Anthea Rowlerson

My research topic is fibre type specialisation of skeletal muscle, mainly investigated by immunostaining, morphometric and electrophoretic methods.  Initially, motor unit development and vertebrate jaw muscle specialisation were the main focus of my work, but this was followed by a programme of studies with various research groups in the UK, Italy, Portugal and Israel examining the diversity, growth and development of fish muscle, especially in species of interest for aquaculture (e.g. Silva et al, 2008).  More recently I have collaborated in studies on prenatal nutritional programming of adult muscle characteristics (with research groups both at KCL and elsewhere).  Prenatal programming is known to be an important factor in human health, and is accessible to investigation with a number of animal models (Costello et al, 2008; Shelley et al, 2009; Markham et al, 2009).  Current research projects are concerned with human muscle both in dysfunctional conditions (e.g. in patients with chronic respiratory disease, following spinal cord injury, or undergoing intensive care stays – this in collaboration with clinicians and scientists at KCL and elsewhere) (e.g. Duffell et al, 2009; Puthucheary et al, 2013) and the significance of fibre type composition in masseter muscle for the development of malocclusion (also a collaborative project, with maxillofacial surgeons from the University of Lille, France, and orthodontists at KCL andTemple University, Pennsylvania) (Raoul et al, 2011; Sciote et al, 2012).

PhD in Physiology from the University of London (1980), followed by post-doctoral work in veterinary faculties in Switzerland (University of Zurich) and Italy, and later in Physiology departments in Glasgow and Bristol.  Appointed lecturer in Physiology at UMDS (London) (1989), and later (2007, after the merger with King’s College London) Senior Lecturer.  Ordinary Member of the Physiological Society since 1991, and referee for a variety of biomedical science journals.