Dr Andrew MN Walker

Profile

I graduated from the University of Sheffield in 2009 with BMedSci (1st Class Hons) and MBChB degrees. I was awarded membership of the Royal College of Physicians of London in 2012, before joining the University of Leeds in 2013, initially with a British Heart Foundation Research Scholarship. I was funded through a British Heart Foundation Clinical Research Training Fellowship between 2014 and 2017, following which I was awarded a PhD for my research project titled: Exploring the Role of the Insulin and Insulin-Like Growth Factor Receptors in Vascular Regeneration and Aging.

In 2017 I was appointed as a NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow in Cardiology based in the Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine (LICAMM) and Bradford Royal Infirmary. 

Since March 2019 I have continued my research work in LICAMM, with clinical responsibilities at Leeds General Infirmary as part of my appointment as a NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer in Cardiology,

Responsibilities

• Deputy Action Group Lead for Student Education
• Personal Tutor for iBSc Cardiovascular Medicine
• Lecturer on MBChB, iBSc in Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiac Physiology Programmes

Research interests

My research interests include preclinical work investigating the role of the Insulin and Insulin-Like Growth Factor receptors in vascular regeneration and ageing.  I also conduct clinical research in the field of heart failure, with a particular interest in factors which influence the prognosis of patients with insulin resistance and diabetes.

Recent Publications:

Prevalence and Predictors of Sepsis Death in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure and Reduced Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction. Walker AMN et al.  JAHA 2018;7:e009684 epub ahead of print: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.118.009684. 

Ischemic Heart Disease Modifies the Association of Atrial Fibrillation With Mortality in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction. Mercer BN et al.  JAHA 2018; 7:e009770 epub ahead of print: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.118.009770. 

Endothelial Insulin Receptor Restoration Rescues Vascular Function in Male Insulin Receptor Haploinsufficient Mice.  Sengupta A et al.  Endocrinology 2018; 159(8): 2917-25.

Socioeconomic deprivation and mode-specific outcomes in patients with chronic heart failure.  Witte KK et al.  Heart 2018; 104(12): 993-8.

Mortality Reduction Associated With β-Adrenoceptor Inhibition in Chronic Heart Failure Is Greater in Patients With Diabetes.  Witte KK et al.  Diabetes Care. 2018 Jan;41(1):136-142. doi: 10.2337/dc17-1406. Epub 2017 Oct 5.  PMID: 28982651. 

Endothelial SHIP2 Suppresses Nox2 NADPH Oxidase-Dependent Vascular Oxidative Stress, Endothelial Dysfunction, and Systemic Insulin Resistance.  Watt NT et al.  Diabetes. 2017 Nov;66(11):2808-2821. doi: 10.2337/db17-0062. Epub 2017 Aug 22.  PMID: 28830894.

Selective Enhancement of Insulin Sensitivity in the Endothelium In Vivo Reveals a Novel Proatherosclerotic Signaling Loop.  Viswambharan H et al.  Circulation Research. 2017 Mar 3;120(5):784-798. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.116.309678. Epub 2016 Dec 5.  PMID: 27920123.  Accompanying Editorial (Siragusa M, Fisslthaler B. Insulin Keeps PYK-ing on eNOS: Enhanced Insulin Receptor Signaling Induces Endothelial Dysfunction. Circulation research 2017; 120(5): 748-50.)

Diabetes mellitus is associated with adverse structural and functional cardiac remodelling in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.  Walker AM et al.  Diabetes and Vascular Disease Research. 2016 Sep;13(5):331-40. doi: 10.1177/1479164116653342. Epub 2016 Jun 22.  PMID: 27334485. .

Performance of 2014 NICE defibrillator implantation guidelines in heart failure risk stratification.  Cubbon RM et al.  Heart. 2016 May 15;102(10):735-40. PMID:26857212.  Accompanying Editorial (Cowie MR. Updated guidance from NICE on implantable defibrillators: does it work in real life? Heart 2016; 102(10): 731-2.). 

Ambulatory heart rate range predicts mode-specific mortality and hospitalisation in chronic heart failure. Cubbon RM et al.  Heart. 2016 Feb;102(3):223-9. PMID:26674986. 

Sudden cardiac death in patients with diabetes mellitus and chronic heart failure Diabetes and Vascular Disease Research. 2015 Jul;12(4):228-33.  Walker AMN et al.  PMID:25861812 Review. 

Restoring Akt1 activity in outgrowth endothelial cells from South Asian men rescues vascular reparative potential.  Cubbon RM et al.  Stem Cells. 2014 Oct;32(10):2714-23.  PMID:24916783.

Contemporary treatment strategies for Type 2 diabetes-related macrovascular disease. Walker AMN et al.  Expert Review of Endocrinology & Metabolism. Vol. 9 , Iss. 6,2014. 

A 16 year old boy with chest pain. Walker AMN et al.  British Medical Journal. 2014 Oct 15;349:g6172. PMID:25319730. 

Cardiology day case unit: the way to manage chronic cardiovascular conditions cost-effectively in future.  Walker AMN et al.  Clinical Medicine. 2012 Aug;12(4):398-9.  PMID: 25319730. 

Qualifications

• BMedSci (Hons)
• MBChB
• MRCP (London)
• PhD
• FHEA

Professional memberships

• British Cardiovascular Society
• American Heart Association
• Member of the Royal College of Physicians of London
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (Advance HE)

Student education

I lecture on the MBChB course as part of the Core Body Systems Module

I lecture on the Cardiac Physiology degree programme

I am a Lecturer and personal tutor for Intercalated BSc Students in Cardiovascular Medicine

I provide ward and clinic-based teaching to MBChB students on clinical attachment

I teach Core Medical Trainees in the Yorkshire and the Humber region on a range of topics within Cardiology along with skills in critical analysis and the interpretation of evidence and guidelines.

I planned and delivered the Leeds Learning to Teach Programme, providing a foundation in pedagogic theory alongside practical experience in a range of teaching settings for undergraduates on the MBChB programme.

In June 2019 I was appointed Deputy Action Group Lead for Student Education in LICAMM

Research groups and institutes

• Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine
• Discovery and Translational Science