF MODULATORS OF G-PROTEIN FUNCTION OF APOPTOSIS IN RINM5F CELLS AND RAT ISLETS. DIABETOLOGIA, A45, vol. 38. link>
  • Loweth AC, Scarpello JH, Morgan NG. 1994. A comparison of cytosolic phospholipase A2 expression in human islets of Langerhans and rodent insulin-secreting cells. Biochem Soc Trans, 430S, vol. 22(4). link> doi>
  • LOWETH AC, SCARPELLO JHB, MORGAN NG. 1994. IMMUNOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF PHOSPHOLIPASE-A2 EXPRESSION IN INSULIN-SECRETING CELLS. DIABETOLOGIA, A101, vol. 37. link>

Other

  • Watson D, Kinsey E, Hoskert BS, Hazlewood SA, Scarpello JHB, Loweth AC. 2007. A role for mitochondrial calcium uptake in oxidant-induced beta-cell death. DIABETIC MEDICINE (p. 34, vol. 24). link>
  • Hosker BS, Bilton RF, Lowe GM, Loweth AC. 2003. Sequential nitrosylation, p38MAPK activation and apoptosis in RINm5F beta-cells in response to nitric oxide. DIABETOLOGIA (pp. A185-A186, vol. 46). link>
  • Hosker BS, Bilton RF, Lowe GM, Loweth AC. 2002. A spectrophotometric method for measuring S-nitrosylation of proteins in RINm5F cells. DIABETOLOGIA (pp. A172-A173, vol. 45). link>
  • Loweth AC, Williams GT, Hurst RD, Scarpello JHB, Morgan NG. 1998. The mechanism of nitric oxide-induced apoptosis in the pancreatic beta-cell may involve cGMP and protein kinase G. NITRIC OXIDE AND THE CELL (pp. 115-124). link>
  • LOWETH AC, SCARPELLO JHB, MORGAN NG. 1994. A COMPARISON OF CYTOSOLIC PHOSPHOLIPASE A(2) EXPRESSION IN HUMAN ISLETS OF LANGERHANS AND RODENT INSULIN-SECRETING CELLS. BIOCHEMICAL SOCIETY TRANSACTIONS (p. S430, vol. 22). link> doi>

School of Life Sciences,
Huxley Building,
Keele University,
Staffordshire,
ST5 5BG
Tel: +44 (0) 1782 734414