Dr Colleen Deane
PhD
Lecturer in Muscle Cell Biology
Profile page(s)
Dr Colleen Deane is a Lecturer at the University of Southampton in Muscle Cell Biology. Her research group investigates the mechanisms of, and countermeasures for age-related muscle decline. She has authored >50 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals (e.g., PNAS) with collaborators from >20 countries. Her novel contributions to the field have been recognised with prestigious awards, including the R Jean Banister Prize (2024, The Physiological Society) and a Young Investigator Award (2022, Nutrients), both awarded for early-career scientific excellence.
Colleen has expertise in conducting older volunteer intervention trials and cell-based models and applying omic-informatic techniques, a rare combination in the muscle physiology field. Using this complementary approach, she secured a prestigious 3-year MRC Fellowship and further competitive funding from UKRI, societies, charities and industry.
Colleen is a Senior Editor at Experimental Physiology, is a member of the European Space Agency (ESA) Life Sciences Working Group member and is part of an international ageing consortia developing classifications for ageing-related pathologies.
In addition to academic endeavours, Colleen is passionate about capacity building, mentoring, PPIE and outreach. She is the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre Southampton ECR co-lead, she has led multiple PPIE events with older adults, and her work has been communicated to the public at local events (e.g., Big Bang) and has been featured by global media outlets including the BBC and The Telegraph.
Landmark publications:
Deane, C. S., Willis, C. R. G., Gallagher, I. J., Brook, M. S., Gharahdaghi, N., Wylie, L. J., Wilkinson, D. J., Smith, K., Atherton, P. J., & Etheridge, T. (2024). Nicotinic acid improves mitochondrial function and associated transcriptional pathways in older inactive males. Transl Exerc Biomed, 1(3-4), 277-294.
Deane, C. S., Phillips, B. E., Willis, C. R. G., Wilkinson, D. J., Smith, K., Higashitani, N., Williams, J. P., Szewczyk, N. J., Atherton, P. J., Higashitani, A., & Etheridge, T. (2023). Proteomic features of skeletal muscle adaptation to resistance exercise training as a function of age. Geroscience, 45(3), 1271-1287.
Deane, C. S., Space Omics Topical, T., da Silveira, W. A., & Herranz, R. (2022). Space omics research in Europe: Contributions, geographical distribution and ESA member state funding schemes. iScience, 25(3), 103920.
Deane, C. S., Gates, A., Traviss-Turner, G. D., Wilkinson, D. J., Smith, K., Atherton, P. J., & Phillips, B. E. (2021). Exploring the impact of COVID-19 on the willingness of older adults to participate in physiology research: views from past and potential volunteers. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab, 46(9), 1147-1151.
Deane, C. S., # Willis, C. R. G., # Phillips, B. E., Atherton, P. J., Harries, L. W., Ames, R. M., Szewczyk, N. J., & Etheridge, T. (2021). Transcriptomic meta-analysis of disuse muscle atrophy vs. resistance exercise-induced hypertrophy in young and older humans. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle, 12(3), 629-645.
Ellwood, R. A., Hewitt, J. E., Torregrossa, R., Philp, A. M., Hardee, J. P., Hughes, S., van de Klashorst, D., Gharahdaghi, N., Anupom, T., Slade, L., Deane, C. S., Cooke, M., Etheridge, T., Piasecki, M., Antebi, A., Lynch, G. S., Philp, A., Vanapalli, S. A., Whiteman, M., & Szewczyk, N. J. (2021). Mitochondrial hydrogen sulfide supplementation improves health in the C. elegans Duchenne muscular dystrophy model. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 118(9).
Major grants:
Royal Society, Research Grant, PI
iNutriLife and The Better Menopause, Proof of Concept Grant, PI
The Physiological Society, Research Grant, PI
The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, PI
Wessex Medical Research, Innovation Grant, PI
MRC Fellowship, PI
Impact example:
Senior Editor at Experimental Physiology
European Space Agency (ESA) Life Sciences Working Group member