Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Science (IBBS)

Major Research grants

Externally funded research grants of over £10m have been awarded to researchers in the Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Science in recent years, as listed below.

2013

  • Targeted cell-specific deletion of Kir4.1 channels to determine their function in oligodendrocytes, £485,000 to Prof. Arthur Butt (BBSRC) 2013-2016
  • Investigating Metabolite-Rnase Communication, £337,000 to Dr Anastasia Callaghan (BBSRC) 2013-2016
  • Reducing inflammation in cystic fibrosis lung disease by targeting expression of CFTR in the endothelium with a coppery-tobramycin complex, £337,000 to Dr. Jan Shute (Dunhill Medical Trust) 2013-2014
  • Linker Histones and the Structure of the Chromatosome, £73,000 to Prof. Colyn Crane-Robinson (Leverhulme Trust) 2013-2014
  • The role of mitochondrial mutations in Glioblastoma Multiforme, £90,000 to Prof. Geoff Pilkington (Headcase) 2013-2016

2012

  • PeReNE (Peptide Research Network of Excellence). £423,000 to Prof. Darek Gorecki (Interreg) 2012-2015
  • Biophysical and physiological characterisation of potassium channels from pathogenic fungi. £392,000 to Dr Tony Lewis (BBSRC) 2012-2015
  • Application of a 3D "all human" blood-brain barrier model in evaluating nanoparticle-facilitated drug delivery system. £152,000 Prof. Geoff Pilkington (Dr Hadwen Trust for Human Research) 2012
  • Validation of TOK Potassium channels from phytophathogenic fungi as a promising new target for agricultural fungicides, £122,000 to Dr. Anthony Lewis (BBSRC/Syngenta) 2012-2016
  • Novel role of Gas6 as a positive regulator of myelination, £101,000 to Prof. Arthur Butt (MS Society) 2012
  • Combinatorial treatment with GSK3ß inhibitors and chondroitinase ABC to regulate glial scar formation and promote axon regeneration in spinal cord injury, £91,000 to Prof. Arthur Butt (International Spinal Research Trust) 2012-2015
  • Role of Gas6-Axl pathway in mitochondrially-mediated apoptosis/survival of glioma cells under hypoxic conditions, £90,000 to Prof. Geoff Pilkington (Headcase) 2012-2015
  • Evaluation of biological behaviour associated with specific genomic and preteomic signatures in paediatric medulloblastomas using novel 3D in vitro systems, £90,000 to Prof. Geoff Pilkington        (Charlie's Challenge/Ali's Dream/Brain Tumour Research) 2012-2015
  • Dissemination of differing genotypes of medulloblastoma from brain to spinal cord locations:  development and use of novel 3D in vitro systems. £90,000 to Prof. Geoff Pilkington (Charlie's Challenge/Ali's Dream/Brain Tumour Research) 2012
  • Reducing inflammation in cystic fibrosis lung disease by targeting expression of CFTR in the endothelium with a copper-tobramycin complex, £74,600 to Dr Jan Shute (Dunhill Medical Trust) 2012-2014

2011

  • The European Xenopus Resource Centre. £455,000 to Prof. Matt Guille and Dr Colin Sharpe (Wellcome Trust) 2011-2013
  • Developing a novel array technology, £152,000 to Dr Anastasia Callaghan (BBSRC) 2011 – 2012
  • Mechanisms of Metastsis to the brain, investigative application of multiple in vitro systems £151,000 to Prof. Geoff Pilkington (Lord Dowding Fund) 2011-2013
  • Laurence Berthod Industrial CASE partnership, £100,000 to Prof. Graham Mills (BBSRC/Astrazenica) 2011-2015
  • Chemical and Physical Compatibility of Continuous Intravenous Drug Infusion Combinations Used In Paediatric Intensive Care. £41,000 to Dr Marisa van der Merwe (PI) and Dr Karen Ball in collaboration with University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust  (Neonatal and Paediatric Pharmacy Group) 2011-2012

2010

  • Brain Tumour Research laboratory core funding, £514,000 to Prof. Geoff Pilkington (Ali's Dream/Charlies Challenge/ Brain Tumour Research) 2010-2013
  • DNA Distortion, Sequence Recognition and the Control of R-M Gene Expression. £445,000 to Prof Geoff Kneale and Dr John McGeehan (BBSRC) 2010-2013
  • Colon-specific Mucoadhesive Polymers as Therapeutic and Drug Delivery System, £217,000 to Dr John Tsibouklis (Novartis) 2010-2012
  • Innovative techniques and models to study Glia-Neuron interactions. £160,000 to Prof. Arthur Butt (EU, Marie Curie Scheme, EdU – GLIA) 2010-2013                        

2009 

  • Research Design Service South Central RDSSC. £916,000 to Prof. Tara Dean (Dept of Health National Institute of Health Research) 2009-2013
  • Critical role for the inwardly rectifying potassium channel Kir4.1 in astrocyte and oligodendrocyte functions. £346,000 to Prof. Arthur Butt (Medical Research Council) 2009-2012
  • An in-depth investigation of Food Hypersensitivity in older children. £334,000 to Dr Carina Venter and Prof. Tara Dean (National Institute of Health Research) 2009-2013
  • Molecular Machines that use structured DNA for directed movement. £309,000 to Dr Keith Firman and Dr James Youell (EPSRC via NanoSci-E+) 2009-2012
  • Molecular Biology of Brain Tumour Invasion: the role of CD155 and CD44. £60,000 to Prof Geoff Pilkington (Brains trust and Brain Tumour UK) 2009-2010
  • The Tensin phosphatase family: their biological functions and roles in human diseases. £42,000 to Dr Sassan Hafizi (Swedish Research Council) 2009-2010
  • VCSRNAHV – Investigating sRNAs as the master on/off switch of Vibrio Cholera virulence. £36,000 to Dr Helen Vincent (European Commission) 2009-2011

2008

  • Research Design Service South Central RDSSC, £916,000  to  Prof. Tara Dean (Dept of Health  National Institute of Health Research) 2009-2013
  • Nanoparticulate chemotherapeutic drug transporters for delivery across the blood brain barrier. £451,000 to Dr Eugen Barbu, Dr John Tsibouklis, Prof. Geoff Pilkington and Prof. Darek Gorecki. (BBSRC) 2008-2011
  • The European Stock Centre: a bioinformatically integrated molecular and animal resource, Prof E Jones. £348,000 to Prof. Matt Guille (Wellcome Trust) 2008-2011
  • The interplay of sRNAs, Hfq and RNase E in the control of gene expression. £340,000 to Dr Anastasia Callaghan (BBSRC) 2008-2011
  • Protein Structure Determination from Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy using Swarm Intelligence, £311,000 to Dr Andy Pickford (BBSRC) 2008-2011
  • Trans Channel Advanced Microscopy Network, £300,000 to Prof.  Gorecki/ D. Vaudry (Cellule Interreg IV – EU) 2008-2010
  • Development of a human 3D in vitro model of the blood-brain barrier. £51,000 to Prof. Geoff Pilkington (The Lord Dowding Fund) 2008 - 2009
  • Testing the UK Xenopus Research Colonies for the Chytrid Fungus (Bd),  £52,000 to Prof. Matt Guille (Wellcome trust) 2008
  • BBSRC Industrial CASE partnership Grant, £95,000 to Dr John Tsibouklis (BBSRC and GlaxoSmithKlein) 2008-2012

2007

  • Water Softeners for Atopic Eczema: Randomised controlled trial of ion-exchange water softeners for the treatment of atopic eczema in children. £981,000 to Dr H. Williams and Prof. Tara Dean (Department of Health). 2007-2009
  • Protein structure determination from nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy using swarm intelligence. £296,000 to Dr Andrew Pickford (BBSRC) 2007-2010
  • Structural biology of type 1 restriction-modification enzymes. £195,120 to Prof. Geoff Kneale (Wellcome Trust) 2007 – 2010
  • Cancer stem cells in paediatric brain tumours. £86,000 to Prof. Geoff Pilkington. (Ali’s Dream/Charlie’s Challenge) 2007-2010
  • GD3 in paediatric brain tumours. £82,000 to Prof. Geoff Pilkington, Prof Arthur Butt & Dr Darek Gorecki. (Ali’s Dream/Charlie’s Challenge) 2007-2010
  • Comparative Analysis of the initial nerve connections in the embryonic vertebrate brain,    £60,000 to Dr Frank Scubert (Anatomical Soc of GB & Ireland) 2007-2010
  • Computer imaging for identification of Xenopus. £59,000To Dr Matt Guille ( NC3R'S) 2007-2008

2006

  • A European Stock Centre for Xenopus. £1,472,000 to Dr Matt Guille (Wellcome Trust) 2006-2011
  • Structural analysis of the genetic switch controlling expression of the AhdI restriction-modification system. £485,000 to Prof. Geoff Kneale (BBSRC) 2006-2010
  • BioNano-Switch: A Biological Nanoactuator as a Molecular Switch for Biosensing. £278,000 to Dr. Keith Firman (European Commission) 2006-2009
  • Location of DNA target sites by proteins and nucleic acids. £209,000 to Dr Darren Gowers (BBSRC) 2006-2009
  • Function and expression of purinioceptors in white matter astrocytes in situ. £290,000 to Prof. Arthur Butt (BBSRC) 2006-2009
  • ParaShift. £86,000 to Prof. Martin Ford (BBSRC) 2006-2007
  • The influence of different dynamic cooling profiles on the regional and whole body perception of thermal comfort. £61,000 to Prof. M. Tipton (WL Gore) 2006-2009

2005

  • Deuteration Initiative for Biological Neutron Scattering and NMR. £800,000 to Prof. Geoff Kneale and UK collaborators. (EPSRC) 2005-2008
  • Development of a 3D “all human” in vitro model for the study of brain tumour invasion.  £211,000 to Prof. Geoff Pilkington (Dr Hadwen Trust ) 2005-2008
  • Development of a validated Quality of Life scale for children and young people with speech and language difficulties. £195,000 to Chris Markham and Prof. Tara Dean (Department of Health) 2005-2008
  • Fibroblast growth factor 2 receptor signalling mechanisms in Demyelination and remyelination. £81,043 to Prof. Arthur Butt (Multiple Sclerosis Society) 2005-2008
  • NG2 Ablation in monolayer and spheroid confrontation cultures of paediatric brain tumours: biological consequences and therapeutic possibilities. £75,000 to Prof. Geoff Pilkington (Ali's Dream) 2005-2008

Previous Grants