Annie Curtis

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Annie Curtis
Alma mater
Awards L'Oréal-UNESCO Award For Women in Science (2017)
Scientific career
Fields Immunology
Institutions
Website www.curtisclocklab.com

Annie Curtis is an Irish immunologist at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland whose career has spanned academia, public sector and industry. She studies how the power of the body clock can be harnessed to control inflammatory diseases.

Contents

Education

Curtis completed a B.A in Genetics in Trinity College Dublin (1994-1998) and conducted her PhD in the laboratory of Prof. Garret FitzGerald in Pharmacology (2001 – 2006) at University of Pennsylvania. [1] Here she became aware of body clocks and found out how the clock controls cardiovascular function. [2] [3]

Career

Curtis was recruited to GlaxoSmithKline in Philadelphia as a Principal Scientist directly after completing her PhD, where she led a small research team researching biomarkers for cardiovascular risk between 2006–2008. [4] In 2008 she was recruited as Scientific Programme Manager for Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) until 2010 when she was employed as Medical Advisor for Immunotherapeutics with Bristol-Myers Squibb. [4]

In 2011, she joined the laboratory of Luke O'Neill in biochemistry at Trinity College Dublin. [4] In 2014, she was awarded an SFI Starting Investigator Research Grant to establish a group studying the impact of clocks on the immune system. [1] Curtis joined the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland as a research lecturer in Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics in August 2016. [1] [5] Her work has led to the understanding of mechanisms inducing chronic inflammatory diseases like multiple sclerosis which is linked to the disruption of the body clock. [6]

Publications

Awards

2017: L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science UK & Ireland Fellowships 2017 Fellowship, L'Oréal-UNESCO [8]

2012: Winner, Roche Medal, Researcher of the Year, Trinity Biomedical Science Institute, Roche Pharmaceuticals [9]

2006: Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology (ATVB) Junior Investigator Award for Women 2006, ATVB

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Circadian rhythm</span> Natural internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle

A circadian rhythm, or circadian cycle, is a natural oscillation that repeats roughly every 24 hours. Circadian rhythms can refer to any process that originates within an organism and responds to the environment. Circadian rhythms are regulated by a circadian clock whose primary function is to rhythmically co-ordinate biological processes so they occur at the correct time to maximise the fitness of an individual. Circadian rhythms have been widely observed in animals, plants, fungi and cyanobacteria and there is evidence that they evolved independently in each of these kingdoms of life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garret FitzGerald</span> 8th Taoiseach between 1981 and 1987

Garret Desmond FitzGerald was an Irish Fine Gael politician, economist and barrister who served twice as Taoiseach, serving from 1981 to 1982 and 1982 to 1987. He served as Leader of Fine Gael from 1977 to 1987 and was twice Leader of the Opposition between 1977 and 1982; he was previously Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1973 to 1977. FitzGerald served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1969 to 1992 and was a Senator for the Industrial and Commercial Panel from 1965 to 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Desmond FitzGerald (politician)</span> Irish revolutionary and politician (1888–1947)

Desmond FitzGerald was an Irish revolutionary, poet, publicist and Fine Gael politician who served as Minister for Defence from 1927 to 1932, Minister for External Affairs from 1922 to 1927, Minister for Publicity from 1921 to 1922 and Director of Publicity from 1919 to 1921. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1918 to 1937. He was a Senator for the Administrative Panel from 1938 to 1943.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Endothelium</span> Layer of cells that lining inner surface of blood vessels

The endothelium is a single layer of squamous endothelial cells that line the interior surface of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels. The endothelium forms an interface between circulating blood or lymph in the lumen and the rest of the vessel wall. Endothelial cells form the barrier between vessels and tissue and control the flow of substances and fluid into and out of a tissue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland</span> Irish medical professional training body and higher education institution

The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) is a medical professional and educational institution, which is also known as RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ireland's first private university. It was established in 1784 as the national body for the surgical branch of medicine in Ireland, with a role in supervision of training, and as of 2021 provides a broad range of medical education in multiple countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UCD School of Medicine</span>

The UCD School of Medicine at University College Dublin, Ireland, was founded in 1854. At undergraduate level, the school offers programmes in Medicine MB BCh BAO, BSc Biomedical Health and Life Sciences, and the BSc Radiography. At graduate level, the school UCD offers over 40 programmes for health care professionals.

Eileen Dunne is a retired Irish journalist, newsreader and presenter with Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ), Ireland's national radio and television station, where she presented the main television news programmes Six One News, Nine O'Clock News and One O'Clock News including all other news bulletins on both radio and television from 1980 to 2022. She was the co-anchor alongside Sharon Ní Bheoláin of RTÉ's flagship Nine O'Clock News and presented afternoon bulletins for RTÉ Radio 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NPAS2</span> Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens

Neuronal PAS domain protein 2 (NPAS2) also known as member of PAS protein 4 (MOP4) is a transcription factor protein that in humans is encoded by the NPAS2 gene. NPAS2 is paralogous to CLOCK, and both are key proteins involved in the maintenance of circadian rhythms in mammals. In the brain, NPAS2 functions as a generator and maintainer of mammalian circadian rhythms. More specifically, NPAS2 is an activator of transcription and translation of core clock and clock-controlled genes through its role in a negative feedback loop in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the brain region responsible for the control of circadian rhythms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rev-ErbA alpha</span> Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens

Rev-Erb alpha (Rev-Erbɑ), also known as nuclear receptor subfamily 1 group D member 1 (NR1D1), is one of two Rev-Erb proteins in the nuclear receptor (NR) family of intracellular transcription factors. In humans, REV-ERBɑ is encoded by the NR1D1 gene, which is highly conserved across animal species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAR-related orphan receptor alpha</span> Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens

RAR-related orphan receptor alpha (RORα), also known as NR1F1 is a nuclear receptor that in humans is encoded by the RORA gene. RORα participates in the transcriptional regulation of some genes involved in circadian rhythm. In mice, RORα is essential for development of cerebellum through direct regulation of genes expressed in Purkinje cells. It also plays an essential role in the development of type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2) and mutant animals are ILC2 deficient. In addition, although present in normal numbers, the ILC3 and Th17 cells from RORα deficient mice are defective for cytokine production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAR-related orphan receptor gamma</span> Cellular receptor

RAR-related orphan receptor gamma (RORγ) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the RORC gene. RORγ is a member of the nuclear receptor family of transcription factors. It is mainly expressed in immune cells and it also regulates circadian rhythms. It may be involved in the progression of certain types of cancer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ARNTL</span> Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-like protein 1 (ARNTL) or brain and muscle ARNT-Like 1 (BMAL1) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ARNTL gene on chromosome 11, region p15.3. It's also known as BMAL1, MOP3, and, less commonly, bHLHe5, BMAL, BMAL1C, JAP3, PASD3, and TIC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opsona Therapeutics</span>

Opsona Therapeutics was a drug development company specialising in the human immune system and new drugs and vaccines to prevent and treat autoimmune/inflammatory conditions, cancers and infectious diseases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University College Dublin</span> University in Dublin, Ireland, part of the National University of Ireland

University College Dublin is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a member institution of the National University of Ireland. With 33,284 students, it is Ireland's largest university, and amongst the most prestigious universities in the country. Five Nobel Laureates are among UCD's alumni and current and former staff. Additionally, four Taoisigh and three Irish Presidents have graduated from UCD, along with one President of India.

Katherine A. Fitzgerald is an Irish-born American molecular biologist and virologist. She is a professor of medicine currently working in the Division of Infectious Disease at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. She is also the director of the Program in Innate Immunity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mabel McConnell Fitzgerald</span> Irish Republican, socialist and suffragette

Mabel Washington Fitzgerald was an Irish republican, suffragette, and socialist. She took part in the 1916 Easter Rising and the Irish War of Independence. She was the mother of Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald and wife of Desmond FitzGerald.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke O'Neill (scientist)</span> Irish biochemist (born 1964)

Luke Anthony John O'Neill is an Irish biochemist. He has been a professor of biochemistry in the School of Biochemistry and Immunology at Trinity College Dublin since 2009.

Garret Adare FitzGerald is an Irish physician. He is professor of in translational medicine and Therapeutics and chair of the department of pharmacology at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania. He researches aspects of cardiology, pharmacology, translational medicine, and chronobiology.

Esther Lutgens is a Dutch physician and molecular biologist who is Professor of Vascular Immunopathology at Amsterdam University Medical Centre. She studies the modulation of co-stimulatory pathways and the immune system.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "RCSI - Research Database". pi.rcsi.ie. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  2. Curtis, Anne M.; Cheng, Yan; Kapoor, Shiv; Reilly, Dermot; Price, Tom S.; FitzGerald, Garret A. (27 February 2007). "Circadian variation of blood pressure and the vascular response to asynchronous stress". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 104 (9): 3450–3455. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0611680104 . PMC   1802007 . PMID   17360665.
  3. O’Connell, Claire (12 May 2017). "How can we improve the immune system? By watching the clock". Silicon Republic. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 "Annie Curtis, PhD - Royal College Surgeons in Ireland". www.rcsi.ie. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  5. Hunt, Gordon (8 May 2017). "RCSI scientist wins esteemed L'Oréal award for immunology expertise". Silicon Republic. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  6. Sutton, Caroline E.; Finlay, Conor M.; Raverdeau, Mathilde; Early, James O.; DeCourcey, Joseph; Zaslona, Zbigniew; O'Neill, Luke A. J.; Mills, Kingston H. G.; Curtis, Annie M. (12 December 2017). "Loss of the molecular clock in myeloid cells exacerbates T cell-mediated CNS autoimmune disease". Nature Communications. 8 (1): 1923. doi:10.1038/s41467-017-02111-0. ISSN   2041-1723. PMC   5727202 . PMID   29234010.
  7. "Annie Curtis - Google Scholar Citations". scholar.google.com. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  8. "Dr Annie Curtis". www.womeninscience.co.uk. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  9. Dublin, Trinity News and Events, Trinity College. "Inaugural Biomedical Sciences Institute Postdoctoral Research Day Highlights Leading Research". www.tcd.ie. Retrieved 26 February 2018.