My research group studies brainstem and hypothalamic circuits that govern cardiovascular and metabolic homeostasis, and the autonomic and humoral pathways through which they communicate with the heart and peripheral tissues.

We have shown that activation of vagal preganglionic neurones reduces myocardial infarct size and preserves ventricular function in heart failure. At the microvascular level, this protection is mediated by GLP-1 acting on cardiac pericytes: GLP-1 receptor activation opens ATP-sensitive K⁺ channels, maintaining coronary blood flow after ischaemia.

Current work spans three themes: how central circuits coordinate systemic tissue resilience beyond the heart; autonomic-vascular crosstalk in 3D neurovascular unit platforms; and pericyte-mediated coronary microvascular dysfunction in cardiometabolic disease and ageing, where restoring autonomic tone may rescue the cardiac neurovascular unit.

The group combines in vivo cardiac physiology, transgenic mouse models of diabetes and Alzheimer's disease, Ca²⁺ imaging and optogenetics, ex vivo perfused heart preparations with live capillary imaging, and patient-derived human cell platforms.

Our goal is to understand how the autonomic nervous system shapes cardiovascular health, and to translate that understanding into interventions for patients with cardiac-neurological comorbidity.