Ryan Brown

Biography

Dr Brown is a Lecturer in Pharmacology with a strong background in biochemistry. His active research interests focus on understanding how sphingolipids regulate adipocyte function and contribute to the development of metabolic diseases, including obesity and Metabolic Dysfunction–Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD)/steatohepatitis (MASH). His research employs both in vitro and in vivo models to investigate the role of sphingolipids in metabolic disorders such as obesity and liver disease.

Prior to joining Keele University, Dr Brown was a Lecturer in Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine at the University of Chester. Before this, he held a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at Virginia Commonwealth University (USA), where he contributed to significant research exploring the role of sphingolipids in metabolic disease and neurodegenerative disorders, including Niemann–Pick Type C disease. He completed his PhD at the University of Strathclyde, investigating the molecular regulation of sphingosine kinase 1, and obtained an MSc in Neuroscience from University College London, where he contributed to research demonstrating the role of axonal mitochondrial dysfunction in the development of diabetic neuropathy. His undergraduate degree was in Animal Science from the University of Nottingham.

Dr Brown’s diverse international research experience, active since 2017, has enabled him to provide informed guidance to students on academic and non-academic career progression. He is passionate about teaching and mentoring, with extensive experience supporting undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as postdoctoral researchers, and is committed to fostering both research excellence and academic confidence. He is a member of several professional organisations, including the Sphingolipid Club and the Royal Society of Biology, and actively engages in outreach activities to inspire the next generation of scientists.

Research and scholarship

Dr Brown’s research focuses on sphingolipid metabolism and signalling in metabolic disease, with particular emphasis on how sphingosine kinase 2 (SphK2) regulates adipocyte function, inter-organ communication, and systemic metabolic homeostasis. His work examines how lipid mediators, including sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), integrate metabolic cues to influence obesity and Metabolic Dysfunction–Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD).

Building on his doctoral research with Professor Nigel Pyne at the University of Strathclyde on SphK1 regulation in cancer, and postdoctoral work with Professor Sarah Spiegel at Virginia Commonwealth University uncovering a role for SphK2 in adipose biology, Dr Brown’s current research programme at Keele University investigates adipocyte-driven SphK2 inter-organ signalling axes. The long-term aim of this programme is to define sphingolipid-mediated adipose inter-organ communication pathways and translate lipid signalling mechanisms into novel strategies to improve metabolic health.

Teaching

Lecture on BSc and MSc Pharmacology courses. Previously was course lead for MSc Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine at the University of Chester.