Dr Andrew Irving

Neuropharmacology, cannabinoids, medical cannabis, GPCR, orphan GPCRs, GPR55, molecular imaging

Andrew works as a lecturer in molecular neuroscience at the University of Northampton and a senior biomedical lecturer at the University of Buckingham. Previously he was a lecturer in neuroscience and neuropharmacology at UCD, Dublin and a lecturer and then senior lecturer in neuroscience and pharmacology at Dundee University. He has contributed to teaching, research and administration at these institutions, developing new taught material and courses in neuroscience, pharmacology and biomedical science. He has strived to integrate innovative educational approaches to teaching, curriculum development and student engagement.

 His research has focused on the characterisation of novel G-protein coupled-receptor (GPCR) therapeutic targets and modulators of cognitive function. In particular, he has used molecular imaging approaches to investigate the properties of the putative, novel cannabinoid receptor, GPR55, where his group have helped advanced knowledge of its pharmacology and function at the cellular level. Other work has indicated a potential neuroprotective role for cannabinoids/GPR55 and characterised a peripheral target for the effects of cannabinoid antagonists on energy metabolism and body weight. He has a long-standing interest in neuromodulators, including the neuropeptide leptin, where a potential cognitive enhancer function was identified. Some of his work was carried out in collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry (Takeda, GSK, Cerevance, NeuroEblana), where he was involved in projects characteriing new orphan GPCR targets that can regulate synaptic plasticity and immune function (including G2A and OGR1).  In other projects he investigated cannabinoid modulation of hippocampal synaptic plasticity (with Dr Harvey, Dundee) and the role of GPR55 in modulating salivary gland function (with Dr Harkany, Vienna).

At present he is interested in the therapeutic potential of the endocannabinoid system. In this regard he is part of a collaboration investigating the effects of cannabinoids/cannabinoid receptor activation on hippocampal function  (with Prof Harvey in Dundee and NeuroEblana Ltd, an industrial partner and Prof Cunningham at TCD, Dublin). In collabtion with the university of Sydney and Cerevance Ltd, he is exploring the actions of new pharmacological modulators of GPR55. In addition, he is characterizing a new generation of endogenous peptide ligand modulators of GPR55 (in collaboration with Prof. David Gloriam at the university of Copenhagen).  This work is likely to have far-reaching implications for GPCR receptor pharmacology and the emerging concept of diverse endogenous ligands (both peptide and lipid) for certain GPCRs.