Dr Matthew Sinton
- Affiliate Researcher (School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine)
email:
Matthew.Sinton@glasgow.ac.uk
SBOHVM, Graham Kerr Building
Biography
Prior to starting as a postdoctoral research associate, I was a PhD student at the University of Edinburgh. During my PhD, I helped to develop a new human pluripotent stem cell model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Using this model, I was able to explore the effects of hepatic lipid accumulation (steatosis) on mitochondrial energy metabolism. During this project, we found that, in response to steatosis, the mitochondrial TCA cycle is compromised, leading to engagement of a metabolic shunt, the purine nucleotide cycle, enabling cells to maintain energy homeostasis. My excitement about metabolism was what drew me to the field of immunometabolism and understanding the links between host metabolic status and the quality of the immune response.
In addition to my interests within the lab, I founded an organisation, The STEM Village, which aims to increase visibility of the LGBTQ+ community working in or studying STEM topics. I am a very strong believer that there should be equity in the workplace, with no individual made to feel as if they are not the “right sort of person” to work in an academic environment. As part of this initiative, we recently hosted a global symposium, which was endorsed by the Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, and the 1990s music legend MC Hammer! We also have an ongoing immunology seminar series, where we showcase the research of LGBTQ+ immunologists to the wider immunology society.
Follow the STEM Village on Twitter: @theSTEMvillage
Research interests
Grants
Grants and Awards listed are those received whilst working with the University of Glasgow.
- Characterising the metabolic response of brown adipocytes to infection with Influenza A virus
Society for Endocrinology
2022 - 2022
- Defining the host metabolic response to infection with Trypanosoma brucei
Society for Endocrinology
2022 - 2022
- Understanding immunological control of adipose tissue function in Human African Trypanosomiasis
Wellcome Trust
2021 - 2022
Professional activities & recognition
Selected international presentations
- 2020: Keystone: Obesity & NAFLD: Mechanisms & Therapeutics (Banff, Canada)
- 2019: EMBO/EMBL Symposia: Metabolism Meets Epigenetics (Heidelberg, Germany)
- 2022: Harvard Medical School (Boston, USA)