Professor Yvonne Alexander
Emeritus Professor of Cardiovascular Translational Science
My profile
Biography
Wife, mother of two sons and 1 daughter; all three happily married.
Nana to 5 young grandsons and 2 little granddaughters.
Enjoyed golf and skiing before academia and grandchildren took over. Now it is more swimming, gentle tennis and walking.
Enjoy nights out at the theatre.
Words of wisdom
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
Every cloud has a silver lining
Academic and professional qualifications
BSc Hons
PhD
Other academic service (administration and management)
Former Head of The Cardiovascular Research Group
Former Chair of Interview Panels for PhD studentships/ Selection Panel for Clinical Training Fellowships.
Former Member of Appointments Committee for Academic Positions
Former Medical Student Application Interview Panels
Personal tutor and mentor for many students and post-docs
Conference Young Investigator and Poster Prize Judge
Chair of Lab Users Committee
Languages
English
Rusty French
External examiner roles
External Examiner for 8 PhD thesis at King’s College London;Imperial College London; University College Cork; University of Glasgow; University of Bristol and INSERM, Paris.
Reviewer of grant applications for 11 funding bodies
Reviewer of manuscripts for 21 International high ranking Journals Invited Reviewer of abstracts submitted for International and National Societies
Judge for Young Investigator Awards at International meetings.Numerous Invited National & International Lectures
2012 - British Cardiovascular Society Press Expert
2012 - Member International Scientific Programme Organising Committee for The European Vascular Biology Organisation
2013 Conference held as a symposium within the International Union of Physiologists ASC
2011 - International Advisory Board member (on behalf of EVBO) for the Joint Meeting of the 27th European Microcirculation Society and 7th European Vascular Biology Organisation during the International Union of Physiological Societies meeting 2013
2011 - Editor ‘Frontiers in Clinical and Translational Physiology’ 2011 - Guest reviewer of World Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery
2011 - Member International Scientific Programme Organising Committee for The Frontiers in Cardiac and Vascular Biology 2012 Conference
2007 - Member Scientific Programme Organising Committee European Vascular Biology Organisation 2007 to present
Consultancy and advisory roles
Member of International Working Group of Biomarkers for Atherosclerosis
Prizes and awards
Group Prizes
2014 MMU Student Research Showcase; Daniel Moreno PhD student. MicroParticles as disease biomarkers
2014 British Society for Rheumatology: Innovation award. S. Skeoch, P. Hubbard, H. Williams, J. James, Y.Alexander, J.Waterton, I. Bruce. Imaging arterial
inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
2013 1st Prize Best Poster Award. John Reynolds, D Ray, IN Bruce,&
MY Alexander. Vitamin D as a Modifier of Endothelial Dysfunction and Drug Response in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Translational Medicine Showcase at the University of Manchester.
2012 1st Prize Best Poster Award. John Reynolds, D Ray, MY Alexander & IN Bruce.
Vitamin D as a Modifier of Endothelial Dysfunction and Drug Response in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Translational Medicine Showcase at the University of Manchester. Jan 2012
2011 1st Prize Young Investigator Award. A Ndip, A Williams, E Jude, A J M Boulton, M Y AlexanderRANKL/OPG signalling: a key player in medial arterial calcification in diabetic Charcot Neuroarthropathy, 47th European Association for the Study of Diabetes. Annual Meeting.2011 (2000 delegates) Diabetologia 65 (1) S42
Other distinctions
Supervised Over 31 Postgraduate Research Students
Director of International Research which has led to 14 prize-winning contributions for Prof Alexander and her group at International and National meetings.
Expert reviewer for external funding bodies
British Heart Foundation
Wellcome Trust
Medical Research Council
Arthritis Research UK
Visiting and honorary positions
Hon Senior Lecturer in the University of Manchester
Editorial Board membership
Frontiers in Physiology
Membership of professional associations
British Society for Cardiovascular Research
British Atherosclerosis Society
European Vascular Biology Organisation
British Biochemical Society
British Society of Endocrinology
Personal website address
Projects
British Society for Cardiovascular Research (Ex-Chair)
European Vascular Biology Organisation (Council Member & Web Secretary)
British Society for Biochemistry (Member)
British Society for Atherosclerosis (Member)
British Society for Endocrinology (Member)
Teaching
Why do I teach?
To inspire people to see their strengths and reach their potential.
How I’ll teach you
Stem Cells in Vascular Disease
Atherosclerosis and Vascular Calcification
Signalling Networks in Cardiovascular Disease
Endothelial Dysfunction and Repair
Several Years’ Experience in Postgraduate and Undergraduate Research Supervision and Examination
Why study…
Heart disease is one of the biggest killers in the UK. Understanding how our heart and blood vessels remain healthy will help in ensuring we have a good quality of life and help us enjoy life for longer.
Postgraduate teaching
Vascular Calcification
Endothelial Dysfunction
Smooth Muscle Cell Biology
Microparticles in Disease
Subject areas
Cardiovascular Disease
Research outputs
Cellular reprogramming in vascular calcification within the context of diabetes and renal disease;
Endothelial progenitor cell differentiation and impaired vascular function with age;
Endothelial dysfunction and repair in Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis patients
Identifying biomarkers in carotid disease to prevent risk of stroke
Vascular Remodelling Plaque Stability & Atherosclerosis
Press and media
Media appearances or involvement
2013 - Lead organiser of a Scientific Research Symposium on “Vascular Calcification” for The European Vascular Biology Organisation Annual Scientific Conference, joint with The International Union of Physiologists
2012 - Elected member of the Academic and Research Committee of the British Cardiovascular Society
2011 - Member of Scientific Programme Organising Committee on behalf of the European Society for Cardiology: 2nd Annual Meeting on Frontiers for Cardiac & Vascular Biology, London Member of Scientific Programme Organising Committee of European Meeting for Vascular Biology & Medicine (EMVBM) Marseille
2011 - Lead Organiser of a Scientific Research Symposium on “Progenitor cells in Disease” for The British Cardiovascular Society Annual Scientific Conference, joint with The British Atherosclerosis Society and British Society for Cardiovascular Research2008 - Local assistant organiser of British Society for Cardiovascular Research Conference, Manchester 2006 - Invited participant at the European Vascular Genomics Network: Toulouse Conference Centre Pierre Baudis: Dec 11-14, 2006. 3rd European Vascular Genomics Network Conference 2005 - Member of Scientific Programme Organising Committee of EMVBM Bristol