Leanne Stokes

Leanne Stokes is an Associate Professor in Pharmacology at the University of East Anglia, affiliated with the School of Chemistry, Pharmacy and Pharmacology. Her research focuses on ion channel biology, particularly purinergic P2X receptors, and their roles in immune signaling, inflammation, and chronic pain. Stokes completed her BSc and MRes at the University of Sheffield and Birmingham, followed by a PhD in Immunology at Birmingham. She has held postdoctoral roles at the University of Sheffield and Sydney, leading to prestigious fellowships at RMIT University and the University of Sydney.

Her expertise includes drug discovery using natural products, spider venom, and traditional medicines. Key projects involve identifying modulators of P2X4 and P2X7 receptors, with applications in neuroinflammation and cancer. Stokes has secured funding from organizations like the Royal Society and Kuwait Government, and collaborates internationally on purinergic signaling research. She also contributes to educational initiatives like ReceptorCards for pharmacology teaching and public engagement through virtual reality projects.

Her scientific awards include a Vice Chancellor’s Research Fellowship at RMIT University (2013-2015). Current research explores genetic polymorphisms in ion channels and novel drug design techniques using on-cell NMR methods. Stokes actively participates in academic networks such as the European Purines Conference and serves on editorial boards for journals like the British Journal of Pharmacology.