Biomedical Sciences Research

hopkins Biomedical science is presently at an extremely exciting stage, driven by technological advances that allow us to conduct experiments that would have been unthinkable only a few years ago. Staff from the Biomedical Sciences section conduct work that maintains the University of Reading at the forefront of research developments. With more than 25 members of academic staff, the research interests within the Biomedical Sciences section are diverse and encompass the whole range of the biomedical sciences. The main research themes of the Biomedical Sciences section are:

Mammalian physiology, health and disease

Our research interests range from protein structure to cell biology and to whole mammal physiology. They include developmental and reproductive biology, endocrinology and bioinformatics and systems biology. Our research covers diseases such as cancer, muscle disease, cardiovascular disease and infectious diseases.

Microbial genetics, structure and function

Research interests within this theme include the structure and function of viruses and viral proteins and many aspects of bacterial biology including host-pathogen interactions, iron homeostasis and protein secretion. Our research covers a wide range of pathogens including bacteria such as E.coli, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Pseudomanas and Yersinia pestis as well as viruses such as retroviruses, hepaciviruses, coronaviruses and tick-borne flaviviruses.

Further information about the research interests of individual staff members can be found in the table below.

Staff		Research Interests
Professor Simon Andrews		Molecular Bacteriology, Iron regulation and virulence, Functional genomics in E.Coli
Dr Andrew Bicknell		Endocrinology, Adrenal gland, Pituitary, Stress axis
Dr Sam Boateng		Cardiovascular research, Myocyte mechanosensing, Circadian proteins
Professor Gavin Brooks		Cardiovascular research, Myocardial regeneration
Dr Simon Clarke		Molecular Bacteriology, Host-pathogen interactions, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes
Professor Angela Clerk		Cardiovascular research
Dr Philip Dash		Cell signalling, Cell Migration, Nitric oxide, Apoptosis
Dr Philippa Darbre		Breast cancer, Environmental oestrogens
Dr Michael Fry		Cell signalling, PI-3 kinase signalling, Proteomics & kinase signalling, GSK-3 & Wnt signalling in platelets
Professor Jon Gibbins		Cardiovascular research, Cell Biology, Platelets Haemostasis, Thrombosis
Dr Tamara Gritsun		Molecular virology, Molecular pathogenesis and evolution, Mechanisms of virus replication
		Structural biology, Bioinformatics
Dr Rob Jackson		Molecular Microbiology, Plant Pathology, Pseudomonas biology
Professor Ian Jones		Molecular Virology, Retroviruses, Hepaciviruses, Baculoviruses
Professor Phil Knight		Reproductive biology, Endocrinology, Ovarian follicular development, Ovulation, Early embryo development
Dr David Leake		Cardiovascular research, Atherosclerosis, Oxidised Low Density Lipoprotein
Dr Sheila MacIntyre		Molecular Bacteriology, Protein secretion, Pili assembly, Fish pathogens
Dr Liam McGuffin		Protein structure, Bioinformatics, Prediction of protein folding
Dr Ben Neuman		Molecular virology, Coronavirus and arenavirus infection, Viral assembly
Professor Ketan Patel		Developmental Biology, Skeletal muscle development Adult skeletal muscle function, Embryonic skeletal muscle growth
Dr Marcus Tindall		Systems biology, Mathematical modelling
Professor Peter Sugden		Cardiovascular research
Dr Kim Watson		Protein structure & function, protein-protein & protein-ligand interactions, X-ray crystallography, Circular Dichroism, Computational biology