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INSTITUTE OF TRANSLATIONAL AND STRATIFIED MEDICINE (ITSMed) RESEARCH ANNUAL REPORT 2016

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Page 1: INSTITUTE OF TRANSLATIONAL AND STRATIFIED MEDICINE (ITSMed ...€¦ · Institute of Translational and Stratified Medicine (ITSMed), launched in January 2014. Our aim remains bringing

INSTITUTE OF TRANSLATIONAL AND STRATIFIED MEDICINE (ITSMed)RESEARCH ANNUAL REPORT 2016

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CONTENTS

3 Executive Summary4 ITSMed Overview5 Clinical Trials and Population

Studies7 Biomedical Research10 Grants and other Income12 Keynote Lectures13 Publications16 Staff17 Press Coverage

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This is the third annual report of our now well recognised Institute of Translational and Stratified Medicine (ITSMed), launched in January 2014. Our aim remains bringing together World-class research strengths in both basic laboratory and translational clinical science. ITSMed research has successfully focussed on three areas of strength: cancer; neurodegenerative diseases, and infection/immunity, with crosscutting expertise in diagnostics, health service research, and clinical trials. We provide a permissive environment for effective collaboration and trans-disciplinary links; locally, nationally and internationally to develop World-class translational research of clinical relevance.

We continue our strong research performance, also confirmed in the last REF. Accordingly, we have continued to attract leading international researchers to strengthen our offer e.g. Professors Matthias Futschik, Ji-Liang Li and Syed Hussein. This has been facilitated by our collaborative culture, attractive structure and World-class facilities. Our research has attracted two BMJ awards and has continued support from funders including the UK Research Councils, EU funding, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Cancer Research UK and significant support for a charity funded Centre of Excellence for Brain Tumours and support of the Alzheimer’s Research UK South West Network Centre.

We have the only UKCRC registered clinical trial unit in the South West. To develop our CTU further we initiated a successful external review helping to grow our CTU. Our health services research, that develops systems and personalised interventions, has received recognition from and significant funding through the NIHR including the Peninsula Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (PenCLAHRC). Correspondingly, our researchers continue to publish in the highest impact journals including Nature Communications, Lancet and Cochrane Systematic Reviews.

Hand in hand with the success of ITSMed is the fact that our research teams are well connected nationally and internationally via collaborations with other research Institutes, for example Cambridge Institute of Medical Research. An important development last year has been our new research links with China. We have reached four Memoranda of Understandings with Chinese Universities to foster exchange of scientists, PhD and Research Master students.

2017 will also see the opening of the Derriford Research Facility, our new landmark £17M biomedical research building, providing an additional 2,500 sqm of laboratory and office space next to Derriford Hospital (Plymouth

Hospitals NHS Trust) – one of Europe’s largest – which will greatly enhance these developments in clinical research.

As well as delivering World-class research, funded through large grants, ITSMed is investing in its ambition to proactively support and develop future researchers. We currently have 106 postgraduate students, including Masters students. We have well-established research skills development programmes and a mentorship scheme, in addition to developing medical research focused events with local schools and our highly successful Nobel Prize lecture series that brings students and researchers together. Our regular seminars included high profile guest speakers, for example, Professor William Gray, Cardiff, Professor Rolf Bjerkvig, Bergen Norway. Our researchers have also given presentations at many international meetings.

In addition, and with the help of our press office and public events, we have organised information days and laboratory tours with Cancer Research UK, Huntington’s and Parkinson’s Disease fund raising groups and the Brain Tumour Research charity to support public engagement.

I hope this annual report will show that in our third year we have continued to consolidate and develop our strong research position and that we are on a trajectory to become a leading institute for translational medicine. Again, I want to thank all of the Institute members for their hard work and commitment that has enabled us to continue this successful progress. Special thanks to Dr Tom Nicholson, Jo Smith and Sue Varley for their support in producing this annual report.

Professor C Oliver Hanemann ITSMED Director

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ITSMed OVERVIEWDirector: Professor Oliver Hanemann

ITSMed brings together our World-class research strengths in both basic and translational clinical science. It provides a very strong environment for effective collaboration and transdisciplinary links between clinical and non-clinical scientists through an integrative ‘bench to bedside and back’ research strategy and, if appropriate, for investigating public health approaches for supporting health improvement and prevention of disease.

ITSMed has two major research groups with combined facilities and resources that cluster researchers with recognised expertise to achieve critical mass in specific areas and to enable constructive overlap:

Clinical Trials and Population Studies

Lead: Professor Adrian Taylor

The Clinical Trials and Population Studies Group hosts large epidemiological studies and trials, health services research and a UKCRC registered Clinical Trials Unit. In addition, its Medical Statistics group supports many local and national research projects, including genomics and biomarker studies and clinical trials.

Biomedical Research

Lead: Professor Simon Jackson

The Biomedical Research Group includes basic and translational research in three themes: cancer, clinical neuroscience and infection, immunity and inflammation. The Systems Biology facility provides cutting-edge support for proteomic and genomic studies of disease.

ITSMed is managed by a ‘management board’ that is comprised of the Director (Prof Oliver Hanemann) supported by the Research Group Leads (Professor Simon Jackson and Professor Adrian Taylor), the Faculty’s Research & Innovation Business Partner (Dr Tom Nicholson) and the Faculty’s Business Improvement Manager (Helen Papworth).

The John Bull Building, Derriford

Clinical Neurosciences

Disease & Diagnostics

Clinical Trials

Public Health

Cancer

Infection, Immunity and Inflammation

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CLINICAL TRIALS AND POPULATION STUDIESLead: Professor Adrian Taylor

The Clinical Trials and Population Studies (CTPS) Group, led by Prof. Adrian Taylor, encompasses several research groups namely:• Primary Care and Health Services

Group• PenCLARHC• Clinical Neurology Group• Dental Health Research Group• Peninsula Clinical Trials Unit• Medical Statistics Group.

Primary Care & Health Service Groups and PenCLAHRC

Primary Care and Health Services Research, led by Prof Richard Byng, includes projects and staff associated with the NIHR Peninsula Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (PenCLAHRC), as well as other research (e.g. on designing and evaluating complex interventions particularly to improve mental health from children to the elderly, addressing health inequalities, epidemiological psychiatry, and integrated care). Richard is also Co-Director of PenCLAHRC.

We are looking at how clinical and public health practitioners and patients work together to produce personalised treatment plans based on psycho-social as well as biomedical perspectives. Some of the most significant research studies have focused on developing systems and personalised interventions (in-person or remotely through web-based support) to address the needs of offenders prior to prison release and in the community, people with depression and other chronic conditions (e.g. metabolic, musculo-skeletal and COPD) and health behaviour change support for inactive patients. In additional to PenCLAHRC funding, over £7m in NIHR, Medical Research Council, charities, and other funding for developing and evaluating local health care innovations, and conducting systematic reviews has been received in the past 5 years for programme grants and individual studies, including randomised controlled trials, and intervention development in the UK and overseas.

Staff in CTPS are developing strong methodological skills in conducting systematic and realist reviews of relevance to impacting on the effective and cost-effective delivery of health and social care. Competitive NIHR and other funding has been received to support this work. A further strength is in the design and evaluation of complex interventions. Following successful pilot work in Plymouth, going back to 2009, the NIHR (HTA) awarded a £1.8m grant for 44 months to determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a health trainer led intervention to help smokers who don’t wish to quit but do want support to reduce smoking, with physical activity. The study will recruit with the support of partners at the Universities of Oxford, Nottingham and St George’s London. The work fits well with other on-going studies to support those with complex needs, such as offenders in prison (NIHR funded ENGAGER study) and in the community (NIHR funded STRENGTHEN study), drawing a range of staff expertise in the CTPS group.

Global Health Research

The portfolio also includes global health research focused on developing and evaluating interventions to improve coronary obstructive pulmonary disease in developing nations in East Africa, South America, and Asia, led by Dr Rupert Jones and funded by the MRC and Horizon 2020. Prof John Pinkney leads a portfolio of work targeted at understanding the determinants, mechanisms and ways to target metabolic disorders, obesity and diabetes. The work includes the ongoing Early Bird cohort study with Jo Hosking, funded by Nestle, and designing and evaluating obesity services, and understanding acute admissions. Finally, PHNT consultants in Emergency Medicine, Jason Smith, Tim Nutbeam and Tony Kehoe, develop and evaluate interventions to improve patient care.

Dental Health Service Research

Dental Health Service researchers are based within the UKs only primary care dental school. Prof David Moles and Mona Nasser conduct research on health inequalities, and conduct high profile systematic reviews through the Cochrane Collaboration, and research priority setting methodology. Ongoing MRC and Wrigleys funded research seeks to optimize interventions to support young mothers to improve young children’s oral health, led by Prof Liz Kay, MBE.

Clinical Neurology Research

The Clinical Neurology research group have developed an international reputation over the past 10 years for conducting clinical trials (e.g. SWIMS and CUPID) with patients with conditions such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease and for Prof. Jeremy Hobart’s work on assessing patient reported outcomes. The work has been funded by the NIHR, charities (e.g. MS Society) and

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commercial organisations (e.g. JP Moulton Charitable Foundation for work led by Dr Camille Carrol). Further work with partners across the world involves assessment using patented mobile health innovations for neuro-degenerative diseases (including dementia) (e.g. ACEmobile) and for epilepsy risk detection (e.g. EpSMon) led by Dr Craig Newman. Craig Newman was awarded one of only six prestigious NHS Innovator Accelerator awards to help support his digital work and translation into the NHS.

Peninsula Clinical Trials Unit (PenCTU)

The PenCTU, accredited since 2008, and the only such National Institute of Health supported CTU in the South West, is directed by Dr Siobhan Creanor and includes clinical, methodological and trial management expertise. The team of 25 staff support research from the application to trial and database management and dissemination stages, locally, regionally and nationally. They have a broad portfolio of studies including pilot and feasibility studies, and full trials to investigate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of medicinal and complex interventions.

Medical Statistics

The Medical Statistics group provide strong statistical support across a wide range of research, from laboratory based studies to randomised trials. Dr Siobhan Creanor leads the group which works closely with the adjacent PenCTU, and collaborators across the UK. The group also

Professor Adrian Taylor

manage large databases such as the Down’s syndrome screening Quality Assurance Support Service (DQASS), supported by the National Screening Committee for Public Health England. This involves regular analysis and reporting of laboratory data from approximately 500,000 prenatal screening tests performed across the UK each year. Additionally, DQASS analyses and reports on ultrasound image measurements from approximately 2,750 sonographers currently reporting to DQASS.

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BIOMEDICAL RESEARCHLead: Professor Simon Jackson

Modern medicine faces many challenges including cardiovascular disorders, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and new infectious threats. Thus, the Biomedical Research Group, led by Professor Simon Jackson, comprises research focused on three major themes underpinned by state-of-the-art genomic and proteomic technologies, cell biology, experimental models, next generation sequencing and bioinformatics:

• Cancer

• Clinical Neuroscience

• Infection, Immunity andInflammation

In these research themes we have unique combinations of expertise and technologies that are developing critical mass and international recognition. Recent developments in the research areas include:

Cancer

We are developing impacts in key areas of cancer research focused on brain tumours, leukaemias, lymphomas and oral cancer. Our success in this area is highlighted by a significant award of the Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence for low grade brain tumours (Prof C Oliver Hanemann). An important focus in the development of new therapies lies at the interface between two of our research areas; cancer and immunology. Professor Ji-Liang-Li who joined us from Oxford University, is investigating the tumour microenvironment and translational cancer medicine aimed at developing novel therapeutic targets or biomarkers and the use of immunotherapy. Dr Amiya Patra, Vandervell Senior Research Fellow in Cancer immunity, is exploring the role of the immunity transcription factor NFAT in leukaemia. The elucidation of molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis allows direct translation into new therapies evaluated in clinical trials. For example, Professor Simon Rule has been awarded a significant grant by Cancer Research UK to lead a national research

study (ENRICH) to compare the efficacy and side effects of using a BTK (Bruton’s Tyrosine Kinase) inhibitor in a trial against standard chemotherapy in patients with mantle cell lymphoma. Dental interests in oral cancer are led by Dr Bing Hu and include early markers of initiation and biomarkers for metastasis. Further to grow solid cancer expertise we have recruited Dr Syed Hussein, an international expert in bladder cancer.

Clinical Neuroscience

Control of neuronal function is key to many of the most challenging diseases, including neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and dementia. These conditions remain poorly understood, hindering the development of new treatments. We use molecular and genetic approaches to identify neuropathologic pathways, novel disease markers and treatment targets. Dr Oleg Anichtchik is studying the process of alpha-synuclein aggregation in the development of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Moreover, collaborations between researchers in clinical neurology (Dr Camille Carroll) neurodegeneration (Dr Oleg Anichtchik) and inflammation (Professor Simon Jackson) are investigating novel associations between lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in the gut and Parkinson’s disease and dementia. Dr Shouqing Lou has been awarded funding by the MRC for his work on the role of autophagy and cell death in Huntington’s disease. Dr Elaine Green is using genome-wide association studies to identify genes linked with neurological and psychiatric disorders.

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Infection, Immunity and Inflammation

Our internationally recognised hepatology research group, led by Prof. Matthew Cramp, continues to expand and diversify its research portfolio across its 3 main areas of activity 1) hepatitis C virus infection and protection from infection, 2) non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and 3) alcohol related liver disease, and is now developing a 4th strand of research studying liver cancer development and its prevention. The research group, together with the wider clinical team of the South West Liver Unit, continue to be actively involved in many clinical trials and are major recruiters to a number of interventional studies including those for HCV infection, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis, and advanced decompensated liver disease. In HCV studies the treatment success rates continue to astound, and every single patient recruited by the group to a HCV treatment trial in 2016 achieved virological cure, despite many of them having advanced liver disease.

Development of antibiotic resistance and the emergence or re-emergence of virulent pathogens is a significant healthcare challenge. In collaboration with Public Health England, the NHS and international partners, we are developing new models of infection to produce diagnostic targets, antimicrobial therapies and novel vaccines. We have been awarded funds to take new antimicrobial peptides, discovered by our researchers (Dr Mathew Upton), into early phase clinical trials. Dr Michael Jarvis has been awarded funding by the MRC and Innovate UK for his work on developing herpes-based vaccines for infectious disease and cancer. Excessive inflammation and aberrant immune responses are a feature of many diseases and understanding how the immune response is triggered and controlled is an important area of our research. Research led by Professor Simon Jackson has identified lipid modifying enzymes that can modify proteins involved in the immune response to infection. Dr Gyuri Fejer with funding from Public Health England is utilizing novel non-transformed alveolar macrophage models to study respiratory viral and bacterial infections.

Experimental Models

A feature of our experimental medicine approach is the development of unique cell models to study and understand differences between health and disease to help drive new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. We have been supported by significant grant funding (including from BBSRC, NERC, NC3R, Hadwen Trust) for the development of experimental models that support the 3Rs agenda (replacement, refinement and reduction of animals in research), including cultures of patient cells to help develop personalised and stratified medicine approaches in brain tumours (Oliver Hanemann) and novel 3D cultures

and self-renewing macrophage lines for investigations in oral (Vehid Salih) and pulmonary (Gyorgy Fejer, Simon Jackson) disease and molecular biomarker identification. We have been funded by the NERC for the application of novel whole cell biosensors using respiratory epithelial cells and alveolar macrophages to study lung disease from bioaerosols and other air pollutants.

Impact

Our laboratory based research is being translated into new diagnostic and therapeutic applications aided by our facilities in genomics and proteomics. This has been strengthened by the appointment of a Chair in bioinformatics to Prof Matthias Futschik to enable analysis of high throughput data and Associate Professor in proteomics, Dr Ansgar Poetsch, who is researching targeted membrane proteomics. Professor Neil Avent has discovered novel markers of Downs syndrome in maternal blood for pre-natal diagnosis and is using next generation sequencing to validate panels of recombinant blood group antigens. Dr Michael Jarvis is developing novel vaccines using herpes viruses to combat infections with a zoonotic vector. Professor Simon Jackson is commercializing a novel assay for the rapid in-situ detection of faecal contamination of water that has received Innovate UK funding and is being licensed by a water testing company. In addition, Dr Michael Jarvis and Dr Mat Upton have both received funding from Innovate UK to support development and translation of novel vaccines and antibiotics respectively in this period

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Professor Simon Jackson

Future Developments

Translation of biomedical research relies on close collaborations with clinical colleagues and access to clinical material. The new Derriford biomedical research facility, built at the John Bull site adjacent to Derriford hospital, is due to open in the summer of 2017 and will accommodate all our biomedical researchers and our expanding systems biology technology in one location and facilitate significant future clinical research development. In addition, research is increasingly being developed across the boundaries of different scientific disciplines. We are actively engaged in multidisciplinary research applications and our biomedical researchers are developing collaborations with researchers in computing, mathematics, engineering, electrochemistry, environmental biology. In particular, we are applying our expertise to Global health challenges that have significant impact in low income countries. For this we are building research units spanning laboratory, clinical and educational research.

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ITSMed RESEARCH GRANTS AND OTHER INCOME2016 has built on the highly successful first period of research funding for ITSMed and has seen a consolidation of grant income as awards in the previous year are converted into productive research. The research output and funding are evidence of the investment made in our World-class researchers and facilities to support the Institutes’ aspirations and the continuing development of long term programmes of research and the added value of collaboration facilitated by the Institute.Research income continues to be generated from a wide variety of sources. ITSMed is grateful for the support of all its funders in helping to deliver World-class research.

ITSMed Research Income

Sources of ITSMed Funding

Other

Commercial

European

Charities

NIHR

Research Councils

NHS Trusts

Central Government

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2

3

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2012-14 2013-15 2014-16

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ITSMed RESEARCH AWARDS

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Examples of our awards

Principal Investigator Group Funder Income awarded

Title/Outline of project

Prof. Adrian Taylor CTPS NIHR (HTA) £1,818,015 Smoking Reduction Study - TARS

Dr Helen Lloyd CTPS SW AHSN £100,327 Integrated Personal Commissioning

Dr Michael Jarvis BRG Innovate UK £156,181 A Conditional System for Inexpensive Manufacture of Attenuated Vaccines

Dr Mona Nasser CTPS Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise

£94,166 Impact of a community and patient centred dental school on the existence and gradient of oral health inequalities in Devon and Cornwall

Dr Oleg Anichtchik BRG BRACE £85,863 Mechanisms of mitochondrial dynamics / dysfunction in the dementia with Lewy bodies

Siobhan Creanor CTPS Public Health England

£489,000 Down´s Syndrome Screening Quality Assurance Support Service (DQASS)

Dr Mat Upton BRG Innovate UK £83,839 Antibiotic resistance equipment grant

Dr Camille Carroll CTPS Cure Parkinsons Trust

£74,061 Simvastatin PD STAT (Cure Parkinson´s Trust)

Dr Helen Lloyd CTPS NHS England £99,997 Metrics for Person Centered Care

Dr Rupert Jones CTPS Horizon 2020 £73,606 Free Respiratory Evaluation and Smoke-exposure reduction by primary Health cAre Integrated gRoups (FRESH AIR)

PenCTU CTPS Various, inc. NIHR £1,556,294 Conducting clinical trials, including supporting NIHR fellowships

Dr William Lee CTPS Health Education England

£71,449 Third Annual Survey of Liaison Psychiatry in England year 3

Prof. Liz Kay CTPS Wrigleys £70,106 A study investigating the effectiveness of an intervention to prevent oral disease in a highly vulnerable child population

Dr Helen Lloyd CTPS SW AHSN £70,000 The Somerset Practice Quality Scheme 2 (SPQS2)

Dr Tom Thompson CTPS NIHR (RfPB) £151,115 Physical activity for alcohol and substance use disorders: a systematic review and synthesis of evidence

Dr Sylwia Ammoun BRG Action Medical Research

£65,061 The role of endogenous retroviral proteins in the development of Merlin-deficient tumours and their potential as drug and immunotherapy targets

Prof. Jeremy Hobart CTPS Multiple Sclerosis Society

£62,500 SWIMS Integration with the UK MS Register

Dr Helen Lloyd CTPS SW AHSN £55,838 Person Centred Co-ordinated Care

Dr Michael Jarvis BRG MRC £178,597 Development and evaluation of vectored vaccines for HCV using an enhanced gene expression technology in a novel rodent hepacivirus model

Dr Xinzhong Li CTPS BRACE £52,120 Breath-based non-invasive diagnosis of Alzheimer´s disease: a pilot study

Prof. Richard Byng CTPS Torbay NHS FoundationTrust

£50,000 Evaluation of Integrated Care Organisation

Prof. Richard Byng & Dr Helen Lloyd

CTPS NIHR HSDR £168,161 From Programme Theory to Logic Models for Multi-specialty Community Providers: A Realist Evidence Synthesis

Dr Daniele Baiz BRG EU Marie Curie COFUND

£114,856 Cascade-Fellowship

Dr Helen Lloyd CTPS SW AHSN £37,700 Integrated Care Exeter - Phase 2

Medical Statistics CTPS Various, inc. NIHR £94,395 Statistical input into trials and other medical research

Dr Craig Newman CTPS NIHR £30,000 NHS Innovation Accelerator Fellowship - Epilepsy risk monitoring technology (EPSMON)

* Projected Funding level based on initial award funding may be subject to change based on progression of project

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Keynote Lectures

Speaker Speaker Title

February 2016 Dr Mariah LelosUniversity of Cardiff

Can human stem cell-derived dopamine neurons improve motor and non-motor dysfunctions in Parkinson’s disease?

February 2016 Dr Ashwin WoodhooCIC bioGUNE, Spain

Control of gene expression during Schwann cell development and pathology

March 2016 Dr Ragnhildur Thora KaradottirUniversity of Cambridge

Neuronal regulation of myelination and remyelination

April 2016 Dr Julia SinclairUniversity of Southampton

Getting to Grips with Alcohol: Moving from a Categorical to a Risk-based Approach

April 2016 Professor William (Liam) GrayCardiff University

Fitting and forgetting in the inflamed brain: A regenerative medicine approach to treating cognitive deficits in brain disease

April 2016 Professor Vladimir BuchmanCardiff University

FUSsion of physiological RNA granules and pathological aggregates

April 2016 Prof David Dockrell, University of Sheffield

Alveolar macrophages: sweeping up bacteria in the alveolar space

April 2016 Dr David Karlin, University of Marseille

How genes and proteins are born, live, and die - insights from viruses’

May 2016 Dr Aviva TolkovskyUniversity of Cambridge

Do new mechanisms of cell death explain cell loss in neurodegenerative disease?

May 2016 Dr Kelly BéruBé, Cardiff University Alternative models for lung research: stuck between a rat and a hard place

June 2016 Dr Sovan SarkarUniversity of Birmingham

Therapeutic modulation of autophagy in human diseases

October 2016 Professor Margaret Bassendine,Newcastle University

Hepatitis C – thinking outside of the box

October 2016 Dr. Mike Allen, Plymouth Marine Laboratories

Creating a network and going with the flow

November 2016 Professor Christa BoerVUMC, Amsterdam

Anaemia, Haemodilution and the Microcirculation

December 2016 Prof. Joanna Verran, Manchester Metropolitan University

Microbes, Monsters and Me

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PUBLICATIONSThese are some examples of recent publications by theme

• Cancer

• Cancer/Clinical Neuroscience

• Infection, Immunity and Inflammation

• Diagnostics

• Public Health – Dental Health Services Research

• Clinical Trials / Medical Statistics / Obesity & Diabetes

• Public Health – Primary Care / Emergency Medicine

Cancer

Motta LL, Ledaki I, Purshouse K, Haider S, De Bastiani MA, Baban D, Morotti M, Steers G, Wigfield S, Bridges E, Li JL, Knapp S, Ebner D, Klamt F, Harris AL, McIntyre A. The BET inhibitor JQ1 selectively impairs tumour response to hypoxia and downregulates CA9 and angiogenesis in triple negative breast cancer. Oncogene. 2017. 36:122–132

He B, Xiao YF, Tang B, Wu YY, Hu CJ, Xie R, Yang X, Yu ST, Dong H, Zhao XY, Li JL, Yang SM. hTERT mediates gastric cancer metastasis partially through the indirect targeting of ITGB1 by microRNA-29a. Scientific Reports. 2016. 6:21955

Dreyling M, Jurczak W, Jerkeman M, Silva RS, Rusconi C, Trneny M, Offner F, Caballero D, Joao C, Witzens-Harig M, Hess G, Bence-Bruckler I, Cho SG, Bothos J, Goldberg JD, Enny C, Traina S, Balasubramanian S, Bandyopadhyay N, Sun S, Vermeulen J, Rizo A, Rule S. Ibrutinib versus temsirolimus in patients with relapsed or refractory mantle-cell lymphoma: an international, randomised, open-label, phase 3 study. Lancet. 2016. 387(10020):770-8

Klein-Hessling S, Rudolf R, Muhammad K, Knobeloch KP, Maqbool MA, Cauchy P, Andrau JC, Avots A, Talora C, Ellenrieder V, Screpanti I, Serfling E, Patra AK. A threshold level of NFATc1 activity facilitates thymocyte differentiation and opposes notch-driven leukemia development. Nat Commun. 2016. 7:11841

Alrefai H, Muhammad K, Rudolf R, Pham DA, Klein-Hessling S, Patra AK, Avots A, Bukur V, Sahin U, Tenzer S, Goebeler M, Kerstan A, Serfling E. NFATc1 supports imiquimod-induced skin inflammation by suppressing IL-10 synthesis in B cells. Nat Commun. 2016. 7:11724

Cancer / Clinical Neuroscience

Schulz A, Büttner R, Hagel C, Baader SL, Kluwe L, Salamon J, Mautner VF, Mindos T, Parkinson DB, Gehlhausen JR, Clapp DW, Morrison H. The importance of nerve microenvironment for schwannoma development. Acta Neuropathologica. 2016. 132(2):289-307

Hanemann CO, Blakeley JO, Nunes FP, Robertson K, Stemmer-Rachamimov A, Mautner V, Kurtz A, Ferguson M, Widemann BC, Evans DG, Ferner R, Carroll SL, Korf B, Wolkenstein P, Knight P, Plotkin SR. Current status and recommendations for biomarkers and biobanking in neurofibromatosis. Neurology. 2016. 87(1):S40-S4

Clinical Neuroscience

Ding R, Weynans K, Bossing T, Barros CS, Berger C. The Hippo signalling pathway maintains quiescence in Drosophila neural stem cells. Nat Commun. (2016) 29;7, 10510

Song J, Bergen SE, Di Florio A, Karlsson R, Charney A, Ruderfer DM, Stahl EA; Members of the International Cohort Collection for Bipolar Disorder (ICCBD)., Chambert KD, Moran JL, Gordon-Smith K, Forty L, Green EK, Jones I, Jones L, Scolnick EM, Sklar P, Smoller JW, Lichtenstein P, Hultman C, Craddock N, Landén M, Smoller JW, Perlis RH, Lee PH, Castro VM, Hoffnagle AG, Sklar P, Stahl EA, Purcell SM, Ruderfer DM, Charney AW, Roussos P, Michele Pato CP, Medeiros H, Sobel J, Craddock N, Jones I, Forty L, Florio AD, Green E, Jones L, Gordon-Smith K, Landen M, Hultman C, Jureus A, Bergen S, McCarroll S, Moran J, Smoller JW, Chambert K, Belliveau RA. Genome-wide association study identifies SESTD1 as a novel risk gene for lithium-responsive bipolar disorder. Molecular Psychiatry. 2016. 21:1290-1297

Green EK, Rees E, Walters JT, Smith KG, Forty L, Grozeva D, Moran JL, Sklar P, Ripke S, Chambert KD, Genovese G, McCarroll SA, Jones I, Jones L, Owen MJ, O’Donovan MC, Craddock N, Kirov G. Copy number variation in bipolar disorder. Molecular Psychiatry. 2016. 21:89-93

Button RW, Vincent JH, Strang CJ, Luo S. Dual PI-3 kinase/mTOR inhibition impairs autophagy flux and induces cell death independent of apoptosis and necroptosis. Oncotarget. 2016. 7(5):5157

Liu B, Bossing T. Single neuron transcriptomics identify SRSF/ SR protein B52 as a regulator of axon growth and Choline acetyltransferase synthesis. Scientific Reports. 2016. 6:34952

Baker K, Barrett L, Playford ED, Aspden T, Riazi A, Hobart J. Measuring arm function early after stroke: is the DASHgood enough? Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery &Psychiatry, 2016 87(6):604-10

Shankar R, Walker M, McLean B, Laugharne R, Ferrand F, Hanna J & Newman C. Steps to prevent SUDEP: the validity of risk factors in the SUDEP and seizure safety checklist: a case control study. Journal of Neurology. 2016. 263(9):1840-1846

Zeissler M-L, Eastwood J, McCorry K, Hanemann, CO, Zajicek JP, Carroll CB. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol protects against MPP+ toxicity in SH-SY5Y cells by restoring proteins involved in mitochondrial biogenesis. Oncotarget. 2016. 7(29):46603-46614

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Infection, Immunity and Inflammation

Felmlee DJ, Coilly A, Chung RT, Samuel D, Baumert TF. New perspectives for preventing hepatitis C virus liver graft infection. Lancet Infectious Diseases 2016. 16(6):735-745

Thabet K, Asimakopoulos A, Shojaei M, Romero-Gomez M, Mangia A, Irving WL, Berg T, Dore GJ, Grønbæk H, Sheridan D, Abate ML, Bugianesi E, Weltman M, Mollison L, Cheng W, Riordan S, Fischer J, Spengler U, Nattermann J, Wahid A, Rojas A, White R, Douglas MW, McLeod D, Powell E, Liddle C, van der Poorten D, George J, Eslam M. MBOAT7 rs641738 increases risk of liver inflammation and transition to fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C. Nat Commun. 2016. 7:12757

Halliwell S, Warn P, Sattar A, Derrick JP, Upton M. A single dose of epidermicin NI01 is sufficient to eradicate MRSA from the nares of cotton rats. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2017. 72(3):778-781

Marzi A, Murphy AA, Feldmann F, Parkins CJ, Haddock E, Hanley PW, Emery MJ, Engelmann F, Messaoudi I, Feldmann H, Jarvis MA. Cytomegalovirus-based vaccine expressing Ebola virus glycoprotein protects nonhuman primates from Ebola virus infection. Scientific Reports. 2016; 6:21674

Hicks J, Jackson SK, Aylott J, Silman N, Rawson F. Electrochemical communication with the inside of cells using micro-patterned vertical carbon nanofibre electrodes. Scientific Reports. 2016. 6:37672

Hulsart-Billström G, Dawson JI, Hofmann S, Müller R, Stoddart MJ, Alini M, Redl H, El Haj A, Brown R, Salih V, Hilborn J, Larsson S, Oreffo RO. A surprisingly poor correlation between in vitro and in vivo testing of biomaterials for bone regeneration: results of a multicentre analysis. Eur Cell Mater. 2016. 31:312-322

Diagnostics

Lasonder E, Rijpma SR, van Schaijk BC, Hoeijmakers WA, Kensche PR, Gresnigt MS, Italiaander A, Vos MW, Woestenenk R, Bousema T, Mair GR, Khan SM, Janse CJ, Bártfai R, Sauerwein RW. Integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of P. falciparum gametocytes: molecular insight into sex-specific processes and translational repression. Nucleic Acids Res. 2016. 44(13):6087-101

Suárez-Cortés P, Sharma V, Bertuccini L, Costa G, Bannerman NL, Rosa Sannella A, Williamson K, Klemba M, Levashina EA, Lasonder E, Alano P. Comparative Proteomics and Functional Analysis Reveal a Role of Plasmodium falciparum Osmiophilic Bodies in Malaria Parasite Transmission. Molecular and Cellular Proteomics. 2016. 15(10):3243-3255

Public Health – Dental Health Services Research

Agnihotry A, Fedorowicz Z, Nasser M. Adhesively bonded versus non-bonded amalgam restorations for dental caries. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016. 3:CD007517

Ashley PF, Parekh S, Moles DR, Anand P, MacDonald LCI. Preoperative analgesics for additional pain relief in children and adolescents having dental treatment. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016. 8:CD008392

de Silva AM, Hegde S, Akudo Nwagbara B, Calache H, Gussy MG, Nasser M, Morrice HR, Riggs E, Leong PM, Meyenn LK, Yousefi-Nooraie R. Community-based population-level interventions for promoting child oral health. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016. 9:CD00983

Kay EJ, Vascott D, Hocking A, Nield H. Motivational interviewing in general dental practice: A review of the evidence. Br Dent J. 2016. 221(12):785-791

Moher D, Glasziou P, Chalmers I, Nasser M, Bossuyt PM, Korevaar DA, Graham ID, Ravaud P, Boutron I. Increasing value and reducing waste in biomedical research: who’s listening? Lancet. 2016. 387(10027):1573-86

Clinical Trials / Medical Statistics / Obesity & Diabetes

Fox EE, Hough AD, Creanor S, Gear M & Freeman JA. Effects of Pilates-Based Core Stability Training in Ambulant People With Multiple Sclerosis: Multicenter, Assessor-Blinded, Randomized Controlled Trial. Physical Therapy. 2016. 96(8):1170-8

Mostazir M, Jeffery A, Hosking J, Metcalf B, Voss L, Wilkin T. Evidence for energy conservation during pubertal growth. A 10-year longitudinal study (EarlyBird 71). Int J Obes (Lond).2016. 40(11):1619-1626

Enki DG, Garthwaite PH, Farrington CP, Noufaily A, Andrews NJ, Charlett A. Comparison of statistical algorithms for the detection of infectious disease outbreaks in large multiple surveillance systems. PLoS ONE 2016, 11(8): e0160759

Freeman JA, Hendrie W, Creanor S, Jarrett L, Barton A, Green C, Marsden J, Rogers E, Zajicek J. Standing up in multiple sclerosis (SUMS): protocol for a multi-centre randomised controlled trial evaluating the clinical and cost effectiveness of a home-based self-management standing frame programme in people with progressive multiple sclerosis. BMC Neurol. 2016 May 5;16:62.

Creanor S, Lloyd J, Hillsdon M, Dean S, Green C, Taylor RS, Ryan E, Wyatt K; HeLP Trial Management Group. Detailed statistical analysis plan for a cluster randomised controlled trial of the Healthy Lifestyles Programme (HeLP), a novel school-based intervention to prevent obesity in school children. Trials. 2016 Dec 15;17(1):599.

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Public Health – Primary Care / Emergency Medicine

Gruffydd-Jones K, Brusselle G, Jones R, Miravitlles M, Baldwin M, Stewart R, Rigazio A, Davis E, Keininger DL, Price D. Changes in initial COPD treatment choice over time andfactors influencing prescribing decisions in UK primarycare: in UK primary care: a real-world, retrospective,observational. Primary Care Respiratory Medicine. 2016.26:16002-16002

Haasova M, Warren FC, Thompson T, Ussher M, Taylor AH. The association between habitual physical activity and cigarette cravings, and influence of smokers’ characteristics in disadvantaged smokers not ready to quit. Psychopharmacology 2016. 233(14):2765-2774

Heslin M, Callaghan L, Barrett B, Lea S, Eick S, Morgan J, Bolt M, Thornicroft G, Rose D, Healey A, Patel A. Costs of police service and mental health care pathways experienced by individuals with enduring health needs. British J of Psychiatry. 2016. 210(2):157-164

Husk K, Lovell R, Cooper C, Garside R. Participation in environmental enhancement/conservation activities for human health and well-being in adults: a review of quantitative and qualitative evidence. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016 21(5):CD010351

Jones RC, Price D, Chavannes NH, Lee AJ, Hyland ME, Ställberg B, Lisspers K, Sundh J, van der Molen T, Tsiligianni I. Multi-component assessment of chronic obstructivepulmonary disease: an evaluation of the ADO and DOSEindices and the global obstructive lung disease categoriesin international primary care data sets. Primary CareRespiratory Medicine. 2016. 26:16010

Thompson TP, Greaves CJ, Ayres R, Aveyard P, Warren FC, Byng R, Taylor RS, Campbell JL, Ussher M, Green C. An Exploratory Analysis of the Smoking and Physical Activity Outcomes From a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of an Exercise Assisted Reduction to Stop Smoking Intervention in Disadvantaged Groups. Nicotine & Tobacco Research. 2016. 18(3):289-297

Thompson TP, Greaves CJ, Ayres R, Aveyard P, Warren FC, Byng R, Taylor RS, Campbell JL, Ussher M, Michie S. Factors associated with study attrition in a pilot randomised controlled trial to explore the role of exercise-assisted reduction to stop (EARS) smoking in disadvantaged groups. Trials. 2016. 17(1):524

Pinkney J, Rance S, Benger J, Brant H, Joel-Edgar S, Swancutt D, Westlake D, Pearson M, Thomas D, Holme I, Endacott R, Anderson R, Allen M, Purdy S, Campbell J, Sheaff R, Byng R. How can frontline expertise and new models of care best contribute to safely reducing avoidable acute admissions? A mixed-methods study of four acute hospitals. NIHR Journals Library; Health Services Research & Delivery. 2016. 4(3)

Sharpe, R, Bearman, N, Thornton, C, Husk, K, and Osborne, N. (2015). ‘Indoor fungal diversity and asthma: a meta-analysis and systematic review of risk factors.’ Journal ofAllergy and Clinical Immunology, 135, (1), 110-122.

Shankar, S, Walker, M, McLean, B, Laugharne, R, Fucundo, F, Hanna, J & Newman, CGJ (2016) Is SUDEP risk modifiable and preventable? The validity of risk factors in the SUDEP and Seizure Safety Checklist: a case control study. Journal of Neurology, Sep;263(9):1840-6.

Heslin, M, Callaghan, L, Packwood, M., Badu, V., & Byford, S. Decision analytic model exploring the cost and cost-offset implications of street triage. BMJ Open, 2016 Feb11;6(2):e00967

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16Staff

Staff Member Research Area ContactProfessor C Oliver Hanemann Brain tumour research [email protected]

Professor Simon Jackson Endotoxin and immunity research [email protected]

Professor Adrian Taylor Health and behaviour change [email protected]

Professor Neil Avent Blood diagnostics [email protected]

Professor Richard Byng Mental health in disadvantaged communities [email protected]

Professor Matthew Cramp Hepatology [email protected]

Professor Robert Fern Stroke [email protected]

Professor Matthias Futschik Bioinformatics / systems biology [email protected]

Professor Jeremy Hobart Multiple sclerosis / patient outcome scales [email protected]

Professor Liz Kay Public oral health [email protected]

Professor Ji-Liang Li Cancer immunology [email protected]

Professor David Moles Dental health services research [email protected]

Professor David Parkinson Peripheral nerve research [email protected]

Professor Jonathan Pinkney Obesity & diabetes [email protected]

Professor Simon Rule Blood cancer [email protected]

Professor Christopher Tredwin Nanomaterials / restorative dentistry [email protected]

Dr Charles Affourtit Mitochondrial biology [email protected]

Dr Oleg Anichtchik Neurodegeneration research [email protected]

Dr Claudia Barros Neural stem cells [email protected]

Dr Louise Belfield Oral microbiology and cell biology [email protected]

Dr Robert Belshaw Retroviruses [email protected]

Dr Camille Carroll Parkinson’s disease [email protected]

Mrs Siobhan Creanor Clinical trials & medical statistics [email protected]

Dr Ashwin Dhanda Hepatology [email protected]

Dr Gyorgy Fejer Macrophages [email protected]

Dr Dan Felmlee Hepatology [email protected]

Dr Elaine Green Psychiatry / genetics [email protected]

Dr Bing Hu Oral / skin cancer [email protected]

Dr Claire Hutchinson Blood cancer [email protected]

Dr Michael Jarvis Vaccines [email protected]

Dr Rupert Jones Respiratory health [email protected]

Dr Edwin Lasonder Proteomics research [email protected]

Dr Xinzhong Li Bioinformatics [email protected]

Dr Helen Lloyd Person centred co-ordinated care (PCCC) [email protected]

Dr Shouqing Luo Huntington’s disease [email protected]

Dr Val Mann Bone health & biology [email protected]

Dr Mona Nasser Evidence based dentistry [email protected]

Dr Craig Newman eHealth / cognitive assessment [email protected]

Dr Amiya Patra Hematopoiesis and immune cell cancer [email protected]

Dr Ansgar Poetsch Proteomics research [email protected]

Dr Carl Roobottom Radiology / Cardiac CT [email protected]

Dr Vehid Salih 3D tissue engineering & biocompatibility [email protected]

Dr David Sheridan Hepatology [email protected]

Dr Tom Thompson Physical activity - alcohol / substance use [email protected]

Dr Mathew Upton Antibiotic resistant pathogens [email protected]

Dr Philip Warburton Bacterial pathogens [email protected]

Dr Svetislav Zaric Periodontal research [email protected]

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PRESS COVERAGECoverage of ITSMed Research in local and national newspapers, television, radio, journals and research magazines.

Cholesterol-lowering drug Simvastatin trialled as a potential neuroprotective treatment for Parkinson’s. Country-wide trial to get underway - led by Plymouth Dr Camille Carroll

A clinical trial using cholesterol-lowering treatment Simvastatin in people living with Parkinson’s is getting underway in centres across the country – with the hope that it could become one of a number of effective treatments available to treat Parkinson’s. The double-blinded placebo controlled study will involve 198 people with Parkinson’s and seeks people who have been living with Parkinson’s and who are not already taking a statin. It will take place in 21 centres in the UK including Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust.

Hospital, will allow greater collaboration with our clinical colleagues and their research projects.

Study assesses how avoidable acute admissions in hospitals could be avoided

Innovative approaches to reducing avoidable acute admissions to hospital (the 3A study) Professor Jonathan Pinkney / Professor Richard Byng

A study investigating how hospitals try to avoid unnecessary emergency admissions has identified a series of innovations that can help to address this pressing problem in different ways. Between 1998 and 2013 emergency admission to UK hospitals rose in number by 47 per cent. In recent months, an increasing number of hospitals have been put on black alert as pressures from emergency admissions have serious repercussions for bed occupancy and planned (elective) treatments.

£100,000 legacy to support research into brain tumours

Professor Oliver Hanemann

A Penzance man who was a champion for better health care in Cornwall, has left a legacy of £100,000 in his will to support world-leading research into brain tumours at Plymouth University. His bequest came during national Brain Tumour Awareness Month.

Plymouth University plays a role in two BMJ Awards winners

Dr Craig Newman

Two winning projects from this year’s national BMJ Awards have included important input from PUPSMD. Winner of the Neurology Team Award was a project entitled enhanced safety in epilepsy that recognises a comprehensive and innovative approach to reduce sudden death in epilepsy. The second award was the Anaesthesia Team Award which was won by the South West Anaesthesia Research Matrix (SWARM). SWARM is a trainee-led audit and research collaboration between six NHS organisations in the region.

Down’s syndrome Screening Quality Assurance Support Service contract renewed with Plymouth University

Siobhan Creanor / Medical Statistics team

Public Health England (PHE) has renewed its contract with PUPSMD to provide the Down’s syndrome screening Quality Assurance Support Service (DQASS) for its Down’s, Edwards’ and Patau’s syndromes antenatal screening programme in England. The service has been run by staff in the Medical Statistics group at PUPSMD since its inception in 2006.

Funding for PhD post in dementia with Lewy bodies research

Dr Oleg Anichtchik

Research investigating a potential therapy for dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), the second-most prevalent form of dementia, has received a boost with funding from dementia research charity BRACE. The funding for a PhD post will support ongoing research into DLB, which is caused by tiny deposits of a protein called alpha-synuclein in nerve cells.

New review investigates the health benefit of contact with the natural environment

Dr Kerryn Husk

A team of Cochrane authors based in the UK and led by an academic from PUPSMD, has carried out a review investigating the health benefit of contact with the natural environment. The team found that, while the majority of quantitative studies reported no effect on health and well-being, there was limited evidence to suggest positive effects on self-reported health, quality of life and physical activity levels. Small numbers of participants reported increased mental fatigue and greater feelings of anxiety.

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SUDEP Action and partners win HSJ Patient Safety Award for Education and Training in Patient Safety

Dr Craig Newman

SUDEP Action and its partnership of researchers, doctors and bereaved families have won the prestigious Health Service Journal (HSJ) Patient Safety Award for Education and Training in Patient Safety award. The team developed the Epilepsy Self-Monitoring app EpSMon, and SUDEP and Seizure Safety Checklist, both of which have been hailed as innovative approaches to reduce sudden death in people with epilepsy.

Launch of first free and comprehensive web based data resource of measures for person centred care

Dr Helen Lloyd

The first free and openly-available comprehensive data resource for international measures relating to patient experience and person centred care has been launched, providing a ‘one-stop’ website for commissioners, health managers, researchers and others. Measures for Person Centred Coordinated Care has been compiled by researchers from PUPSMD.

Could physical activity be good for alcohol and substance use disorders?

Dr Tom Thompson

A team of researchers from PUPSMD and Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, has received funding of £154,000 from the NIHR Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) programme, to carry out a systematic review of research to see if and how physical activity and exercise could help those with alcohol and substance use disorders.

Study will test a new method involving physical activity and smoking reduction support for smokers who don’t wish to quit

Professor Adrian Taylor

Researchers from PUPSMD will lead a national study with £1.8 million of funding from the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme (NIHR HTA) to test the effectiveness of new support to help smokers who want to reduce but not quit.

Breath test may lead to earlier diagnoses of Alzheimer’s disease

Dr Xinzhong Li

A team of researchers from Plymouth University has received funding from BRACE, a charity which supports research into Alzheimer’s disease, to investigate the effectiveness of a breath test as the means to achieve earlier diagnoses of the condition – even before the appearance of symptoms.

Plymouth lung expert plays role in Ugandan lung institute

Dr Rupert Jones

Dr Rupert Jones, a Plymouth GP and Senior Clinical Research Fellow at PUPSMD, is playing a role in the establishment of the Makerere University Lung Institute in Uganda. Chronic lung disease has a negative impact on African economies through lost productivity and disability, and through additional pressure on already stretched health services. The Institute aims to address this issue by integrating disease prevention, clinical care and training to combat lung disease in Uganda and across sub-Saharan Africa.

Grant for nerve tumour research

Dr Sylwia Ammoun

Dr Sylwia Ammoun, Senior Research Fellow at PUPSMD, has been awarded a grant in excess of £65,000 by children’s charity Action Medical Research, to investigate new drug treatments for neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) – and the secret may lie in sequences of DNA from viruses that are millions of years old.

Epilepsy self-monitoring app joins the NHS Innovation Accelerator programme

Dr Craig Newman

An app designed and developed in the South West and which is benefiting the lives of thousands of people with epilepsy, EpSMon, is one of eight innovations to join the NHS Innovation Accelerator programme in its second year.

Chewing sugar free gum could save the NHS £8.2 million a year

Professor Liz Kay

The NHS could save £8.2 million a year on dental treatments – the equivalent to 364,000 dental check-ups - if all 12-year-olds across the UK chewed sugar free gum after eating ordrinking, thanks to the role it plays in helping to preventtooth decay. So says a study involving researchers fromPUPSMD published in the British Dental Journal.

Funding grant for potential ‘over-the-counter’ saliva test for gum disease

Dr Svetislav Zaric

A research study at PUPSMD which aims to develop a simple saliva test for gum disease (periodontitis), has received a grant award from the Oral and Dental Research Trust.

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Plymouth dentistry academic contributes to new NICE guideline on care home oral care

Professor Liz Kay

Professor Liz Kay, Foundation Dean of the Peninsula Dental School at Plymouth University, is a member of the guideline development group which has created a new NICE guideline for improved oral health in care homes.

Specialist NICE appointment for Plymouth University dentistry academic

Professor Liz Kay

Professor Liz Kay has been appointed a specialist committee member on the oral health promotion in care homes and hospitals Quality Standards Advisory Committee at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

The appointment comes after Liz was a member of the guideline development group which created a new NICE guideline for improved oral health in care homes. The guideline – “Oral health for adults in care homes” – includes recommendations for those who have responsibility for the health of care home residents. It calls for training for care staff and access to dental services when needed.

New study highlights effectiveness of a herpesvirus cytomegalovirus-based vaccine against Ebola virus

This study represents a crucial step in the translation of herpesvirus-based Ebola virus vaccines into humans and other great apes

Dr Michael Jarvis

Researchers at Plymouth University, National Institutes of Health and University of California, Riverside, have shown the ability of a vaccine vector based on a common herpesvirus to provide protection against Ebola virus in the experimental rhesus macaque, non-human primate (NHP) model. Demonstration of protection in the NHP model is regarded as a critical step before translation of Ebola virus vaccines into humans and other great apes. The study is published in the online journal from Nature publishing, Scientific Reports.

Plymouth research collaboration uses animal alternative to assess infection and antibiotic resistance

Antibody induction breakthrough lights the way for vaccines against a range of diseases, including HIV and Ebola virus.

Dr Mat Upton / Dr Vehid Salih

Dr Mathew Upton, who specialises in the development and assessment of new antibiotics and antimicrobials, is using 3D tissue engineering created by a colleague to replace the need for the use of animals. Dr. Vehid Salih has developed

3D cultures for the creation of ‘artificial’ tissues which mimic living cells and which can be created over and over again for use in a wide range of research. Dr. Mathew Upton is using cells created by Dr. Vehid Salih to assess the role of antimicrobial peptides (amino acids linked in a chain) in regulating the immune system.

Serendipity and science ‘crack’ the low antibody problem for cytomegalovirus-based vaccines for the first time.

Dr Michael Jarvis

Ground breaking new vaccines using a common herpesvirus called cytomegalovirus (CMV) have been showing a remarkable ability against pathogens difficult to control by other vaccination methods. A recent study now shows that CMV-based vaccines can also be engineered to induce high levels of antibodies against the expressed pathogen protein. Scientists at Plymouth University, National Institutes of Health, and University of California (Riverside), show the ability of rhesus CMV expressing the Ebola virus glycoprotein (GP) to induce high levels of antibodies and protection against Ebola virus in the experimental rhesus monkey model. It is believed that this breakthrough may also apply to CMV-based vaccines for other diseases.

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Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine & DentistryThe John Bull BuildingPlymouth Science ParkResearch WayPlymouthPL6 8BU

Email: [email protected]: 01752 437395Fax: 01752 517842Website: www.plymouth.ac.uk/peninsula