Dr Ilan Ruhr
School of Science, Engineering & Environment
Current positions
University Fellow
Biography
I am a comparative physiologist who studies the impact of the environment on the phenotype of aquatic vertebrates. I specialise in cellular physiology of epithelial and cardiac cells and their underlying molecular mechanisms. Throughout my career, I have used multidisciplinary approaches to study vertebrate biology, at numerous levels of biological organization, from the whole animal to the isolated cell, organelle, and gene. I achieve this goal by using cutting-edge techniques, including whole-animal respirometry, epifluorescent microscopy, immunohistochemistry, microrespirometry, and epigenetics. I have also dedicated myself to teaching the next wave of scientists and future leaders.
Areas of Research
Cardiac biology
Epithelial physiology
Developmental biology
Ion homeostasis
Osmoregulation
Mitochondrial biology
Areas of Supervision
Comparative physiology, environmental physiology, osmoregulation, ion transport, epithelial function.
University of Salford:
-Animal Physiology, 2025 (fall semesters), 3 credits
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Wellesley College:
-Environmental Physiology (BISC 317), 2023
-Comparative Physiology (BISC 203), 2022
-Introduction to Organismal Biology (BISC 111), 2022-2023
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Carleton University (guest lecture):
-Adaptations to Extreme Environments (BIOL 4318), 2021
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University of Manchester:
-Animal Physiology (BIOL 2128-1), 2018-2019
-Group-based Learning, 2018-2019
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University of Miami:
-Comparative Physiology (BIOL 360), 2015
-Environmental Physiology: Oxygen, Water, and Ionoregulatory Stress (BIL 466-01), 2014
-Introduction to Marine Biology Laboratory (MSC 232-01), 2013
Qualifications
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Marine Biology and Ecology, University of Miami
2011 - 2016 -
Biology
2005 - 2009
Recognitions
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Invited speaker: Dave Randall memorial symposium
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University of Salford Research Fellowship
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British Society for Cardiovascular Research annual meeting organiser
Publications
- Developmental programming of DNA methylation and gene expression patterns is associated with extreme cardiovascular tolerance to anoxia in the common snapping turtle
- Developmental programming of sarcoplasmic reticulum function improves cardiac anoxia tolerance in turtles
- Low production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species after anoxia and reoxygenation in turtle hearts
- Developmental plasticity of cardiac anoxia-tolerance in juvenile common snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina)
- Metabolic adaptations to anoxia and reoxygenation: New lessons from freshwater turtles and crucian carp