Helen Christian

Helen Christian gained a degree in Pharmacology in 1993 (University of Edinburgh) and a doctorate in Pharmacology in 1997 (University of London). She came to the Department of Human Anatomy, Oxford in 1996 funded by a one year post-doctoral fellowship before taking up a Departmental Lectureship in Human Anatomy in 1997. Since 2000 she has been a University Lecturer in Biomedicine and Fellow of St Anne’s College. She was awarded a University of Oxford Teaching Excellence Award in 2010.

Helen Christian's research interests are in the mechanisms of steroid hormone regulation of the pituitary gland, in particular the role of Annexin 1.  The Annexins are a well conserved super-family of structurally related Ca²⁺ - and phospholipids-binding proteins with wide-ranging functions in health and disease.  Annexin 1 is a 37kD protein that is induced by glucocorticoids and mediates glucocorticoid action within the host defence and neuroendocrine systems.

Further information can be found at Christian Research

Internal and External Responsibilities:

DPAG Director of Graduates

Editor of the 'Young Investigator Perspectives' of the Journal of Neuroendocrinology

Vice-Chair British Society for Neuroendocrinology

Member of Council, Society for Endocrinology

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy