Dr Kim Dora

Dr Dora's research focuses on cell-cell communication in resistance arteries. Predominantly focussing on signalling pathways within the endothelium, she uses sophisticated and novel techniques to monitor rapid changes in intracellular Ca2+ and how they link to the activation of dilator pathways. Her work has shown that  gap junctions between endothelial and smooth muscle cells enable the spread of current and Ca2+ signals between the cell types, and as a result, control arterial diameter. How these signals are generated and modulated is of ongoing interest.

Spontaneous vasomotion, followed by dilatation to 1 µM ACh in an isolated, triple cannulated and pressurized small artery. Feed artery ~1000 µm long.

Dr Dora’s research is currently focussed on 5 main research areas 1) intra- and inter-cellular Ca2+ imaging in isolated pressurized small arteries, 2) endothelium-dependent control of arterial diameter, 3) electrical events leading to spreading dilatation, 4) lumen-specific actions of agonists and 5) how these processes are affected by endothelial dysfunction.

Spontaneous endothelial cell Ca2+ events in an isolated pressurized small artery. Images collected at 8.5 Hz.

Dr Dora obtained a BSc (Biochemistry) at the Australian National University and a PhD with Professor Michael Clark in Biochemistry from the University of Tasmania. She was then awarded a CJ Martin Overseas Research Fellowship (from the NH&MRC Australia) to work with Dr Brian Duling in the Department of Physiology and Biological Physics at the University of Virginia, USA. In 1997 she moved to the UK to the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Bristol to work with Professor Chris Garland. She became a Lecturer at the University of Bath in 2000, where she became Senior Lecturer and then Reader in Vascular Pharmacology. In 2008 she was awarded a BHF Senior Basic Science Research Fellowship and moved to Pharmacology in Oxford in October.

Dr Dora is on the Council of the British Pharmacological Society, and is an Editor for the British Journal of Pharmacology (2003-2009). She is the Endothelium SIG coordinator for the BPS.