Biomedical research that benefits society
REF 2021 assessed 90% of our research as internationally excellent or world-leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour
At the Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences (IBBS), we discover, understand and develop knowledge of health and disease in order to achieve real-world impact.
Our culture is collaborative and our cross-disciplinary work aligns University's research themes of ‘Health and Wellbeing’ and ‘Future and Emerging Technologies’. Most importantly, it responds to the needs of society.
Through the discoveries we're making at IBBS, many in partnership with healthcare and industry, we're turning our research into real-world impact.
Research
Our research in the Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences covers the following research areas of expertise:
Microbiology
We're researching how microbes can cause infectious diseases and benefit human health, and tackling antibiotic resistance by identifying new molecules in pathogenic microbes.
Molecular mechanisms of diseases
We're exploring the molecules and molecular processes that cause diseases, and working to develop better treatments.
Neurobiology
We're looking at the architecture and function of the nervous system – and how it relates to development, normal health, and neurological disorders.
Biophysics and molecular genetics research group
The University of Portsmouth is studying biomolecules such as DNA, RNA and proteins to allow us to tackle issues such as disease, pollution and energy.
Research highlights
Our research highlights include how we're seeking to better understand the underlying mechanisms of heath and disease.
Healthcare research highlights
- An improved understanding of the human body in health and disease, informing research and clinical practice, drug discovery and providing the basis for research-informed teaching
- New drugs and new methods for delivering drugs more easily or more safely for improved treatment of common or impactful diseases, such as brain tumours or stroke
- New methods to diagnose disease towards cheap, accurate and non-invasive tools for healthcare practitioners
- Bioengineering solutions for improved integration of implants
- New methods to treat infection-causing pathogens for combating antimicrobial resistance
- Platforms to characterise the interactions of molecules relevant to drug screening
Research projects
Our work is making a difference. The following projects were ranked as internationally excellent or world-leading as Impact Case Studies for REF 2021, the UK Government's system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions.
- 3Rs for Xenopus - Sperm freezing to reduce the use of animals in research
- Modern Innovative Solutions Improving Outcomes in Asthma, Breathlessness and COPD
- Developing endoscopy methods and training to improve patient outcomes
The future impact of our research
In addition to the above projects that have well-developed impact, there are a large number of projects whose discoveries are currently being translated.
- A novel method for the screening and sensing of biomarkers and new drugs
- Biochips for disease diagnosis
- Can precise re-creations of disease gene variants be made in Xenopus that are useful to inform clinical interventions?
- Centre for Enzyme Innovation
- Development of Imaging Capability to Evaluate Abrasion, Biofilm and Stain Removal from Dentures
- Elucidating The Biological Role Of i-Motif DNA Structures In Vertebrate Genomes
- Engineering mesoscopic-deep Raman spectrometer for whole-organ depth-encoded chemical analysis
- Exploring the challenges facing Portsmouth residents: a community-based research study
- P2X7 Antagonists
- STOP COVID-19: Sequencing and Tracking Of Phylogeny in COVID-19
- Towards non-invasive localized thermal cancer therapy: Evaluating light to hear converting gold nano-assemblies
For more information about our work, contact Guy Hembury (guy.hembury@port.ac.uk), Deputy Director (Commercialisation and External Partnerships) in our Research and Innovation Services department.
Partnerships and funding
We have partnerships with organisations such as Brain Tumour Research, Mary Rose Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust.
We also have global partners including Nihon University in Japan and the Nencki Institute in Poland.
We work collaboratively to address needs in society – our partnership with Portsmouth Hospital NHS Trust has led to the education of clinicians, placements for our students, research papers and funding, and benefited the NHS, patients and the economy.
Between 2013 and 2020, we secured research income of £14.7 million, averaging around £2 million per year. Our funders include UK Research and Innovation (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC); Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC); Medical Research Council (MRC); Wellcome Trust), large charities (Brain Tumour Research; Leverhulme Trust; Rosetrees Trust) and industry.
Facilities
Spread across 3 sites, our extensive facilities and equipment are key to delivering collaborative and contract research with our partners spanning healthcare and industry, and academic researchers from across the globe.
We use biochemical, biophysical and molecular biological techniques to investigate both structural and functional aspects of macromolecular interactions.
We also have facilities for bacterial growth and protein purification, confocal microscopes, atomic force microscopes, and electron microscopes.
We have access to facilities for Synchrotron Radiation at the Diamond Light Source (Harwell) and ESRF (Grenoble), Neutron Scattering facilities at Institut Laue-Langevin (Grenoble) and protein expression facilities at OPPF (Harwell).
IBBS hosts a large glasshouse facility for teaching and research. The main facility has four areas within a single glasshouse, each independently controlled for temperature and day length, with one set to tropical conditions. Additionally two exterior glasshouses are available. Automatic watering, continual temperature logging, bench space and a large drying oven are also available.
Facilities include:
- X-ray Diffractometer with Cryojet (Oxford Diffraction / Agilent)
- Cartesian crystallisation robot
- 600MHz NMR spectrometer with cryo-probe (Varian / Agilent)
- Analytical Ultracentrifugation (Beckman XL-A)
- Surface Plasmon Resonance (BiaCoreT200)
- Circular Dichroism and Fluorescence Spectroscopy
- Laser Light Scattering (both DLS and MALLS)
- Calorimetry (ITC and DSC)
- Nanopore sequencing facility (MionION, GridION, PromethION)
- Bioinformatics high performance computing cluster
Equipment
We also have access to equipment and facilities for surface science, microscopy, pharmaceutics, pharmacology, and biomedical science.
- Buchii B-290 Spray Drier
- Tabletting Machine
- Particle Sizer
- Dynamic Vapour Sorption (DVS) Apparatus
- Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GCMS)
- High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
- Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS) / Atomic Emission Spectrometer (AES)
- Tissue Culturing
- Flow Cytometer
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectrometer
- Fourier-transform Infra-red (FTIR) Spectrometer (Research) / Raman Spectrometer
- Fourier-transform Infra-red (FTIR) Spectrometer (Teaching)
- Ultraviolet Spectrometer
- Contact Angle Goniometer
- Texture Analyser
- Digital Instruments/Veeco - MultiMode Nanoscope IV Atomic Force Microscope, encompassing TappingMode/Contact Mode; Force Spectroscopy, Chemical Force Microscopy (CFM), Magnetic Force Microscopy (MFM), Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy (STM).
- Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) Carl Zeiss LSM 710. Imager.Z2. Lasers: 405 nm, 453 nm, 458 nm, 488 nm, 514 nm, 633 nm.
- Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) Carl Zeiss LSM 510. AxioPlan 2 with AxioCam HRc camera. Lasers: 488 nm, 543 nm, 633 nm.
- Calcium Imaging Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy -Carl Zeiss Axioskop 2 with LSM 5 Pascal Exciter
- Live Cell Imaging -Carl Zeiss Axiovert 200M (inverted) with incubator (temp, humidity and CO2 control); brightfield, phase, DIC and fluorescence; optigrid; 5x - 100x objectives; Volocity 5.2 software (Improvision).
- Total Internal Reflectance Microscopy (TIRF) - Carl Zeiss Axiovert 200M (inverted) with laser (488 nm); brightfield, phase, DIC and fluorescence; microinjection; 5x - 100x objectives; AxioVision 4.7.1 software (Carl Zeiss).
- Laser Capture Micro Dissection (LCMD) - Arcturus Varitas Microdissection Instrument (Model 704: IR capture laser and UV cutting laser with epi-fluorescence) for removing individual cells or multi-cellular structures tissue sections.
News, blogs and podcasts
Find our more about our latest research successes, read blogs by our academics and listen to the latest ideas and discoveries that look set to change our lives in our Life Solved podcast.
Health and Wellbeing Blog
Our health and wellbeing researchers write about the importance and impact of self-care, sport and exercise, mental wellbeing, diseases and medical advancements.
Episode 1: The Coronavirus Toolkit
Portsmouth researchers discuss the issues that have arisen as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Episode 3: Innovations in Diagnosing Bladder Conditions
Dr John Young explores how technology is advancing treatment for many suffering with bladder conditions.
Episode: 8 mysteries of the glia
Professor Arthur Butt on why deeper research into glia holds the key to treating some of our biggest illnesses.
Episode 9: Oysters in the Solent - cleaning up our waters
Dr Joanne Preston shows us how she's been reintroducing native oysters to the Solent with pioneering tech.
