Dr James R Parkinson

Dr Parkinson completed his degree in Biochemistry at Imperial College London in 2000, followed by two years working as a research assistant in the lab of Professor Mark McCarthy using various high throughput platforms to genotype single nucleotide polymorphisms in type 2 diabetes candidate genes. His association with Imperial College continued, beginning his PhD in Endocrinology in 2003 studying the appetite regulating effects of various gastrointestinal peptides, under the supervision of Dr. Waljit Dhillo and Professor Steve Bloom. During this time he collaborated with Professor Jimmy Bell, using manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI) to successfully track neuronal activation associated with appetite regulation, in vivo.

His first post-doctoral position, in Professor Bloom's laboratory, involved extending this application of MEMRI to hypothalamic and brainstem pathways involved in energy metabolism and nausea. In addition, he applied MRI based paradigms to analyse human body fat deposition in a UK based cohort. Combined with dietary manipulation in preclinical models, this translational approach was used to elucidate the mechanisms of body fat deposition and metabolic risk associated with individual adiposity stores. Specifically, studying the correlation between adiposity stores, as measured by MRI, muscle and liver fat recorded by ¹H MRS and anthropometric measurements.

His current position as a research associate in Professor Neena Modi’s group involves studying the effects of the perinatal environment and prematurity on outcomes at birth and in later life. Specifically, investigating the physiological differences between ex-preterm adults and term born controls; including body composition using MRI, muscle and liver fat recorded by ¹H MRS, blood biochemistry and fluid metabolites using metabonomic techniques in collaboration with Professor Elaine Holmes.

Selected publications

Differential patterns of neuronal activation in the brainstem and hypothalamus following peripheral injection of GLP-1, oxyntomodulin and lithium chloride in mice detected by manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI). Parkinson JR, Chaudhri OB, Kuo YT, Field BC, Herlihy AH, Dhillo WS, Ghatei MA, Bloom SR, Bell JD. Neuroimage. 2009 Feb 1;44(3):1022-31.

PYY3-36 injection in mice produces an acute anorexigenic effect followed by a delayed orexigenic effect not observed with other anorexigenic gut hormones Parkinson JRC, Dhillo WS, Small CJ, Chaudhri OB, Bewick GA, Pritchard I, Moore S, Ghatei MA and Bloom SR American Journal of Physiology: Endocrinology and Metabolism 2008 Apr;294(4):E698-708

Imaging appetite-regulating pathways in the central nervous system using manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. Parkinson JR, Chaudhri OB, Bell JD. Neuroendocrinology (Review). 2009;89(2):121-30.

The temporal sequence of gut peptide-central nervous system interactions tracked in vivo by magnetic resonance imaging Parkinson JRC, Kuo YT, Chaudhri OB, Herlihy AH, So P-W, Dhillo WS, Small CJ, Bloom SR, Bell JD. J Neuroscience. 2007 Nov 7;27(45):12341-8.

The importance of acclimatisation and habituation to experimental conditions when investigating the anorectic effects of gastrointestinal hormones in the rat Abbott CR, Small CJ, Sajedi A, Smith KL, Parkinson JRC, Broadhead LL, Ghatei MA and Bloom SR International Journal of Obesity 2006 Feb;30(2):288-92.

Association studies of insulin receptor substrate 1 gene (IRS1) variants in type 2 diabetes samples enriched for family history and early age of onset. Zeggini E, Parkinson J, Halford S, Owen KR, Frayling TM, Walker M, Hitman GA, Levy JC, Sampson MJ, Feskens EJ, Hattersley AT, McCarthy MI. Diabetes. 2004 Dec;53(12):3319-22.