My research looks at how changes in the amount of Carbon Dioxide in the body is sensed by the brain in order to modulate our breathing. I have recently submitted my PhD thesis and I am currently undertaking a period of further research as an Institute of Advanced Study (IAS) Early Career Fellow (ECF), funded by the Medical Research Council doctoral training partnership (MRC-DTP).

I propose to develop a new genetic strategy to investigate the role that Connexin26 (Cx26) CO₂ sensitivity plays in the respiratory response, by sensing changes in blood pCO₂ levels. In certain chemosensory areas of the medulla oblongata, an increase in pCO₂ causes the release of ATP, which can excite the respiratory network and increase respiratory drive. CO₂-dependent ATP release has been shown to be mediated by Cx26. Nevertheless, the imporatnce of Cx26 in controling breathing in the intact animal is disputed. I am developing an elegant genetic stratergy to selectively remove the CO₂ sensitivity of Cx26 without deleting the molecule. Using this technique conscious breathing data can be recorded, thereby allowing us to investigate the relevant role of Cx26 on the final breathing output.

Supervisor: Professor Nicholas Dale

2015 - 2018: PhD, Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences, The University of Warwick

Thesis Title: "Towards an Understanding of the Role of Connexin26 in Breathing"
Supervisor: Professor Nicholas Dale (School of Life Sciences)

Funded by: Medical Research Council (MRC)

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2014 - 2015: MSc, Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences, The University of Warwick

This MSc consists of 6 months of taught modules covering a wide range of interdisciplinary subjects (including biology, chemistry, statistics and computer science) and their possible applications in biomedical research, followed by two 12 week research projects selected by the student.

Research project 1: "Structural biology of the CO2-sensitivity of Cx26"
Supervisor: Professor Nicholas Dale (School of Life Sciences)

Research project 2: "Investigating Protein-Protein Interactions in Peptidoglycan biosynthesis: a new key to targeting antibiotic resistance?"
Supervisor: Dr David Roper (School of Life Sciecnes)

Funded by: Medical Research Council (MRC)

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2011 - 2014: BSc (Hons), Biomedical Sciences

First Class (Hons)
Recieved departmental prize: First Year Prize for Outstanding Performance

Final year project: "The Role of Epithelial Na+ Channel and Na+/Ca2+ Exchanger in Trypsin-induced Ca2+ Signalling"
Supervisor: Dr Anatoly Shmygol (Warwick Medical School)

Co-author: Altered CO2 sensitivity of connexin26 mutant hemichannels in vitro. de Wolf E, van de Wiel J, Cook J, Dale N. Physiological Reports Published 24 November 2016 Vol. 4 no. e13038 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.13038

Joseph van de Wiel

Email: J.van-de-Wiel@warwick.ac.uk