Dr Kevin Cunningham
I studied for a BSc (Honours) degree in Pharmacology at Kingston University. I then went on to complete an MSc in Cancer Biology at the University of Kent. I stayed at the University of Kent, moving into the Medway School of Pharmacy where I completed my PhD in Pharmacology and Physiology with my thesis titled “Functional Properties and Pharmacological Regulation of Two-Pore Domain Potassium Channels Associated with Pulmonary Disorders”. Following my PhD, I moved to King’s College, London to undertake a postdoctoral research position. At King’s, I was part of the Wolfson Centre for Age Related Diseases, where I was part of a drug discovery project investigating novel compounds selective for hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels in the treatment of neuropathic pain. After my time at King’s college I then moved to the University of Miami, continuing to work on HCN channels and how their biophysical properties relate to cardiovascular disease.
My research interest lies within channelopathies, targeting ion channels to treat disease, more specifically cardiac disease. Moreover, I aim to investigate the voltage-gated potassium channel, Kv1.5, and how it can be targeted in the treatment of atrial fibrillation. I hold collaborative research projects in HCN, two pore domain potassium (K2P) channels and KCNQ channels.
Techniques involved in my research includes whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology, molecular biology and in silico computational modelling.
