Professor Derek Scott | People | The University of Aberdeen

Professor Derek Scott

BSc (Hons) BioMedSci, PG Cert, PhD, FRSB, Education Lead for Institute of Education for Healthcare & Medical Science

Chair in Physiology & Pharmacology Education

About

Email Address

d.scott@abdn.ac.uk

Telephone Number

+44 (0)1224 437566

Office Address

Room 6.37 Institute of Medical Sciences Building

Institute of Education for Medical & Dental Sciences

School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition
University of Aberdeen
Foresterhill
Aberdeen
UK
AB25 2ZD External telephone: 01224 437566

d.scott@abdn.ac.uk

School/Department

School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition

Qualifications

BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences (Physiology)
1999 - University of Aberdeen
Prize for top student in Biomedical Sciences, First class Honours.
PhD Physiological Sciences (Medicine)
2004 - University of Aberdeen
Jointly supervised by Professor Gordon McEwan (UoA) and Professor Harry McArdle (Rowett Institute of Nutrition & Health) PhD focused on characterization of divalent metal ion transport in the human small intestine using electrophysiology and molecular biology. Physiological Society Pfizer prize for oral communication.
PGCert Therapeutics
2008 - The Robert Gordon University
Awarded with distinction

Memberships and Affiliations

Internal Memberships

Deputy Director of Medical Science Teaching
Education Lead, Institute of Healthcare & Medical Sciences
Lead for Medical Sciences, Science Teaching Hub Project Management Group
Chair, Life Sciences & Medicine Library Committee
Member, Medical Sciences Teaching Executive
Member, School Blended Learning Steering Group
Member, School Education Steering Group
Member, Physician Associate Steering Group
Member, Medical Sciences Marketing Group

External Memberships

Education Theme Lead - Physiological Society of Great Britain (2016-2020)
Member of Physiological Society Education, Public Engagement & Policy Committee.
External Examiner in Phase I Medicine for the University of Newcastle (2008-12); MPharm for Robert Gordon University (2020-2024); BSc Personalised Medicine, University of Ulster (2021-).
Reviewer for British Journal of Nutrition & British Journal of Anaesthesia; European Journal of Nutrition; Social Science & Medicine; MRC Fellowships; HAPS Educator; Advances in Physiology Education.
External Member of Internal Teaching Review panel for Sports-related degrees at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh (2012); School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds (2019).
Reviewer for various textbook publishing companies.
Local co-organizer of Physiology 2019.

Latest Publications

Introducing the HAPS Physiology Learning Outcomes
2023 - Published
Silverthorn, D., Cafferty, P., Casagrand, J., Co, E., Flemming, M., McFarland, J., O'Loughlin, V., Scott, D. A., Tomicek, N.
HAPS Educator, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 79-86
Contributions to Journals: Articles
- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.21692/haps.2023.010
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/20747/1/PLO_HAPSEd_APRIL_2023.pdf
Using Game of Thrones to teach physiology during lockdown and beyond.
2022 - Published
Scott, D. A., Hislop, J., Murray, F., Thompson, D.
Contributions to Conferences: Oral Presentations
Physiology students can use Quality Improvement methodology to contribute to the prevention and management of falls during stroke rehabilitation.
2022 - Published
MacSween, M., Brodie, L., Scott, D. A.
Europhysiology 2022
Contributions to Conferences: Posters
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/19649/1/Macsween_et_al_Europhysiology_2022_poster.pdf
Use of infographics to develop and assess students’ communication skills – a comparison between two institutions.
2022 - Published
Woloszynowska-Fraser, M., Scott, D. A.
Contributions to Conferences: Posters
Developing new online resources on statistics and data handling for medical science students
2022 - Published
Cunningham, C., Scott, D. A.
Europhysiology 2022, pp. 404
Contributions to Journals: Abstracts
- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/apha.13876

View My Publications

Prizes and Awards

College of Life Sciences & Medicine Excellence in Teaching Award (2010).

Inaugural Winner, Principal's Teaching Excellence Award (2018/19).

Winner, Principal's Teaching Excellence Award (2021/22)

Nominee for: Best Postgraduate Taught Lecturer, Mental Health Champion, Outstanding Contribution to Accessibility and Inclusivity in Blended Learning. Shortlisted for Outstanding Contribution to Accessibility and Inclusivity in Blended Learning (2020/21).

Research

Research Overview

My research interests have 3 main themes:

Proton-coupled nutrient transport in mammalian small intestine (with Dr. Gordon McEwan and Prof. Harry McArdle).
· Use of electrophysiological, microspectrofluorometric and molecular biology techniques to investigate transepithelial transport mechanisms for divalent metals (iron, zinc, copper) across polarised cultured human intestinal epithelia.
· Regulation of these metal transport processes by intracellular second messengers and protein kinases.
· Measurement and regulation of the proton source for these transport systems, an area of maintained low pH at the mucosal surface of mammalian small intestine, termed the acid microclimate.

Inflammatory bowel disease
· Possible causes of inflammatory bowel disease.
· New pharmacological and surgical approaches to treatment.
· Physiological adaptations in individuals with ileo-anal pouches and stomas

Teaching
· Use of Personal Response Systems (PRS’s), infographics, practical skills testing and high-fidelity human simulation to improve the teaching and learning experiences of students and staff in biomedical sciences.

Research Areas

Biomedical Sciences

View Research Area

Research Specialisms

Pharmacology
Pharmacy
Healthcare Science
Physiology
Pre-Clinical Medicine

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.

Teaching

Programmes

BSc Biomedical Sciences (Physiology)
Undergraduate, 4 year, September start
BSc Physiology
Undergraduate, 4 year, September start
MSci Biomedical Sciences (Physiology) with Industrial Placement
Undergraduate, 5 year, September start
BSc Biomedical Sciences (Pharmacology)
Undergraduate, 4 year, September start
MSci Biomedical Sciences (Pharmacology) with Industrial Placement
Undergraduate, 5 year, September start
MSc Clinical Pharmacology
Postgraduate, 3 stage, September start
BSc Immunology and Pharmacology
Undergraduate, 4 year, September start
MSci Immunology and Pharmacology with Industrial Placement
Undergraduate, 5 year, September start
BSc Pharmacology
Undergraduate, 4 year, September start
MSci Pharmacology with Industrial Placement
Undergraduate, 5 year, September start
BSc Biomedical Sciences (Anatomy)
Undergraduate, 4 year, September start
MSci Biomedical Sciences (Anatomy) with Industrial Placement
Undergraduate, 5 year, September start
BSc Sports and Exercise Science
Undergraduate, 4 year, September start
MSci Sports and Exercise Science with Industrial Placement
Undergraduate, 5 year, September start
BSc Exercise and Health Science
Undergraduate, 4 year, September start
MSci Exercise and Health Science with Industrial Placement
Undergraduate, 5 year, September start
MBChB Medicine
Undergraduate, 5 year, September start
BDS Dentistry
Undergraduate, 4 year, September start
MSc Physician Associate Studies
Postgraduate, 3 year, January start

Courses

Teaching Responsibilities

Course coordinator:

BM4301 The Science of Ageing: From Cradle to Grave
PY3002 Integrative Physiology
AN4003 Brain Function & Malfunction (with Anatomy)
BM3502 Neuroscience & Neuropharmacology
SM4901 Biomedical Sciences General Paper
SM3901 Arcadia Summer Research Programme

Publications

Update

Qualifications

Memberships and Affiliations

Latest Publications

Introducing the HAPS Physiology Learning Outcomes

Using Game of Thrones to teach physiology during lockdown and beyond.

Physiology students can use Quality Improvement methodology to contribute to the prevention and management of falls during stroke rehabilitation.

Use of infographics to develop and assess students’ communication skills – a comparison between two institutions.

Developing new online resources on statistics and data handling for medical science students

Prizes and Awards

Research Overview

Research Areas

Biomedical Sciences

Research Specialisms

Programmes

Courses

Teaching Responsibilities

Enhancing engagement with physiology using infographic presentations

Impact of a final year project skills workshop series

Student perceptions of Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE) assessments - a comparison between disciplines

Use of LabTutor improves student engagement and achievement in nerve conduction and autonomic physiology practical classes

Use of gamification to improve student revision of physiological and pharmacological concepts

Use of student-created video resources to enhance practical training in Objective Structured Practical Examinations (OSPE's)

Women in Physiology: Development of an educational resource to improve awareness of the contributions of historical female physiologists

Impact of a final year project skills workshop series

Student engagement in practical assessment

Impact of a final year project skills workshop series

What does the future hold for the teaching of physiology in UK Higher Education Institutions?: Seeking meaning in a constantly shifting landscape

Supporting international dissemination of teaching innovations in the life sciences

A hearty dose of simulation - sharing best practice and resources across different disciplines in medicine and medical sciences

Adapting Objective Structured Practical Examinations (OSPE’s) to assess laboratory science skills

Adapting Objective Structured Practical Examinations (OSPE’s) to assess laboratory science skills in pharmacology students

Developing physiology graduate skills and attributes with Objective Structured Practical Examinations (OSPE’s)

Developing practical skills in drug discovery and screening for a diverse student population

Enhancing student engagement with physiology using Infographics presentations

To pee or not to pee? A urine-free renal practical

Use of high fidelity human patient simulators (HFHPS) for science teaching

Using Objective Structured Practical Examinations (OSPE's) to consolidate practical skills and assess graduate attributes in life sciences

Using Objective Structured Practical Examinations (OSPE's) to consolidate practical skills and assess graduate attributes in life sciences

Adapting Objective Structured Practical Examinations (OSPE's) to assess clinically-related science skills

An assessment of students', academics' and health professionals' abilities to site stomas accurately on human cadavers

Are high fidelity human patient simulators an effective tool when teaching renal physiology?

Can high fidelity human patient simulators help biomedical science students better understand complex concepts such as anticholinergic burden?

Effectiveness of High Fidelity Human Patient Simulators in Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Teaching

High fidelity human patient simulators and anticholinergic burden

Use of LabTutor improves student engagement and achievement in ECG and EEG practical classes

Use of iPads for Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE) to assess clinically-related skills

Using High-Fidelity Human Simulators to teach guidelines for the use of amiodarone in Advanced Life Support in silico – A Pilot Study

The effectiveness of high fidelity human patient simulation in neuroscience and neuropharmacology teaching - a pilot study

The power of collaboration: working together to evolve undergraduate active learning tools into powerful professional development experiences

The use of LabTutor for the development of new educational materials in a partnership between pharmacy and biomedical undergraduate students and academic staff.

Use of LabTutor improves student engagement and achievement in ECG and EEG practical classes

Introduction of Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE) assessments

Introduction of formal assessment criteria into Anatomy Honours dissection exercises

Planting the Seeds of Cross-Disciplinary Teaching & Assessment

Use of iPads for Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE) assessments

2012 revised international chapel hill consensus conference nomenclature of vasculitides

The value of myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) in coronary artery disease (CAD)

Trace element absorption by human small intestine

Developmental changes in DMT-1 mRNA expression correlate with the magnitude of Fe2+-evoked electrogenic transport in human intestinal Caco-2 cells

Characterization of the basolateral charge carrier during Fe2+ and Zn2+-induced electrogenic transport in human intestinal Caco-2 epithelia

Identification of two pH-dependent, Zn2+-induced electrogenic transport pathways in human intestinal Caco-2 epithelia

Iron and zinc differentially regulate Fe2+- and Zn2+-induced electrogenic transport pathways in human intestinal Caco-2 epithelia

OPCML at 11q25 is epigenetically inactivated and has tumour suppressor function in epithelial ovarian cancer

PKG II-dependent inhibition of an Fe2+-evoked electrogenic transport pathway by cGMP in human intestinal Caco-2 epithelia

cGMP/PKG II-dependent inhibition of a pH-dependent Zn2+-evoked electrogenic transport pathway in human intestinal Caco-2 epithelia

Electrogenic divalent cation transport in cultured human intestinal Caco-2 epithelia

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Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings

Contributions to Conferences

Contributions to Journals

Contributions to Specialist Publications

Non-textual Forms

Identification of two pH-dependent, Zn²⁺-induced electrogenic transport pathways in human intestinal Caco-2 epithelia