Dr. Declan McKernan

Background
Dr. McKernan graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Industrial Biochemistry from the University of Limerick and a PhD in Biochemistry from University College Cork. He then worked as a Post-doctoral Research Fellow at the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre in University College Cork. In 2011, he was appointed to his current position as Lecturer in the Department of Pharmacology, NUI Galway. The overall aim of Dr McKernan’s research is to increase our understanding of the role of the innate immune system in brain-gut signalling. Dr. McKernan teaches a range of pharmacology topics to science and medical students at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Summary of Research Interests
The brain-gut axis is a bi-directional signalling pathway which is involved in numerous physiological processes. Communication is possible via neural, hormonal and immune connections. The axis is essential in regulating a number of physiological systems such as appetite, immunity and viscerosensory transmission. The enteric nervous system (ENS), which is innervated by the central nervous system (CNS), regulates motility, secretion and mucosal permeability within the gut. Brain-gut dysfunction is seen in a number of disorders such as obesity and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Toll-like receptors are innate immune receptors that are expressed expressed in high numbers on immune cells, mucosal epithelium as well as many other cell types. These receptors bind bacterial, viral and endogenous proteins/lipids and initiate inflammation via activation of transcription factors and expression of inflammatory cytokines. At present, the role of inflammation and in particular Toll-like receptors in the regulation of the brain-gut axis is currently unknown. Dr. McKernan’s research includes investigating the role of Toll-like receptors in brain-gut signalling particularly in visceral hypersensitivity. Research also investigates the effects of stress on intestinal inflammation with focus on TLR expression/activity in distinct regions of the gut and ENS. Additional research includes studying the role of Toll-like receptors in psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and depression, where there is often a low level of peripheral inflammation detected. He is also interested in the effects of psychiatric drugs on the innate immune system both in the gut and the periphery.

Contact Details:
Dr. Declan McKernan,
Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics,
National University of Ireland, Galway,
Ireland.

Phone: +353-91-493826.
Fax:     +353-91-495586.
Email:  declan.mckernannuigalway.ie.

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