Colin Palmer

Biography

Professor Palmer earned a BSc in Genetics from Glasgow University in 1985 and a PhD in Molecular Toxicology from the University of London  in 1991.  He worked as a American Heart Association postdoctoral fellow with Professor Eric Johnson  at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California from 1991 to 1995, and joined the  laboratory of Professor Roland Wolf at the Biomedical Research Centre in Ninewells Hospital in 1995. In 1998, Professor Palmer established his own laboratory at the Biomedical  Research Centre, as a Principal Investigator and lecturer.  Professor Palmer was appointed to the Personal Chair of Pharmacogenomics in 2008.

Research Interest

Pharmacogenomic discovery using population-wide Electronic Medical Records. Currently over 10% of the Tayside population (~40,000 individuals) have enrolled in genetic studies into the genetics of health and disease.  These individuals have played an important role in many discoveries of the genetics of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, eczema, asthma and many others. Biobanking DNA in populations with rich electronic medical records such as Tayside allows for a wide range of hypothesis testing and gene discovery. EMR phenotypes allow for empirical evaluation of determinants of disease outcome and response to therapy as well as adverse drug effects.    Evaluation of the genetic architecture of response to current medications suggest novel pathways for novel drug design as well as providing stratification algorithms for the design of clinical trials of novel agents.  Discovery of genetic basis of complications of metabolic disease. Sedentary lifestyles and overeating are driving an epidemic of obesity and diabetes.  This leads to poor health through increased heart disease, cancer, stroke, kidney failure, amputations and blindness.  We are currently using whole genome data in the GoDARTS population along with international collaborators to establish genetic risk scores.  We have recently described a genetic risk score involving over 60 genes that determine risk for cardiovascular disease.  Work is in progress to find prevention strategies that may be targeted to individuals with different cardiovascular risk profiles.