Charles Affourtit

View Scopus Profile

Dr Charles Affourtit

 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1776-9943

    Overview

    Profile summary

    Research - Mitochondrial Biology

    Current lab members

    Ms Rebecca Brittain - PhD student

    Mr Jamie Blackwell - research fellow

    Miss Jasmin Freeman - placement student

    Miss Rucha Joshi - placement student

    Miss Kate Haswell - placement student

    Mr Joseph McErlean - placement student

    Past lab members

    Dr Rosie Donnell - PhD Student
    Dr Jane Carre - Research Fellow (now University of Plymouth)
    Mr Anthony Wynne - Research Associate (now Stericycle)

    Dr Helen McKenna - University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

    Dr Raid Nisr - Research Associate (now University of Dundee)
    Dr Verena Hirschberg Jensen - Research Associate (now University of Copenhagen)
    Dr Jonathan Barlow - PhD Student (now University of Birmingham)
    Mr Hubert Bieluczyk - Research Associate (now The Pensions Regulator)
    Mr Ben Alberts - Research Associate (now Oxford Biomedica)
    Mr Joshua Reed - Summer Student (now Swansea University)
    Teaching
    Module Leader (BHCS1003 - Human Metabolism)
    Lecturer (Foundation, Stages 1-3)
    Personal Tutor
    Dissertation Project Advisor

    Professional memberships

    Societies
    • Biochemical Society since 1995
    • Mitochondrial Physiology Society since 2007
    • Higher Education Academy since 2012

    Roles on external bodies

    Editorial Boards
    • Frontiers in Physiology: Mitochondrial Research (Review Editor)
    • Frontiers in Physiology: Striated Muscle Physiology (Review Editor)
    • Frontiers in Genetics (Guest Associate Editor)
    • Physiological Reports

    Supervised research degrees

    Dr Rosie Donnell (PhD, 2022) - Nitrite and insulin lower the oxygen cost of ATP synthesis in skeletal muscle cells by pleiotropic stimulation of glycolysis

    Dr Jonathan Barlow (PhD, 2015) - Mitochondrial involvement in pancreatic beta cell glucolipotoxicity

    Additional information

    Positions
     
    University of Plymouth
    • Associate Head of School (Research), Feb 2023 -
    • Associate Professor in Mitochondrial Biology, 2016 -
    • Lecturer in Biochemistry, 2010-2016
    Seahorse Bioscience - Billerica USA
    • Scientific consultant, 2009-2010
    Buck Institute for Age Research - North-Bay Area USA
    • Visiting Scientist, 2009-2010
    MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit - Cambridge UK
    • Investigative Scientist with Professor Martin Brand, 2004-2009
    University of Sussex - Brighton UK
    • Post-Doctoral Research Associate with Professor Tony Moore, 1999-2004

    Degrees
    • PGCert in Academic Practice, University of Plymouth University (2011)
    • DPhil in Biochemistry, University of Sussex (2000)
    • MSc in Biology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (1995)

    Serving as external examiner:

    Research Degrees
    • University of East Anglia (DPhil, 2022)
    • University of Dundee (DPhil, 2020)
    • La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia (DPhil, 2018)
    • King’s College London (DPhil, 2015)
    • Nottingham University (MPhil, 2015)
    • University of Northampton (DPhil, 2013)

    Research interests:

    Generally, I am intrigued by the role of bioenergetic failure in disease pathophysiology. In particular, I wish to understand how mitochondrial dysfunction affects glucose-stimulated insulin secretion by pancreatic beta cells and the insulin responsiveness of skeletal muscle. Defects in insulin secretion and action that arise in obesity are both features of the Metabolic Syndrome, a cluster of medical disorders that collectively increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. As detailed in the reviews listed below, my current projects focus on the bioenergetics of (1) insulin secretion by pancreatic beta cells (2) obesity-related and (3) uraemic insulin resistance of skeletal muscle, and (4) dietary-nitrate-enhanced skeletal muscle function.

    (1) Affourtit, C. Alberts, B., Barlow, J., Carré, J. E. and Wynne, A. G. (2018) Control of pancreatic beta cell bioenergetics. Biochemical Society Transactions, https://doi.org/10.1042/BST20170505

    (2) Affourtit, C. (2016) Mitochondrial involvement in skeletal muscle insulin resistance - a case of imbalanced bioenergetics. BBA – Bioenergetics1857, 1678-1693. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbabio.2016.07.008

    (3) Carré, J. E. and Affourtit, C. (2019) Mitochondrial activity and skeletal muscle insulin resistance in kidney disease. International Journal of Molecular Sciences20, 2751. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20112751

    (4) Affourtit, C., Bailey, S. J., Jones, A. M., Smallwood, M. J. and Winyard, P. G. (2015) On the mechanism by which dietary nitrate improves human skeletal muscle function. Frontiers in Physiology 6:211.  http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2015.00211

    Grants contracts:

    Development of a novel circular economy plant protein derivative as a readily digestible dietary ingredient to support healthy ageing
    Innovate UK - Better Food for All: Innovation for Improved Nutrition grant 10073099 (with Bell and Loxton Innovations Ltd)
    Sept 2023 - Nov 2024
    Total value: £342K (£164K to UoP)

    Improving the management of sarcopenia through holistic insight in cellular energy metabolism 
    University of Plymouth - Proof-of-Concept Challenge Fund
    2023 - 2024
    Total value: £29K

    Mitochondrial biogenesis and cellular bioenergetic function in uraemic myopathy
    Daphne Jackson Trust Fellowship supported by Kidney Research UK (Dr Jane Carre)
    March 2019 - May 2021
    Total value: £120K

    Measuring the bioenergetics of electrically stimulated skeletal muscle cells
    IP Commercialisation Committee (PUPSMD) - Proof-of-Concept funding
    November 2017 - March 2019
    Total value: £99K

    Unravelling the mechanism by which dietary nitrate improves human skeletal muscle function
    University of Plymouth (PUPSMD) - PhD Studentship
    October 2017 - September 2020
    Total value: £60K


    Nitrate and mitochondrial function
    Daphne Jackson Trust Fellowship supported by the BBSRC (Mr Anthony Wynne)
    November 2015 - October 2017
    Total value: £120K


    Toxicant-induced synaptic dysfunction and neurotoxicity in Parkinson's disease
    National Institutes of Health, USA - Research Project Grant 1R01 ES22274-01A1 (with Kim Tieu (PI)and Robert Fern)
    July 2015 - June 2018
    Total value: $737K


    Manipulating mitochondrial dynamics as a potential therapeutic strategy for Parkinson's disease
    Medical Research Council - Research Grant MR/L022079/1 (with Kim Tieu (PI), Robert Fern and Erwan Bezard)
    May 2014 - April 2017
    Total value: £513K
     
    Why do pancreatic beta cells waste energy?
    Medical Research Council - New Investigator Research Grant G1100165/1
    February 2012 - April 2016
    Total value: £434K
     
    Mitochondrial involvement in pancreatic beta cell lipotoxicity
    University of Plymouth (Faculty of Science and Technology) - PhD Studentship
    October 2011 - September 2014
    Total value: £60K


    Invited lectures:

    Lectures
    Division of Cell Signalling and Immunology, University of Dundee (2019)
    British Association for the Study of the Liver, Annual Basic Science Retreat (2019)
    Division of Diabetes and Nutritional Sciences, King’s College London (2019)
    MitOX Meeting, University of Oxford (2017)
    University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, UK (2017)
    School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK (2016)

    Other academic activities:

    Peer Review
    Funding bodies: MRC, BBSRC, Wellcome Trust, Diabetes UK, Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, The Physiological Society, Austrian Science Council, Czech Science Foundation, The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development.
    Journals: since July 2011, I have provided 212 pre-publication reviews for 57 journals including Nature, Cell Metabolism, Diabetes, and Journal of Biological Chemistry.
    Full statistics: https://publons.com/author/1302470/charles-affourtit#stats

    Teaching interests

    • Cellular bioenergetics
    • Mitochondrial physiology
    • Redox biology
    • Metabolism
    • Biochemistry
    • Metabolic control and regulation
    •  Biochemical basis of disease 
    To me, teaching and research are intimately linked activities, as I appreciate the importance of transferring cutting-edge knowledge and, perhaps more importantly, as I wish to inspire and enthuse the next generation of researchers. I currently teach fundamental biochemistry to undergraduates at all stages of various degree programmes and, firmly informed by my research, I show how this basic science underpins the development of metabolic disorders, and how it drives disease diagnosis and management. My lab engages actively with undergraduate (summer, placement and dissertation projects) and postgraduate (PhD and MSc projects) students to prepare them for independent research careers.

    Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

    In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

    • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    • SDG 14 - Life Below Water

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics where Charles Affourtit is active. These topic labels come from the works of this person. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
    • 1 Similar Profiles
    View full fingerprint

    Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

    Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
    Explore network further
    View all 77 research outputs