
Professor Helen Galley
PhD (Leeds, 1989), FRCA (London, 2010), FFICM (London, 2016).
Chair in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care
- About
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Foresterhill Campus
Room 4.32, Institute of Medical Sciences,
Aberdeen AB25 2ZD
+44 (0)1224 437363 (direct line)
Biography
I obtained my PhD from the University of Leeds in 1989 and developed an interest in free radicals and antioxidants, becoming involved in intensive care and liver transplantation research. I was appointed as Lecturer in Anaesthesia & Intensive Care in Aberdeen in 1995 and promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2002, then Professor in 2010. My research interests focus on modulation of inflammatory and immune responses in the critically ill, particularly the use of melatonin as a therapy for inflammation and pain. We currently have two trials of melatonin running- DREAM-CP (melatonin for sleep disturbance in chronic pain) and DAMSEL-2 (melatonin as a treatment for sepsis due to community acquired pneumonia). In addition PhD students work in the laboratory investigating the mechanisms of the effects of melatonin using cell models.
I was awarded the Sir Humprey Davy medal by the Royal College of Anaesthetists in 2002 and in 2011 was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal College of Anaesthetists. In 2012 I was also awarded Fellowship of the Royal Society of Biology by election and an honorary Fellowship of the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine in 2016.
I teach on science courses and the medical (MBChB) course. My teaching areas are inflammation, particularly in relation to sepsis and the role of oxidative stress, and clinical trial methodology including ethics (I spent 12 years as Chair for the North of Scotland research ethics service). I have a strong interest in the role of women in in science and medicine and am co-lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for the Institute of Medical Sciences. I am also co-lead for the Immunology, Infection and Inflammation research programme.
I review for a number of journals and was an Editor of the British Journal of Anaesthesia for 10 years. I am now a Director and Trustee of the charitable arm of the journal. I sit on the Board of the National Institute of Academic Anaesthesia and am President of the Anaesthetic Research Society.
Qualifications
- PhD Medicine1989 - University of Leeds
External Memberships
Director and Trustee Member of the British Journal of Anaesthesia
President of the Anaesthetic Research Society.
Member of the Board of the National Institute of Academic Anaesthesia .
Prizes and Awards
2002: Sir Humprey Davy medal by the Royal College of Anaesthetists
2011: Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Anaesthetists
2012: Fellowship of the Royal Society of Biology by election
2016: Honorary Fellowship of the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine
- Research
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Research Overview
Mechanisms of the inflammatory and immune responses in the critically ill and their modulation as potential therapeutic approaches, notably using melatonin. Use of melatonin as a therapy in patients with chronic pain and investigation of the mechanisms of its effects.
Research Areas
Accepting PhDs
I am currently accepting PhDs in Biomedical Sciences.
Please get in touch if you would like to discuss your research ideas further.
Research Specialisms
- Immunology
Our research specialisms are based on the Higher Education Classification of Subjects (HECoS) which is HESA open data, published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
Current Research
Clinical trials
Melatonin in doctors and urses working nightshifts (the MIDNIGHT trial https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN15529655)
Melatonin as a therapy for sepsis (the DAMSEL2 trial http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN70688534).
Melatonin for sleep disturbance in patients with chrnic pain (the DREAM-CP trial http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN12861060 )
Experimental and discovery medicine
Antioxidant protection in mitochondria in chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain
Optimising translational capacity of melatonin administration for chemotherapy induced neuropathic pain
The effect of melatonin and 6-hydroxymelatonin on mitochondrial bioenergetics under conditions of sepsis
Metabolomic analysis after exogenous melatonin administration in healthy subjects
Effect of melatonin and its metabolites on key molecular pathways in sepsis
Interactions between melatonin and endogenous opioid peptide release
Collaborations
Previous and current collaborations
Professor Mike Murphy, MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit, Cambridge (mitochondrial antioxidants).
Professor John Beattie, Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health (zinc studies).
Professor Neil Gow, University of Aberdeen (candida and inflammation).
Professor Ahmet Hoke, Johns Hopkins University, USA (neuronal cells).
Dr Lesley Colvin and Dr Carole Torsney, University of Edinburgh (neuropathic pain).
Dr Ben Shelley and Professor John Kinsella, University of Glasgow (lung injury).
Dr Wenlong HUang (neuropathic pain).
Funding and Grants
Recent grants
British Journal of Anaesthesia/Royal College of Anaesthetists
Melatonin in doctors and nurses working nightshifts: the MIDNIGHT trial.
Metabolomic analysis after exogenous melatonin administration
Antioxidant protection in mitochondria in chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain (PhD studentship).
Double-blind randomised controlled trial of exogenous administration of melatonin in chronic pain (DREAM–CP)
Interactions between melatonin and endogenous opioid peptide release (PhD studentship)
Chief Scientist Office
Dose escalation study of melatonin in healthy volunteers- a potential treatment in sepsis (DAMSEL 1).
A pilot study of oral melatonin in patients with sepsis (DAMSEL 2).
- Teaching
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Teaching Responsibilities
MSc course co-ordinator.
Student selected component Year 1 and Year 4.
Lectures on MBChB and various BSc and MSc courses.
- Publications
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Page 1 of 12 Results 1 to 10 of 119
Melatonin and Related Compounds: Antioxidant and Inflammatory Actions
Antioxidants, vol. 11, no. 3, 532Contributions to Journals: EditorialsPreoperative threshold inspiratory muscle training on postoperative hospital stay in adults undergoing cardiac surgery: a systematic review
Physiotherapy: Theory and PracticeContributions to Journals: ArticlesExtent of sleep problems and relationship with severity of chronic pain using three validated sleep assessment tools
British Journal of PainContributions to Journals: ArticlesCan soluble urokinase plasminogen receptor predict outcomes after cardiac surgery?
Interactive Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 236-243Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/icvts/ivaa239
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/17551/3/Schultz_et_al_ICVTS_CanSolubleUrokinasePlasminogen_AAM.pdf
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/17551/2/AAM_supp_data.pdf
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/17551/1/AAM_supp_data_fig.pdf
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Effects of 6-hydroxymelatonin in human macrophage model of inflammasome activation in conditions mimicking sepsis
Anaesthesia Research Conference, pp. E79-E80Contributions to Journals: Abstracts- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bja.2020.11.011
Maternal serum melatonin increases during pregnancy and falls immediately after delivery implicating the placenta as a major source of melatonin
Frontiers in Endocrinology, vol. 11, 623038Contributions to Journals: ArticlesSensory Mapping of Lumbar Facet Joint Pain: A feasibility study
British Journal of Pain, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 64-68Contributions to Journals: ArticlesMelatonin is a feasible, safe and acceptable intervention in doctors and nurses working nightshifts: the MIDNIGHT trial
Frontiers in psychiatry, vol. 11, 872Contributions to Journals: ArticlesReply to Comment on “Differential Effects of MitoVitE, α-Tocopherol and Trolox on Oxidative Stress, Mitochondrial Function and Inflammatory Signalling Pathways in Endothelial Cells Cultured under Conditions Mimicking Sepsis. Antioxidants 2020, 9(3), 195”
Antioxidants, vol. 9, no. 6, 464Contributions to Journals: Comments and DebatesDifferential Effects of MitoVitE, α-Tocopherol and Trolox on Oxidative Stress, Mitochondrial Function and Inflammatory Signalling Pathways in Endothelial Cells Cultured under Conditions Mimicking Sepsis
Antioxidants, vol. 9, no. 3, 195Contributions to Journals: Articles