Within Medicine there is a strong interdisciplinary focus on research into inflammatory disorders within a number of organ based diseases involving the lungs, joints, skin, liver, brain, pancreas, gut, and eyes. This encompasses acute inflammatory responses to respiratory allergens, contact sensitisers, microbial and viral infections and chronic inflammation resulting from diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, COPD, ulcerative colitis, multiple sclerosis, and hepatitis, which may involve tissue scarring (fibrosis).
The central focus is to elucidate the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of these disorders including genetic factors that confer individual susceptibility, and environmental influences such as dietary habits. In addition, there is a strong emphasis on translational medicine and the conversion of knowledge into new therapies, a process wffhich is greatly facilitated by both our strengths in basic sciences and close links to the clinical settings through facilities such as the Biomedical Research Units.
Research activities include:
Epithelial barrier in controlling inflammatory processes in the asthmatic lung ( Prof. Donna Davies , Dr Judith Holloway ), eye ( Dr Hossain ), gut ( Dr Pender ; Dr Collins ) and skin ( Dr Ardern-Jones ).
Inflammatory cell subsets including macrophages ( Prof Djukanovic , Dr Warner , Dr Boche ); mast cells ( Dr Walls , Dr Warner ); dendritic cells ( Dr Ardern-Jones , Dr Holloway ); eosinophils and neutrophils ( Prof Djukanovic , Dr Warner ; Dr Sampson , Dr Millar ); microglia ( Dr Boche , Prof. Nicoll ); endothelial cells ( Dr Millar , Prof Clough , Dr Torrens ); T cell subsets including Th1/Th2 ( Dr Warner , Prof Djukanovic , Dr Howarth ; Dr Ardern-Jones ) Th17 ( Prof Djukanovic ); Treg ( Prof Djukanovic , Prof. Healy , Dr Millar ) mucosal associated invariant T cells (MAITs; Prof Djukanovic
Inflammatory mediators/markers in neuro-inflammation (IL-6, IL-1b, IL-10, CD68, HLA-DR; Dr Pringle , Dr Boche , Prof. Nicoll ); asthma (IL-4, IL-13, IL-17, TGF-b, leukotrienes, TARC, CCL17, tryptase, chymase, carboxypeptidase, basogranulin; Prof Djukanovic , Prof Davies , Dr Sampson , Dr Walls ) gut and renal gut tubular permeability (TNF-a; Dr Collins ); COPD (TNF-a, IL-10, IL-17, leukotrienes; Dr Warner , Dr Sampson ); ulcerative colitis, Crohn's fibrosis and diverticular disease (TNF-a, IL-1b, MMP, TIMPS; Dr Pender ); vascular inflammation (oxidised low density lipoprotein, nitric oxide, ROS ; Prof. Postle , Dr Torrens , Prof Clough , Dr Millar ); allergic contact dermatitis (IFN-g, TNF-a, IL-1b, ROS; Prof. Healy ), atopic dermatitis (IL-4, IL-10, TSLP; Dr Ardern-Jones ).
Anti-inflammatory therapies/diagnostics including anti-IgE antibodies ( Prof Djukanovic ); anti-viral and antibiotic therapies for the management of COPD ( Dr Wilkinson ); a-msh and UV therapy ( Prof Healy ); gold-nanoparticles ( Dr Millar ); development of diagnostic tools for neuroinflammation ( Dr Galea )
Genetic analysis of the factors contributing to the immunopathology of asthma including anti-oxidant pathways and paracetamol metabolism ( Prof. John Holloway ); epigenetic analysis including methylation of CpG sites ( Prof John Holloway , Prof Arshad ) and micro-RNAs ( Dr Sanchez-Elsner ); the effects of inducible oligodendrocyte ablation in the immunopathology of multiple sclerosis ( Dr Riethmacher ); the role of skin type and MC1R variants in antigen specific immune responses ( Prof Healy ).
Dietary influences such as poly unsaturated fatty acids (Omega-3 fatty acids) and antioxidants on inflammatory responses ( Prof. Calder ).Ex vivo/organotypic models including organotypic slice culture techniques for monitoring inflammatory processes following brain trauma ( Dr Pringle , Prof Sundstrom ); ex vivo lung ( Prof Davies , Dr Warner ), skin ( Prof Healy , Dr Ardern-Jones ) gut ( Dr Pender ) eye ( Dr Hossain ) tumour ( Gareth Thomas ) explant systems for the analysis of inflammatory processes (immune cell activation, cytokine release, gene regulation) in response to exogenous agents including chemicals and pathogens.
Ex vivo organotypic models including organotypic slice culture techniques for monitoring inflammatory processes following brain trauma ( Dr Pringle , Prof Sundstrom ); ex vivo lung ( Prof Davies , Dr Warner ), skin ( Prof Healy , Dr Ardern-Jones ) gut ( Dr Pender ) and eye ( Dr Hossain ) explant systems for the analysis of inflammatory processes (immune cell activation, cytokine release, gene regulation) in response to exogenous agents including chemicals and pathogens.
Computational modelling of inflammatory and immune responses ( Dr West , Dr M Polak )
