Who we are

I have previously studied the use of genomics techniques to investigate the molecular basis and epidemiology of penicillin resistance in Neisseria meningitidis and the process of molecular evolution in Haemophilus species.

More recently, I have become increasingly interested in the application of advanced molecular and proteomics technologies in microbiology, in particular, in the analysis of protein expression and post-translational modifications in microorganisms under stress conditions, for example in the host environment and/or during growth as biofilms.

As a complement to this work, I am currently working on a proteomic analysis of differential gene expression in animal pathogen Streptococcus uberis.

I am also interested in mechanisms of resistance to antimicrobials, in particular in Gram-negative bacteria, and the development of new antimicrobial agents. I have recently become involved in the characterization of novel inhibitors of metallo-beta-lactamases, important mediators of beta-lactam antibiotic resistance in multidrug-resistant bacterial species.

I presently hold a full-time position in the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences (PaBS) at the University of Brighton (UK), where my research is primarily aimed at combining cutting-edge proteomics and informatics with the latest genomics-based approaches in medical and veterinary microbiology.

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. Another research theme involving understanding intermolecular interactions has led to projects on designing small molecules that disrupt fungal lipid membranes.

Professor Davies has undertaken clinical research exploring the pharmacokinetics of various drugs in both the critically ill, burns patients and those with thromboembolic disease. His current research interest is the study of medication related harm in the elderly, being a member of the PRIME research group, a collaboration of academics and clinicians from the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences University of Brighton, Brighton & Sussex Medical School, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science King's College London and elderly care clinicians working in both Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals Trust and Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. This work has both described the nature of medication related harm (MRH) in the elderly as well as developed a number of risk stratificataion tools to predict which patients may experience MRH.

My research interest has long been human exercise tolerance, or the ability to sustain exercise, with a particular focus on the mechanisms of fatigue within the muscles and their interaction with the brain (neuromuscular fatigue). I have more recently added a new strand to my research; this strand finds its origin in the neuroscience: I feel it is time to understand better how perceptions such as fatigue, effort, or pleasantness / unpleasantness, emerge from within the brain when we exercise, how these perceptions interact with each other, and affect our actions / behaviour.

Fatigue remains the prime focus of my work. The Fatigue and Exercise research lab I developed over the years, and lead today at the University of Brighton, studies fatigue in sedentary as well as more physically active healthy humans, and in clinical populations such as people with multiple sclerosis and post-covid.

This better understanding of both psychophysiological and behavioural responses when we exercise is critical for exercise scientists, clinicians, or any practitioners looking to help an individual tolerate exercise better or help improve human tolerance to physical exercise. Our findings inform strategies for exercise-based rehabilitation and training programmes to be safe and effective (i.e. robust science-based interventions).

My work finds impact in the areas of health, sport and wellbeing.

My research interests are primarily related to biological membranes. Biological membranes are ubiquitous in all living organisms and have a wide range of applications in the biomedical, environmental and life sciences. The breadth of my research publications in areas as diverse as the mechanism of action of anti-cancer compounds, through to control mechanisms of phospholipid homeostasis, the plausibility of the existence of life on other planets, as well as studies characterising the physical behaviour of lipid-protein and lipid-DNA mixtures is a good demonstration of this diversity.

In recent years, my research has focused in two, more applied, science areas. These are, firstly, in vitro synthetic biology, using 3D printed devices to construct biosensors for on-demand biomolecule synthesis, which have for applications in vaccine production. And, secondly, understanding and modelling lipid composition changes in cells using lipidomics. 

 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

Fenia is the founder and the lead of the newly established Nutrition, Behaviour and Mental Health (NBMH) research group (https://blogs.brighton.ac.uk/nutritionmentalhealthgroup/) that has 4 distinct research areas and themes: Nutrition and metabolism; Eating Disorders; Behaviour Change and Mindful Eating; and Lifestyle Interventions for Obesity and comorbidities. The group comprises by a multidisciplinary, diverse network of research experts in the field of Nutrition, Sport and Exercise Physiology, Clinical Physiology, Health and Applied Psychology.

My research interest lies on the effects that lifestyle interventions such as diet and exercise have on the health of the average individual and most importantly on clinical population such as obese, type 2 diabetic patients, peri- and post-menopausal women etc. 

The last five years, my research interest has also focused into the area of mental health. I have been conducting research investigating the effects that exercise and dietary interventions have on individuals with mental health problems such as severe mental illness patients and individuals that exhibit disordered eating behaviours or are clinically diagnosed with eating disorders.

At present, I am continuing my research on older women with a greater focus on the effects of high intensity interval exercise on exercise capacity, mood and congition. Recently, I have started investigating new, innovative strategies to promote health such as mindfulness and mindful eating and I am currently exploring the relationship between mindful eating and disordered eating (binge eating) and mood in university students and mentally ill patients. Moreover, I am in the process of exploring eating behaviour in a multidisciplinary approach, by integrating consuming behaviour, psychology of consumption and mindful eating. 

At the present moment, in collaboration with a research network of international experts in Europe and Australia, I am leading an international project on the investigation of the effects of  low energy availability (LEA) and relative energy deficiencty in sports (RED-S) in young adults and competitive and recreational athletes on mental health, eating behavior, body image, and metabolic and hormonal disregulations.

Finally, I am currently involved in the investigation of blood flow restriction on healthy and diseased populations as well as elite athletes.

 Current Research Projects

- The investigation of the effects of LEA and RED-S on the mental health, disordered eating behavior and metabolic/hormonal disregulations in young adults and competitive athletes.

- Blood flow restriction on health and diseased populations and elite athletes.

- The effects of high intensity interval exercise Vs continuous exercise on the exercise capacity, fat oxidation, mood and enjoyment of exercise in overweight peri- and post-menopausal women.

 - Eating Disorders in elite level athletes. 

 - The effects of disordered eating and poor mental health on mindful consumption of food in young adults. A multi-disciplinary collaborative research project between the University of Brighton,  Nottighnam Trent University and Conventry University.

 - Mindful eating and mood. An investigation of the relationship between mindless eating, binge eating behaviour and mood in sports science, health science and pharmacy and medical science students. A multi-disciplinary collaborative research project between the University of Brighton and Brighton and Sussex Medical School.

 - The association between work-related stress, eating behaviour and binge eating in academic staff in the UK. A multi-disciplinary collaborative research project between the University of Brighton and Brighton and Sussex Medical School.

My previous research interests covered the ecology, diversity and taxonomy of microorganisms, particularly fungi. More recently, I have been working in topics related to the epidemiology and development of novel diagnostic tools for pathogenic organisms, medical mycology and the study of the Human mycobiome. I aim to develop a successfully research line in our school to advance the challenging field of medical mycology. I am particularly interested in studying the epidemiology and therapeutic approaches of unusual and neglected fungal diseases.

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. This is a long-standing interest of mine; having worked on the Caco-2 cell culture model of the intestine, I was one of the first pharmaceutical scientists 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 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpb.2021.07.016. 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 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2021.121054. This has led to general expertise in cellular toxicity https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yrtph.2021.105022 which has been extended to studies of compounds found in processed water. I am also interested in the bioavailability of inhaled drugs in children and adults and how this can be optimised DOI: 10.1186/s13063-016-1437-7.

Examples of Current Projects

(1) A study of ultrafine particles in the atmosphere and their health effects. (PhD)

(2) Water Scarcity in the Southeast of England - Assessing the potential for resource augmentation through direct reuse. (PhD)

(3) The effect of nasal powders on nasal residence time using sheep tracheae to model

the nasal epithelium.

Examples of Previous Projects

(1) The use of in vitro models of the airway to investigate drug permeability and irritancy in the presence of mucus. (PhD)

(2) Effect of formulation variables on intranasal drugs used in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. (PhD) 

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.

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 Islet

 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.

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.

In 2013, Alan led a research project taking 30 Sport and Exercise Science students to Peru and undertaking a large number of physiological tests before, during and after the three weeks in Peru. While in Peru students and staff helped rebuild a school and then trekked for four days to Machu Picchu.

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 2020, 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.

My research is in 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 accommodating IOL) funding streams. I am a co-inventor on biomedical materials patents linked to this grant activity. 

I have served on grant review panels including as a member of the British Council Newton fund Biological and Medical Sciences panel (2014-) and as a peer reviewer for EU Horizon 2020, UKRI MRC, BBSRC and NIHR i4i funding programmes. I am an editor for Scientific Reports, the Journal of Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering and BioMed Research International. 

Research activities at Brighton can be found in: 

• Advanced Engineering Centre (AEC)
• Centre for Aquatic Environments (CAE)
• Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Devices (CRMD)
• Centre for Stress and Age-Related Disease (STRAND)
• Chemistry Research and Enterprise Group (Chemistry REG)
• Environment and Public Health Research and Enterprise Group (EPHREG)

I have a longstanding interest in nanoscience, nanotechnology and nanophysics, condensed or soft-matter self-assemblies and coarse dispersions, including colloidal encapsulation systems and the surface adsorption of functionalising polymers. I study complex formulations such as vaccines, particulate drug delivery systems and nanoencapsulation techniques 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 am interested in the pollution of water systems and soils by heavy metals, pharmaceuticals and pesticides and by the role micro- and nano-plastic pollution plays in the damage to rivers, coastlines and seas. Work with microplastics (solid bodies) in terms of characterisation of adsorbates and organo-metallic or protein-polysaccharide biofilm fouling and the chemistry of seafoams also feature in my current research. I work with surface active molecules in the form of 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
• The heavy metal content of industrial wastewater and landfill discharge/leachate
• Micro-plastics as 'nucleation' bodies for marine pollution and their role in seaborne and food-chain concentration, based on surface physics and composition chemistry, and the subsequent effects on geosystems and marine ecology

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

 

 My main area of research interest is in the polymer materials and development of novel advanced materials for biomedical and environmental applications. My research group is a multi-disciplinary team with research interests in the development and characterisation of novel porous materials, hydrogels, (nano) composites and nanoparticle based materials. I focus on the development of functional materials for applications in the wound healing, tissue engineering, drug delivery and removing  contaminants from water.

 Specifically, my research areas include

• Synthesis of functional porous polymer gels, hybrid polymer-inorganic and nanocomposite materials

• Characterisation of soft porous materials

• Development of smart polymer systems

• Development of drug delivery systems

• Development of novel materials for contaminated water remediation.

Accepting PhD students

Collaborators Dr T. Abdullin, Laboratory of Bioactive Polymers and Peptides, https://kpfu.ru/eng/strau/laboratories/bioactive-polymers-and-peptides

Dr M Alavijeh, Pharmidex https://www.pharmidex.com

Previous research projects:

Development of the flow through bioreactor of 3D-structured bacteria for biodegradation of aromatic chloro-derivatives from contaminated water. (H2020-MSCA-IF grant)

Water and soil clean-up from mixed contaminants (FP7-PEOPLE-IAPP, WaSClean project).

Investigation of neurotoxicity and oxidative stress of PEGylated nanographeneusing rat pheochromocytoma (PC-12) neuronal cell lines (Commonwealth scholarship).

Nanomaterials for practical use in remediation: Case study of mercury contamination in the lake Bylkyldak (The Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan).

Immobilized noble metal nanoparticles as efficient flow through catalyst for “green” decomposition of chlorinated aromatic compounds (British Council Newton grant).

Controlled production and chemical modification of a variety of novel-carbons for specific end applications into the bio-organic field (FP7-PEOPLE-IRSES staff exchange programme ENSOR).

Novel smart materials for biomedical application (FP7-PEOPLE-RG grant - Bio-Smart).

Developing and evaluation of a quantitative imaging technique for assessment of nanoparticle drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier: Application for brain cancer therapeutics (FP7-PEOPLE-IAPP grant, OncoNanoBBB).

Studying adsorption of proteins on the carbon based materials (Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) research grant).

Developing novel nanocomposite materials for the water clean-up (FP7-PEOPLE-IEF. MacroClean)

Development and manufacture of permeable composite filters for environment application (FP7-PEOPLE-IAPP, CARBOSORB).

Tissue engineering materials based on macroporous cryogels and non-viral delivery systems, growth factors: the development and testing in peripheral nerve injury and therapeutic angiogenesis (Russian Federal Programme grant).

I have in-depth experience in a wide range of research areas in the field of pharmacology, molecular medicine and pharmacy including endothelial ion channels and vascular dysfunction in diabetes; atrial fibrillation and identifying novel ion channels as therapeutic targets as well as identifying noval proteins for cardiomyopathy; understanding the molecular pathophysiology of age-related macular degeneration and identifying novel therapeutic targets. Moreover, I have excellent experience in clinical research including clinical toxicology and paediatric medicine. 

Such research activities involve a wide range of skills including isolating primary cells; cell culturing; electrophysiology; calcium imaging; confocal microscopy: proximity ligation assay and immunocytochemistry; Western blotting and ELISA. In addition to preclinical skills, I have excellent clinical research skills exemplified by publishing retrospective data analysis and case studies.

As a lecturer in pharmacology, I intend to establish my research activities at the University of Brighton, and I aim to collaborate with national and international research teams.

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 AD and CAA. She also has a been interest in ageing as a risk factor for COPD AD 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 AD and 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, AD 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.

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 (>£2 million). My group consists of PDRAs Drs Lucie Bourne, Aikta Sharma and Lucinda Evans, and three PhD students (David Hughes, Rachel Lopera-Burgueno, Natalie Crump, Sophia Khan, Bew Promruk).

I currently sit on Veterinary Advisory Committee for the Horserace Betting Levy Board, and the Research Grant Assessment Panel for the Royal Osteoporosis Society. I am on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Endocrinology, the Journal of Molecular Endocrinology,  and Frontiers in Endocrinology, Bone Research. I regularly review papers for a number of internationally-recoginsed journals, and have reviewed grants for a number of funding bodies including the MRC, BBSRC, & the Rosetrees Trust.. My research has featured as a number of press releases. I am currently the ECR Ambassador for the University of Brighton. 

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.

Carbohydrates are fascinating and understudied. The main source of dietary fibre in our diets is the plant cell wall, the structure of which is not fully understood. My main research interest is understanding how the three dimensional structure of a plant cell and plant cell wall is affected by and affects digestion and how this in turn affects our physiology and biochemistry. The three dimentsional structure (the matrix) is important and has an additional effect to the chemistry of the plant cell wall. 

A secondary interest in sustainable food production and diets has come about because of my interest in carbohydrates. Many sources of carbohydrates are highly refined in our diets. This has a major adverse impact on health with many of the important nutrients being removed, which also causes food waste.

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 PhD revolves around understanding the effects and roles glucocorticoid receptor (GR) activation has on breast cancer tumour biology, metastasis and tumour microenvironment, particularly on immune cells. In my 3 years at the University of Brighton, I will be looking into GR antagonism and combination therapies, trying to maximise the benefits of the current standard-of-care, and hopefully improve on it in time. 

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. 

I am a current PhD student exploring the role of stress in breast to bone metastasis. My research will look at the role of glucocorticoid signalling mediated by the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in breast cancer progression and migration to the bone, with a view of bettering treatment outcomes for patients.

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

In the hospitality sector, online reviews have experienced significant growth, with an increase of 800 percent in recent years. Online reviews are reaching such importance that they can now be considered the most authoritative source of information for travelers. It is, therefore, necessary to try to fully understand this tool, its potential, and the risks associated with the incorrect use of the medium both by the user who writes the review and by the manager who receives and responds to it. The research will explore the relationship between the perception of the stress levels among Hotel Owners and Managers (HOMs) in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the UK.

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.

Faecal incontinence is a gastrointestinal disorder that is a combination of dysfunctional symptoms including increased faecal urgency, frequency and chronic constipation.

The prevalence of faecal incontinence (FI) affecting older people is 12% of over 80-year-olds in the general population and up to 25% of those who are institutionalised. FI is debilitating and has a demoralising impact on quality of life, which can lead to social isolation, loss of independence and increased admission into a care home.

Previous studies highlight the negative effects the ageing process has on rectal sensitivity & smooth muscle tonality in the anorectum, resulting in unnoticed liquid stool leakage around the faecal impaction causing incontinence. The underlying signalling mechanisms involved in the age-related changes to these intrinsic reflexes are still unclear, despite various studies being reporting how these reflexes are impaired with age. 

Gastrointestinal dysfunction disorders, more specifically, faecal incontinence has been linked to changes in signalling molecules: serotonin (5-HT), Acetylcholine (ACh), Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) and Nitric Oxide (NO) which are thought to be released locally from enterochromaffin cells.

There is currently no gold standard diagnostic test or pharmaceutical treatment, highlighting the need to:

1. Further understand how the ageing process augments FI and comprehension of any changes in signalling mechanisms involved would provide novel drug targets that can prevent these functional bowel disorders, thereby reducing the prevalence of age-related FI.

2. Develop a clinically appropriate diagnostic sensor that can electrochemically detect these biomarkers to determine whether a patient would benefit from pharmacological treatment.

I am currently a PhD student looking at developing a novel treatment for Osteoarthritis using MEPE-derived peptides. MEPE is a member of SIBLING family of proteins known to have regulatory effects in skeletal tissue matrix mineralisation.

My research will focus on the effects of MEPE derived peptides on cartilage using both in-vitro and in-vivo models then engineering the chosen peptides to latency-associated peptide (LAP) fusion technology to create a targeted delivery system. 

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. 

My main research interest covers the field of microbiology.

Currently, I am an Early-Stage Researcher in University of Brighton and my PhD focus on the human gut mycobiome and its relationship with human longevity. In my project, I will explore the nanopore sequencing technology to seek for longevity signatures related to the human gut mycobiome. My PhD project is supervised by Dr Joao Inacio Silva, Dr Lucas Bowler, and Dr Fergus Guppy. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 801604

For the last 20 years most studies about the human microbiome reported findings only for the bacterial part. These studies assumed that the fungal component of the human gut can be neglected. However, recent studies have highlighted that the gut mycobiome is much more diverse and abundant than previously thought, and there is increasing evidence of significant roles that fungi play in host homeostasis, and of their interactions with gut bacteria.

This work will increase the knowledge about the human gut microbiome and it will show how the fungal component contribute to the human ageing process.

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. 

Rico Shergill is a Ph. D. student working on the development of novel 3D printable materials for electrochemical biosensors able to detect signalling molecules in a gastrointestinal matrix. He works in Professor Patel’s lab, with supervision from Dr M. Yeoman.

His introduction to the field of electrochemical sensors occurred during a project in the final year of his chemistry degree. The project was at the University of Brighton where he worked under Prof Patel, studying the detection of falsified clopidogrel in the presence of excipients using voltammetry.

Manufacture of electrochemical sensors using 3D printing has provided the ability to mass produce complete analytical sensing devices in varying geometries. The filament used to make 3D printed electrodes contain a fixed percentage of conductive carbon which is mixed with a non-conductive thermoplastic such as polylactic acid (PLA). 3D printed electrodes are thus composite electrodes, which consist of either ordered or random arrangement of conductive and nonconductive particles. Traditional approaches in the manufacturing of carbon composite electrodes yield high batch variability, however, 3D printing has reduced the variability between batches of electrodes making this a suitable approach for reproducible manufacturing of carbon composite electrodes. Our findings highlight that when manufacturing conductive thermoplastics using 3D printing, instrument settings and composition of materials should be considered to optimise the performance of the printed electrochemical sensor.

Ana Tendero Cañadas is a PhD student currently working on the development of novel sensors for the detection and measurement of nitric oxide from bladder tissue, in order to explore the effect of ageing on the physiological processes that regulate bladder function.

Interested in healthy ageing and the role pharmaceutical sciences play in it, which she gained an insight into during her undergraduate degree in Pharmacy and her masters degree. She has previous experience on multidisciplinary research, having explored inequalities in pharmaceutical services in the Spanish NHS and developed a universal matrix for the assessment of glucometers.

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.

My research primarily focuses on the development of a potential diagnostic method to identify Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (PAE); this can be used to aid the diagnosis of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) from an early age. individuals with FASD can therefore receive early and effective developmental, psychological, medical and possibly pharmaceutical treatment, prevent secondary defects and experience a significant improvement in quality of life. 

My aim is to establish a range of activity for urinary aminopeptidases (IRAP, ApA, ApB and ApN) in healthy adults, whilst taking into account various confounding factors, and healthy and FASD children. This range of activity of urinary aminopeptidases has the potential to act as a biomarker in identifying PAE.

I have also been investigating the effects of alcohol exposure on aminopeptidases, especially IRAP, in in vivo and in vitro models. IRAP has a role in learning and memory, which makes it an enzyme of interest in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative conditions. The current part of my research involves investigating the effects of alcohol exposure in vitro and PAE in vivo to study physical changes to various organs, as well as changes to the activity of IRAP and other aminopeptidases.