Who we are

My research interests include the development of novel tools, through the combination of different disciplines in science and engineering, which can aid us in studying the human body and how it is affected by disease, diet, and our environment. 

Current research projects:

• The development of an analytical probe to monitor the levels of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in tissues during the progress of tumors and after administration of different therapies.
• The development of novel 3D-printed materials for various biological applications

Previous research projects:

• Developing an in vivo method for determining ambient levels of serotonin across brain circuitry at high temporal resolutions
• Determining differences in serotonergic innervation, modulation, and regulation in various brain regions using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry.

My principal research interests are in the characterisation of membrane proteins by using techniques such as patch clamping and planar bilayer analysis. We study the responses of whole cells and single channels to various drugs including newly synthesised ligands.

Hypertension and the BK Channel

The BK channel is a large calcium and voltage gated channel consisting of two different sub-units, α and β, these associate in cell membranes to control flow of potassium ions, which amongst other things, controls vascular tone. We have been investigating the effects of oestrogen and membrane impermeant oestrogen derivatives on the BK channel with the hope of developing a novel therapy for hypertension.

Ageing research

I have an on-going interest in changes in membrane protein function during the ageing process. Changes in potassium channel function are currently being investigated within my laboratory and include role of replicative senescence in determining channel expression and function. This research is undertaken as part of the ageing research initiative of the school of pharmacy and Biomolecular sciences.

Drug resistance

In addition to BK channel work we have investigated membrane transport proteins that are responsible for drug resistance in both cancer cells (P-glycoprotein, ABC B1) and the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum (pfCRT). We have expressed, purified and reconstituted both proteins and are undertaking functional studies of these proteins.

Nigel Brissett is a protein biochemist whose research focuses on the structural and molecular biology of protein/DNA interactions with a specific focus on the DNA damage response.

Currently, his research is focussed on repair enzymes involved in the detection and resolution of breaks to double strand DNA in prokaryotes.

Nigel is currently the Biochemical Society Local Ambassador for the University of Brighton.

My research interest is cartilage – often thought of as an inert, gristly material, in reality is a fascinating tissue.

Articular cartilage

Articular cartilage – lines the surface of bones of articulating joints, protecting the underlying bone from the mechanical forces associated with movement and support. Degeneration of articular cartilage results in chronic diseases affecting millions of people in the UK alone, osteoarthritis (OA) being the most common. OA was once thought of as simply a result of wear and tear, but it is now believed the resident cells of cartilage, chondrocytes, play a key role in its initiation and progression. Currently we know little of the disease process, and consequently the treatment options are limited.

Chondrocyte morphology has been observed to change in osteoarthritis cartilage, indicating a shift in cell phenotype. My work with Dr Andrew Hall (University of Edinburgh) has identified an increased number of these cells and their expression of the powerful inflammatory cytokine interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta) with the progression of osteoarthritis. Indeed, cell changes have been observed in apparently normal articular cartilage suggesting a role in the initiation of the disease process. Researchers are further investigating this novel observation.

One treatment option for patients suffering from OA is joint resurfacing using osteochondral (bone+cartilage) donor grafts (mosaicplasty). Unfortunately, availability of suitable and safe tissue is limited due to the lack of options for tissue storage. My research group is interested in how to improve upon this, developing novel techniques to allow successful cryopreservation of articular cartilage.

Growth plate cartilage

The growth plate, also known as the epiphyseal plate, is entirely responsible for bone lengthening through childhood and adolescence. It is a fundamental process, driven by the increase in volume of growth plate chondrocytes, but the cellular mechanisms are relatively unknown. I am interested in how these cells increase their size, and what regulates the change in volume.

Osteosarcoma

Osteosarcomas are bone cancers which predominantly affect children and adolescents; they typically occur next to the growth plate. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs which are an important regulator of gene expression in cells, and may be involved in osteosarcoma. In collaboration with colleagues at the  Brighton and Sussex Medical School (Dr Sarah Newbury’s group) we are investigating the potential role of the miRNA XRN1.

My research interests focus on supramolecular chemistry supported by computational methods. I am fortunate to work in a highly multidisciplinary School where collaborations with biologists and pharmacologists have helped me work effectively at the chemistry-life sciences interface. Research projects have been supported by a range of funders including the EPSRC, Leverhulme Trust (Research Fellowship), EU (INTAS and IRSES), US Army Research Office, Dstl, UK and US industry and charity sectors, and local businesses. In my recent work, computational techniques have been used to understand the controlled release of drugs (vitamin D3, rocuronium bromide, floxuridine), macrocycle-mediated inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms and macrocycles involved in Ebola cis-infection inhibition. A combination of theoretical and synthetic chemistry is currently being used to investigate interactions between chemical nerve agents and cyclic compounds such as cyclodextrins and calixarenes. Understanding how the agents bind will hopefully lead to simpler ways to detect them. 

Lipidomics, 3D-printing, fundamental studies of amphiphile phase behaviour and biological assays of protein activity in the presence of lipids and DNA. Current projects in lipidomics look at how cells regulate their lipid composition and how this impacts the activity of membrane interacting proteins. 3D printing projects explore applications at the interface of the chemical and biological sciences. One of the attractive ideas here is the ability to make our own lab equipment, particularly for preliminary studies and for outreach activities as well as sensor systems.

 

I am a post-doctoral research fellow working in Dr Melanie Flint’s “stress and cancer” lab in the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Science and the Centre for Stress and Age-Related Disease (STRAND) at the University of Brighton. My current research, in collaboration with the oncogenetics team at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), is funded by the Rosetrees Trust and investigates the role of stress hormones in regulating the molecular mechanism of cancer initiation and progression in BRCA mutation carriers. The project focuses on the role of the primary stress hormone cortisol and oxidative stress on DNA damage and repair processes in in vitro models and in patients with or without BRCA mutation.

My research interests also include a study on the effects of the adrenergic stress hormone Noradrenaline on the immune response to cancer. In particular, I am interested in the interface between cancer and immune cells and how the adrenergic signalling can affect cytokine production, PD-L1 expression and the efficacy of immunotherapy in ovarian cancer.

Current projects:

• Stress hormones in the BRCA mutation carries increase susceptibility to the development of prostate cancer.
• Cancer metabolism in 3D tumour spheroid models.

Previous projects:

• Stress and immunotherapy in ovarian cancer. Investigating the adrenergic immune regulation affecting PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors.

 My work centres on the mechanisms and consequences of cellular senescence.   Senescent cells are the living, but permanently non-dividing, forms of cells which are normally capable of division within mammalian tissues.  Thus it is possible to have both growing and senescent forms of fibroblasts, keratinocytes, astrocytes, endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells but not neurons or red blood cells.  The senescent state is distinct from quiescence (transient growth arrest induced by contact inhibition or serum withdrawal), from cell death (senescent cells remain viable for many years) and from terminal differentiation.  In vivo senescence primarily exists to limit the capacity for expansion of clones of cells and thus limit the opportunities for them to accumulate pro-carcinogenic mutations.    When senescence was first observed in vitro in the early 1960s Leonard Hayflick proposed that the phenomenon was related to ageing.    Although this theory was bitterly contested for decades it is now clear that the progressive accumulation of senescent cells is a major cause of ageing in mammals.  I study three distinct aspects of this process.

[1] Senescence as a cause of human ageing: Perhaps the best evidence for the role of senescence in human ageing is provided by the genetic disease Werner’s syndrome (WS).  This is caused by loss of function mutations in the RecQ helicase and individuals prematurely display features of premature ageing in many but not all tissues.  My doctoral work demonstrated that WS fibroblasts showed intrinsically accelerated rates of senescence compared to those from normal donors.   Further BBSRC supported research found that cell types derived from prematurely aged WS tissues show accelerated senescence, whilst tissues from the same patients that age normally do not.  This demonstrates both that senescent cells can cause ageing in humans and that WS is not simply a global 'DNA damage syndrome' caused by loss of RecQ.

[2] The phenotype of senescent cells: Further support from the BBSRC allowed the analysis of the senescent phenotype and mechanisms controlling entry into the senescent state in multiple different human cell types.  Genomic analysis revealed that senescent vascular smooth muscle cells exhibited a pro-calcificatory phenotype and that senescent keratocytes do not display a senescence associated secretory phenotype (SASP).  Novel mechanisms controlling senescence in the human corneal endothelium were also discovered.

[3] The reversal of senescence and its effects: Building on these findings further awards allowed the study of novel compounds (SB203580, UR-13756 and BIRB 796) that inhibit senescence and the SASP via the p38 MAPK pathway.  We have also developed a novel synthetic route for, and library of, polyphenolics based on a resveratrol backbone.  These have the remarkable property of rescuing multiple types of previously senescent cells- opening up entirely new potential ways in which to treat age-related disorders.  We are now actively investigating the therapeutic potential of these compounds in both bioartificial organs and for the treatment of therapy induced senescence.

I am past Chair of the British Society for Research on Ageing, the International Association of Biomedical Gerontology and the American Aging Association.   I read Biochemistry at Imperial College, London and undertook doctoral studies at the University of Sussex. I have served on grant awarding panels for major charities both here and in the United States as well as strategy and funding panels for the BBSRC, the US National Institutes on Ageing and the European Union. I am a member of the Board of Directors of the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) and a Trustee of the Biogerontology Research Foundation.  I currently serve as a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Longevity Vision Fund- an investment Trust which seeks to support early stage companies whose mission is to improve healthy human longevity.

I have received the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Conference Science Medal for outstanding scientific achievement, the Paul F Glenn Award for research into the biological mechanisms of the ageing process and the Lord Cohen Medal for services to gerontology.  I have also been honoured by Help the Aged for my championship of older people and the use of research for their benefit.

Melanie Flint is a Reader in Cancer Research and is the leader of a stress and breast cancer program and section head for Therapeutics at the University of Brighton. She is currently Co-leader of Brighton and Sussex Cancer Research Network and a member of the Cancer Translation Advisory Group Steering Committee and Theme leader for Cancer. Dr Flint is also a member of the NCRI Symptom Management Working Group and the British Breast Group. Melanie trained in the Women’s Cancer Research Centre, at the University of Pittsburgh cancer Institute and remains at adjunct Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology, University of Pittsburgh. 

Currently, the focus of Melanie’s Cancer Stress laboratory is translational cancer research. Specifically, her research examines hormonal influences on cell cycle regulation and cancer. Melanie’s primary research project involves the direct interplay between stress hormones (cortisol, noradrenaline) and the immune and cancer cells. This is accomplished through a mechanistic study of administration of stress hormones to cancerous cells, and observing these effects both in vitro, in vivo and human tissue sample models. The goal of her laboratory is to understand the mechanism through which behavioural stress impacts cancer initiation, progression and responses to drug treatments.

Melanie’s work is currently supported by Cancer Research UK, the Rosetrees Trust and the Boltini Trust. Recent projects include ‘A reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) monitoring system to study their role in cancer’ and ‘Stress hormones in BRCA mutation carriers increase susceptibility to the development of cancer’. Her work on stress and cancer has previously been supported by National Institutes of Health, Team Verrico, Breast cancer Research Trust, Wendy Will Case cancer fund and the PA Breast Cancer Coalition’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Research Initiative.

Quotation 

It is very exciting to work on a (series) of projects that combine the expertise of laboratory based scientists with that of psycho-oncologists in an innovative area of research likely to produce tangible benefits for patients receiving cancer treatments. Valerie Jenkins, SHORE-C Sussex health Outcomes Research and Education group

I am a synthetic inorganic chemist interested in the synthesis and characterisation of a range of multifunctional materials for use in the fields of molecular magnetism, liquid crystal research and carbon dioxide utilisation.

Dr. Jones is a post-doctoral research fellow working in Dr. Melanie S. Flint’s cancer stress lab. Having joined the lab in September 2018, Dr. Jones is working on a Cancer Research UK (CRUK)-funded multi-disciplinary project designed to tackle existing problems with new approaches. Dr. Jones and Dr. Flint, with expertise in cancer biology, are working alongside Prof. Bhavik A. Patel and post-doctoral research fellow Dr. Aya Abdalla, with expertise in electrochemical sensing, to develop a novel electrochemistry-based sensor for the detection of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS), to measure production of these species in living tumour tissue cultured in the lab and to better characterise their role in the progression of cancer.

Research Interests

My research interests involve the study of cellular biochemical processes and both how they are affected by, and how they themselves affect cancer progression and development. In particular, my current research involves applying exciting new techniques to study the role of highly reactive biochemical molecules known as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) in breast cancer.

Current research projects:

• The development of a novel analytical probe to monitor reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) in living tumour tissue to study their role in cancer and to help personalise cancer treatment.

Previous research projects:

• The innate immune kinase IKKε as a novel regulator of PSAT1 and serine metabolism – PhD thesis, Barts Cancer Institute - Queen Mary, University of London (http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/44685)
• Investigation into the metabolism of anti-cancer prodrugs, SS04 & MM58, by recombinant Matrix Metalloproteinases 2, 3, 9, 10, 14 & 15. – BSc final year project, University of Bradford

My research interests lie in improving the delivery of drugs and large therapeutic molecules such as DNA and siRNA for the treatment of incurable diseases such as genetic disorders and cancer, through designing and developing novel non-viral gene delivery vectors and understanding their interactions with cellular membranes. A recent study involved the administration of such vectors to the brain via convection enhanced delivery (CED) for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

I have been particularly interested in optimising gene delivery vectors through understanding their structure and physicochemical properties and correlating it to their biological activity, intracellular trafficking, interaction with biological membranes, and ability to overcome cellular barriers.These structure activity relationship studies have been probed using a wide array of techniques such as light scattering, small angle neutron scattering (SANS), neutron reflectivity, circular dichroism, fluorescence spectroscopy, imaging techniques such as confocal and electron microscopy; and biological testing to determine gene transfection, knockdown, toxicity and cell permeability both in-vitro and in-vivo.

Currently, I am interested in understanding the interaction between gene delivery vectors with endosomal membranes (the main barrier to DNA delivery) and designing novel molecules that act as helper lipids to help overcome those barriers and aid DNA entry into the cell nucleus. 

I am interested in the delivery of drugs and particles to the nose and lungs, particularly the use of in vivo-reflective in vitro cell culture models of the airway epithelium; the barrier to drug absorption. My interest in this area of pulmonary biopharmaceutics began in 1991; having worked on the Caco-2 cell culture model of the intestine I was interested in developing a similar model of the nose and/or lung. I have used the 16HBE14o- cell line to study drug absorption, including the absorption of drugs from nanoparticles, and drug toxicity. More recently, our group has been studying the effect of mucus on airway drug absorption using two mucus-secreting cell lines (SPOC1 and UNCN3T) and also the effect of drugs and other chemicals on mucus secretion as a measure of irritancy. In addition, I am interested in the role of mucociliary clearance on airway drug delivery, particularly the effect of formulation variables, air pollution and other chemicals on this primary defence mechanism of the nose and lung. I am also interested in the bioavailability of inhaled drugs in children and adults and how this can be optimised.

I research in cochlear physiology and biophysics. Cochlear micromechanics, energy production and propagation in the cochlea which makes the cochlea a perfect frequency analyser with enormous dynamic range are my primary research questions. I am involved in research on interaction between different types of cochlear sensory and supporting cell. Understanding of this interaction is a prerequisite for successful treatment of hearing disorders. I study generation and propagation of optoacoustic emissions. Otoacoustic emissions are widely used in clinics for objective assessment of hearing in patients and knowledge of the mechanisms of emission generation is a matter of great importance. I am interested not only in basic mechanisms of hearing but also in applied research which helps to diagnose and cure hearing disorders. My work on novel mechanisms of cochlear excitation through the round window of the cochlea provides theoretical and practical design principles for the development of new types of hearing aids. I am involved in development of methods for drug delivery into the cochlea.

I am a neuroscientist who studies molecular biology, cell biology and the Biophysics of the mammalian Cochlear function and dysfunction due to its role in hearing and deafness. I do research on the interaction between different types of cochlear sensory and supporting cells. Understanding this interaction is a prerequisite for successful treatment of human hearing disorders. I am interested not only in the basic mechanisms of hearing, but also in applied research that helps diagnose and treat hearing disorders.

My research team seeks to increase the understanding of the underlying pathological mechanisms of disease focusing on Type 1 and 2 diabetes and diabetic complications of the cardiovascular and hepatic systems.  We also research medicines opitization investigating cellular mechanisms of drug-induced complications.

Research on the complications of diabetes started in 2000 and I was part of the group that first identified the DNA repair enzyme poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase as a central mediator of diabetic cardiovascular complications.  I have continued this work looking at the role of the glucose metabolite methylglyoxal and how dicarbonyl stress may play a key role in diabetic complications not just in the cardiovascular system but also in the hepatic and renal systems.

My other major research area stems from an interest in medicines optimization, we have investigated how the antiretroviral drugs used to successfully treat HIV increase the risk of these patients developing cardiovascular disease.  We have identified poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase activation as a key mediator of antiretroviral-induced cardiovascular cell damage as well as investigating possible adjuvant therapies that may prove effective in protecting against this cellular damage.  

Most recently we have started to develop an understanding on a cellular level of how the direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) therapies such as Rivaroxaban and Apixaban may be causing dizziness and headaches necessitating their discontinuation in patients, this work may lead to improved patient screening and monitoring to optimize the appropriate therapy for patients.  This work has been extended into drug-induced liver injury (DILI) to understand how the clinical observations of DOACs increasing the incidence of DILI is occuring on a cellular level.

Current research projects:

• Pathology of anti-retroviral drug-mediated cardiovascular, ß-cell, and hepatic complications
• Underlying mechanisms of diabetic complications observed in the cardiovascular and hepatic systems
• Direct Oral Anticoagulant-mediated complications of the cardiovascualrand hepatic systems.
• Pathological role of methylglyoxal in disease including ageing and Type 2 diabetes

As part of the Diabetes Research Group, my research interests are focused on improving our understanding of the disease mechanisms in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and on the development of novel therapeutic approaches to improve the quality of life of patients with these conditions. Our Type 1 diabetes research focuses on improving current islet transplant protocols and developing novel sources of insulin-producing cells for cell replacement therapy. Our Type 2 diabetes research focuses on new approaches to working with obese and overweight individuals to help them balance their metabolism and prevent the development of Type 2 diabetes.

The Diabetes Research Group (DRG) made a programme for BBC Inside Out - South East about developing a new treatment for patients with type 1 diabetes involving the transplantation of isolated insulin-producing beta cells. This programme was broadcast on 27 February 2017.

https://cris.brighton.ac.uk/admin/files/6128556/Diabetes_Type_1_Compressed.mov Current Research Projects

• Islet transplantation therapy in Type 1 Diabetes (as part of the UK Islet Transplant Consortium)
• Targeting beta cell hypoxia in islet transplantation and pancreatic cancer
• Biomimetic 3-dimensional culture of insulin-producing cell clusters
• Combating obesity through improved patient education and tailored exercise programs
• Use of continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) technology in obese, overweight and at- risk individuals to aid in the prevention of type 2 diabetes
• Understanding non-compliance in young Type 1 Diabetes patients
• Creation and Validation of Clinically Reflective Human Models of Pancreatic Islets

 In light of the recent COVID 19 pandemic, I have been using my expertise in innate immunity signalling and inflammation to initiate new research areas. In collaboration with several others from Glasgow University, Lincoln University and Oxford University, we have developed a new statsistical methods and artifical intellegence to predict who has the virus SARS CoV2 at a very early stage of infection using only simple blood tests. My research until now has been as an in vitro pharmacologist working on numerous projects involved with molecular mechanisms that underpin numerous disease states, such as nuclear receptors involved in inflammation.

My background has been to study vasoactive compounds that control vascular function, and over the past couple of years I have worked in multi-disciplinary groups to screen for drugs that control pancreatic diseases, both diabetes and cancer.

Channelopathies

My main area of research interest is in the chemistry of human ageing.  I use synthetic chemistry to design and evaluate compounds that intervene in and remediate age-related degenerative processes including cellular senescence. I also undertake bioanalytical evaluation of age related changes.

My research is focused on the chemical analysis of, and intervention in, ageing processes. Building on postdoctoral experience in mechanistic enzymology (where I discovered the first catalytic antibody lactamase generated in response to a synthetic compound), I developed the first mathematical model to explain why some, but not all, tissues in Werner’s Syndrome patients show a premature degenerative phenotype.  My work has since progressed to using experimental models to investigate putative causal mechanisms of ageing. 

My EPSRC/BBSRC SPARC funded project resulted in the first demonstration that age-related chemical changes in Drosophila are consistent with the “Green Theory” of ageing. More, recently we demonstrated that the highly-publicised postulated anti-ageing compound, Resveratrol, causes premature cellular senescence in primary cells in vitro.  

My latest research includes the development of a simple synthesis of novel “Resveralogues”. We are now evaluating our panel of over 40 compounds, in collaboration with multiple international laboratories, to determine the chemical features underlying the beneficial activities of stilbene molecules whilst abrogating the detrimental ones. The structure-activity relationships (SAR) we have developed are now informing our second generation compound designs.

With my research team and collaborators, I am interested in development of novel approaches towards measurement.

My research has been focused on the development of tools and resources that can study biological signalling molecules that play key roles in influencing the central nervous system and periphery. Such sensor devices offer advantages over other analytical approaches and biochemical assays, as they can study signalling in real-time from live cells/tissues. We have utilised our electrode devices to understand how transmitters change with age in the central and enteric nervous system. 

Another area that we have applied our approaches to is in the monitoring of the efficacy of drug administation to hypotensive babies. At present pharmaceutical drugs are regulated as manufactured, but often require dilution on the ward to obtain a suitable dose for the baby. This diluted drug is not as well regulated and little is known about its stability in various ward conditions. Our work focused on monitoring of drug concentrations to understand how these changes might impact the development of baby.

Finally, we have been interested in enhancing the student learning experience and providing educational activities that can be utilised to enhance student employability. We have developed novel learning and teaching approaches using electronic technologies that have had impact in the classroom and laboratory classes. 

I am interested in how students develop as learners and how Biomedical Scientists become competent and confident professionals.

I am also investigating the use of Point of Care testing in microbiology.  

I am currently working on evaluating potential antimicrobial agents in mucous collected from molluscs

Alan's research focuses on how the human body tolerates or adapts to physiological extremes. This can have a number of applications such as the use of altitude training for elite athletes, to hypoxic exposure as a means of weight loss, the use of exercise for rehabilitation of critically ill, through to repeated extreme heat exposure potentially causing cellular damage in Fire Instructors. The work of our Environmental Extremes Research Group can be found here.

Alan is currently working on a number of projects with UK and international firefighters on reducing the health impact of severe thermal and contaminant exposure. Information on the current and past projects can be found here. 

Since March Alan has been working on a COVID19 recovery time course and rehabilitation project with hospitals around the South East of England. This project aims to explore the time course of cardiopulmonary and functional capacity improvement in previously critically ill patients. 

I am a neuroscientist who studies the molecular biology, cellular biology and biophysics of the normal function and dysfunction of the cochlea in relation to its role in hearing and deafness. I have studied cochlear mechanisms involved in echolocation by bats. I also investigate acoustic behaviour and the physiology of the auditory system by mosquitoes.

Dr Hasmik Jasmine Samvelyan is Research Fellow in osteoarthritis at University of Brighton and Fellow of The Higher Education Academy (Advance HE, UK).

Her expertise lies in utilizing cellular, molecular and in vivo approaches to study musculoskeletal ageing. Dr Samvelyan began her career pursuing a PhD with Professor Tim Skerry and Professor John Mathers at the Medical Research Council - Versus Arthritis Centre for Integrated Research into Musculoskeletal Ageing (CIMA) at The University of Sheffield and Newcastle University on the area of interactions of hormonal and mechanical stimuli on the skeleton, a subject with the relevance and potential impact on bone pathologies including osteoporosis. She was awarded for a postgraduate internship with Professor Matthew Warman at Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School.

Dr Samvelyan is a recipient of prestigious New Investigator Award 2019 from the Bone Research Society and British Orthopaedic Research Society and Travel Award 2020 from the European Calcified Tissue Society. 

My research is in the field of biomaterials and tissue engineering with current focus on functional tissue and organ replacement strategies for kidney, liver and eye. I am interested in the replacement of tissues and organs using nanostructured adsorbent and smart polymer materials which can be modified with bioactive molecules to improve biocompatibility and functional performance. I am interested in better understanding the mechanisms that impact the cell-biomaterial interface and in the development of functional biomaterials for cell guidance, the control of infection, inflammation and oxidative stress. Such materials may be used for example, to improve the removal of inflammatory molecules and bacterial toxins which current limit the efficacy of dialysis for kidney and liver disease, as enterosorbents to slow the progression of liver disease, in the development of a wearable artificial kidney and in the development of corneal and lens replacement strategies for ophthalmic tissue engineering. Working within international networks of academic, clinical and industrial partners, I have led research projects funded by UK NIHR i4i (DART and ADEPT), EU FP7 IAPP (ACROBAT), EU Horizon 2020 (CARBALIVE), British Council GII (NOMAD) and UKRI MRC (MXene for accomodating IOL) funding streams.

 Areas of academic research

Dipak Sarker's research expertise lies in the areas of materials science, nanotechnology and manufacturing sciences. Current research projects involve plasma physics, polymer recycling, new product developement, smart nanotechnology, nanoparticle encapsulation, phase change materials,  colloid and polymer sciences, complex fluids and coarse dispersions and packaging technology. Having a keen interest in both academic research (in and out of the UK), enterprise  and outreach provide opportunites for both learning and social engagement, which contribute to the UK industry and technology base. 

Research activities at Brighton can be found in:

• Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Devices (CRMD)
• Centre for Stress and Age-Related Disease (STRAND)
• Advanced Engineering Centre (AEC)

I have a longstanding interest in nanoscience, nanotechnology and nanophysics, soft-matter self-assemblies and coarse dispersions, including colloidal drug delivery systems and the surface adsorption of functionalising polymers. I study vaccine and particulate drug delivery systems in considerable depth. I work routinely with biosurfactants (such as proteins and peptides or gums), natural polymers, sustainable materials and synthetically modified materials.

I am interested in recycling and re-exploitation of spent and soiled or spent materials or polluted environments. I work with simple and complex foams and thin liquid films (foam lamellae). These structures relate to the quasi-2D-architectures created for a range of purposes; as means of sensing, synthesis and in their own right, to study processes such as statistical mechanics and energetics. As a nanotechnologist I also work in the field of miniaturised analytical systems – microfluidics, microarrays, sensors, diagnostic systems, and biosensors. I work in the context of product and process design and investigations associated with engineering and manufacturing process modelling. I work with the mechanics and rheology of a range of materials.

I am interested in 'invention' and equipment fabrication and design. I am fascinated by physical and engineering applications of mesophase materials (liquid crystals), coarse and colloidal dispersions, and complex fluids, such as ionic liquids, thermotropic materials, gels and emulsions.

Knowledge Exchange

My interest in knowledge exchange (KE) is manifested in university teaching and research but also in professional body (RSC, RPSGB, IOM3, HEA) and STEM Ambassador work (schools, colleges, university summer schools). Yet more KE is undertaken by industrial consultancy (Smpl Innovations GmbH, Graphic Supplies, Cryolabs, Biofrontera AG, etc), industrially-related academic study (KTPs, KEEP+), pure academic research with chemists, biologists, physicists and engineers at the University of Brighton and the University of Sussex but also more globally (Bulgaria, France, Italy, Sweden, USA, China, India, etc). Even more KE occurs through RCUK grant reviewing activities (EPSRC, MRC, BBSRC), editorial board and editorships (CDDT, Current Nanomedicine) for scientific periodicals, publisher book reviewing (HEA, Elsevier, Wiley) and in text book writing for three fully-authored books (Wiley-Blackwell).

Past, present and future research projects and topics:

• Plasma treatment of metals for vapour deposition
• Flax and hemp materials and their non-food use
• Nanomaterials in composite polymer materials
• Microemulsions for drug delivery
• Applications of coarse dispersions and complex fluids
• Thin liquid films and foams. Wetting transitions and thin liquid films
• Surface adsorption of polymers and proteins
• Nicotine replacement therapy and drug delivery systems
• 3D/4D printing and photo-reactive polymers
• Recycling and re-assignment of waste absorbent cotton materials
• Physics of droplet impact, spreading and fluid mechanics
• Nanoparticle and polymer drug delivery systems
• Photo-dynamic nanoparticle therapy for cancer treatment
• Nanotechnology for pharmaceutical, medical and food packaging
• Food physics and food process engineering
• Status indicating medical device materials
• Environmentally responsive encapsulated metal nanoparticles for sensor use
• Complex fluids, ionic liquids and liquid crystals
• Composite insulating materials

PhD students 2001-present Gennaro Dichello (2012-2018)Targeting of brain tumours with photo-dynamic therapy using liposomes and encapsulated metal nanoparticlesKais Shaban (2014-2018)Levothyroxine drug stability and formulation in fast-dissolving oral filmsShaimaa Shakargi (2014-2018)Synthesis and therapeutic use of environmentally-sensitive polymeric micelles for drug deliveryCristina Boscariol (2015-2019)The physics of impacting droplets on model solid surfaces Previous PhD student at the University of Brighton and OverseasEvgeniya Seliverstova (2014)Energy transfer mechanisms and the photo-optical effects of fluorophore-conjugated grapheneCarla Di Mattia (2009)Photo-oxidative changes in protein-stabilised olive oil emulsions Georgi Georgiev (2008)Phase transitions in striated foam films as models of cells membranes Othman Al-Hanbali (2008)A novel assay for block co-polymer non-ionic surfactants used in nanoparticle surface engineering Atia Naseem (2003)Approaches to enhancing the dissolution rate of poorly soluble drugs Awards

• Sosabowski, M.H., Piatt, R., Sarker, D.K. (2003) “Young Chemists’ Learning Project,” University of Brighton Innovation Awards 2003 - Prize Winner, Business Services, University Brighton
• Dipak K. Sarker, Featured chemist: RSC News Chemistry World, Feb 2005, p12
• Chair of the Downland Section of RSC from (Sussex, Surrey, Hamphire, Kent) 2005-2008

Memberships

• Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). Fellow designated: CChem FRSC
• Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3). Fellow designated: FIMMM
• Institute of Nanotechnology
• Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB), Academic Pharmacy Group
• University of Brighton  – School Safety Officer (chemistry)
• University of Brighton  – Sustainability representative - Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences
• University of Brighton  – Enterprise representative - Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences
• University of Brighton  – Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences Research Ethics Committee

Editorships

• Section Editor: Current Drug Delivery Technologies
• Associate Editor: Current Nanomedicine
• Special Issue Editor: Nanomaterials - Synthesis, Properties and Application of Novel Nanostructured Biomaterials

Editorial boards

• Recent Patents on Drug Delivery and Formulation
• International Journal of  Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education
• Open Colloid Science Journal
• Advanced Materials Reviews
• Advanced Materials Letters
• Asian Journal of Pharmaceutics
• Inventi Rapid-Impact: Pharm Tech
• Khimiya (Chemistry)
• Journal of Modern Medicinal Chemistry
• Journal of the Chinese Advanced Materials Society
• Recent Patents on Engineering
• ISRN Journal of Chemistry: Medicinal Chemistry
• International Journal of Information System and Management Research

Organising committees

• Waste Management Conference Team - KTP Project 2019/2020 (University of Brighton)
• Conference Committee - 2nd International Conference on Advanced Materials 2013 (China)
• Organising committee: International Union of Advanced Materials - Academic Committee Member 2011, Hong Kong
• Advisory board: Advanced Materials World Congress (AM 2013, organized by the International Association of Advanced Materials), Turkey, September 2013
• International Advisory Board 2nd World Conference on Science and Mathematics Education , 15-17 Oct 2015, Cyprus

 

Her research is currently focusing on a few areas, they are varied but have a theme of ageing, cell biology cellular senescence and disease at their root. She is currently involved in looking at the impact cellular senescence may contribute to dementia and other age-related pathologies, such as CAA. She also has a been interest in ageing as a risk factor for COPD and CAA and the effects that senescent cells may contribute to these diseases and the effects novel senolytics have in clearing their senescent cells. In addition, she is involved with the recurrence of UTI infections in dementia patients and the impact this has to their cognitivity as well as developing an early detection system for use in the home or healthcare environment.

She works in collaboration with a number of colleagues in PABS to strengthen her knowledge and skills base as well as working with colleagues in other universities and is in the process of developing an NHS based partnership to bridge the gaps between bedside and research.

Outside of my research and teaching she is the founder and organiser of ‘A* scientist’. This is an outreach program that introduces 'hands on' science to primary schools in Sussex.

Current research projects

• Modelling blood brain barrier (BBB) to investigate the impact senescence cells have in CAA and effects of recurrent UTIs on neuroplasticity environment and astrocyte functionality.

• Development of a novel early detection system for UTI in the home or healthcare environment.  

• Effects of natural lignans and polyphenol compounds; such as curcumin, Quercetin, resveratrol on senescence and ageing.

• Does senescence play a role in mucin secretion in patients with COPD and CAA.

• Pathogenicity of Klebsiella pneumoniae and its associated virulence factors in cases of clinical disease and endotheliitis.

• Development of a novel cells line for testing drug delivery for new COPD treatments.

  Previous research projects

• Immortalisation and characterisation of canine gingival cells.

• Is the lifespan in a long-lived mutant mouse strain limited by cell senescence.

• Construction of a well differentiated cell line from human corneal endothelium.

• Use of telomerase immortalisation to develop human islet b-cell lines safe for transplantation.

I am a neurobiologist with research interests in the sensory mechanisms underlying animal behavioural diversity. I am currently studying the auditory physiology, acoustic behaviour and evolution of hearing in both vertebrate and invertebrate species. I have a particular interest in the development of novel behavioural paradigms that could lead to the integration of ethological observation with its neurophysiology.

Stress responses and translational control of antibiotic production by Streptomyces bacteria

We are presently focussing on understanding how Streptomyces bacteria respond to environmental stress at the level of gene expression and how they control the gene clusters that encode production of so-called ‘secondary metabolites’, which include the majority of antibiotics in clinical use since the 1940s. We are exploiting genomics technologies within Brighton Genomics to understand, at a global level, how the biological systems are regulated, both at the level of transcription and translation.

The main aim of this research project is to understand how key genes are controlled at the level of translation in this complex group of soil bacteria. To date most studies of gene expression have focussed on studying transcription, the production of mRNAs. However, a new technique called ‘ribosome profiling’ (Ribo-seq) enables us to measure the level of translation of all mRNAs. This gives us a very different picture of gene expression and, importantly, reveals that the control of gene expression at the level of translation is far more widespread than we realised. Our goal is to determine the molecular processes which orchestrate this control by identifying the RNA-binding proteins and RNA molecules which co-ordinate the regulation. We currently know very little about how these processes operate in bacteria.

We also collaborate with GlaxosmithKline (UK) on the translational control of commercially important natrual products.

My research looks to understand the development, regulation and pathology of the musculoskeletal system, with a particular focus on understanding the molecular pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. My current research is funded by the Medical Research Council & Medical Research Scotland, and my group consists of a PDRA (Dr Jasmine Samvelyan), and three PhD students (David Hughes, Rachel Lopera-Burgueno, Lewis Hsu).

I am in the European Calcified Tissue Society (ECTS) Academy, and currently sit on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Endocrinology, the Journal of Molecular Endocrinology, BMC musculoskeletal disorders, and Frontiers in Endocrinology, Bone Research. I have reviewed papers for more than 35 different internationally-recoginsed journals, and has reviewed grants for a number of funding bodies including the Rosetrees Trust, the ECTS, and the Belgian Public Research Programme. My research has featured as a number of press releases.

I am interested in the chemical modification of proteins and developing methods to characterise such modifications. Protein modification can have significant effect on protein function and consequently biochemical outcome. Attempts to characterise the site of modification can be challenging due in part to the complexity of the sample. Protein modification can result from either enzymatic post-translational modification (phosphorylation, ubiquitination, methylation, etc.) or non-enzymatic chemical modification with reactive metabolites (Michael additions, oxidation, reactive drug metabolite adducts).

My interests have recently focused on non-enzymatic chemical modifications of proteins by reactive metabolites, for example catecholamines and catechol oestrogen metabolites and their implications in diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes and cancer. Current strategies are to develop methods to capture/enrich these modifications from biological sources, such as cell media, for analysis by mass spectrometry, to verify and optimise the methods using in vitro samples and to use these methods for global screening of biological samples such as tissue, blood and urine. The hope is that these protein modifications can serve as prognostic markers of disease which in turn can be translated to a clinical biochemistry setting. Other interests include protein modification/immobilisation to create novel biomaterials and biocatalysts and the recent discovery of amelogenin peptides from tooth enamel to enable sexing of archaeological samples using nanoLC-MS.

My research interest is on the cross-talk between host and microbiota. I am currently investigating Candida albicans immunomodulation in the progression of inflammatory skin diseases and chronic wounds’ healing. I also collaborate with Professor F. Kern’s group in Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) on the study of immune responses to chronic Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in older people and its role in immune-ageing and disease.

David Timson is a protein biochemist.  His research focuses on understanding how the structures of proteins influence their functions, with particular relevance to those proteins implicated in human disease and in biotechnology.  Current research areas include:

1.  Proteins of human galactose metabolism and how they are affected by the inherited metabolic disease, galactosemia.

2.  Calcium binding proteins and metabolic enzymes from helminth parasites.

3.  Quinone oxidoreductases

4.  Stress mitigation in biofuel production

5.  The biochemistry underlying fetal alcohol specturm disorders (collaboration led by Prof Paul Gard)

Please note:  I have now retired and am unable to undertake active supervision of new projects, since I no longer have a laboratory.  I am happy to advise on these areas and to respond to questions on my papers etc.  This means I am not recruiting postgraduate students or post-docs etc.

Dr Mark Yeoman and his research team are interested in the basic biology of CNS and gastrointestinal tract ageing with a specific focus on the roles played by stress, inflammation and replicative senescence in the ageing phenotype.

His research on the basic biology of ageing started in 1997 on joining the University of Brighton. The work initially built on his postdoctoral experience and utilised the pond snail, Lymnaea to examine the cell biology of CNS ageing. This work identified how age-related alterations in the firing frequency and synaptic connectivity of a pair of serotonergic neurons could account for the behavioural changes in feeding with increasing age. Most recently these changes in firing frequency have been linked to a switch in the mode of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger. Because the neural networks that underlie the feeding behaviour in the pond snail are well understood, it is relatively easy to utilise this system to perform a top-down approach and relate changes in behaviour to alterations in the function of specific neurons. 

Another system in which this is starting to become possible is the mammalian lower bowel. The neural circuitry of the myenteric and submucosal plexi that control motility in the lower bowel are well described, providing the possibility of relating changes in function to defined alterations in the circuitry. We have shown that colonic motility and pellet output is reduced with age, and that this is associated with the impairment of a long lasting component of the contraction. Most recently the team has begun to become interested in the biology associated with the detrimental health effects of social isolation, in both invertebrate and vertebrate models. This work will focus on the detrimental effects that social isolation stress has on learning and memory formation.

My research is focused on biomaterials and tissue engineering. My project is about the development of a bioartificial liver prototype to support patients with liver failure combining supermacroporous hydrogels with natural polymers and peptides to support hepatocyte functions and fluid dynamics optimisation.  

Patients with cataracts undergo corrective surgery to restore visual acuity however the replacement intraocular lens (IOLs) does not provide true accommodative function and patients require spectacles for near vision. MXene is a 2D nanomaterial with transparent and conductive properties that lend itself to application in optoelectronic devices. Nevertheless, the effect of MXene on posterior capsular opacification (PCO), the most common complication of cataract surgery, is unknown. My PhD will focus on the impact of MXene on lens epithelial cells' proliferation, migration and differentiation and the key pathways that lead to PCO. 

Transcriptional and translational aspects of the stress response to cold shock of the bacteria Streptomyces coelicolor, and possible applications in synthetic biology.

My research is about the role of senescence in bioartificial liver design with a focus on optimizing functional bioartificial liver device to replace the metabolic activities of the liver as a bridge to transplant or organ recovery after liver decompensation. I am interested in better understanding of the role of senescence with the progression of liver disease and success of BAL design may lead to a better therapeutic option for the growing population of patient-facing liver failure into the future. I am also interested in considering routes to mitigate the effect of senescence in BAL organ design through the protective effect of antioxidants and RNA splicing reverse compounds.

My current research project investigates the adverse effects of antiretroviral drugs used to treat HIV, on pancreatic beta cell function and survival.  The overall objective of my research is to understand the underlying cellular mechanisms mediating the dysfunction to identify therapeutic intervention points.

Investigation into the role of dicarbonyl and osmotic stress in hepatic complications of diabetes

With the increase in incidence of diabetes, mainly Type 2 diabetes, in the worldwide population, understanding the underlying pathology of its complications will provide invaluable information to develop effective adjuvant therapies.

This project specifically focuses on the hepatic complications of Type 2 diabetes and the role played by hyperglycaemia, both metabolites and its osmotic action.  There is a significant lack of knowledge of how hyperglycaemia affects hepatocytes to increase the incidence of hepatic disease and how this may be therapeutically countered, this project aims to rectify this deficit.  The glucose metabolite methylglyoxal has been identified as being a key mediator in diabetic complications of the vascular and renal systems, as well as being shown to have direct damaging effects on hepatocyte function.  However, the concentrations of exogenously applied methylglyoxal in vitro are far in excess of those found in diabetic plasma, possibly compromising the interpretation of the findings.  Development of a more physiological model to increase intracellular concentrations of methylglyoxal is essential to further understanding its cellular damaging effects.  Understanding the pathology underpinning the increased risk of hepatic disease in diabetics hence allows for development of therapeutic adjuvants, which if already approved for clinical use may be deployed in a much-reduced timescale.

I am a self-funded student and my supervisors at the University of Brighton are Dr Jon G Mabley and Dr Greg Scutt.

Molecular neuroscientist looking into Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment (CRCI)

Natalia is a doctoral student at the University of Brighton in Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences. Having an educational background on materials science and engineering, her research interests include investigating nanomaterials for ophthalmic biosensing. Her PhD project focuses in incorporating 2D transition metals carbides and nitrides (MXenes) in a lens for detection of biomarkers in ophthalmic fluids. Currently she is working in understanding how the different structures, flake sizes and compositions of MXenes interact in a biological environment. 

I am interested in understanding cell-nanomaterial interactions and developing biomaterial-based strategies for controlling inflammation and infection.

My PhD project investigated the potential of two-dimensional graphene and titanium carbide MXene nanomaterials to target biological toxins and the incorporation of these materials into composite systems for use in medical devices.

Fernando Perez is a Ph. D. student working on the development of an electrochemical biosensor able to detect signalling molecules in a urinary matrix. He works in Professor Patel’s lab, with supervision from Dr J. Young and Professor Callaghan.

His introduction to the field of urology occurred during an ERASMUS placement in the final year of his pharmacy degree. The placement was at the University of Gothenburg where he worked under Dr Carlsson, studying the role of Acetylcholine release from the Urothelium in Overactive bladder.

Overactive Bladder (OAB) is a collection of urological dysfunction symptoms; increased urinary urgency, frequency, and waking up at night to urinate. This type of incontinence affects up to 12% of the population, disproportionately affecting women and the elderly. Despite the financial burden and decreased quality of life, pharmacological treatment is often ineffective or causes severe side effects in an already vulnerable population group.

Bladder dysfunction has been linked to changes in signalling molecules Acetylcholine (ACh), Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) and Nitric Oxide (NO) which are thought to be released locally from bladder cells. Though these molecules have been studied individually, they only act as biomarkers when used together in conjunction with symptomatic groups. There is currently no gold standard diagnostic test for OAB, highlighting the need for a portable and non-invasive diagnostic device that can use these molecules as biomarkers and determine whether a patient would benefit from pharmacological treatment.

I have developed a strong interest in all diabetes-related research, treatment and management since I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2006. It was a very life-changing event.

Traditionally, blood glucose levels have been monitored using finger prick tests several times a day, to give single glucose readings at that moment. Newer technology has gradually been developed in the form of interstitial continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), including ‘Dexcom CGM’ devices. This technology allows ‘real time’ estimation of glucose levels, recording a glucose reading every five minutes. This provides the patient with far more information than finger prick testing, thus empowering individuals to make better informed decisions around lifestyle behaviours.  The CGM devices can also provide useful data, such as average glucose and estimated HbA1c and it is also becoming recognised as a research tool.

Although CGM is now well-established for it's benefits in the type 1 diabetic population, there is still limited research on it's use for monitoring blood glucose levels during pregnancy.

The aim of my pilot project is to investigate how the use of CGM might influence lifestyle behaviours around diet and activity during pregnancy. This will include patients at low risk and high risk of developing gestational diabetes (GDM). 

Furthermore, to investigate the use of CGM in the evaluation of blood glucose levels during the three trimesters of pregnancy; to establish normal glucose profiles of healthy low risk patients and those in the high risk gestational diabetes population. 

I hope that my study will provide some additional knowledge around the potential use of CGM in pregnancy and to provide a launch pad for additional studies on this subject in the future. 

Nadezhda Velichkova is a Ph. D student working on the effects of ageing and changes in neurotransmitter release on CNS lipid composition and learning and memory formation in the pond snail Lymnaea Stagnalis. She works in Dr. Mark Yeoman’s lab, with supervision from Professor B. Patel and Dr. M. Dymond.

Her interest in learning and memory began during her master’s degree, where under the supervision of Dr. Ildiko Kemenes, she worked on a project investigating how the feeding behavior of the pond snail Lymnaea Stagnalis might be influenced by its motivational state and how exogenous application of the polypeptide PACAP might affect its ability to learn and consolidate long term memories.

In her current project she is using carbon fiber microelectrodes in combination with amperometry to investigate the effects of aging on the kinetics of serotonin release from the cell body of a defined neuron, involved in the learning and memory formation in Lymnaea.

I am currently researching optoelectronic nanomaterials for biomedical applications. The research is situated in the field of biomaterials for ophthalmic environments. I am interested in exploring novel approaches to variable focus lens systems utilising the dielectric anisotropy of liquid crystals and the optoelectronic properties of the two-dimensional transition metal carbides and/or nitrides, MXenes.