Miles Houslay

Miles is internationally recognised for his work in cell signalling. He is particularly interested in understanding how the functioning of cyclic nucleotide signalling networks are regulated by spatial constraints and cross-talk (seeTrends in Biochemical Sciences 35 (2010) 91-100; PMID: 19864144). He developed the now well-accepted concept that cAMP degradation by PDE4 phosphodiesterase isoforms targeted to specific signalling complexes and intracellular locales underpin compartmentalised cAMP signalling.  The current focus of his work is in translating novel scientific discoveries concerning cell signalling systems into potential therapies and diagnostics for diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cancer, depression and schizophrenia.  

Cell signalling; functioning of cyclic nucleotide signalling networks regulated by spatial constraints and cross-talk; developed concept that cAMP degradation by PDE4 phosphodiesterase isoforms targeted to specific signalling complexes and intracellular locales underpin compartmentalised cAMP signalling; translating discoveries concerning cell signalling systems into potential therapies and diagnostics for diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cancer, depression and schizophrenia.  

Miles Houslay is currently Professor of Pharmacological Innovation at King’s College, London. He holds this post on a part-time basis while also being CEO/Managing Director of BioGryffe Consulting Ltd and co-Founder of BioTheryx Inc (USA).  He holds a BSc (Biochemistry) from Cardiff University and a PhD (Biochemistry) from Cambridge University. Until July 2011 he had held the Gardiner Chair of Biochemistry for 27 years at the University of Glasgow, where, before leaving, he was Chair of Neuroscience and Molecular Pharmacology and co-Director of the Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, a founding Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and past holder of a Colworth Medal from the British Biochemical Society, a Burroughs-Wellcome/FASEB visiting professorship (USA) and Trustee of the British Heart Foundation (BHF). He has served as either a Member or Chair of grant panels for the Medical Research Council (UK), Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (UK), Welcome Trust (UK), British Diabetic Association, BHF and on the Editorial Boards of various journals, and is currently Editor-in-Chief of Cellular Signalling. He raised over £22 M in research grant funding at Glasgow University, was Principal Investigator on 6 consecutive major Programme Grant awards from the Medical Research Council (MRC, UK) and PI on a Programme Grant from the Fondation Leducq, plus PI on various grants from the European Union and pharmaceutical companies in Europe, Asia, UK and USA. He has published over 440 research papers including articles in Science, Nature, Nature Neuroscience, Nature Biotechnology, Proceedings National Academy of Science (USA), Molecular Cell, European Molecular Biology Organisation Journal, Current Biology, Journal of Cell Biology and the Journal of Neuroscience, with a research publication H-Index of 74. He holds a number of patents and has acted either as a consultant for or served on scientific advisory boards of various companies in Asia, Europe, Japan, UK and USA