Professor John Gibson
Director of Studies in Veterinary Science (Pre-clinical)
Reader in Pathophysiology
t: (01223) 337638
What is your subject and specific area of study?
My area of expertise is pathophysiology, notably how membrane transporters regulate ion and water homeostasis in cells in health and how they become perturbed in disease. I work mainly with red blood cells and also articular chondrocytes. I teach vet students over all six years of the course.
What makes Clare College such a good place to study your subject?
Preclinical veterinary subjects are taught mainly alongside the medics, except for specific veterinary subjects like anatomy or veterinary physiology. In Clare, we take 4 vets and 12 medics, which reflects the ratio in the university as a whole. It is a good group size for positive interactions. Students have close contact with fellows. There are enough vet students to retain a sense of their own identity but with the advantage of having contact with the medics, which prevents a more parochial outlook. Clare has its own teaching fellows in most biomedical subjects taken during the preclinical years, and also others with expertise more widely in the natural sciences. Historically, we have been very strong in these subjects: David Attenborough, David Watson and Tim Hunt (Nobel Prize for Biochemistry) were all at Clare. A current fellow, Prof Bill Harris, is an FRS in developmental neuroscience and head of the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience (PDN), which delivers about two-thirds of the teaching to first and second year vets and medics. Library facilities for vets are excellent. Geographically, we are positioned half-way between Downing Site (where most of the preclinical lectures and practicals occur) and the vet school (for the clinical years). Finally, we have three qualified vets on the fellowship. One teaches anatomy and carries out neurophysiological research in PDN; the Director of Studies for both preclinical and veterinary clinical sciences are vets, working at the vet school -one is an active equine clinician, the other specialises in pathophysiological research with active collaborations in the preclinical departments. Please do not hesitate to contact me by email or telephone if you need further information jsg1001@cam.ac.uk or 01223 337638.