
BSc (Hons) Physiology (University of Glasgow, 1984); PhD Physiology (University of Glasgow, 1988)
Personal Chair
- About
-
Biography
Gordon McEwan graduated BSc (Hons) Physiology from the University of Glasgow in 1984. He stayed in Glasgow to study for a PhD within the Institute of Physiology under the supervision of Dr Michael Lucas, investigating the influence of bacterial enterotoxins on intestinal drug absorption. During his PhD studies, he also spent time, in 1986, working with Prof Hannelore Daniel at the Institute for Nutrition at the University of Giessen in Germany.
After graduating PhD in 1988, he took up postdoctoral positions at Glasgow Royal Infirmary and at the Wellcome Gastroenterology Research Laboratory, CMC Hospital, Vellore, South India, where he joined Prof V.I. Mathan to study human intestinal mucosal pH in situ during diarrhoeal disease. Following this, in 1989, he joined Prof Eric Skadhauge at the Royal Veterinary & Agricultural University (KVL) in Copenhagen, investigating the influence of bacterial enterotoxins on the pig intestine. In 1990, he commenced a third postdoctoral position in the Gastrointestinal Drug Delivery Research Centre, University of Newcastle upon Tyne (working with Prof Nick Simmons and Prof Barry Hirst) where he studied regulation of paracellular transport in intestinal and renal epithelia; regulation of epithelial chloride transport; and the mechanisms of intestinal peptide and amino acid transport.
He was appointed as Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Aberdeen in 1993, promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2002 and to Personal Chair in 2014. He held the role of Director of Teaching in the School of Medical Sciences from 2003 until 2015 and was the Programme Coordinator for BSc Biomedical Sciences (Physiology), BSc Physiology and BSc Neuroscience with Psychology from 2002 until 2022.
He is currently the Director of Teaching for Medical Sciences Programmes and has been Deputy Director of the Institute of Education in Healthcare & Medical Sciences (IEHMS) within the School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition since its creation in 2015.
Qualifications
- BSc (Hons) Physiology1984 - University of Glasgow
- PhD Physiology1988 - University of Glasgow
Memberships and Affiliations
- Internal Memberships
-
- Director of Teaching for Medical Sciences Degree Programmes
- Deputy Director Institute of Education for Healthcare & Medical Sciences (IEHMS)
- Medical Sciences Teaching Executive Committee (Chair)
- Medical Sciences Examination Board (Chair)
- Medical Sciences Student Staff Liaison Committee
- MBChB Year 2 Executive Committee
- IEHMS Executive Committee
- IEHMS Assessment & Feedback Committee
- IEHMS Line Managers Committee
- SMMSN Executive Committee
- SMMSN Education Steering Committee
- SMMSN School Teaching & Learning Committee
- SMMSN Product Development & Recruitment Committee
- SMMSN Bursary & Endowments Committee (Chair)
- University Widening Access Committee
- External Memberships
-
External Examiner:
- Newcastle University; BSc Physiological Sciences (2009-2013)
- University of Southampton; BM5 Medicine Programme (2009-2013)
- Trinity College Dublin; BSc Human Health and Disease (2012-2016)
- University of Glasgow; BSc Human Physiology (2015-2019)
- Manchester University; BSc Biomedical Sciences (2018-2022)
External Programme Reviewer:
- Glasgow Caledonian University; Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences (2012)
- University of Dundee; School of Life Sciences (2019)
External Appointment Panel Member:
- Trinity College Dublin; Department of Physiology (2016)
External Promotion Panel Member:
- Robert Gordon University; School of Pharmacy
Professional Society Membership:
- Physiological Society elected member (1992)
- Research
-
Research Overview
Prof McEwan's research interests focus on the broad theme of proton-coupled nutrient transport in mammalian small intestine. This has involved the use of electrophysiological and microspectrofluorometric approaches to investigate transepithelial transport mechanisms for divalent metals (iron, zinc, copper, lead), di/tri peptides and amino acids across polarised cultured human intestinal epithelia. The techniques have proved useful in characterising these important nutrient uptake processes. They have also proved invaluable in permitting study of regulation by intracellular second messengers and protein kinases. Further information, regarding control of transport, has come from investigation of pathophysiological regulation by bacterial enterotoxins. Longer term interest has been with the acid microclimate, an area of maintained low pH at the mucosal surface of mammalian small intestine and the proton source for these fundamental transport systems.
- Teaching
-
Programmes
- Undergraduate, 4 year, September start
- Undergraduate, 4 year, September start
- Undergraduate, 4 year, September start
Courses
Course Coordinator
Course Coordinator
Course Coordinator
Teaching Responsibilities
Prof McEwan is Deputy Director of IEHMS and Director of Teaching for Medical Science Programmes .
He is also:
- Chair Medical Sciences Teaching Executive Committee
- Chair Medical Sciences Exam Board
- Course Co-ordinator SM1001 (Introduction to Medical Sciences)
- Course Co-ordinator BI20B2 (Physiology of Human Cells)
- Course Co-ordinator PY3803 (Epithelial Physiology)
Non-course Teaching Responsibilities
Responsible for:
Medical Sciences Open Day, Applicant Day, College Articulation Day events
Medical Sciences New Student Induction (Orientation) events
Internal Teaching Review (ITR) activities
- Publications
-
Page 1 of 9 Results 1 to 10 of 82
An evaluation of Medical Sciences skills to inform Co-curricular Enhancement
13th University of Aberdeen Annual Academic Development Symposium 2022Contributions to Conferences: PostersDevelopment of a LabTutor experiment to simulate an in vitro Ussing chamber frog skin practical
Europhysiology 2018Contributions to Conferences: PostersInception of an online skills resource for medical science undergraduates: The School of Medical Science Skills Support Centre
Contributions to Conferences: PostersTransepithelial resistance and transporters in human and porcine renal cell lines.
Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Conference ProceedingsComparative analysis of indices of in vitro toxicity in a renal cell line.
Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Conference ProceedingsTransepithelial resistance as an endpoint in in vitro toxicity testing.
Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Conference ProceedingsTrace element absorption by human small intestine
Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Conference ProceedingsDevelopmental changes in DMT-1 mRNA expression correlate with the magnitude of Fe2+-evoked electrogenic transport in human intestinal Caco-2 cells
Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Conference ProceedingsCharacterization of the basolateral charge carrier during Fe2+ and Zn2+-induced electrogenic transport in human intestinal Caco-2 epithelia
Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Conference ProceedingsIdentification of two pH-dependent, Zn2+-induced electrogenic transport pathways in human intestinal Caco-2 epithelia
Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Conference Proceedings