Professor Morgan has a background in cellular pharmacology and his research career has focussed principally on the (patho)physiology of the pancreatic beta-cell biology in the context of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Within the University of Exeter Medical School he leads a team studying the regulation of beta-cell function and viability with the aim to understand how dysfunction and loss of viability lead to clinical disease. His research team has made important recent contributions to the understanding of insulitis (a process of immune-mediated attack) in human pancreas and to the role of a group of common viruses (enteroviruses) as potential mediaotrs of beta-cell loss in type 1 diabetes. He also serves as Director of the Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Science and assists in developing the strategic vision of the Institute as well as the achievement of these goals. This involves resource allocation, strategic planning, recruitment, undertaking staff appraisals and facilitation of the career aspirations of staff at all levels.

Broad research specialisms

His team's research specialisms include the monitoring and assessment of cell function and viability using in vitro approaches; the manipulation of intracellular signalling pathways using both pharmacological and molecular biological approaches; and the application of immunological methods to understand disease pathology in relevant histological samples.