معرفی
Professor David Attwell FRS is the Jodrell Professor of Physiology at University College London (UCL) in the Faculty of Life Sciences, within the Division of Biosciences, Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology. He organizes the 4-year PhD program in Neuroscience at UCL and delivers undergraduate lectures. His leadership extends to university governance as he serves on the Governance Committee of Academic Board, having previously served as Vice-Head of the Graduate School and on UCL's Council.
Attwell earned his D.Phil. in neuroscience from Oxford University, where he studied with Julian Jack, after completing studies in physics and physiology at Magdalen College, Oxford. He also pursued research at the University of California, Berkeley with Frank Werblin.
Professor Attwell's research focuses on the intricate signaling between neurons, glial cells (including microglia, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes), and the vasculature, with particular emphasis on how the brain's energy supply controls its computational power. His lab pioneered analyses of subcellular energy use in the brain, establishing the first comprehensive energy budgets for grey and white matter. These studies revealed that brain energy use imposes significant constraints on information processing speed, necessitating energy-saving coding strategies. His work on pericytes has demonstrated their crucial role in regulating capillary blood flow and their involvement in pathological conditions like stroke and Alzheimer's disease.
Analysis of Professor Attwell's publication record reveals a strong focus on neurovascular coupling, brain energy metabolism, and glial cell function. His research spans multiple disciplines including cellular neuroscience, biophysics, and vascular biology, with particular emphasis on how energy constraints shape neural computation. The work has significant translational implications for understanding and treating stroke, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, and other neurological conditions involving white matter damage.
Professor Attwell's scientific achievements have been recognized with numerous prestigious awards:
- 2020 Annual Review Prize Lecture of the Physiological Society
- 2019 Highly Cited Scientist, Web of Science (top 0.1% of scientists)
- 2018 Member, Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
- 2016 FENS-Kavli award for mentoring neuroscientists
- 2016 Fondation Ipsen Prize for Neuroenergetics
- 2016 Member, Academia Europaea
- 2010 Medal of Australian Physiological & Pharmacological Society
- 2001 Fellow of the Royal Society
- 2000 Fellow, Academy of Medical Sciences
- 1986 Sharpey Schafer Medal of the Physiological Society
Professor Attwell actively mentors the next generation of neuroscientists, both through formal teaching and laboratory supervision. He organizes UCL's 4-year Neuroscience PhD program and participates in international teaching programs including Ion Channels workshops and the Astrocyte School. His lab has been generously supported by major funding bodies including the Wellcome Trust (Senior Investigator Award), European Research Council (Advanced Investigator Award), Medical Research Council, Fondation Leducq, and Rosetrees Trust. His commitment to outreach extends to public lectures on brain energy supply and participation in programs like In2Science, which brings underprivileged school children into research laboratories.
The Attwell lab comprises a diverse team of researchers working on various aspects of neurovascular and glial biology. Current lab members investigate immune cell-vascular interactions, pericyte function in neurological and cardiac disorders, node of Ranvier dynamics, microglial properties, and the effects of diabetes on the microvasculature. The lab's collaborative approach is evident in its partnerships with researchers at UCL, King's College London, the Crick Institute, and international institutions.
