ADInstruments Europe is pleased to announce Emeritus Professor Richard Ribchester from the University of Edinburgh as the winner of the 2023 ‘Send Us Your Research Article’ competition.
ADInstruments Europe has been running a new local competition, welcoming LabChart users to ‘Send Us Your Research Article’! We always keep an eye on the work published by our customers, but having people send in the work they’re most excited about has been a great experience. Thank you to everyone who entered, and congratulations to Emeritus Professor Richard Ribchester for winning.
Emeritus Professor Ribchester is now retired, having spent the past 40 years as a teacher and researcher at the University of Edinburgh studying the biology of motor neurons.
“My focus was primarily on the development, physiology, and plasticity of neuromuscular junctions,” Richard says, “and I utilized a combination of electrophysiology and imaging techniques to examine the relationships between function and structure at these exquisite synapses.”
His more recent work focuses on the degeneration of neuromuscular junctions, and the mechanisms of protection that motor axons and motor nerve terminals exert in response to that degeneration; whether it be from the mutant Wallerian-degeneration Slow (WldS) gene, anticholinesterase toxicity, or environmental toxins. Within his winning paper, he and his co-authors explored the role of pesticide toxicity in acute respiratory failure - a persistent health risk for rural communities worldwide. They found that the metabolites of agricultural organophosphorus insecticides worked together to impair neuromuscular function, and their inhalation could explain the previously unexplained signs of neuromuscular paralysis and acute respiratory failure seen in patients with pesticide toxicity.
“We used ADInstruments interfaces in most of these studies, for recording isometric muscle force and electromyography and as an adjunct to intracellular recordings of endplate potentials,” Richard says, “I continue to maintain a collaborative interest in Motor Neuron Disease (MND) research and the utilization of ADI technology for research purposes, as well as for teaching physiology and neuroscience through the Lt platform.”
Professor Ribchester will receive a hamper of gifts from the team, alongside two of our runner-ups who will also be contacted. Keep your eyes peeled for future competitions!