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Dr Oliver G. Steele

Dr Oliver G. Steele BSc (Hons), MPhil, PhD, PGCertHE, FHEA

Lecturer in Physiology (E&S)
E: O.Steele@bsms.ac.uk
Location: Room 211, Trafford Center, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, BN1 9RY

Area of Expertise: Glutamatergic synaptic transmission, ApoE physiology & pathophysiology, Electrophysiology

Research Areas: ApoE electrophysiology, NMDAR antagonism via ketamine and memantine

Other faculty positions: BSMS204 Module Lead, Year 1 Internal Examiner, Academic Tutor

Twitter: OGSteele

Biography

Oliver Steele completed his BSc (Hons.) in Medical Sciences with PTY at the University of Exeter Medical School, before simultaneously undertaking an MPhil in Biomedicine and Research Associate position at Cardiff School of Biosciences during which his research interests in neurodegeneration and applied electrophysiological techniques were developed. Oliver then moved to Sussex to undertake his PhD in Neuroscience under the supervision of Dr Andrew Penn and Dr Ruth Murrell Lagnado, functionally assessing the electrophysiological impact of APOE isoforms in the murine hippocampus. Oliver has since joined BSMS as a lecturer in Physiology teaching across Phase 1 of the BM BS Course.Oliver is a Member of the British Neuroscience Association and a Member of the Physiological Society.

Oliver is a Member of the British Neuroscience Association, Society Representative for the Physiological Society and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Research

Oliver’s research interests revolve round understanding the electrical functioning of neurons in both health and disease. Oliver has gained research experience across a range of neurodegenerative disorders (Huntington’s, Alzheimer’s) and neurodevelopmental disorders such as CDKL5 Deficiency. Most recently Oliver’s research has centered on the electrophysiological correlates of ApoE polymorphism at the synapse and intrinsically, independent of Alzheimer’s Pathology. Oliver is also acutely interested in the mechanism by which therapeutically relevant NMDAR antagonists, such as ketamine and memantine, modulate neuronal function. Oliver actively collaborates with academics across the Schools of Life Sciences and Psychology at University of Sussex and the Department of Neuroscience at BSMS, whilst maintaining positive relationships with multiple academics at several institutions across the country and Europe. To date, Oliver’s research has received funding from the European consortium Repair HD, Sussex Neuroscience and the charities Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK.

Orcid ID: 0000-0003-4789-9773

Teaching

Oliver teaches across Phase 1 of the BM BS Course and BSMS, principally acting as the Module Lead for BSMS204: Reproduction & Endocrinology delivering a series of lectures on endocrine physiology. Oliver also assists with teaching on BSMS104 Nutrition, Metabolism and Exercise with multiple lectures on gastroenterology.

In addition to delivery of lectures, Oliver delivers several tutorials and acts as an Academic Tutor to multiple BM BS students in Year 1. Oliver also delivers an SSC entitled ‘An Introduction to R’ and supervises IRP students. Additionally, in collaboration with academics in Life Sciences Oliver has acted as co-supervisor to multiple MSc and MRes students.

Demonstrating his commitment to teaching excellence, Oliver was recognized as an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2019 and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2023, having completed his PGCertHE studies.

Selected publications

Steele, O. G., Stuart, A. C., Minkley, L., Shaw, K., Bonnar, O., Anderle, S., Penn, A. C., Rusted, J., Serpell, L., Hall, C., & King, S. (2022). A multi-hit hypothesis for an APOE4-dependent pathophysiological state. The European journal of neuroscience, 56(9), 5476–5515. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.15685

Elmasri, M., Lotti, J. S., Aziz, W., Steele, O. G., Karachaliou, E., Sakimura, K., Hansen, K. B., & Penn, A. C. (2022). Synaptic Dysfunction by Mutations in GRIN2B: Influence of Triheteromeric NMDA Receptors on Gain-of-Function and Loss-of-Function Mutant Classification. Brain sciences, 12(6), 789. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12060789

Steele, O. G., Murrel-Lagnado, R., Penn, A. C. (2021). Maintenance of endogenous ApoE in acute brain slices for electrophysiological recordings – TP001218. Brain and Neuroscience Advances. https://doi.org/10.1177/23982128211035062

Steele, O. G., Liu, S., Winchester, G., Aziz, W., Chagas, M., Penn, A. C. (2021). Eventer: Software you can train to detect spontaneous synaptic responses for you – TP00132. Brain and Neuroscience Advances. https://doi.org/10.1177/23982128211035062

Winchester, Giles, Liu, Samuel, Steele, Oliver G., Aziz, Wajeeha, & Penn, Andrew. (2020). Eventer. Software for the detection of spontaneous synaptic events measured by electrophysiology or imaging (1.0.1). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3991677