Research
My main research expertise is in human physiology and biochemistry in vivo studied by noninvasive means, notably magnetic resonance methods.
Metabolic research in vivo
Currently, my main research at Liverpool is on the interrelated topics of obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and fatty liver disease, in collaboration with Professor Dan Cuthbertson and Professor John Wilding. We use a variety of methods, including magnetic resonance measurements of liver fat and functional neuroimaging studies of appetite mechanisms, to study responses to experimental manipulation and in clinical trials of therapy. Publications arising from this research can be found on PubMed: Cuthbertson DJ[Author] and Kemp GJ[Author
Current or recently-completed trials include:
• ROMANCE: Randomised, controlled multi-centre trial of 26 weeks subcutaneous liraglutide (a GLP-1 receptor agonist), with or without continuous positive airway pressure, in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (funded by Novo-Nordisk)
• RESILIENT: RandomisEd, controlled, double blind Study to assess mechanistic effects of combination therapy of dapagliflozin with Exenatide QW versus dapagliflozin alone in obese patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (funded by AstraZeneca)
• RADIcAL1: Non-invasive rapid assessment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease using magnetic resonance imaging with LiverMultiScan (with Perspectum Diagnostics Ltd)
• MODIFY: Longitudinal Assessment of Multiple Organs in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes (with Perspectum Diagnostics Ltd, funded by Innovate UK)
• VENTURE: VariablE activation of Neural paThways involved in appetite regUlation and REward-related brain areas as a mechanism to explain weight loss responders and non-responders with GLP-1 agonist treatment: integration of assessment of appetite with functional magnetic resonance imaging in obese, type 2 diabetes patients (pilot funded by University Technology Directorate voucher)
• CALIBRATE: MetaboliC, multi-orgAn and microvascular effects of a Low-calorIe diet in younger oBese with pRediabetEs and/or metabolic syndrome (funded by European Fund for the Study of Diabetes)
Neuroimaging research
I have a long-standing collaboration with Professor Qiyong Gong of the Huaxi Magnetic Resonance Research Center at the West China Hospital of Sichuan University, PR China. Professor Gong, who worked for several years at the University of Liverpool, leads a large group of clinicians and imaging scientists applying advanced MRI neuroimaging techniques to large clinical studies of brain diseases such as depression, anorexia nervosa and PTSD. Publications arising from this research can be found on PubMed: Gong Q[Author] and Kemp GJ[Author]
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies of skeletal muscle
I started in magnetic resonance spectroscopy research with Professor Sir George Radda CBE FRS at the MRC Biochemical and Clinical Magnetic Resonance Unit at the University of Oxford (1989-1996), using 31P MRS as a tool to probe energy metabolism in skeletal muscle. Publications arising from this research can be found on PubMed: Radda GK[Author] and Kemp GJ[Author]. My long-standing focus has long been critical methodological and interpretive aspects of 31P MRS methods.
Most of my current work in this area is in collaboration with MR physics experts at the Medical University of Vienna, where I am an Adjunct Professor, and at the University of Cambridge:
• My work with Associate Professor Martin Meyerspeer at the Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Vienna, focusses on novel 31P MRS methods at 7 tesla. Publications arising from this research can be found on PubMed: Meyerspeer M[Author] and Kemp GJ[Author]
• My work with Dr Alison Sleigh at the Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre and Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge has examined the widely-advocated but still poorly-understood phenomenon of Pi-ATP exchange in skeletal muscle, and more recently novel 1H MRS approaches to the characterisation of muscle lipid. Publications arising from this research can be found on PubMed: Sleigh A[Author] and Kemp GJ[Author]
Research grants
Ethnic differences in susceptibility to fatty liver, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes in white Europeans, South Asians and African-Caribbean
DIABETES UK (UK)
September 2024 - August 2027
Multi-organ abnormality prevalence in type 2 diabetes mellitus
INNOVATE UK (UK)
April 2019 - March 2022
Randomised, single blind study to assess efficacy of combination therapy of dapagliflozin with exanitide LAR versus exanatide LAR monotherapy in obese (BMI>35 kg/m2) patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (RESILIENT)
ASTRAZENECA LIMITED (UK)
July 2016 - December 2024
Characterising the metabolic disruption caused by brief periods of reduced physical activity in people with a family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
DIABETES UK (UK)
March 2014 - December 2017
The effects of exercise training on visceral fat, insulin sensitivity, beta cell function and triglyceride kinetics in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
EUROPEAN FOUNDATION FOR THE STUDY OF DIABETES (GERMANY)
October 2008 - March 2013
Zinc-alpha2-glycoprotein (ZAG): A ‘friend or foe’ in obesity-induced insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)?
DIABETES RESEARCH AND WELLNESS FOUNDATION (UK)
June 2010 - May 2011
KEL09/08 - Improved sensor systems for medical imaging
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
December 2009 - February 2011
Physiological systems integration in the optimisation of exercise tolerance
BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL
October 2011 - February 2014
Centre of Excellence in musculoskeletal ageing research (MRC CIMA)
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
June 2012 - December 2017
Research collaborations
Dr Alison Sleigh
The University of Cambridge
Advanced MRS studies of skeletal muscle
Prof Dan Cuthbertson
1H MRS and MRI studies in obesity and insulin resistant-states
Prof Qiyong Gong
West China Hospital of Sichuan University
Neuroimaging research in psychiatric and neurological disease
Associate Prof Martin Meyerspeer
The University of Vienna
Advanced approaches to muscle metabolism by 31P MRS