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R M CullenMD MSc MFM BA DipStats DipProfEthics
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| elite athlete development | diabetes | economics | evolution |
| Pro-Pare™ | diabetes reversal | midinomics | chance or design? |
| tamaki sports academy | diabetes blog | genome topology | |
| some thoughts | some opinions |
research
current research
I am, and have been for a few years, immersed in the new field of genome topology
Genome topology is the study of the three dimensional structure of chromosomes over time. It is particularly interested in the surface of this structure, and in the changes in this surface over evolutionary, and within individual lifespan, timeframes.
There are three central tenets of genome topology. They are
1.In general, only those genes which are on the surface of the genome (directly exposed to contents of the nucleus other than DNA and nuclear proteins) are available for transcription. These are the only genes that can be expressed
2.The concept of the “rolling genome”. Genome topology is unstable. At an individual level the genome topology of the early embryo “rolls” in various ways resulting in the various cell types – skin, muscle, neural, and so on. During life, there are further local rolls in genome topology resulting in different genes being expressed, in response to nuclear contents, at different times for different periods of time. At an evolutionary level rolls in the genome are a major cause of speciation.
3. Genome topology is mediated by epenes or epi-genetic factors
Epenes have an important role in controlling which genes are expressed when and for how long. My research in this area is both basic and clinical. The clinical component involves the use of epenes in the supplements program of teenage elite athletes.
future research
I've never really believed Newton's or Einstein's theories of gravity, and I don't think anyone has ever
got started with a coherent theory of quantum mechanics. With a bit of luck
gravity and quantum mechanics are different aspects of
the same thing, whatever that might be.
I would like to explore the idea that mass "consumes" distance. That distance is something that reproduces
and mass is an epi-phenomenon of distance, perhaps able to be modelled algebraically as a graph
The idea that distance reproduces is not new. It explains the (accelerating) "expansion" of the universe and
probably validates what Einstein called his 'greatest mistake'
The idea that mass is an arrangment of distance is new, as is the idea that mass can incorporate local distance
without becoming "heavier"(although this is trivial. It is like saying that transparent glass remains transparent
if it becomes thicker).
It is not difficult to derive the inverse square relationship of "gravity" in this model
immediate past research
From 2009-2012 I was interested in elite athlete development, particularly the unsolved
problem of how one predicts, from a field of promising 15-16 year olds, who will still be playing in
5 years, who will top out as a premier club level player, who will be an "age group" professional, who will
have a short professional career(<2 years), and who will have a long professional career (> 5years barring injury).
Predictive tool developed. Problem solved, bar the confirmatory follow up.
past research
From 2006-2009 I was interested in the problem of community economic development
This flowed from my work as co-author of first Maori Health and then Maori Education. The
pattern of history
is that Maori health, and Maori educational achievement, both decline as Maori economic status declines.
There is less evidence that causality runs the other way too - that a lift in Maori
economic status would of itself lift Maori health and Maori educational achievement.
The research question was, how does a disadvantaged minority group within an economy use the structures
of that economy to lift its average income and average wealth?
I was able to answer the question. Some of my thought in the field of
midinomics can be found by following the link.
archived research
My first twenty years as a part-time researcher produced a number
of first author papers in peer-reviewed medical and mathematical
journals. The "highlights" of that period are covered in the 'archives'
section of this site.
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