Dr Andrew J Doherty

I am currently a Senior Lecturer with the School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, teaching on the Neuroscience and Pharmacology programmes. I also act as a facilitator in Case-Based Learning on the MB21 Medical programme and teach neuropharmacology on the dental programme.

I am interested in the role of active learning methods in the developement of students' understanding of complex structures and concepts. I use a mixture of interactive physical and 3D digital models to instruct students about neuroanatomy so that they understand the relationships between anatomical structures and how they function together. Using simple stop-motion animation techniques also allows students to understand the dynamic nature of networks in the brain. I am currently conducting studies to provide an evidence base for whether these techniques  actually improve student outcomes and staisfaction.

My previous research work focussed on the role of the JAK-STAT pathway in long term depression, a form of synaptic plasticity that has been linked to learning and memory, and the role of endoplasmic reticulum in modulating dendritic spine dynamics. I have also worked on the pharmacology and trafficking of metabotropic glutamate receptors. Working with Profs Graham Collingridge and David Jane, we were testing phenylglycine derivatives for agonist/antagonists that could distinguish between the group I mGlu receptors. We were also looking at the mechanism of internalisation of mGlu1 receptors.