Senior Lecturer in Biochemistry

I joined the University of Bedfordshire in October 2015 after a short career break as an assistant to Professor Stephen Perkins at the Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London. Between 2005 and 2014, I was a Lecturer in Nutrition at King’s College London.

Teaching

I enjoy introducing students to research equipment and techniques. I implemented the hands-on teaching of the industry standard AKTA START protein purification system to second year Biochemistry students. They use this again during their final year research projects when they are further introduced to the microfluidic sizing apparatus, the Fluidity One. I have used the Fluidity One at Science Fairs for A-level students.

I am the Biochemical Society’s local ambassador for the University of Bedfordshire. In this role I encourage student membership by organising student events and student attendance at scientific meetings and training events.

At the University of Bedfordshire, I hold the following additional roles and I teach on all years of the courses:

• Course Co-ordinator of the BSc (Hons) Biochemistry degree.
• Apprentice Co-ordinator and Course Co-ordinator of the Food Science Technology and Management degree.
• Outreach Co-ordinator.

Qualifications

• Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice, University of London (2008)
• PhD in Biophysical Chemistry, University of Glasgow (1999)
• BSc (Hons) in Chemistry, University of Glasgow (1995)

Memberships

• Fellow of AdvanceHE (HEA)
• Full Member of the Biochemical Society

Research Interests

My broad research remit is fatty acid transport and metabolism in health and disease. My research activities are currently focused on zinc a2 glycoprotein (ZAG), a fat depleting factor in blood associated with obesity.

My lab has identified ZAG as a zinc metalloprotein with two potential lipid binding sites. This was achieved using E. coli recombinant ZAG and a range of biophysical techniques including fluorescence, mass spectrometry and analytical ultracentrifugation. We recently solved the first crystal structure of ZAG bound to a fatty acid ligand. I presented this work at regional and international meetings. The research was supported by the BBSRC LIDo PhD programme, AdipoGen Life Sciences and the Biochemical Society.

My earlier recent work showed that placental fatty acid transporter expression is controlled by hypoxia inducible factors. This work is relevant to pre-eclampsia and was supported by an EPSRC doctoral training grant.

Selected Publications

• Lau, AM, Zahid, H, Gor, J, Perkins, SJ, Coker, AR & McDermott, LC (2019). Crystal structure of zinc-α2-glycoprotein in complex with a fatty acid reveals multiple different modes of lipid binding. Biochemical Journal, 476, 2815-2834. (Journal front cover.)
• Zahid, H, Miah, L, Brochard, L, Lau, AM, Hati, D, Bui, TTT, Drake, AF, Gor, J, Perkins, SJ & McDermott, LC (2016). Zinc induced oligomerisation of zinc a2 glycoprotein reveals distinct fatty acid binding sites. Biochemical Journal, 473 (1), 43-54.
• Jadoon A, Cunningham P, & McDermott LC (2015). Regulation of fatty acid binding proteins by hypoxia inducible factors 1α and 2α in the placenta: Relevance to pre-eclampsia, PLEFA, S0952-3278(14), 00148-3.

Contact Details

T: +44 (0)1582 489 644
E: lindsay.mcdermott@beds.ac.uk

Other References

• www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-mcdermott-97331213
• www.researchgate.net/profile/Lindsay_Mcdermott