The Experimental Medicine, Metabolic and Nutritional Physiology Research Group encompasses outstanding research expertise and facilities housed in the David Greenfield Human Physiology Unit (DGHPU) and analytical laboratories in the Division of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience of The School of Life Sciences.
The research group conducts world-leading investigations into metabolic and physiological regulation. Our highly skilled team of academic researchers, doctors, nurses, and specialist research technicians, as well as our excellent facilities, provide us with the capabilities to deliver a broad range of research studies involving human volunteers. The groups analytical laboratories within the Medical School allow for specialist analytical techniques to be carried out by our highly skilled technical research specialists.
We actively collaborate with researchers, particularly in the School of Medicine and the Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre (which includes the School of Life Sciences as an active member).
Meet the team
Current studies
Teaching facilities
How to find us
Location: Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre (B7)
Our bespoke in vivo human research unit includes:
The labs are equipped with:
We have a five-bed resting metabolism ward equipped with ventilated hood indirect calorimeters, high-specification ultrasound machines, beat-by-beat blood pressure equipment (Finometry) and blood analysers.
This lab has the capability to conduct:
Hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic clamps
Intravenous infusion and oral administration of nutrients and stable isotopes of amino acids, fatty acids and glucose
Short term bed rest and immobilisation studies
Resting metabolism measures in longitudinal exercise training and nutritional intervention studies
Acute nutritional interventions
Bergstrom needle muscle biopsy and Bard micro-biopsy muscle sampling
Adipose fat sampling
Plethysmography
State-of-the-art gym with free weights, resistance exercise equipment, and cycle ergometers providing capability for various exercise training protocols.
Our screening rooms are used to provide in-depth assessments prior to research participation and are equipped to provide capability for:
Venepuncture
12-lead Electrocardiography
Automated blood pressure
Anthropometry assessments (stadiometers, Seca weigh scales, skinfold calipers, bioelectrical impedance)
The dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) laboratory houses a GE Lunar Prodigy DEXA scanner and allows the investigation of body composition and bone density.
Sample preparation laboratory allows for processing of blood, saliva, and muscle for subsequent analysis.
This lab is equipped with:
Chilled centrifuges
Facilities for muscle, fat, and blood processing
Microscopes for single muscle fibre isolation
Sample storage: -4 oC, -20oC and -80oC
Location: D Floor and E Floor, Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre
Our laboratories are equipped to provide capability for:
General protein, DNA and RNA quantification using In-house extraction assays and Spectroscopy (Visible and UV).
Specific protein quantification (detecting changes in the levels of specific protein molecules among a mixture of proteins) using Western blotting.
Gene expression analysis (detecting changes in the level of expression of specific genes) using Real-time PCR.
Live cell imaging (studying living cells over some time) and Fixed Cell imaging (studying lipid accumulation in muscle cells) using Fluorescence Microscopy.
Substrate and metabolite analysis using a variety of techniques including spectrophotometry, fluorimetry, ELISAs, magnetic bead flow cytometry, and in-house radiochemical assays.
Mitochondrial respiration measurements using respirometry and luminescence.
David Greenfield Human Physiology Unit School of Life Sciences Medical School University of Nottingham Nottingham, NG7 2UH