Kevin Cunningham

Kevin Cunningham is a Research Fellow at the University of Westminster, serving as the Early and Mid-Career Research Committee Representative. He holds a PhD in Pharmacology and Physiology from the Medway School of Pharmacy (University of Kent), with postdoctoral research at King’s College London and the University of Miami. His work focuses on ion channel dysfunction in diseases like cardiovascular disorders and epilepsy, with expertise in electrophysiology, computational modeling, and drug discovery.

Education:

• BSc (Honours) Pharmacology, Kingston University
• MSc Cancer Biology, University of Kent
• PhD in Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Kent (Thesis: Functional Properties and Pharmacological Regulation of Two-Pore Domain Potassium Channels)

Research Interests:

• Channelopathies and ion channel drug targeting
• Cardiovascular diseases, atrial fibrillation, and pulmonary hypertension
• Electrophysiological techniques (patch clamp, voltage clamp fluorometry)
• Computational modeling of ion channel behavior

Recent Research Trends: His publications (2020–2025) center on ion channel modulation, particularly HCN channels in neurological disorders and IKs channels in cardiac physiology. Recent work explores propofol’s rescue of epilepsy-linked HCN1 mutations and PUFA effects on IKs selectivity filters, reflecting a shift toward translational research in drug development.

Engagement & Awards:

• Co-ordinator for Pint of Science public engagement
• Organized Postdoc Appreciation Week at Westminster
• Supervising doctoral student Laima Tokhi on Kv1.5 targeting for atrial fibrillation

Labs & Collaborations: Affiliated with the University of Westminster’s Pathobiology and Extracellular Vesicle Research Group and the Centre for Resilience. Collaborates internationally on HCN, K2P, and KCNQ channel research.