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  • Stress ageing and disease

Stress ageing and disease

The Stress, Ageing and Disease research group consists of a multidisciplinary team of academics dedicated to understanding the processes that drive chronic disease across the life course. Research is focused in two main areas;

  1. The mechanisms of chronic disease, including the roles played by stress, inflammation and replicative senescence and
  2. Interventions to reduce the incidence/severity of disease.

Much of our work aims to translate our basic scientific findings into therapeutic interventions with the move from bench to bedside facilitated by our close links with the recently formed Centre for Medicine’s Optimisation, the Royal Sussex County Hospital and the Queen Victoria Hospital.

Mechanisms of chronic disease

Chronic diseases have considerable societal impact. Patients with long-term conditions now account for about 50 per cent of all GP appointments, 64 per cent of all outpatient appointments and over 70 per cent of all inpatient bed days. Scientists within the Mechanisms of Chronic Disease theme have research expertise which works at the interface between chemistry, biochemistry and pharmacology. 

Our research encompasses a variety of conditions with the overarching goal of understanding cellular mechanisms and developing novel therapeutic approaches. Specific emphasis is placed on the roles played by stress, inflammation and the natural ageing process in a range of disease conditions, including;

  • Cancer
  • Chronic Kidney Disease
  • Constipation, Diabetes
  • Foetal Alcohol Syndrome
  • HIV
  • Hypertension
  • Multiple Sclerosis.
MRM-LHP-breast-cancer

 

Mechanisms of chronic disease research projects

STRAND-CNS-ageing

Effects of age on the central nervous system

STRAND-pancreatic-islets-cellular-models-of-diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes - cause and cure

STRAND-clinically-reflective-T1D

Clinically reflective cellular model systems for Type 1 diabetes

Improving current clinical protocols in cell replacement therapy.

STRAND-neuropeptides-growth

The effects of pre-natal alcohol on adolescent learning and memory

STRAND-Gi-tract-ageing

Effects of age on signalling and function in the lower bowel

STRAND-combatting-CNS-myelination

Combating disorders of CNS myelination

STRAND-EMT

Mechanisms of tumour progression

STRAND-inflammation-and-immunity-thumbnail

C-Stress project

STRAND-aptamers

Aptamers for cancer detection

STRAND-Choi-Kong

The roles of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) in insulin secretion

Marcus-allen-BK-channel-project

BK channels as pharmacological targets for therapeutic intervention

STRAND-inflamation-and-immunity

Inflammation and Immunity

STRAND-electrochemical-sensors

Electrochemical sensor devices to aid understand of ageing and disease mechanisms

Liver-damage

Hepatic disease

STRAND-Proteomic

Proteomic and Genomic analysis of cellular stress responses

STRAND-Kidney-cells-AKI

Effects of dietary antioxidants against oxidant induced acute kidney injury

Faecal-sensor

Faecal sensor to understand how signalling and muscle dynamics alter with incontinence

Team-verrico-logo

Exploring the role of the ADRB2 in triple negative breast cancer

BCRT-logo

Stress hormones in BRCA mutation carriers

Paul Jackson, Simon Booth, Dr Brian Jones

Antibiotic efficacy in treating wound infection

Interventions

Scientists within the Interventions theme work in multi-disciplinary teams to identify novel approaches to delay the onset or alleviate the progression of chronic disease. Our research encompasses two main areas: The first, examines how novel technologies can be used to diagnose disease or monitor the progression of disease following treatment. The second examines interventions designed to prevent or delay the onset of disease.

Research areas include the design of novel analogues to slow down the ageing process, be-spoke exercise regimes to improve health, interventions designed to alleviate stress in cancer patients, interventions for the prevention of loneliness and social isolation in older people, controlling infection in catheters and developing infection detecting wound dressings.

Research projects

STRAND-HIIT

HIIT for Health

T2D-lifestyle-thumbnail-image

Type 2 Diabetes lifestyle and education

STRAND-resveratrol

Synthesis and evaluation of Resveratrol derivatives

STRAND-social-isolation

Understanding how social isolation increases morbidity and mortality

STRAND-Kidney-cells-CKD

Effects of oral mesoporous carbon on organic azotaemic toxins and chronic kidney disease

STRAND-Pancreatic-islets

Pancreatic islet cell replacement and transplantation

STRAND-ageing-cells

Identifying small molecules to remove or modify the phenotype of ageing cells

Urinary-catheters

Approaches to control infection, encrustation, and blockage of urinary catheters

Infection-detecting-dressing

Development of an infection detecting wound dressing

Research team

  • Dr Marcus Allen
  • Dr Lara Barnes
  • Professor Adrian Bone
  • Dr Lucas Bowler
  • Dr Prabal Chatterjee
  • Peter Cragg
  • Marcus Dymond
  • Professor Richard Farragher
  • Dr Melanie Flint
  • Dr Annamaria Gal
  • Professor Paul Gard
  • Ian Gass
  • Dr Fergus Guppy
  • Matthew Ingram
  • Simon Jeffs
  • Sandeep Kumar
  • Alison Lansley
  • Michael Lethem
  • Dr Jon Mabley
  • Dr Wendy M Macfarlane
  • Dr Claire E Marriott
  • Dr Lizzy Ostler
  • Dr Andrew Overall
  • Dr Bhavik Patel
  • Dipak Sarker
  • Dr Greg Scutt
  • Dr Angela Sheerin
  • Dr Graham Sheridan
  • Joao Inacio Silva
  • Nicolas Stewart
  • Dr Nadia Terrazzini
  • Professor David Timson
  • Dr Mark Yeoman

Output

Maher J., Hunter A.C., Mabley J.G., Lippiat J., and Allen M.C.  Smooth muscle relaxation and activation of the large conductance Ca (++)-activated K(+) (BKCa) channel by novel oestrogens.  Br J Pharmacol 169(5): 1153-65, 2013

Mabley J.G., Gordon S., and Pacher P., Nicotine exerts an anti-inflammatory effect in a murine model of acute lung injury.  Inflammation 34(4):231-7, 2011

Katsoulieris E., Mabley J.G., Samai M., Sharpe, M.A., Green I.C., and Chatterjee P.K., Lipotoxicity in renal proximal tubular cells: relationship between endoplasmic reticulum stress and oxidative stress pathways. Free Radic Biol Med 48(12): 1654-62, 2010.

Mabley J.G., Pacher P. and Szabo C., Activation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway reduces ricin-induced mortality and organ failure in mice. Mol Med 15(5-6): 166-72, 2009.

Mabley J.G., Pacher P., Murthy K.G., Williams W., Southan G.J., Salzman A.L., and Szabo C., The novel inosine analogue, INO-2002, exerts an anti-inflammatory effect in a murine model of acute lung injury. Shock, 32(3):258-62 2009.

Helyar S.G., Patel B., Headington K., El Assal M., Chatterjee P.K., Pacher P. and Mabley J.G., PCB-induced endothelial cell dysfunction: Role of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. Biochem Pharmacol, 78(8):959-65 2009.

Katsoulieris E., Mabley J.G., Samai M., Green I.C., and Chatterjee P.K., alpha-Linolenic acid protects renal cells against palmitic acid lipotoxicity via inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress. Eur J Pharmacol 623(1-3): 107-12, 2009.

Rajesh M., Mukhopadhyay P., Batkai S., Mukhopadhyay B., Patel V., Hasko G., Szabo C., Mabley J.G., Liaudet L., and Pacher P, Xanthine oxidase inhibitor allopurinol attenuates the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy. J Cell Mol Med 13 (8B): 2330-41, 2009.

Mabley, J., Pacher, P., Murphy, K., Williams W., Southan G., Salzman A. and Szabo, C.  The novel inosine analogue, INO-2002, protects against diabetes development in multiple-low-dose-streptazotocin and NOD mouse models of Type I diabetes.  J. Endocrinol, 198:581-89, 2008.

Mabley, J.G. and Szabo, C.  Inflammatory disease and sunlight: the vitamin D-poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase connection.  Future Rheumatol 3(2):169-81, 2008.

Kevin Butler, Jenny Rusted, Paul Gard, Anne Jackson(2013) Performance monitoring in current and former smokers.  Biennial Meeting of the European Behavioural Pharmacology Society, La Rochelle, France.  Sept 2013.

Austin AJ, Duka T, Rusted J, Jackson A (2012)   Effects of varenicline on aspects of inhibitory control in smokers 14th Annual European Meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT-E)  Helsinki, Finland.  Aug-Sept 2012.

Nesic, J., Duka, T., Rusted, J.M. and Jackson, A. (2011) A role for glutamate in subjective response to smoking and its action on inhibitory control. Psychopharmacology, 216 . pp. 29-42. ISSN 0033-3158.

Nesic, J., Rusted, J., Duka, T. and Jackson, A. (2011) Degree of dependence influences the effect of smoking on cognitive flexibility.  Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behaviour, 98 (3). pp. 376-384. ISSN 0091-3057.

Anne Jackson (2010)  Cognitive Enhancers:  Role of the Glutamate System.  Encyclopedia of Psychopharmacology, Part 3, pp 317-322  Ed: IP Stolerman. Springer

1Jackson, A., Nesic, J., Groombridge, C., Clowry, O., Rusted, J. and Duka, T. (2009) Differential involvement of glutamatergic mechanisms in the cognitive and subjective effects of smoking.  Neuropsychopharmacology, 34 (2). pp. 257-265. ISSN 1470-634X.

Ayoub, M., Lethem, M. I., Lansley, A. B. (2013 Excipients used in intranasal formulations: do they affect mucociliary function? Presented at the Annual meeting of the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Edinburgh

Lee D. F., Lethem, M. I., Lansley, A. B. (2013) The use of in vitro models to study drug permeability in the presence of mucus. Presented at the Annual meeting of the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Edinburgh

Martin G. P. and Lansley A. B. (2013) Intranasal Drug Delivery in Aulton’s Pharmaceutics. The Design and Manufacture of Medicines. Eds. Aulton, M.E. and Taylor, K. Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, London

Lee D. F., Lethem, M. I., Lansley, A. B. (2012) Evaluation of Calu-3 cells as an in vitro model to investigate drug permeability in the presence of mucus. Presented at the Annual meeting of the British Association for Lung Research, Southampton

Field, J., Lethem, M. I., Lansley, A. B. (2011) Endothelin increases ciliary beat frequency of ovine airway epithelium via its interaction with ETA receptors. Pulmonary Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 24(5):602-9. 

Cranage, M., Fraser, C., Stevens, Z., Huting, J., Chang, M., Jeffs, S., Seaman, M., Cope, E., Cole, T. & Shattock, R. 2010.

Repeat vaginal immunization with oligomeric HIV-1 clade C gp140 in the absence of adjuvant induces serum and mucosal antibody responses.

Mucosal Immunology 3, 57-68

Corti, D., Langedijk, J.P.M., Hinz, A., Seaman, M.S., Vanzetta, F., Fernandez-Rodriguez, B.M., Silacci, C., Pinna, D., Jarrossay, D., Balla-Jhagjhoorsing, S., Willems, B., Zekveld, M.J., Dreja, H., O’Sullivan, E., Pade, C., Orkin, C., Jeffs, S.A., Montefiori, D.C., Davis, D., Weissenhorn, W., McKnight, A., Heeney, J.L., Sallusto, F., Sattentau, Q., Weiss, R.A. & Lanzavecchia, A. 2010.

Analysis of Memory B-cell responses and isolation of novel monoclonal antibodies with neutralizing breadth from HIV-1 infected individuals.

PLoS ONE 5(1) e8805

Kong, L., Sheppard, N.C., Stewart-Jones, G., Robson, C.L., Chen, H., Xu, X., Krashias, G., Bonomelli, C., Scanlan,C.N., Kwong, P.D., Jeffs, S.A., Jones, I.M. & Sattentau, Q.J. 2010. Expression system-dependent modulation of HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein antigenicity and immunogenicity. 

Journal of Molecular Biology 403, 131-147

Wegmann, F., Krashias, G., Lühn, K., Laamanen, K., Jeffs, S.A., Vieira, S., Shattock, R.J. & Sattentau, Q.J. 2010.

A novel strategy for inducing enhanced mucosal HIV-1 antibody responses in an anti-inflammatory environment

PLoS ONE (6) e15861

Hijazi, K., Wang, Y., Jeffs, S.A., Longstaff, C., Stieh, D., Haggarty, B., Vanham, G.,  Schols, D., Balzarini, J., Hoxie, J., Shattock, R. & Kelly, C. 2011

DC-SIGN increases the affinity of HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein interaction with CD4

PLoS ONE 6 (12) e28307

Lewis, D.J.,  Fraser, C.A., Mahmoud, A.,Wiggins, R.C., Woodrow, M., Cope, A., Cai, C., Giemza, R., Jeffs, S.A., Abdul Hussein, S., Durham, N.D., Manoussaka, M., Cole, T., Cranage, M.P., Shattock, R.J. & Lacey, C.J. 2011

Phase I clinical trial of an HIV-1CN54, clade C, trimeric envelope vaccine candidate delivered vaginally

PLoS ONE 6(9) e25165

Neuberger, M., Pruzina, S., Williams, G., Kaneva, G., Davies, S., Martín-López, A., Bruggemann, M., Vieira, S., Jeffs, S.,& Sattentau, Q. 2011

Human monoclonal antibodies to HIV-1 gp140 from mice bearing

YAC-based human immunoglobulin transloci

Protein Engineering Design and Selection 24, 791-799

Tang, J., Wang, L., Markiv, A., Jeffs, S.A., Dreja, H., McKnight, A., He, M. & Kang, A.S. 2012

Rapid Identification of Human Anti-HIV-1 Antibodies from Patient Libraries by Eukaryotic Ribosome Display

Human Antibodies 21, 1-11

Richardson SJ, Willcox A, Bone AJ, Foulis AK, Morgan NG. The prevalence of enteroviral capsid protein vp1 immunostaining in pancreatic islets in human type 1 diabetes. Diabetologia 2009; 52: 1143-115.

Aldibbiat A, Marriott C, Scougall K, Campbell S, Huang G, Macfarlane W M, Shaw J. (2009) Inability to process and store proinsulin in transdifferentiated pancreatic acinar cells lacking the regulated secretory pathway. J Endocrinol. 199(1):149.

Willcox A, Richardson SJ, Bone AJ, Foulis AK, Morgan NG. Analysis of islet inflammation in human type 1 diabetes. Clin Exp Immunol 2009: 155: 173-181

Willcox A, Richardson SJ, Bone AJ, Foulis AK, Morgan NG. Evidence of increased islet cell proliferation in patients with recent onset type 1 diabetes. Diabetologia 2010: 53: 2020 – 2028

Willcox A, Richardson SJ, Bone AJ, Foulis AK, Morgan NG. Immunohistochemical analysis of the relationship between islet cell proliferation and the production of the enteroviral capsid protein, vp1, in the islets of patients with recent-onset type 1 diabetes. Diabetologia 2011: Short Communication; 54: 2417 – 2420

Ferris, W.F., Marriott, C.E., Ali, T., Landy, C., Campbell, S.C and Macfarlane W.M. (2011). The tumour suppressor Pdcd4 is a major transcript that is upregulated during in vivo pancreatic islet neogenesis and is expressed in both beta and ductal cell lines. Pancreas. 40(1):61-6.

Cancer

Smith AL, Sun M, Bhargava R, Stewart NA, Flint MS, Bigbee WL, Krivak TC, Strange MA, Cooper KL, Zorn KC (2013). Proteomic analysis of matched formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens in patients with advanced serous ovarian carcinoma. Proteomes 1, 240-253.

Flint MS, Baum A, Episcopo B, Knickelbein KZ, Liegey Dougall AJ, Chambers WH, Jenkins FJ (2013). Chronic exposure to stress hormones promotes transformation and tumorigenicity of 3T3 mouse fibroblasts. Stress 16:114-121.

Flint MS, Bovbjerg DH (2012). DNA damage as a result of psychological stress: implications for breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res. 14(5): 320-322. * Highly Accessed Article

Maxwell GL, Hood BL, Day R, Chandran U, Kirchner D, Bateman NW, Allard J, Miller C, Sun M, Flint MS, Kolli VS, Zahn C, Oliver J, Banerjee S, Litzi T, Parwani A, Sandburg G, Rose S, Becich M, Berchuck A, Kohn E, Risinger JI and Conrads TP (2011). Proteomic Analysis of Stage I Endometrial Cancer Tissue: Identification of Proteins Associated with Oxidative Processes and Inflammation. Gynecologic Oncology. 1;121(3):586-94.

Flint MS, Budiu RA, Teng P, Sun M, Stolz D, Lang M, Vlad AM, Hood BL and Conrads TP (2011). Restraint stress and stress hormones significantly impact T lymphocyte migration and function through specific alterations of the acting cytoskeleton. Brain behaviour & Immunity. 25(6):1187-96.

Flint MS, McCarty K, Jenkins F, Conrads TP, Sun M and Baum A (2010). Psychological stress accelerates the onset of tumour formation and alters the type and location of tumours in a DMBA mouse carcinogenesis model. Stress and Health, 27: n/a. doi: 10.1002/smi.1343

Hood BK, Grahovac J, Flint MS, Sun M, Charro N, Becker D, Wells A and Conrads  TP (2010). Proteomic Analysis of Laser Capture Microdissected Melanoma Cells from Skin Organ Cultures. Journal of Proteome Research 9 (7) 3656-63.

Teng PN, Rungruang B, Hood BL, Sun M, Flint MS, Bateman NW, Dhir R, Bhargava R, Richard SD, Edwards RP, Conrads T (2010). Assessment of Buffer Systems for Harvesting Proteins from Tissue Interstitial Fluid for Proteomic Analysis. Journal of Proteome Research. 9 (8):4161-9.

Bateman NW, Sun M, Hood BL, Flint MS, Conrads TP (2010). Defining central themes in breast cancer biology by differential proteomics: conserved regulation of cell spreading and focal adhesion kinase. Journal of Proteome Research 9 (10) 5311-24.

Flint MS, Hood BL, Sun, M, Stewart NA, Jones-Laughner J, Conrads TP (2010). A Proteomic Analysis of the Murine Liver in Response to a Combined Exposure to Psychological Stress and 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene. Journal of Proteome Research 9 (1): 509-20.

Flint MS, Bateman NE, Kim G, Hood BL, Stewart NA, Conrads TP (2009). Stress hormones mediate drug resistance to paclitaxel in human breast cancer cells through a Cdk-1 dependent pathway.Psychoneuroendocrinology 34 (10):1533-41.

Knickelbein KZ, Flint MS, Jenkins F, Baum A (2008). Psychological stress and oxidative damage in lymphocytes of aerobically fit and unfit individuals Journal of Applied Biobehavioral Research 13  (1): 1-19.

Sources/links

Diabetes

Film about the research

University of Brighton research news article

Brighton Diabetes Brighton Diabetes UK Voluntary Group:  article on visit to Diabetes research group in 2010

Press Release: ‘New research shows that patients with type 1 diabetes attempt to replenish their own beta cells after diagnosis of the disease’

UK NHS Islet Transplant Programme

The Sussex Diabetes Gateway

HIV

www.iavi.org

Psychopharmacology

You can read more about research in psychopharmacology, addiction and psychiatric disorders on the web-site for the British Association for Psychopharmacology.

www.bap.org.uk

Collaborations

Cancer

Dr Premal Thaker (Washington University, St Louis, USA)
Dr Steffi Oesterreich (Womens Cancer Research Center, Pittsburgh, USA)
Dr Carola Neumann (Womens Cancer Research Center, Pittsburgh, USA)
Dr Anda Vlad (Womens Cancer Research Center, Pittsburgh, USA)
Dr Paula Sherwood (School of nursing, Pittsburgh, PA, USA)

Cardiovascular

Dr Pal Pacher (National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), USA.)
Dr Gyorgy Hasko (Department of Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersy medical School, USA.)

Diabetes

The translational relevance and clinical significance of work from the group is reflected in increased partnering with industrial collaborators, including Inotek Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline, Astra-Zeneca and Medtronic, with scientific and clinical innovation from the group already significantly informing on the more effective treatment of patients with diabetes.  
Progress in the Diabetes division continues to be enhanced and expanded through strategic national (Exeter, Newcastle, Bristol, Glasgow, Plymouth, Sussex) and international (USA, South Africa, Sweden, Ireland, Germany) academic scientific collaboration, as well as strategic links with local academic and healthcare organisations.

HIV

Professor Robin Shattock
Professor Graham Taylor
Professor Myra McClure
Dr Roger Tatoud
Professor Eric Arts
Professor Quentin Sattentau
Professor John Heeney

Psychopharmacology

Professor Jennifer Rusted (University of Sussex, UK)
Professor Theodora Duka

Renal

  • Professors Zoran Todorovic and Milica Prostran, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia
  • Professor Declan Naughton, School of Life Sciences, Kingston University, Surrey
  • Professor Christoph Thiemermann, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary, University of London 
  • Professor Salvatore Cuzzocrea, School of Medicine, University of Messina, Italy
  • Professor Michael Threadgill, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Bath
  • Professor Helder Mota-Filipe, Laboratory of Pharmacology, University of Lisbon, Portugal
  • Dr Martyn Sharpe, Department of Neurosurgery, The Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
  • Drs Paul Brown and Keith Stewart, Departments of Pathology, Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Aberdeen
  • Dr Nimesh Patel, Centre for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Queen Mary, University of London
  • Dr Alexander Van Aken, Biology and Environmental Science, University of Sussex

Respiratory

Dr. Graham Somers (GlaxoSmithKline)

Dr. David Hassall (GlaxoSmithKline)

Dr. Gavin Bone (GlaxoSmithKline)

Dr. Martin Hingle (GlaxoSmithKline)

Professor Somnath Mukhopadhyay (Brighton & Sussex Medical School, UK)

Mr. Paul Seddon (Brighton & Sussex Medical School, UK))

Funding

Current and recently completed projects

Cancer

NIH 1R03CA168400-01 The impact of providing care on family caregivers: Building on animal models to identify underlying mechanisms of intracellular changes in response to stress.  November 2012-November 2014  $150,000

Wendy Hill Case cancer fund Psychological stress, stress hormones; a role in drug resistance in breast cancer  January 2012-July 2013 $30,000PA Breast Cancer Coalition’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Research Initiative

The role of psychological stress and stress hormones on drug resistance in breast cancer  June2011-December 2012 $50,000

Magee Women’s Foundation Breast Cancer Research and Education Fund grant

The role of stress hormones on drug resistance in breast cancer. February 2011-February 2012 $15,150

CEO-UPCI Pilot Project Award                                    

Characterization of psychological stress on metabolism and carcinogenicity of 7,12 dimethylbenz[a]anthracene.  May 2008-May 2009 $25,000

Diabetes

2006 – 2008. EU/INTERREG IIIA Programme: 1.9 million Euros awarded - Epidemiology,  risk factors and new technology in coronary stenting. Partnership between Brighton (University of Brighton, BSUHT) and Lille (Centre Hospitalier, Universitaire de Lille). Investigation of poor prognostic outcome in diabetes patients undergoing angioplasty and stent deployment.

2011 – 2016. EU 7th FP Collaborative Project: 5.99 million Euros awarded – “PEVNET” Persistent virus infection as a cause of pathogenic inflammation in type 1 diabetes – an innovative research programme of biobanks and expertise

2013 – 2016. EU 7th FP Collaborative Project: 4.8 million Euros awarded The Brighton Diabetes Research Group (DRG) are currently the lead institution on a €4.8M European Union 7th Framework Programme Grant aimed at nano-engineering pancreatic islets to avoid the need for immunosuppression upon transplantation (Project Acronym “NEXT”: Nano-engineering for Cross-tolerance in non-immunosuppressed hosts). This ambitious cross-disciplinary project brings together clinical, scientific and industrial partners from six leading European centres to tackle the ongoing challenges of improving the availability of islet transplantation for patients with Type 1 diabetes, as well as avoiding the need for life-long immunosuppression in transplant recipients.

Collaboration with the School of Health Professions and Computing, Engineering and Mathematics Department.

HIV

2005-2010: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation/Wellcome Trust. £426,000 “Novel antigen design and delivery for sustained mucosal protection against HIV-1” (PI = Prof Robin Shattock, St Georges Hospital, London)

2005-2008: International Partnership for Microbicides. £32,500 awarded to Imperial College (S A Jeffs) for programme on “Generation of recombinant HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins for zetaprobe analysis” (PIs = Prof Robin Shattock and Dr David Fairhurst, Particle Sciences Inc., USA)

2006-2010: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. £348,000 awarded to Imperial College (S A Jeffs) for part of programme on “Vaccine-induced protective cross-neutralisation of HIV-1 (PI = Prof Robin Weiss, UCL, London)

2010-2012: Imperial College/NHS Trust NIHR Biomedical Research centre. £100,000 awarded to Imperial College (S A Jeffs) for part of programme on “Clinical demonstration of point-of-care diagnostics using microfluidic chips” (PI = Prof David Klug, Imperial College London)

2011-2013: International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. $16,000 awarded to Imperial College (S A Jeffs) for production of “Glycosylation mutants of HIV envelope glycoprotein CN54gp140” (Contract)

2008-date: Wellcome Trust: £60,000 (to date) awarded to Imperial College (S A Jeffs) for production as required of recombinant HIV proteins to support UK HIV Vaccine Consortium (Contract)

Psychopharmacology

Wellcome Trust Project Grant (074354).  Reinforcement mechanisms involved in nicotine addiction.  £170,136 (Non-FEC) Feb 2005 – Mar 2008.

Global Research Awards for Nicotine Dependence (GRAND).  Effect of varenicline on inhibitory control in smokers.  US$149,122. (Non-FEC) Apr 2010-Dec 2011. 

Renal

  • Wellcome Trust, Summer Vacation Scholarship 2009. Title of Project: An Investigation of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Renal Proximal Tubular Cells and its Relevance to Nephrotoxic Acute Kidney Injury   
  • Kidney Research UK/Diabetes UK, Joint PhD studentship 2005 - 2009. Title of Project: Glucotoxicity and Diabetic Nephropathy: Investigating the Role of Superoxide Dismutase and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

Respiratory

BBSRC CASE award (GlaxoSmith Kline) (2011 – 2016) £91,932 BB/J500331/1

Awards, recognition, impact

Dr. Melanie Flint invited speaker Ovarian Cancer symposium in May 2012. “Mechanisms of psychological stress on the adaptive immune system, cancer initiation and progression in ovarian cancer”.

Professor Adrian Bone and Dr. Wendy MacFarlane have jointly been awarded an Academic Excellence Award (2008) from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society

Professor Adrian Bone won an Excellence Award for Outstanding Services to the Advisory Council of Diabetes UK in 2008.

Dr. Anne Jackson is the Executive Committee (Treasurer) of the European Behavioural Pharmacology Society, Sep 2013–19 and a Member of Council of the British Association for Psychopharmacology, Jul 2009–13.

Dr Alison Lansley is a member of the organizing committee of the British Association for Lung Research.
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