Rena Graham

Biography

Dr Graham Rena first became interested in biology related to diabetes during undergraduate BSc studies at University of Bristol. This was followed by Ph.D. studies with Professor Miles Houslay FRSE at the University of Glasgow and postdoctoral work with Professor Sir Philip Cohen FRS, FRSE at the University of Dundee. Graham was a Caledonian Research Foundation Fellow between 2004 and 2007 before staying on to take up a permanent lectureship at the University of Dundee. Graham has been a contributing author on over 30 peer-reviewed publications. Key areas of research have included phosphodiesterases, insulin-sensitive FOXO transcription factors and more recently key insights into metformin action. Graham’s research has attracted more than £1 million worth of grants awarded by MRC, Diabetes UK and other major funders. Graham also enjoys teaching and is currently Programme Director of an innovative new blended learning MSc that is being developed as a joint initiative of the University of Dundee and the Dasman Diabetes Institute, Kuwait.

Research Interest

METFORMIN: USEFUL IN NON-DIABETIC CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE? A major recent focus has been metformin, which is the gold-standard treatment of insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes. The target of this drug has been unknown since the drug’s antihyperglycaemic properties were identified almost a century ago. Our work has included high-profile investigation of anti-inflammatory effects of the drug, which may contribute towards cardioprotective effects in patients and which we have found occurring irrespective of diabetes status (Cameron and co-workers (Circ. Res. 2016).