Dr Nina Storey

I am an associate professor in the department of Molecular and Cell Biology. I read Biochemistry at the University of Edinburgh before moving into the field of molecular pathology gaining a PhD from University College London. My postdoctoral research in potassium channel regulation in pituitary neuroendocrine cells at National Institutes of Health USA resulted in a number of high impact research articles. I now focus on understanding cardiac ion channel regulation by intracellular signalling pathways. I am interested in the exploring the molecular mechanisms of cardiac protection especially of ion channels mitochondrial function.

Ion channel activity underlies physiological processes including hormone secretion heart pacing and beating. Ion channels are modulated by intracellular signalling pathways to fine tune function. The heart has a rapid and dynamic protective response to stress in order to maintain homeostasis that is poorly understood. The role of ion channels their modulation by hormones and the interplay with mitochondrial function are areas of investigation to greater understand how the heart responds to stresses. Recently we have explored the novel signalling pathways of regulatory free cellular heme which plays a role in potassium channel regulation and oxygen and excitability homeostasis. We take an integrated approach and the methods that we use include electrophysiology to record ion channel activity single cell imaging to detect fluorescent indicators of intracellular pathways molecular biology approaches and measurement of single cardiac myocyte contraction. This research has been funded by the British heart Foundation (BHF) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). 

Burton MJ, Cresser-Brown J, Thomas M, Portolano N, Basran J, Freeman SL, Kwon H, Bottrill AR, Llansola-Portoles MJ, Pascal AA, Jukes-Jones R, Chernova T, Schmid R, Davies NW, Storey NM, Dorlet P, Moody PCE, Mitcheson JS, Raven EL. 
Discovery of a heme-binding domain in a neuronal voltage-gated potassium channel. J Biol Chem. 2020 Sep 18;295(38):13277-13286. 

Kapetenaki SM, Burton MJ, Basran J, Uragami C, Moody PC, Mitcheson JS, Schmid R, Davies NW, Dorlet P, Vos M, Raven EL, and Storey NM. A mechanism for CO regulation of ion channels. Nat Communication 2018 9, 907.

Storey NM, Lambert DG 
Mitochondrial pharmacology turns its sights on the Ca(2+) uniporter. Cell Death Discov. 2017 3: 17064.

Burton MJ, Kapetanaki SM, Chernova T, Jamieson AG, Dorlet P, Santolini J, Moody PC, Mitcheson JS, Davies NW, Schmid R, Raven EL, Storey NM.
A heme-binding domain controls regulation of ATP-dependent potassium channels. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016 Apr 5;113(14):3785-90.

Almohammedi A, Kapetanaki SM, Wood BR, Raven EL, Hudson AJ., Storey NM,
Monitoring changes in the redox state of myoglobin in cardiomyocytes by Raman spectroscopy enables the protective effect of NO donors to be evaluated. Anal Chem. 2015 Oct 20;87(20):10605-12.

Almohammedi A, Kapetanaki SM, Wood BR, Raven EL, Storey NM, Hudson AJ. 
Spectroscopic analysis of myoglobin and cytochrome c dynamics in isolated cardiomyocytes during hypoxia and reoxygenation. J R Soc Interface. 2015 Apr 6;12(105). pii: 20141339.

Storey NM, Stratton RC, Rainbow RD, Standen NB, Lodwick D.
Kir6.2 limits Ca2+ overload and mitochondrial oscillations of ventricular myocytes in response to metabolic stress. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2013 Nov 15;305(10):H1508-18. 

Muessel MJ, Harry GJ, Armstrong DL, Storey NM.
SDF-1α and LPA modulate microglia potassium channels through Rho GTPases to regulate cell morphology. Glia. 2013 Oct;61(10):1620-8. 

Bhagatte Y, Lodwick D, Storey N.
Mitochondrial ROS production and subsequent ERK phosphorylation are necessary for temperature preconditioning of isolated ventricular myocytes. Cell Death Dis. 2012 Jul 5;3:e345. 

Selway J, Rigatti R, Storey N, Lu J, Willars GB, Herbert TP.
Evidence that Ca2+ within the microdomain of the L-type voltage gated Ca2+ channel activates ERK in MIN6 cells in response to glucagon-like peptide-1. PLoS One. 2012;7(3):e33004. 

Storey, N.M., Gentile, G., Ullah, H., Gentile, S., Russo, A., Muessel, M.J., Erxleben, C. and Armstrong, D.L. (2006).  Rapid signaling at the plasma membrane by a nuclear receptor for thyroid hormone.  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.  103: 5197-5201. 

Storey, N.M., Gomez-Angelats, M., Armstrong, D.L. and Cidlowski, J. (2003). Stimulation of Kv1.3 potassium channels by death receptors during Apotosis in Jurkat T lymphocytes. Journal of Biological Chemistry  278: 33319-33326.

Storey, N.M., O'Bryan, J.P. & Armstrong, D.L. (2002).  Rac and Rho mediate opposing hormonal regulation of ether-a-go-go-related potassium channel. Current Biology 12 :27-33.

Storey N.M., Latchman D.S., and Bevan S.  (2002) Selective internalization of sodium channels in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons infected with Herpes simplex virus-1. Journal of Cell Biology 158: 1251-1262.

Mitochondria function and oxidative stress responses. Cardiac ion channel regulation. Coaching in pedagogy.

I teach physiology pharmacology and pathology to biological sciences and medical physiology undergraduate students. I train master’s students and PhD students in cellular pathophysiology. I am postgraduate tutor and early career researcher advisor.

Cardiac physiology and ion channel pharmacology. Mitochondrial function.

Senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy ILM5 Coaching and Mentoring mBit Coach and Master Coach