The centre's basic science research laboratories are part of the Centre Translational Medicine and Therapeutics of the William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry.(http://www.whri.qmul.ac.uk/research/Translational%20Medicine.html)
UK's first Diabetic Kidney Centre is being established at the Royal London Hospital
The Academic Lead is Prof Yaqoob.
RESEARCH INTERESTS:
1. Studies of function of the heart and vasculature in chronic uraemia, employing appropriate animal models, together with use of isolated cells, vascular resistance myography, flow myography, measurements of cardiac bioenergetics using NMR spectroscopy and assessment of cytoskeletal proteins, cysteine proteases and function of individual myocardial and vascular cells employing edge-detection, video microscopy and Fura-2 and Indo-1 fluorescence.
2. Analysis of the role of L-arginine - nitric oxide pathway in the systemic effects of uraemia, employing both functional studies and endothelial cell cultures.
3. Investigation of factors mediating the impaired response to erythropoeitin (EPO) in inflammatory conditions, with particular emphasis on the role of cytokines, JAK/STAT and SOCs proteins.
4. Mechanisms of hyperglycaemia induced renal proximal tubular injury. Aim of this study is to identify the mediators of interstitial fibrosis in diabetic nephropathy using in-vitro techniques and in vivo models.
5. Effects of race, malnutrition and adequacy of dialysis on the quality of life, cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, renal osteodystrophy and erythropoeitin dosage in dialysis patients
6. Role of TGF-beta, ACE, AII receptor, IL-1, IFN alpha and IL-10 polymorphism in the causation and progression of diabetic nephropathy and cardiovascular diseases in renal failure and transplant patients.
7. L-arginine transport and nitric oxide production in the lymphocytes, platelets and erythrocytes of patients with end-stage renal disease and heart failure.
8. Mechanisms of protein induced renal proximal tubular injury. Aim of this study is to identify the mediators of proximal tubular transdifferentiation and interstitial fibrosis in proteinuric renal conditions using primary human and rat tubular cells in-vitro.
9. Development of new assays (ELISA, RIA, Calorimetric) to assess the activity of NOS, arginase, calpain, caspases, PARP, peroxynitrite, oxidative stress, erythropoietin, cytokines, nucleotides etc.
10. Genetic predisposition to primary and secondary renal diseases by studying polymorphisms in several candidate molecules.
11. Mechanisms of solvent induced renal damage: Role of free radicals
12. Mediators of myocardial and renal ischemia /reperfusion injury
13. Role of stem cells in ischaemia/reperfusion injury of the heart and kidneys
14. Mechanisms of uraemia induced insulin resistance
Research Staff.
4 postdoctoral scientist (non clinical)
5 PhD students (clinical fellows)
1 PhD student (non clinical fellow)
Research Funding.
Extramural educational grants in excess of 700,000 pound sterling per annum.
There is also a very active clinical research program in peritoneal dialysis and transplantation. |