Dr Paul D Lucas

Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences
BSc, PhD Bradford
Telephone: 01509 222577
E-mail: P.D.Lucas@lboro.ac.uk

Diabetic Complications

Diabetics suffer an increased incidence of a variety of nervous and cardiovascular problems which may lead to, e.g. blindness, foot problems, heart disease and the loss of some nervous functions. Several biochemical mechanisms have been proposed some of which should be preventable by drug or dietary intervention. Clinical assessment of such potential therapies is very difficult and expensive, largely due to the development of problems being slow and variable. The only therapy shown to have some benefit to date is improved blood glucose control. The prophylactic administration of unproven drugs with potential side-effects to patients for conditions which might not, in any case, develop, also raises ethical problems. Further evidence for a particular therapy is required to justify such trials. Current research aims to provide this. Cell types which are damaged by diabetes are grown in culture under conditions which simulate particular aspects of diabetes. This allows the development of abnormalities and the effects of drugs to be studied.

Selected Publications

Thermal sensitivity in the streptozotocin-diabetic rat, Lucas, P. D. Br. J. Pharmacol., 1994, 112 (Suppl 1), 347.

Preliminary investigations of some derivatives of oxamniquine, Karekezi, C. W., Lucas, P. D., Marples, B. A. and Salt, W. G. J. Chemother., 1995, 7(2), 133-5.