Dr Samira Lakhal-Littleton
About
Dr Lakhal-Littleton’s research to date has revolved around metabolite homeostasis in cells and systems biology. In recent years, she has developed a more specialised interest in oxygen and iron homeostasis. In particular, she aims to understand how the significant interplay between oxygen and iron sensing pathways at the molecular level is reflected in the pathophysiology of human disease.
Her current work focuses on dissecting iron regulation in the heart, and determining the effects of altered cardiac iron metabolism on heart function and its responses to hypoxia, by utilising novel animal models of tissue-specific alterations in iron metabolism.
By gaining a mechanistic understanding of how iron is regulated at the single tissue level, and of its modulatory effect on responses to hypoxia, we can begin to explore the preventive or therapeutic potential of iron manipulation in diseases associated with pathophysiological responses to local or global hypoxia, e.g ischemic heart disease and pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Expertise
- Iron homeostasis
- Hypoxia signalling
- Cardiac metabolism
Selected publications
Media experience
Dr Lakhal-Littleton has media experience. As a child she was a presenter on Algerian national television, hosting weekly programmes on children's health and education in association with UNICEF (1995-1997). She has also been interviewed about her research, in Arabic and French, on national news and local radio in Algeria.