Research interests
Sylvia’s research interest is based on the excessive production of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) which contributes to the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases. This knowledge is applied to the disease mechanisms in other inflammatory diseases such as those in the eye, heart, joint, lung and skin. The regulation of these enzymes is governed by the inappropriate activation of the immune system, and the defective production of their natural inhibitors called tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMPs). When myofibroblasts are over-stimulated by the increasing level of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-1ß, MMP productions are dramatically increased. Tissue inflammation and mucosal ulceration ensue when MMPs/TIMPs are not regulated properly. Sylvia has demonstrated that synthetic inhibitors of MMPs can also inhibit the T cell-mediated mucosal inflammation.
Two EU FP7 funded collaborative research projects “IBDase” and "IPODD" were awarded to Sylvia’s research group in 2008. The two consortia consist of twenty-one European research groups from different disciplines including genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology, mucosal immunology, microbiology, and translational medicine brought together to address the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases, in patients and animal models.
The current research extends these mechanistic studies of the immuno-regulatory response to tissue remodelling and sits as in the interface of immunosenescence/ inflammageing and immunometabolism in a variety of disease states and organs using preclinical models and clinical trials.
Current research themes
- Role of the gut microbiome in regulating obesity and metabolism under the influence of nutrition, environment and MMPs/TIMPs pathways
- Rejuvenating senescence adult progenitor stem cells for regenerative medicine.
- Immunomodulatory effects of reactive oxygen species in antimicrobial resistance and wound healing
- The pivotal role of TIMP3 in bone health and ageing
- Biomarkers to detect early stages of inflammation-mediated colorectal cancer using multidisciplinary methods such as molecular biology, transcriptomics, proteomics and computer tomography bio-imaging.
- The role of NK cells during ageing and immunity
PhD supervision
Postgraduate student supervision
- MDs supervised to completion 2
- PhDs supervised to completion 7
- MMedSci supervised to completion 1
Current
- Ali Salamat (RCS ENT Surgical Research Fellow; MD)
- Marie Strickland (VC/DTA/A*STAR student; PhD)
- Charalambos Rossides (IfLS/FEE/Nikon Metrology; PhD)
- Ahmad Alzahrani (Saudi Cultural Bureau; PhD)
- Rachel Meadows (CUHK/FoMPS; PhD)
- Olivia Lee (SME/FoMPS; PhD)
Department(s)
Clinical and Experimental Sciences
Affiliate Department(s)
Infection and Immunity Research group, NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility, Institute for Life Sciences, Centre for Human Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration
Dr Sylvia L.F. PenderFaculty of Medicine / Academic Unit of Clinical & Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton, Sir Henry Wellcome Laboratories, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
Room Number: SGH//MP813
Telephone:(023) 8120 5081
Email:S.Pender@soton.ac.uk
