Dr BRENDAN GABRIEL

Biography

Overview 

My research primarily focuses on the role of skeletal muscle in disease pathology, taking into account the principles of chronobiology. In addition, I investigate the potential of physical activity as a treatment or preventative intervention in metabolic disease, considering the influence of circadian rhythms on skeletal muscle metabolism.

My Research Vision

I aim to drive improvements in metabolic disease treatment and prevention by conducting ambitious, multimodal research in a supportive and inclusive environment.

Appointments 

2020: Research Fellow in Cardiovascular and Diabetes Science, The Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen.

2019-2020: Research Fellow, Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh.

2015-2019: Research Fellow, Institute for Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute.

2015-2016: Visiting Fellow, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen.  

2010-2015: PhD, Institute of Medical Science, University of Aberdeen.

Prizes and Awards

• University of Aberdeen Excellence Awards ‘Outstanding Postgraduate Research Supervisors Award’ (2024)
• Innovator in Diabetes (IDia), Diabetes UK (2020)
• European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes (EFSD)/Lilly - Young Investigator Research Award (2020)

Research Overview

Overview 

My research primarily focuses on the role of skeletal muscle in disease pathology, taking into account the principles of chronobiology. In addition, I investigate the potential of physical activity as a treatment or preventative intervention in metabolic disease, considering the influence of circadian rhythms on skeletal muscle metabolism.

My Research Vision 

I aim to drive improvements in metabolic disease treatment and prevention by conducting ambitious, multimodal research in a supportive and inclusive environment. 

Our team presented data at Physiology 2023 in the spa town of Harrogate. Both PhD students presented talks at the conference. 

The Rowett Institute Hiking Group participate in physical activity near Balmoral Castle in beautiful Aberdeenshire

Current Research

Identifying novel skeletal muscle targets for obesity treatment and prevention.

Skeletal muscle is important in the pathology of obesity and other metabolic diseases as it is the major postprandial glucose depot and oxidises a large proportion of postprandial lipids. Approximately 40% of the human body is comprised of skeletal muscle, which contributes the largest quantitative component of energy expenditure in the body. Notably, the muscle of obese individuals may be energetically impaired in comparison to non-obese individuals. One of my core projects, uses data generated from a polygenic mouse model, alongside human validation to identify new targets which are causal for obesity. Several factors contribute to obesity development including a genetic predisposition. However, there are thought to be many, as yet, unidentified or uncharacterised inherited traits involved in obesity development. Ultimately, discovery and characterisation of these inherited traits could lead to more targeted treatments for obesity. Data generated from this project could steer future research regarding more personalised treatment/preventative interventions. This research is funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation.

Using chrono-medicine to optimise concomitant metformin and exercise prescription.

Additionally, skeletal muscle is a highly plastic tissue which responds beneficially to exercise training. Indeed, exercise may be one of the most potent clinical interventions in this tissue. People with Type II Diabetes (T2D) are often prescribed metformin and encouraged to engage in regular physical activity. However, many people with T2D do not meet the recommended physical activity guidelines and report more relapse from physical activity than the general population. Recent studies suggest that although metformin is an effective treatment strategy of T2D, patients undergoing this treatment may have an ablated beneficial response to exercise. Our recent work has shown disturbances in the intrinsic rhythmicity of circadian metabolism in skeletal muscle of people with T2D. These results underscore the need to consider approaches in chrono-medicine when prescribing pharmacological therapy for T2D. With this in mind, this parallel project aims to test the hypothesis that metformin interferes with exercise induced signal transduction in skeletal muscle. Additionally, we aim to test whether timed treatment can improve the beneficial effects of these combined therapies. This project is funded by the European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes (EFSD).

A schematic diagram of the speculated interactions between type 2 diabetes and skeletal muscle Zeitgebers

 Contraction increases calcium influx, resulting in binding of the phosphorylated form of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) to the Per2 promoter and a ‘re-setting’ of Per2 mRNA rhythmic expression (Small et al. 2020). Metformin, type 2 diabetes, exercise and ageing can all act to modulate calcium metabolism and mitochondrial function (Short et al. 2005; Weisleder & Ma, 2008; Eshima et al. 2014; Loubiere et al. 2017). Glucose metabolism is altered in response to exercise at different times of day (Savikj et al. 2019), and this may also play a role in molecular circadian rhythm regulation, given the role of cellular glucose metabolism in regulating non-transcriptional rhythmic processes (Ch et al. 2021). Dashed lines indicate speculated effects, continuous lines represent interactions with more evidence. Image and legend from Gabriel & Zierath (2021, The Journal of Physiology)

Symposia 

• Our team presented data at Physiology 2023 in the spa town of Harrogate. Both PhD students presented talks at the conference. 

It was a pleasure to share the work of our lab and my previous work at the

• American Diabetes Association’s 82nd Scientific Sessions, June 3-7 2022, in New Orleans, LA, USA

And the

• EASO’s 29th annual European Congress on Obesity, 4-7 May 2022, Maastricht, Netherlands.

You can still access my talks if you were a registered delegate at either conference.

Knowledge Exchange

Bucksburn Academy Sleep Project

December 2023- It was a pleasure to speak to high school students at Bucksburn Academy about Sleep and Circadian rhythms for their research project this term! 

Centenary of discovery of insulin event - Aberdeen Science Centre 2021

A group of scientists from the University of Aberdeen and I conducted 2 weekend events to celebrate the centenary of the discovery of insulin in collaboration with the Aberdeen Science Centre and TechFest. I received funding from The Physiological Society to conduct a bespoke event to demonstrate the latest glucose monitoring technology to the public. Most of the volunteers are also STEM Ambassadors. 

 You can hear me discuss the centenary of discovery of insulin in this podcast: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH92giTvjBc&ab_channel=TechFestAberdeen

Men's Fitness 2021 - When is the best time to work out? 

I contributed to an article in Men's Fitness, you can read it here:

https://mensfitness.co.uk/fitness/when-is-the-best-time-to-work-out/ 

Collaborations

Internal

Prof Frank Thies

Dr Dimitra Blana

Prof Lora Heisler 

Prof Mirela Delibegovic

Dr Nimesh Mody 

Prof Alexandra Johnstone 

Dr George McIlroy

Dr Madalina Neacsu 

Dr Arimantis Lionikis

Dr Guy Bewick 

Prof Jules Griffin 

External 

NHS Grampian 

Prof Juleen Zierath, Karolinska Institutet

Prof Anna Krook, Karolinska Institutet

Prof Johanna Lanner, Karolinska Institutet 

Dr David Rizo Roca, Karolinska Institutet 

Prof Nik Morton, Nottingham Trent University

Prof Simon Horvat, University of Ljubljana

Dr Nejc Umek, University of Ljubljana

Prof Cora Weigert, University of Tuebingen 

Prof Jorgen Wojtaszewski, University of Copenhagen 

Dr Rasmus Kjobsted, University of Copenhagen

Funding and Grants

BBSRC, Project Grant [Project Co-Lead] (2025-2028), £707,296

EASTBIO (BBSRC) DTP PhD Studentship [PI] (2024-2028), £94,368

British Heart Foundation, Non-clinical PhD Studentship [Co-I] (2024-2027), £115,309

Tenovus Scotland Pilot Research Grant [PI] (2022-2023), £12,000

Mexican CONNACyT PhD scholarship [PI] (2021-2025)

Novo Nordisk Foundation - Postdoc Fellowship [PI] - NNF19OC0055072 (2020-2024), ~£460,000

European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes (EFSD)/Lilly - Young Investigator Research Award Programme [PI] (2020-2022), €50,000

NHS Grampian Endowment Fund - Research Grant [PI] (2021), £12,000

Scottish Funding Council (SFC) Covid-19 grant extension fund (Internal) [PI] (2021), £12,000

Teaching Responsibilities

My goal in teaching is to link our cutting-edge research programme to important academic and vocational outcomes for students. This means using modern technology and practices in practicals and research projects and also exploring our latest findings in order to understand the biology behind our research. 

I am Programme Leader for the Sport and Exercise Nutrition MSc: 

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/degree-programmes/2109/sport-and-exercise-nutrition/#:~:text=Develop%20advanced%20expertise%20in%20sport,for%20athletes%20and%20active%20individuals. 

I also teach on the following courses: 

MSc Human Nutrition - Molecular Nutrition (RN5502)*

MSc Diabetes and Metabolism (BM5502)

BSc Sport & Exercise Science - Nutrition, Obesity and Metabolic Health (SR4008)

MSc Assessment of Nutritional Status (RN5008)

MSc Fundamentals of Human Nutrition and Metabolism (RN5001)

*Course Co-ordinator