Contact
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry - Surgery Dept
- apepper@ualberta.ca
- Address
-
6-002D Li Ka Shing Centre For Research
8602 112 St NWEdmonton ABT6G 2E1
Overview
Area of Study / Keywords
Type 1 Diabetes Beta Cell Transplantation Islet Biology Stem Cells Biomaterials Immunosuppression
About
Dr. Pepper is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Alberta. In 2012, Dr. Pepper received his PhD in Pathology from the University of Western Ontario under the mentorship of transplant pioneer Dr. David White, studying methods to predict islet transplant function based on mitochondrial respiration. In parallel, Dr. Pepper worked for the Clinical Islet Transplantation Program (LHSC), building skills in human organ procurement and islet isolation. He further gained translational industry experience as a Scientist where he spearheaded projects with pig islet transplant models using medical devices. In 2012, Dr. Pepper join the world-renowned lab of Dr. James Shapiro (developer of the �Edmonton Protocol’), in the Alberta Diabetes Institute as postdoctoral fellow. In 2018, Dr. Pepper was appointed as an Assistant Professor at the University of Alberta.
Selected Awards and Fellowships:
2020 - JDRF (International) - Career Development Award
2017 - Med Star Postdoctoral Fellows Award
2017 - International Pancreas and Islet Transplantation Association - Scientific Award
2016 - Alberta Innovates Health Solutions Postgraduate Fellowship
2016 - Canadian Society of Transplantation - Basic Science Award
2015 - Transplantation Society (TTS-IPITA) - Young Investigator Scientific Award
2015 - JDRF-Canadian Clinical Trial Network/ Eli Lilly Canada Post-Doctoral Fellowship
Clinical Interests
Clinical Islet and stem cell transplantationResearch
Currently, Dr. Pepper's laboratory seeks to better understand how pancreatic islet cells survive and function post-transplant, to better treat type 1 diabetes (T1D). His group develops original cell-based therapies for T1D by bridging basic science (stem cell/islet biology) and clinical science (transplantation). His studies range from in vitro models to clinical transplants, including:
1) Developing cell transplant technologies without immunosuppression.
2) Improving function of pancreatic � cell grafts.
3) Translating alternative beta cell sources into an unlimited supply of
insulin-producing cells.
Featured Publications
Pre-transplant exercise may improve glycemic outcomes after marginal islet mass transplant in type 1 diabetes
Diabetes Canada Professional Conference . 2023 November;
Blood glucose levels following repetitive aerobic exercise in fasted rats with type 1 diabetes
Diabetes Canada Professional Conference. 2023 November;
Aggarwal S., Pepper A.R., Korbutt G.S.
Current Opinion in Endocrine and Metabolic Research. 2022 June; 24 10.1016/j.coemr.2022.100354
Saloni Aggarwal, Andrew R.Pepper, Najwa Al Jahdhami
Journal of Immunology and Regenerative Medicine. 2022 May; 16 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.regen.2021.100058
Evaluation of assembly and disassembly behaviour of drug loaded ELP nanoparticles
Canadian Biomaterials Society. 2022 May;
Haopeng Lin, Kunimasa Suzuki, Nancy Smith, Xi Li, Lisa Nalbach, Sonia Fuentes, Aliya F Spigelman, Xiaoqing Dai, Austin Bautista, Mourad Ferdaoussi, Saloni Aggarwal, Andrew R Pepper, Leticia P Roma, Emmanuel Ampofo, Wen-hong Li, Patrick E MacDonald
BioRxiv. 2022 April; 10.1101/2022.04.05.487203
Kuppan P., Kelly S., Seeberger K., Castro C., Rosko M., Pepper A.R., Korbutt G.S.
Polymers. 2022 March; 14 (6):1-14 10.3390/polym14061120
Transplantation. 2021 December; 10.1097/01.tp.0000804688.45982.65
THE ROLE OF NECROPTOSIS IN ?-CELL LOSS FOLLOWING ISLET TRANSPLANTATION
3rd Annual Joint Symposium Helmhotlz Research School of Diabetes. 2021 December;
Transplantation. 2021 December; 10.1097/01.tp.0000804536.23741.ad
Transplantation. 2021 December; 10.1097/01.tp.0000804416.62388.b4
Transplantation. 2021 December; 10.1097/01.tp.0000804340.34071.ab
UPREGULATION OF CYTOSOLIC REDUCING SIGNALING THROUGH SENP1 IS REQUIRED FOR �-CELL FUNCTIONAL COMPENSATION TO SHORT-TERM HIGH FAT DIET
Alberta Diabetes Institute Research Day . 2021 November;
Cytoprotective Properties of Thioketals Against Oxidative Stress Damage to Islets
Canadian Biomaterials Society. 2021 May;
The Role of Necroptosis in �-Cell Loss Following Islet Transplantation
Tom Williams Research Day. 2021 May;
Pepper A.R., Korbutt G.S.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION. 2021 April; 21 (9):2927-2928 10.1111/ajt.16587
Upregulation of cytosolic reducing signaling through SENP1 is required for beta-cell functional compensation to short-term HFD
Insulin 100: Scientific Symposium. 2021 April;
TRANSPLANTATION. 2021 March; 10.1097/TP.0000000000003746
LAYER BY LAYER COATING PRESERVES HUMAN AND MOUSE ISLETS IN VITRO AND IN VIVO FUNCTIONAL POTENCY
Alberta Diabetes Institute Research Day . 2020 November;
THE ROLE OF NECROPTOSIS IN ?-CELL LOSS FOLLOWING ISLET CELL TRANSPLANTATION
Alberta Diabetes Institute Research Day . 2020 November;