Biography
Dr Craig Stevens BSc PhD FHEA is Associate Professor and Principal Investigator (PI) within the School of Applied Sciences at Edinburgh Napier University (ENU). Craig completed his undergraduate degree in Biochemistry at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh in 1999 and his PhD from the University of Glasgow in 2004 where he studied the role of E2F transcription factors in DNA damage checkpoint control within the group of Prof Nick LaThangue. In 2004, he moved to the Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre within the Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine (IGMM) at the University of Edinburgh for his first Postdoctoral Research position, joining the Cell Signalling Laboratory of Prof Ted Hupp where his research focused on the control of cell growth by mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTORC1) and death-associated protein kinase (DAPK) signalling pathways. Craig stayed at the IGMM for a Senior Research Fellow position, joining the Gastroenterology Laboratory of Prof Jack Satsangi to investigate the role of autophagy in the pathogenesis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), specifically Crohn’s disease (CD). During this time Craig helped to secure funding from the Medical Research Council (MRC), Chief Scientist Office (CSO) and the National Association of Crohn’s and Colitis (NACC).
In 2012, Craig joined the School of Applied Sciences at ENU as Lecturer and PI, was appointed Research Leader in Biomedical Sciences in October 2016 and promoted to Associate Professor in August 2018. At ENU Craig's academic role focuses on both research and teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. Research in Craig’s group is currently supported by funding from Crohn's in Childhood Research Association (CICRA) and the CSO and focusses on three main areas:
1. Understanding the role of autophagy in CD.
2. Investigating the mechanism of action of drugs commonly used to treat patients with IBD.
3. The role of host defence peptides in IBD.
The potential for translational research results from Craig's strong collaborative links with ongoing IBD research at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh (Dr Paul Henderson, Consultant Paediatric Gastroenterologist) and University of Oxford (Prof Jack Satsangi, Consultant Physician). Craig also has strong collaborative links at ENU with Dr Peter Barlow investigating novel peptide based therapeutics for the treatment of IBD.