Jeffrey Davies

Dr. Jeffrey Davies is an Associate Professor of Molecular Neurobiology at Swansea University Medical School, affiliated with the Institute of Life Science. His research focuses on understanding how metabolic hormones regulate brain function, particularly in neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. He investigates mechanisms by which circulating hormones protect against neuronal loss and modulate neural stem cell plasticity to enhance memory function. Davies teaches physiology and neuroscience at all academic levels, emphasizing adult hippocampal neurogenesis and promoting Welsh language provision in medical education.

• Research Themes: Neuroendocrinology, Ghrelin signaling, Neurodegeneration, Neural Stem Cells
• Key Collaborations: With researchers in neuroscience, endocrinology, and regenerative medicine

Recent research highlights include studies on ghrelin’s role in neuroprotection, calorie restriction effects on neurogenesis, and biomarker development for Parkinson’s disease. He has secured grants from the Medical Research Council, Royal Society, and Weston Brain Institute. Davies supervises multiple PhD students exploring topics like plasmalogen lipid function, inflammatory cytokines, and digital biobanking in multiple sclerosis.

Notable grants include the £315,898 Weston Brain Institute award for dementia biomarker research and a Medical Research Council grant investigating hippocampal neurogenesis.