James Higham University positionPhD student DepartmentsHome pagehttps://www.neuroscience.cam.ac.uk/directo... Research ThemeInterestsMy PhD with Dr David Bulmer is primarily focussed on investigating interactions between novel inflammatory mediators and nociceptive neurons in culture. I use genetically engineered neurons (in a collaboration with Prof John Wood and Dr James Cox, UCL) and pharmacological tools in tandem with calcium imaging, patch-clamp electrophysiology and immunohistochemistry. At the University of Bristol, I used Drosophila to model the neuronal basis of behavioural defects in Alzheimer's disease with Dr James Hodge. To do this, we used genetic engineering, behavioural assays, calcium imaging and patch-clamp electrophysiology. I was also under the supervision of Prof Neil Marrion, who taught me patch-clamp electrophysiological recording. I used outside-out and inside-out patch recording to determine the pharmacological and biophysical properties of a novel heteromeric calcium-activated potassium channel. Research Focus
EquipmentCalcium imaging Cell culture Electrophysiological recording techniques Immunohistochemistry Whole cell patch clamp Collaborators
Associated News ItemsPublications2019Edgar Buhl*, James P Higham*, James J L Hodge (2019), “Alzheimer's Disease-Associated Tau Alters Drosophila Circadian Activity, Sleep and Clock Neuron Electrophysiology” Neurobiol of Dis Vol 130 James Higham, Giriraj Sahu, Rima-Marie Wazen, Pina Colarusso, Alice Gregorie, Bartholomew S. J. Harvey, Lucy Goudswaard, Gemma Varley, David N Sheppard, Ray W Turner and Neil V Marrion (2019), “Preferred formation of heteromeric channels between co-expressed SK1 and IKCa channel subunits provides a unique pharmacological profile of Ca2+-activated K+ channels” Mol Pharm 97(5): 115-126 James P. Higham*, Bilal R. Malik*, Edgar Buhl, Jennifer M. Dawson, Anna S. Ogier, Katie Lunnon and James J. L. Hodge (2019), “Alzheimer’s Disease Associated Genes Ankyrin and Tau Cause Shortened Lifespan and Memory Loss in Drosophila” Front Cell Neuro Vol 13; pp260 James P. Higham†, Sergio Hidalgo†, Edgar Buhl and James J. L. Hodge* (2019), “Restoration of Olfactory Memory in Drosophila Overexpressing Human Alzheimer’s Disease Associated Tau by Manipulation of L-Type Ca2+ Channels” Front Cell Neuro Vol 13; pp409 2017James P Higham (2017), “Letter: Tangled tau: Active pathology or footprint of disease?” Alzheimer's and Demantia 3(4): 658-659 |