The Diabetes, Metabolism and Inflammation (DMI) Group has recently been established in the School of Life Sciences and is housed within the Joseph Banks Laboratories at the University of Lincoln. Formation of the DMI Group reflects the strategic recruitment of a number of established research-intensive academics with complementary research interests in the areas outlined above, with all members of the Group being recruited to the University within the last 5 years.
The Group’s vision is to create a strong, dynamic and engaged research culture to carry out research that has the potential for real world impact at a local, national and international level. As the Group evolves and progresses it will look to increase its research through increasing national and international collaborative networks.
Members of the Group have established track records in the area of diabetes, both type 1 (Christie, Simmonds, Hills & Squires) and type 2 diabetes (Whitehead, Herbert, Squires & Hills), as well as diabetes complications (Hills & Squires) and metabolism and cardiovascular disease (Whitehead) and inflammation (Holden) as briefly outlined below.
Type 1 Diabetes
Simmonds - Investigating genetic predictors of long-term pancreas transplant function in pancreas transplant donor and recipients with the goal of (i) improving methods of donor organ selection, (ii) identifying those at risk of graft loss (with the aim of using therapeutic intervention to prevent graft loss), and (iii) discovering potential therapeutic pathways to extend pancreas transplant function.
Christie - Identifying and characterizing pancreatic β-cell targets of the autoimmune response in Type 1 diabetes, with the view of developing novel strategies to identify individuals at risk for disease, and to apply antigen specific immune intervention to prevent disease progression in high-risk subjects.
Type 1/2 Diabetes & Complications
Squires & Hills - are investigating the role of altered cell-cell communication in diabetic nephropathy, the leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in patients with diabetes. The ultimate aim is to identify potential therapeutic targets for the treatment and prevention of ESRD. This work is being expanded to other areas with similar pathophysiology (fibrosis and inflammation), namely islet/pancreatic β-cell biology as well as diabetic retinopathy.
Type 2 Diabetes & Other Obesity Related Diseases
Whitehead - Characterising molecular pathways that (i) underpin healthy adipose tissue (fat) expansion and function to identify novel therapeutic strategies to facilitate the generation of “fit fat”, and thereby reduce obesity-associated cardio metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and (ii) develop new strategies to improve cardio metabolic function via enhancing the adiponectin axis, a key anti-inflammatory axis.
Herbert - determining the molecular basis for the development of beta-cell dysfunction in type 2 diabetes in order to develop new rational strategies for the treatment and prevention of this disease. Current projects are focused on determining the molecular basis for the development of beta-cell dysfunction for drug target identification and subsequent validation.
Airway Inflammatory Disease (Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD))
Holden – Improving treatment of asthma and COPD (both increased in obesity - a recognised state of low grade, chronic inflammation) by defining the molecular mechanisms that promote resolution of inflammation, bronchoconstriction and airway remodeling.
The DMI Group enjoys strong links with the Lincoln Institute for Rural Health (LIRH), which provides additional opportunities to develop collaborative clinical and community based research, outreach and engagement.
Funding applications from members of the DMI Group typically address the following priorities of key funding organisations including:
The building features cutting-edge research and teaching facilities across four storeys, covering 6,000 square metres. It includes a specialist category 2 microbiology containment facility equipped with safety cabinets, fermentation rigs and high speed centrifuges, two imaging suites containing a range of instruments (X-ray diffractometers, NMR spectrometer, Raman spectrometer, mass spectrometer, scanning electron microscope and light, fluorescence and atomic force microscopes) for studying molecular and cellular structures, four self-contained tissue culture laboratories, a molecular biology laboratory with dedicated spaces or rooms for PCR, gel electrophoresis, gel imaging gene cloning, microbiology, a flow cytometry laboratory and specialist rooms containing centrifuges and freezers.
There is a controlled access suite for the extraction and processing of samples with low levels of nucleic acids that minimizes contamination. The building also houses seminar and tutorial rooms, as well as open plan social spaces to promote interactions between research groups in the facility.
| Name | Position/Research interests | |
|---|---|---|
| Prof. Paul E Squires |
Co-Lead / Professor in Biomedical Science |
|
| Prof. Jon Whitehead |
Co-Lead / Professor of Biomedical Biochemistry |
|
| Prof. Terry Herbert | Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences | |
| Dr Michael Christie | Associate Professor Pathophysiology of the pancreatic beta cell |
|
| Dr Claire E. Hills | Associate Professor / Programme Leader Diabetes and Endocrinology |
chills@lincoln.ac.uk 01522 88 6918 |
| Dr Matthew Simmonds | Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Science / Programme Leader Transplantation, Autoimmunity, Diabetes, Autoimmune Thyroid Disease & Genetics |
msimmonds@lincoln.ac.uk 01522 88 6896 |
| Dr Neil Holden | Senior Lecturer Airway Inflammatory Diseases (Asthma & COPD) and Virology |
nholden@lincoln.ac.uk 01522 88 6014 |
| Dr Forough Torabi Baghkomeh |
PDRA with Christie | ftorabi@lincoln.ac.uk |
| Dr Gareth Price | Research Fellow Diabetes, Renal Fibrosis, Intercellular Communication |
gprice@lincoln.ac.uk |
| Miss Choa Ping Ng | Research Assistant in Molecular Basis of Disease | cng@lincoln.ac.uk |
| Mr Joe Potter |
PhD Student |
jpotter@lincoln.ac.uk |
| Dr Claire Moore | Research Fellow with Herbert | cmoore@lincoln.ac.uk |
| Mr Rhys Wardman | PhD Student with Herbert & Whitehead | rwardman@lincoln.ac.uk |
| Ms Bethany Williams | PhD Student with Hills & Squires | bewilliams@lincoln.ac.uk |
| Mr Kristian Boasman | PhD Student | kboasman@lincoln.ac.uk |
| Ms Chelsy Cliff | PhD Student with Hills & Squires | CCliff@lincoln.ac.uk |
| Mr Ahmed Al-Bazaz | PhD Student with Herbert & Whitehead | aalbazaz@lincoln.ac.uk |
Associate Members
Previous Members
School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln. LN6 7TS
email: enquiries@lincoln.ac.uk
tel: + 44 (0)1522 886654
Projects:
Current funding:
Completed grants secured at Lincoln:
Completed grants secured elsewhere:
School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln. LN6 7TS
email: enquiries@lincoln.ac.uk
tel: + 44 (0)1522 886654
The group comprises a unique team of internationally-renowned researchers working at the forefront of, and interface between, animal behaviour, cognition, health, and welfare.
Group research follows a multi-disciplinary and highly collaborative approach to increase understanding of disease characteristically associated with ageing at the molecular level, to improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
The group aims to understand the evolution and ecology of populations, species and communities across all levels of biological organisation, from genes through to ecosystems.
The research group has a multi-disciplinary approach to answering fundamental questions relating to the characterisation, evaluation, and testing of microorganisms and viruses.