Alison Brading | |
---|---|
Born | 26 February 1939 |
Died | 7 January 2011 71) | (aged
Education | The Maynard School |
Alma mater | University of Bristol |
Awards | St Peter's Medal (2006) |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Physiology |
Institutions | University of Oxford |
Doctoral students | Anant Parekh [1] |
Alison Brading (26 February 1939 - 7 January 2011) was a British scientist who studied the physiology and pharmacology of smooth muscle, particularly in the urinary tract.
Alison Brading was born in Bexhill-on-Sea and educated at The Maynard School, Exeter, where she excelled academically and in sport, winning the Victor ludorum . [2] [3] While visiting her parents in Nigeria as a teenager, she acquired poliomyelitis, [4] the side effects of which she lived with throughout her life. She was only saved by an iron lung, introduced to Nigeria by her father Brigadier Norman Brading. [3]
An 18-month period of recovery in the Wingfield Hospital (Oxford; now Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre) [5] from the acute phase of her illness meant that she was unable to accept a position to study Medicine at the University of Oxford. Instead, she studies Zoology at the University of Bristol, graduating with a 1st class honours degree. She continued in Bristol, gaining a PhD exploring the function of muscle in the tapeworm ( Ascaris lumbricoides ), under the supervision of Peter Caldwell.
In 1965 she moved to the University of Oxford to work with Edith Bülbring, being appointed as fellow and tutor in physiology at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford in 1968, lecturer in pharmacology in 1972 and a professor in 1996. [4]
Her research focussed on the function of smooth muscle, particularly that which controls the contraction of the urinary bladder and urethra. Her early work focussed on the role of ions (particularly chloride) in the regulation of smooth muscle, developing new ways to measure the concentration of ions inside cells. [3]
In mid-career, she studied the function of drugs that relax smooth muscle, particularly potassium channel activators, moving on to develop important ties with Urological surgeons in Oxford to form the Oxford Continence Group. [3] Her later work was on the treatment of the unstable urinary bladder, bladder outflow obstruction, anal sphincter function (particularly the role of nitric oxide), the role of the pelvic floor in maintaining urinary continence and the role of Interstitial Cells (of Cajal) in the urogenital tract. [3] [6]
In the laboratory, Professor Brading was instrumental in training a generation of Urological surgeons in laboratory techniques, and also inspired basic science research. She was particularly proud of her contributions to the study of smooth muscle in Japan, where three of her former DPhil students, postdoctoral researchers or fellows subsequently became professorial heads of department (including Hikaru Hashitani (Nagoya) and Noriyoshi Teramoto (Saga)). [3] She continued regular work in the Oxford Department of Pharmacology until just before her final illness. Her contributions are recognised in at Lady Margaret Hall through a scholarship fund. [7]
In 2006 she was awarded the St Peter's Medal of the British Association of Urological Surgeons. [3] [8] She was awarded the title of honorary member of the Physiological Society (2008) [9] and honorary Fellowship of the British Pharmacological Society. [4]
She was an editor for the Journal of Physiology and served on the governing council of the Physiological Society. [2]
In her later life she lived next to the canal in Thrupp, Oxfordshire, where she captained her own narrowboat, assisted by family, friends and colleagues. [2]
Alison developed post-polio syndrome meant that she had trouble standing unaided and had breathing problems that progressed as she aged. While still active in scientific research, she acquired pneumonia in September 2010, which, through many months in hospital, she unable to conquer, arguable due to her ongoing post-polio syndrome weakness. As a biographer wrote, [3]
the role of warrior queen was indeed hers: a leader of men and women, a fierce defender and supporter of those in her care, a discerning and critical judge. Cheerful, optimistic, fiercely independent, efficient, and direct, with a special glow for her scientific and clinical friends
Interstitial cystitis (IC), a type of bladder pain syndrome (BPS), is chronic pain in the bladder and pelvic floor of unknown cause. It is the urologic chronic pelvic pain syndrome of women. Symptoms include feeling the need to urinate right away, needing to urinate often, and pain with sex. IC/BPS is associated with depression and lower quality of life. Many of those affected also have irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia.
Urology, also known as genitourinary surgery, is the branch of medicine that focuses on surgical and medical diseases of the urinary-tract system and the reproductive organs. Organs under the domain of urology include the kidneys, adrenal glands, ureters, urinary bladder, urethra, and the male reproductive organs.
The bladder is a hollow organ in humans and other vertebrates that stores urine from the kidneys before disposal by urination. In humans the bladder is a distensible organ that sits on the pelvic floor. Urine enters the bladder via the ureters and exits via the urethra. The typical adult human bladder will hold between 300 and 500 ml before the urge to empty occurs, but can hold considerably more.
The urinary system, also known as the urinary tract or renal system, consists of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and the urethra. The purpose of the urinary system is to eliminate waste from the body, regulate blood volume and blood pressure, control levels of electrolytes and metabolites, and regulate blood pH. The urinary tract is the body's drainage system for the eventual removal of urine. The kidneys have an extensive blood supply via the renal arteries which leave the kidneys via the renal vein. Each kidney consists of functional units called nephrons. Following filtration of blood and further processing, wastes exit the kidney via the ureters, tubes made of smooth muscle fibres that propel urine towards the urinary bladder, where it is stored and subsequently expelled from the body by urination (voiding). The female and male urinary system are very similar, differing only in the length of the urethra.
Urinary incontinence (UI), also known as involuntary urination, is any uncontrolled leakage of urine. It is a common and distressing problem, which may have a large impact on quality of life. It has been identified as an important issue in geriatric health care. The term enuresis is often used to refer to urinary incontinence primarily in children, such as nocturnal enuresis. UI is an example of a stigmatized medical condition, which creates barriers to successful management and makes the problem worse. People may be too embarrassed to seek medical help, and attempt to self-manage the symptom in secrecy from others.
The pelvic floor or pelvic diaphragm is a muscular partition separating the pelvic cavity (above), and perineal region (below). It is formed by the levator ani muscle and coccygeus muscle, and associated connective tissue.
Flavoxate is an anticholinergic with antimuscarinic effects. Its muscle relaxant properties may be due to a direct action on the smooth muscle rather than by antagonizing muscarinic receptors.
Edith Bülbring, FRS was a British scientist in the field of smooth muscle physiology, one of the first women accepted to the Royal Society as a fellow (FRS). She was professor of pharmacology at the University of Oxford (1967–71) and professorial fellow of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, later emeritus professor (1971–1990).
Retropubic space is a potential avascular space located between the pubic symphysis and the urinary bladder. The retropubic space is a preperitoneal space, located behind the transversalis fascia and in front of peritoneum.
Overactive bladder (OAB) is a common condition where there is a frequent feeling of needing to urinate to a degree that it negatively affects a person's life. The frequent need to urinate may occur during the day, at night, or both. If there is loss of bladder control then it is known as urge incontinence. Overactive bladder affects approximately 11% of the population and more than 40% of people with overactive bladder have incontinence. Conversely, about 40% to 70% of urinary incontinence is due to overactive bladder. Overactive bladder is not life-threatening, but most people with the condition have problems for years.
The urethral sphincters are two muscles used to control the exit of urine in the urinary bladder through the urethra. The two muscles are either the male or female external urethral sphincter and the internal urethral sphincter. When either of these muscles contracts, the urethra is sealed shut.
The internal urethral sphincter is a urethral sphincter muscle which constricts the internal urethral orifice. It is located at the junction of the urethra with the urinary bladder and is continuous with the detrusor muscle, but anatomically and functionally fully independent from it. It is composed of smooth muscle, so it is under the control of the autonomic nervous system, specifically the sympathetic nervous system.
Urologic diseases or conditions include urinary tract infections, kidney stones, bladder control problems, and prostate problems, among others. Some urologic conditions do not affect a person for that long and some are lifetime conditions. Kidney diseases are normally investigated and treated by nephrologists, while the specialty of urology deals with problems in the other organs. Gynecologists may deal with problems of incontinence in women.
Urogynecology or urogynaecology is a surgical sub-specialty of urology and gynecology.
Jerry G. Blaivas is an American urologist and senior faculty at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City and adjunct professor of Urology at SUNY Downstate Medical School in Brooklyn, as well as professor of clinical urology at College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University and clinical professor of Urology at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. He has four patents pending, has received four research grants for which he served as the principal investigator, and served as a major in the United States Army assigned to the Walson Army Hospital. He additionally served as president for the Urodynamic Society.
An organ chamber, organ bath, or isolated tissue bath is a chamber in which isolated organs or tissues can be administered with drugs, or stimulated electrically, in order to measure their function. The tissue in the organ bath is typically oxygenated with carbogen and kept in a solution such as Tyrode's solution or lactated Ringer's solution. Historically, they have also been called gut baths.
Anant B. Parekh is professor of Physiology at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Merton College, Oxford.
GSK1016790A is a drug developed by GlaxoSmithKline which acts as a potent and selective agonist for the TRPV4 receptor. It has been used to study the role of TRPV4 receptors in the function of smooth muscle tissue, particularly that lining blood vessels, lymphatic system, and the bladder.
Helen E. O'Connell is an Australian professor of urology and a pioneer in the anatomical study of the clitoris. She is a leading researcher in the area of female pelvic anatomy and was the first woman to complete training as a urologist in Australia.
Prof Clare Fowler CBE is a British physician and academic who created the subspecialty of uro-neurology, a medical field that combines urology and neurology. This work was done at the Institute of Neurology, University College London, where she is an emeritus professor.