CURRICULUM VITAE
Full Name:
Michael Anthony CAWTHORNE
Date of Birth:
9th August 1941
Place of Birth:
Wath, S. Yorks. U.K.
Nationality:
British
Current Position:
Professorial Research Fellow & Director of Metabolic
Research
Address:
Clore Laboratory
University of Buckingham
Hunter Street
Buckingham
Bucks. MK18 1EG
ACADEMIC RECORD
1995
Visiting Professor, University of Kuwait
1992-1994:
Honorary Reader, University of Buckingham
1989-
Fellowship of the Institute of Biology
1968-1971:
Part-time member Department of Biochemistry,
Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine,
Hunter Street, London
PhD thesis ‘The effects of vitamin E and synthetic antioxidants on the
toxicity of carbon tetrachloride in the rat’ submitted and accepted in
July 1971
1960-1964:
University of Liverpool, Liverpool, Lancs. U.K.
BSc in Chemistry
BSc Honours degree in Biochemistry
1952-1960:
Rotherham Grammar School, Rotherham, S Yorks, UK
‘A’ levels in Physics, Chemistry and Biology
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
From 1974-1979 I led the biological research team at Beecham that discovered a series of
thermogenic agents. These agents were found to be agonists at an atypical -adrenoceptor.
The pharmacological profiling of this receptor was published in Nature in 1984 and was the
first identification of the  3-adrenoceptor. Several years later, Strosberg and colleagues
cloned the receptor. The atypical -adrenoceptor programme gave rise to several
development candidates and two of these, BRL 26830 and BRL 35135 entered clinical
studies.
In 1979, I took responsibility for the diabetes research programme at Beecham. This
programme identified the anti-diabetic potential of the 3-adrenoceptor agonists and
demonstrated that the compounds were insulin sensitisers. These were the first drugs ever
to be identified as insulin sensitisers. The methods used to demonstrate the profile of these
agents as a potential treatment for non-insulin dependent diabetes have become the
industry standards.
BRL 35135 was evaluated as both a potential anti-diabetic and anti-obesity drug. The initial
phase II studies were conducted in-house using clinical protocols largely designed by
myself.
It was from these studies in humans on BRL 26830 and BRL 35135 that it was realised that
the human 3-adrenoceptor was pharmacologically different from the rodent receptor.
In 1987/8, I established a research programme to discover insulin sensitiser drugs related to
ciglitazone. Within a period of a year this programme identified compounds active at doses
of 3mol/kg (in diet) as opposed to ciglitazone, which was active at 6mmol/kg (in diet).
The first compound submitted to toxicology studies failed because of anaemia in dogs. BRL
49653 was selected as a follow-up compound and was put into development in 1990.
I was totally responsible for the discovery of BRL 49653 leading the combined biological and
chemical teams. I was also a member of the development programme team and defined
most of the clinical programme up to and including phase IIb.
During the period 1989 to my retirement from SmithKline Beecham in 1994, I was involved in
discussion with many companies on potential collaborative ventures and my
recommendation was essential to any deal.
I was Chairman of the UK Association for the study of obesity from 1984-87. I was a prime
mover in the formation of the International Association for the Study of Obesity and was its
first Vice-President and Secretary.
APPOINTMENTS
1994-
Professorial Research Fellow and Director of Metabolic Research,
University of Buckingham, leading approximately 15 researchers.
1968-1994
SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals














Appointed Group Director, Diabetes and Obesity
Research, Department of Vascular Biology (1992)
Appointed Group Director, Diabetes and Obesity Research
Programmes (1991)
Promoted to Senior Research Associate (1989)
Promoted to Research Associate (1983)
Promoted to Senior Principal Scientific Officer (1978)
Promoted to Principal Scientific Officer (1973)
Member of review panel for Gastric motility and
Atherosclerosis programmes (1986-1992)
Associate Member of Performance, Analysis and Audit
panels for Gastric motility, Anti-arrhythmic, Peripheral
vascular disease, Obesity, Diabetes, Hypolipidaemic,
Chronic Organic brain disease projects (Beecham individual appointment terms of minimum of 4 years)
Manager, Diabetes Research Group (1979-1991)
Managed biological effort of obesity research project and
established thermogenic drugs as a therapeutic objective
(1974-1979)
Established and managed feasibility study on therapeutic
potential for structurally modified enzymes. (1972-74).
Established animal based studies on cytochrome P450
mechanisms (1970-72)
Joined newly formed Department of Basic Research
(Nutrition) to establish research programmes on obesity,
diabetes, growth promotion and hyperlipidaemia
(1968-70).
Beecham Pharmaceuticals Research Division based at
Walton Oaks and then Great Burgh (1968)
1966-1968
Research Biochemist and then Head of Biochemistry, Vitamins Ltd,
Walton Oaks, Tadworth, Surrey until business acquired by Beecham
Group
1964-1966
Research Biochemist: E.R. Squibb and Sons, Liverpool