Staff Profile

Biography

I am a Lecturer with a background in translational neuroscience and significant experience working within academic–industry partnerships. My research focuses on molecular and synaptic mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disease, with an emphasis on pathways relevant to drug discovery and therapeutic intervention. My teaching draws on both my disciplinary research and scholarship of teaching and learning.

Alongside my research activity, I have a strong track record in teaching, curriculum leadership, and educational innovation. My teaching practice centres on technology-enhanced learning and innovative approaches such as game-based learning, with a focus on active and inclusive pedagogies.

I contribute to the academic community through curriculum and educational leadership, mentoring and peer review, widening participation, sector-facing examining and editorial work, and engagement with industry and research training partnerships.

Previous positions

Lecturer, University of Glasgow

Principal Scientist, C4X Discovery Ltd

Research Fellow, University of Bergen (Norway)

Postdoctoral Researcher, King's College London

Research Associate, University of Glasgow

Qualifications and Professional Development

• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (Advance HE, 2025)
• Inclusive Futures Leadership Programme (Newcastle University, 2025)
• Professional Development Course for External Examiners (Advance HE, 2023)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (University of Glasgow, 2022)
• PhD in Neuroimmunology (University of Glasgow, 2011)
• BSc in Biochemistry (University of York, 2007)

Internal Roles

• Chair, BSc Pharmacology Curriculum Committee (Course Lead)
• Co-Lead, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (School level)
• Lead, PARTNERS widening participation summer school
• Mentor, Newcastle Educational Practice Skills (NEPS)
• Mentor and Reviewer, Advance HE Professional Standards Framework (PSF)
• Reviewer, MRC DiMeN Doctoral Training Partnership

External Roles

• External Examiner (2022–present)
• Scientific Consultant in drug discovery (2020–present)
• Editorial Board Member, BMC Research Notes (2018–present)
• Editorial Board Member, Acta Studiorum Medicorum et Biomedicorum (2025–present)
• Series Editor, Colloquia Erudita (2026–present)
• STEM Ambassador

Memberships

Professional societies

• British Pharmacological Society
• The Physiological Society
• Royal Society of Biology

Internal communities and committees

• Education Research Theme
• Cell, Gene and Molecules Research Theme
• DiscoverAI (Opportunities & Challenges of AI in education)
• FMS Faculty EDI Committee

Honours, Awards and Competitive Funding

• British Pharmacological Society Education Grant (2024)
• Glasgow University Learning and Development Fund (2021)
• Dr Nils and Anna Henrichsen Foundation Grant (2019)
• European Postdoctoral Fellowship, European Commission (2018)
• Teaching Excellence Award, King’s College London (2018)
• Finalist, GlaxoSmithKline Drug Discovery Fast Track Challenge (2015)

Teaching & Assessment

My teaching is research-informed and draws on both my disciplinary expertise in pharmacology and neuroscience and scholarship of teaching and learning. I integrate disciplinary research and scholarship to design and deliver research-informed teaching that emphasises active engagement, experimental reasoning, and real-world application, with particular use of active learning and authentic assessment.

Drawing on my research background enables me to contribute to teaching across all stages of the pharmacology and biomedical sciences degree programmes.

Undergraduate

• PED1003: Pharmacology (Module Leader)
• BGM2061: Protein Trafficking and Biological Membranes (Module Co-Leader)
• PED3013/PSC3010: Research in Pharmacology/Physiology (Module Co-Leader)
• BMS3013: Disorders of the Human Nervous System (Module Co-Leader)
• PED3012: Integrated Pharmacology (Module Leader)

• BGM1002: Biochemistry
• CMB1011: Professional and Practical Skills for Bioscientists
• PED2006: Systems Pharmacology
• BMS3003: Business Enterprise for the Bioscientist
• BMS3016: Science Communication (Former Module Leader)
• BMS3022: Bioethics
• PED3008: Advanced Topics in Neuropharmacology (Former Module Leader)
• PED3007: Drug Discovery and Development
• CMB3000: Research Project

Postgraduate (MSc/MRes)

• MMB8050: Therapeutic Applications of Cell Signalling Pathways
• MMB8006: Drug Discovery and Development
• MRes Research Projects

External teaching activities

• Affiliate Lecturer, MSc Neuroscience, King’s College London
• External Examiner, BSc Biochemistry and BSc Pharmacology

Therapeutic application of signalling pathways, disease modelling, and drug discovery

My disciplinary research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms underpinning neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disease, using approaches from functional genomics and molecular pharmacology. A central theme of this work is identifying disease-associated pathways that can be leveraged for therapeutic intervention, including drug discovery and drug repositioning strategies.

A particular focus of my research has been the role of aberrant cell signalling and protein homeostasis in disease. This includes work demonstrating that synapse loss in Alzheimer’s disease is driven by dysregulation of non-canonical Wnt signalling, leading to the identification and validation of the clinically approved drug fasudil as a candidate for repositioning. I have also investigated strategies to modulate protein levels by targeting turnover via the ubiquitin–proteasome system, including the development of peptide-based disruptors and small-molecule approaches to stabilise disease-relevant proteins in patient-derived neuronal models.

Across these projects, I have developed expertise in targeting protein–protein interactions, combining peptide array mapping, in silico approaches, and cellular disease models to support translational decision-making. This work has been supported by competitive funding and published in peer-reviewed journals (please see my publication list).

I welcome enquiries from students interested in placements, internships or postgraduate study.

Educational research and scholarship

Alongside my disciplinary research, I have a strong and developing profile in educational research and scholarship, with a particular focus on technology-enhanced learning and the development of students’ digital skills and research literacy. My work in this area explores how interactive and game-based approaches can support engagement, conceptual understanding, and transferable skills in bioscience education.

I lead staff–student partnership projects to co-create innovative learning resources, including digital and tabletop games designed to teach complex biomedical concepts. Current projects include the development of a non-linear, interactive games using digital storytelling, and a role-playing, game-based approaches inspired by tabletop gaming. This work underpins my teaching practice and contributes to wider discussions around active, inclusive, and research-informed pedagogy, and has attracted recognition through invited talks and workshops delivered to academic and widening participation audiences.

Educational research interests

I welcome collaboration with colleagues interested in educational research in the biosciences. My interests include (but are not limited to):

• Technology-enhanced learning and teaching in bioscience and pharmacology
• Game-based learning and playful pedagogies for complex biomedical concepts
• Development of students’ digital skills and research literacy
• Active and inclusive approaches to authentic assessment design
• Staff–student partnerships in curriculum and learning resource co-creation
• Research-informed teaching and integration of disciplinary research into the curriculum, bridging the gap between teaching and research
• Compassionate and inclusive education, with a particular interest in neurodiversity

• Articles

  • Killick R, Hooper C, Fernandes C, Elliott C, Aarsland D, Kjosavik SR, Østerhus R, Williams G. Transcription-Driven Repurposing of Cardiotonic Steroids for Lithium Treatment of Severe Depression. Cells 2025, 14(8), 575.
  • Elliott C. Targeting the amyloid precursor protein interactome in Wnt signalling provides novel therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer's disease. Pharmakeftiki 2025, 37(2S), 4-7.
  • Elliott C, Jackson J, Findlay J, Williams G, Ghosh A, Ribe E, Ulmschneider M, Khan A, Ballard C, Aarsland D, Baillie GS, Harte M, Killick R. Blocking the Dkk1-LRP6 interaction prevents acute amyloid-β-driven cognitive impairment. Cellular Signalling 2025, 131, 11716.
  • Elliott C. Technology-enhanced learning in Pharmacology through non-linear storytelling. Review of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacokinetics – International Edition 2024, 38(Sup2), 11-13.
  • Lipina TV, Li S, Petrova ES, Amstislavskaya TG, Cameron RT, Elliott C, Gondo Y, McGirr A, Mullins JGL, Baillie GS, Woodgett JR, Clapcote SJ. PDE4B Missense Variant Increases Susceptibility to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder-Relevant Phenotypes in Mice. Journal of Neuroscience 2024, 44(43), e0137242024.
  • Zarros A, Al-Humadi HW, Elliott C. Do thyroid hormones determine the neurotoxicity of cadmium?. Epitheorese Klinikes Farmakologias kai Farmakokinetikes 2024, 42(2-3), 61-64.
  • Elliott C, Brundell P. Being Neurodivergent in Academia: How we stepped up to support others. eLife 2024, 13, e98891.
  • Killick R, Elliott C, Ribe E, Broadstock M, Ballard C, Aarsland D, Williams G. Neurodegenerative Disease Associated Pathways in the Brains of Triple Transgenic Alzheimer’s Model Mice Are Reversed Following Two Weeks of Peripheral Administration of Fasudil. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2023, 24(13), 11219.
  • Glennon EB, Lau DHW, Gabriele RMC, Taylor MF, Troakes C, Opie-Martin S, Elliott C, Killick R, Hanger DP, Perez-Nievas BG, Noble W. Bridging integrator 1 protein loss in Alzheimer’s disease promotes synaptic tau accumulation and disrupts tau release. Brain Communications 2020, 2(1), fcaa011.
  • Engelhardt B, Holze J, Elliott C, Baillie GS, Kschischo M, Frohlich H. Modelling and Mathematical Analysis of the M2-Receptor Dependent Joint Signaling and Secondary Messenger Network in CHO Cells. Mathematical Medicine & Biology 2018, 35(3), 279-297.
  • Yalla K, Elliott C, Day JP, Findlay J, Barratt S, Hughes ZA, Wilson L, Whiteley E, Popiolek M, Li Y, Dunlop J, Killick R, Adams DR, Brandon NJ, Houslay MD, Hao B, Baillie GS. FBXW7 regulates DISC1 stability via the ubiquitin-proteosome system. Molecular Psychiatry 2018, 23, 1278-1286.
  • Sellers KJ, Elliott C, Jackson J, Ghosh A, Ribe E, Rojo-Sanchís A, Jarosz-Griffiths HH, Watson IA, Xia W, Semenov M, Morin P, Hooper NM, Porter R, Preston J, Al-Shawi R, Baillie GS, Lovestone S, Cuadrado A, Harte M, Simons P, Srivastava DP, Killick R. Amyloid β synaptotoxicity is Wnt-PCP dependent and blocked by fasudil. Alzheimer’s and Dementia 2018, 14(3), 306-317.
  • Elliott C, Rojo A, Ribe E, Broadstock M, Xia W, Morin P, Semenov M, Baillie G, Cuadrado A, Al-Shawi R, Ballard CG, Simons P, Killick R. A role for APP in Wnt signalling links synapse loss with β-amyloid production. Translational Psychiatry 2018, 8, 179.
  • Ashton NJ, Hye A, Leckey CA, Jones AR, Gardner A, Elliott C, Wetherell JL, Lenze EJ, Killick R, Marchant NL. Plasma REST: a novel candidate biomarker of Alzheimer’s disease is modified by psychological intervention in an at risk population. Translational Psychiatry 2017, 7(6), e1148.
  • Tankou S, Ishii K, Elliott C, Yalla KC, Day JP, Furukori K, Kubo K, Brandon NJ, Tang Q, Hayward G, Nakajima K, Houslay MD, Kamiya A, Baillie GS, Ishizuka K, Sawa A. SUMOylation of DISC1: A Potential Role in Neural Progenitor Proliferation in the Developing Cortex. Molecular Neuropsychiatry 2016, 2(1), 20-27.
  • McGirr A, Lipina TV, Mun H, Georgiou J, Al-Amri AH, Ng E, Zhai D, Elliott C, Cameron RT, Mullins JGL, Liu F, Baillie GS, Clapcote SJ, Roder JC. Specific Inhibition of Phosphodiesterase-4B Results in Anxiolysis and Facilitates Memory Acquisition. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016, 41(4), 1080-1092.
  • Allan D, Fairlie-Clarke K, Elliott C, Schuh C, Barnett SC, Lassmann H, Linington C, Jiang H. Role of IL-33 and ST2 signalling pathway in multiple sclerosis: expression by oligodendrocytes and inhibition of myelination in central nervous system. Acta Neuropathologica Communications 2016, 4(1), 75.
  • Roscoe RB, Elliott C, Zarros A, Baillie GS. Non-genetic therapeutic approaches to Canavan disease. Journal of the Neurological Sciences 2016, 366, 116-124.
  • Dachtler J, Elliott C, Rodgers RJ, Baillie GS, Clapcote SJ. Missense mutation in DISC1 C-terminal coiled-coil has GSK3β signaling and sex-dependent behavioral effects in mice. Scientific Reports 2016, 6, 18748.
  • Al-Nimer F, Elliott C, Bergman J, Khademi M, Dring AM, Aeinehband S, Bergenheim TR, Christensen J, Sellebjerg F, Svenningsson A, Linington C, Olsson T, Piehl F. Lipocalin-2 is increased in progressive multiple sclerosis and inhibits remyelination. Neurology – Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation 2016, 3(1), e191.
  • Byrne AM, Elliott C, Hoffmann R, Baillie GS. The activity of cAMP-phosphodiesterase 4D7 (PDE4D7) is regulated by protein kinase A-dependent phosphorylation within its unique N-terminus. FEBS Letters 2015, 589(6), 750-755.
  • Lindner M, Thuemmler K, Arthur A, Brunner S, Elliott C, McElroy D, Mohan H, Williams A, Edgar JM, Schuh C, Stadelmann C, Barnett SC, Lassmann H, Muecklisch S, Mudaliar M, Schaeren-Wiemers N, Meinl E, Linington C. Fibroblast growth factor signalling in multiple sclerosis: inhibition of myelination and induction of proinflammatory environment by FGF9. Brain 2015, 138(7), 1875-1893.
  • Mohan H, Friese A, Albrecht S, Krumbholz M, Elliott CL, Arthur A, Menon R, Farina C, Junker A, Stadelmann C, Barnett SC, Huitinga I, Wekerle H, Hohlfeld R, Lassmann H, Kuhlmann T, Linington C, Meinl E. Transcript profiling of different types of multiple sclerosis lesions yields FGF1 as a promoter of remyelination. Acta Neuropathologica Communications 2014, 2(1), 178.
  • Martin TP, Hortigon-Vinagre M, Findlay JE, Elliott C, Currie S, Baillie GS. Targeted disruption of the heat shock protein 20-phosphodiesterase 4D (PDE4D) interaction protects against pathological cardiac remodelling in a mouse model of hypertrophy. FEBS Open Bio 2014, 4(1), 923-927.
  • Elliott C, Lindner M, Arthur A, Brennan K, Jarius S, Hussey J, Chan A, Stroet A, Olsson T, Willison H, Barnett SC, Meinl E, Linington C. Functional identification of pathogenic autoantibody responses in patients with multiple sclerosis. Brain 2012, 135(6), 1819-1833.
  • Brennan KM, Galban-Horcajo F, Rinaldi S, O'Leary CP, Goodyear CS, Kalna G, Arthur A, Elliott C, Barnett S, Linington C, Bennett JL, Owens GP, Willison HJ. Lipid arrays identify myelin-derived lipids and lipid complexes as prominent targets for oligoclonal band antibodies in multiple sclerosis. Journal of Neuroimmunology 2011, 238(1).