David Bulmer

Dr Bulmer’s research interests lie in the processing of sensory information from the gastrointestinal tract and the development of novel drugs for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Previous and continuing areas of interest include the role of TRPV1 channels and 5-HT2B receptors in visceral pain, and sensory nerve signalling from the gastrointestinal tract in normal and disease states. Current research includes the identification of a novel thalamic response to visceral pain (with Prof Qasim Aziz) and the development of, in vitro, human visceral sensory nerve recordings (with Dr Charlie Knowles and Dr Mark Baker). Dr Bulmer is a senior lecturer and recipient of an MRC skills gap fellowship as well as a consortium member of the Intestinal Proteases: Opportunities for Drug Discovery (IPODD) FP-7 research programme.

Publications:

Key publications:

Peiris M, Bulmer D, Baker D, Boundouki G, Sinha S, Hobson A, Lee A, Aziz Q, Knowles CH. Human visceral afferent recordings: Preliminary report. Gut 2011; 60: 204-8

Snoek SA, Verstege MI, van der Zanden EP, Deeks N, Bulmer DC, Skynner M, Lee K, Te Velde AA, Boeckxstaens GE, de Jonge WJ. Selective alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists worsen disease in experimental colitis. Br J Pharmacol 2010; 160: 322-33.

O'Mahony SM, Bulmer DC, Coelho AM, Fitzgerald P, Bongiovanni C, Lee K, Winchester W, Dinan TG, Cryan JF. 5-HT(2B) receptors modulate visceral hypersensitivity in a stress-sensitive animal model of brain-gut axis dysfunction. Neurogastroenterol Motil 2010; 22: 573-8.

van den Wijngaard RM, Klooker TK, Welting O, Stanisor OI, Wouters MM, van der Coelen D, Bulmer DC, Peeters PJ, Aerssens J, de Hoogt R, Lee K, de Jonge WJ, Boeckxstaens GE. Essential role for TRPV1 in stress-induced (mast cell-dependent) colonic hypersensitivity in maternally separated rats. Neurogastroenterol Motil 2009; 21: 1107-e94.

Hyland NP, Julio-Pieper M, O'Mahony SM, Bulmer DC, Lee K, Quigley EM, Dinan TG, Cryan JF. A distinct subset of submucosal mast cells undergoes hyperplasia following neonatal maternal separation: a role in visceral hypersensitivity? Gut 2009; 58: 1029-30.