Lecturer in Immunology

Jithu has been a Lecturer at the School of Life Sciences since September 2024. He is a HCPC-registered Biomedical Scientist with extensive experience working in both diagnostic and research laboratories, bringing a strong clinical and academic background to his role.

He completed his PhD at the Christian Medical College, Vellore, India, where his doctoral research focused on the molecular mechanisms linking dysregulated iron homeostasis and adipose tissue inflammation to the development of insulin resistance. Following this, he undertook post-doctoral training at the University of Oxford and King’s College London. His work involved in studying the role of NAMPT in modulating hepatic inflammation during the development of fatty liver disease.

Teaching

Dr Jithu teaches units related to Haematology and Immunology (L5 and L6).

Qualifications

• BSc Medical Laboratory Technology
• MSc Biochemistry
• PhD in Biochemistry

Memberships

• Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (Advance HE)
• Society for Endocrinology

Research Interests

• Role of immunometabolism in diabetes and obesity.

Publications

• Vinod E, Parasuraman G, Lisha J J, Amirtham SM, Livingston A, Varghese JJ et al. Human fetal cartilage-derived chondrocytes and chondroprogenitors display a greater commitment to chondrogenesis than adult cartilage resident cells. PLoS One. 2023 Apr 27;18(4)
• James JV, Varghese J, Vaulont S, Jacob M. Insulin resistance and adipose tissue inflammation induced by a high-fat diet are attenuated in the absence of hepcidin. J. Nutr. Biochem. 2023 Jan 111:109175.
• Vinod E, Johnson NN, Kumar S, Amirtham SM, Varghese J et al. Migratory chondroprogenitors retain superior intrinsic chondrogenic potential for regenerative cartilage repair as compared to human fibronectin derived chondroprogenitors. Sci Rep. 2021 Dec 8;11(1):23685.
• Venkatesan P, Varghese J, Arthi TS, Varghese J et al. Evidence of dysregulated iron homeostasis in newly diagnosed diabetics, but not in pre-diabetics. J Diabetes Complications. 2021 Sep:107977.
• Varghese J, Varghese J., Mckie A.T., Vaulont S., Jacob M. Enhanced insulin signaling and its downstream effects in iron-overloaded primary hepatocytes from hepcidin knock-out mice. Biochim. Biophys. Acta Mol. Cell Res. 2020 Feb;1867(2):118621.
• Varghese J*, Varghese J *, Reuban A, Narayanasamy M, Ramakrishna B, Nellickal AJ, Jacob M. Development of insulin resistance preceded major changes in iron homeostasis in mice fed a high-fat diet. J. Nutr. Biochem. 2020.
  
  *Co-first author

Contact Details

T: +44 (0)1234 400 400

E: jithu.varghese@beds.ac.uk

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