Yoel Berhane
|
|
Yoel is an Assistant Lecturer in Pharmacology. Yoel’s work focuses on endothelial cell function, in particular regulation of the NO and EDHF responses and how endothelial cell dysfunction is associated with certain cardiovascular diseases.
Biography
Yoel graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry from University College London in 1996. His career at the RVC began as a research technician from 1997-2000. He began his PhD in pharmacology part time in 2000 under the supervision of Prof Jonathan Elliott at the RVC, whilst working as a research assistant. He submitted his thesis entitled “Study of the role of endothelial cell-derived mediators in the regulation of equine digital blood flow” in 2004. Yoel has also worked on British Heart Foundation (BHF Website) and industrial funded projects as a post-doctoral research associate, between 2003 and 2006, in the labs of Prof. Caroline Wheeler-Jones, Prof. Jonathan Elliott and Prof. Kathy Botham. Since 2006, Yoel has worked as an assistant lecturer at the RVC.
Research
Yoel’s research focuses primarily on endothelial cell function, in particular regulation of the nitric oxide (NO), prostacyclin (PGI2) and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) synthesis and signalling in health and disease. His main expertise includes utilisation of small resistance blood vessels in wire myograph pharmacology and perfusion setup studies to characterise endothelium-dependent vasorelaxant and contractile responses in various species. He also utilises molecular biology approaches to study mechanisms of endothelial cell signalling and how oxidative stress is associated with endothelial cell dysfunction.
His interest in equine laminitis stems from his PhD work (in Prof. Jonathan Elliott’s lab) and Yoel continues to research in this field. His research in equine laminitis mainly focuses on understanding how endothelial cell dysfunction and associated metabolic disorders predispose certain animals to laminitis. Yoel’s interest in other cardiovascular diseases also includes heart disease in dogs and hypertension in cats (in collaboration with Prof Jonathan Elliott) as well as atherosclerosis in humans (in collaboration with Prof. Kathy Botham and Dr Charlotte Lawson).
Recently, Yoel has been involved in studying the vascular signalling properties of semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO). SSAO, also known as vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) is an enzyme that belongs to copper-containing amine oxidases which catalyses the oxidative deamination of primary amines to the corresponding aldehydes with a concomitant production of ammonia and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Yoel’s work in this field focuses how increased SSAO activity and the subsequent elevation in the reaction products are thought to play a role in endothelial cell dysfunction. Yoel is a member of the London Hypertension Society (LHS Website) and the London Vascular Biology Forum (LVBF Website).
Teaching
Yoel’s teaching role involves lecturing on the Pharmacology, Principles and Practice (PPP) module, Enemy within module (Immunopathology) and Molecular regulation module (Inflammation and Immunity) of the BSc Bioveterinary Science course, as well as running/assisting with tutorials, directed learning and practicals on these modules.
In addition, Yoel supervises various undergraduate research projects as part of the teaching on the BSc Bioveterinary Science course as well as supervising postgraduate research projects (PhD students) and assisting with directed learning on the year 2 of the BVetMed course.
Selected Publications
Zerpa, H., Berhane, Y., Elliott, J. & Bailey, S R. (2009). Functional role of α2-adrenoceptor subtypes in the cooling-enhanced vasoconstriction of isolated cutaneous digital veins of the horse. Eur. J. Pharmacol. Epub ahead of print) PubMed ID 19878669
MENZIES-GOW, N. J., BAILEY, S. R., BERHANE, Y., BROOKS, A. C. & ELLIOTT, J. (2008) Evaluation of the induction of vasoactive mediators from equine digital vein endothelial cells by endotoxin. Am J Vet Res 69, 349-355. PubMed ID 18312133
BERHANE, Y., BAILEY, S. R., PUTIGNANO, C. & ELLIOTT, J. (2008) Characterization of agonist-induced endothelium-dependent vasodilatory responses in the vascular bed of the equine digit. J Vet Pharmacol Ther 31, 1-8. PubMed ID 18177312
ZERPA, H., BERHANE, Y., ELLIOTT, J. & BAILEY, S. R. (2007) Cooling augments vasoconstriction mediated by 5-HT1 and alpha2-adrenoceptors in the isolated equine digital vein: involvement of Rho kinase. Eur J Pharmacol 569, 212-221. PubMed ID 17560569
BAILEY, S. R., MENZIES-GOW, N. J., HARRIS, P. A., HABERSHON-BUTCHER, J. L., CRAWFORD, C., BERHANE, Y., BOSTON, R. C. & ELLIOTT, J. (2007) Effect of dietary fructans and dexamethasone administration on the insulin response of ponies predisposed to laminitis. J Am Vet Med Assoc 231, 1365-1373. PubMed ID 17975996
ZERPA, H., BAILEY, S. R., BERHANE, Y. & ELLIOTT, J. (2006) Pharmacological characterization of alpha1-adrenoceptors in equine digital veins. J Vet Pharmacol Ther 29, 55-61. PubMed ID 16420303
BERHANE, Y., ELLIOTT, J. & BAILEY, S. R. (2006) Assessment of endothelium-dependent vasodilation in equine digital resistance vessels. J Vet Pharmacol Ther 29, 387-395. PubMed ID 16958783
EVANS, M., BERHANE, Y., BOTHAM, K. M., ELLIOTT, J. & WHEELER-JONES, C. P. (2004) Chylomicron-remnant-like particles modify production of vasoactive mediators by endothelial cells. Biochem Soc Trans 32, 110-112. PubMed ID 14748725
BERHANE, Y., BAILEY, S. R., HARRIS, P. A., GRIFFITHS, M. J. & ELLIOTT, J. (2004) In vitro and in vivo studies of homocysteine in equine tissues: implications for the pathophysiology of laminitis. Equine Vet J 36, 279-284. PubMed ID 15147138
ELLIOTT, J., BERHANE, Y. & BAILEY, S. R. (2003) Effects of monoamines formed in the cecum of horses on equine digital blood vessels and platelets. Am J Vet Res 64, 1124-1131. PubMed ID 13677390
BAILEY, S. R., KATZ, L. M., BERHANE, Y., SAMUELS, T., DE BRAUVERE, N., MARR, C. M. & ELLIOTT, J. (2003) Seasonal changes in plasma concentrations of cecum-derived amines in clinically normal ponies and ponies predisposed to laminitis. Am J Vet Res 64, 1132-1138. PubMed ID 13677391
PATEL, B., BERHANE, Y., PETROVIC, A. & MOWBRAY, J. (1998) The mitochondrial phosphoglyceroyl-ATP-containing polymer, purinogen, is unchanged by cardiac ischaemia and reperfusion but may function in the regulation of free intracellular inorganic phosphate concentrations. Eur J Biochem 254, 75-80. PubMed ID 9652397