Robert Semple

Professor Robert Semple serves as Chair of Translational Molecular Medicine at the University of Edinburgh's Centre for Cardiovascular Science and is the Dean of Postgraduate Research for the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. He is also an Honorary Consultant Endocrinologist with NHS Lothian and Vice Chair of the MRC Population and Systems Medicine Board. His academic leadership extends to roles as Deputy Chief Editor of the European Journal of Endocrinology and Programme Secretary and Trustee of the Society for Endocrinology.

Professor Semple received his education at the University of Cambridge, earning a B.A. in Biochemistry with first-class honors (1993), an MB BChir with distinction in all subjects (1997), and a PhD in the laboratory of Prof. Sir Stephen O'Rahilly (2005). His doctoral research focused on 'Nuclear Hormone Receptors and their Accessory Molecules in the Control of Metabolism.'

Professor Semple's research centers on understanding the causes and consequences of abnormal insulin action in human disease. His laboratory investigates the genetic, cellular, and molecular basis of extreme human disorders of insulin action, ranging from severe insulin resistance to spontaneous non-insulin-dependent hypoglycemia. By studying rare genetic syndromes affecting the insulin receptor (INSR) and downstream phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) pathways, his work aims to gain insights into common insulin resistance and its links to major diseases including type 2 diabetes, fatty liver, dyslipidemia, subfertility, and cancer.

His research program is organized around three primary themes: Insulin Signalling, where he investigates how primary insulin resistance relates to metabolic syndrome features; Adipose Health, focusing on determinants of adipose resilience and aging through novel lipodystrophy syndromes; and Mosaic Overgrowth, studying disorders caused by mosaic activating mutations in genes like PIK3CA. His work combines human physiological phenotyping, cellular studies, and genetic approaches to identify causative defects.

• Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow in Clinical Science (2012-present)
• Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (FRCP(Ed))
• Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London (FRCP(Lon))
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE)

Professor Semple actively supervises PhD students and has mentored numerous researchers throughout his career at both the University of Edinburgh and University of Cambridge. His research has been supported by substantial grants from Wellcome Trust, British Heart Foundation, Diabetes UK, and other organizations totaling millions of pounds. Current projects include applying Massively Parallel Assays of Variant Effect to insulin signaling genes, developing novel treatments for insulin receptoropathy, and investigating mitochondrial dysfunction in lipodystrophy. His laboratory maintains active collaborations with researchers across the UK and internationally.

The Semple Research Group includes postdoctoral scientists, PhD students, and technical staff working on various aspects of insulin signaling disorders. The group maintains close collaborations with the MRC Human Genetics Unit, NHS clinical services, and international research teams, creating a multidisciplinary environment for investigating rare metabolic disorders with implications for common diseases.