Human Health and Disease research theme
A research cluster within the Centre for Biomedical Research (CBR).
Theme overview
The Human Health and Disease thematic cluster at the Centre for Biomedical Research (CBR) represents an integrated approach to deciphering the complex and dynamic processes that underpin health and the development of diseases.
Our interdisciplinary strategy is focused on translating fundamental biological and biomedical research into practical clinical applications, thereby accelerating improvements in disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. We concentrate on major long-term health conditions such as cancer, neurodegeneration, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis, urinary tract dysfunction, and chronic inflammation. In addition, our research tackles critical global health challenges, including viral taxonomy, mechanisms of genotoxicity, DNA damage and repair, and the escalating issue of antimicrobial resistance.
A key strength of our approach is a culture of collaboration, which involves working closely with a range of academic, industry, and commercial partners. This enhances our ability to drive interdisciplinary research to address a wide range of health and societal issues. By combining our world-leading expertise and state-of-the-art facilities, our goal is to make scientific discoveries that have a significant and lasting impact on human health and wellbeing.
Academic staff
Professor Emmanuel Adukwu
Professor of Plant Microbiology and Deputy Head of School of Applied Sciences
Dr Elizabeth Anderson
Senior Lecturer in Haematology
Dr Rachael Chidugu-Ogborigbo
Senior Lecturer in Biological Sciences
Dr Tim Craig
Associate Professor of Neuroscience
Dr Tim Craig obtained his MBiochem from the University of Oxford (2000) and his PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Liverpool (2004). He was the Wellcome Postdoctoral Training Fellow in Ion Channels/Diabetes at University of Oxford from 2004 to 2009 and was the Postdoctoral Research Associate in Molecular Mechanisms of Synaptic Transmission at University of Bristol from 2009 to 2015. He joined UWE Bristol as Senior Lecturer in 2015, and is now an Associate Professor (2021 to present) in Neuroscience. His current research interests are in nutrition and neurodegeneration, and he is published widely in these areas.
Dr Lucy Crompton
Senior Lecturer in Neuroscience
Dr Victoria Davenport
Associate Head of School of School, Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Dr Sarah Dean
Senior Lecturer in Healthcare/Biomedical Sciences
Mrs Phillipa Dunbar
Lecturer in Healthcare
Dr Alexander Greenhough
Associate Professor of Biomedical Science (Cancer Biology)
Dr Liana Gynn
Lecturer in Biomedical Science
Dr Liana Gynn's research focuses on the leukaemia microenvironment. Her PhD showed bidirectional damage of mesenchymal stromal cells and protection of leukaemic cells in cell line/patient cell co-culture models. Post-doctoral projects involved understanding hypoxia microenvironment-driven pancreatic cancer, toxicity testing of electrochemically-activated solutions and Raman spectroscopy for leukaemia chemotherapy assessment. Her current research centres on the secretome of the hypoxic leukaemia microenvironment.
Professor John Hancock
Professor of Cell Signalling
Professor John Hancock's research centres on cell signalling and small reactive molecules. This focuses on the production and role of reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen gas. He has authored Cell Signalling (OUP), Why Elephants Cry (CRC Press), and (with Dr Tim Craig and Ros Rouse) Animal Welfare in a Pandemic (CRC Press). He is editor for several scientific journals and Editor-in-Chief for the journal Oxygen (MDPI).
Dr Jonathon Hull
Senior Lecturer in Biochemistry
Over the course of Dr Jonathon Hull's research, he has gained a working understanding of protein biochemistry, particularly associated with dementia and cancer pathology. He has collaborated with key researchers in neurological disease such as Professor Seth Love and Professor Patrick Kehoe at the South West Dementia Brain Bank (University of Bristol); Dr Kathreena Kurian at the Department of Neuropathology (Southmead Hospital); and Dr Mehta at the Department of Haematology (University Hospital, Bristol).
Professor Michael Ladomery
Professor of Genetics
Michael Ladomery is an RNA biologist, with a special interest in the therapeutic manipulation of alternative splicing in cancer. He obtained a BSc(Hons) in Genetics from the University of Melbourne; and a PhD from the University of St Andrews on stored Xenopus oocyte mRNPs. He worked as a Research Associate at the MRC Human Genetics unit in Edinburgh on the posttranscriptional roles of the Wilms tumour zinc finger protein WT1. He then moved to UWE Bristol where he is now a Professor of Genetics.
Dr Lynne Lawrance
Senior Lecturer in Medical Microbiology; Programme Leader for MSc Biomedical Science; and School of Applied Sciences PGR Tutor
Dr Jason Mansell
Associate Professor of Biomedical Science (Bone Biology)
Dr Jennifer May
Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences
Ms Julie Molloy
Senior Lecturer in Transfusion and Transplantation
Dr Chris Moore
Senior Lecturer in Anatomy and Physiology; Programme Leader for BSc(Hons) Biomedical Science
Dr Ruth Morse
Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences (Human Genetics)
Dr Shona Nelson
Senior Lecturer in Microbiology
Dr Lili Ordonez
Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences
Dr Lili Ordonez's research focuses on cancer cell plasticity during therapy with the aim to discover new targets to treat/prevent tumour relapse. Previously, she worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Swansea, developing advanced therapeutics for ovarian cancer, and at Cardiff University, investigating genetic origins of breast cancer heterogeneity. She obtained her PhD from Cardiff University, in collaboration with AstraZeneca, investigating resistance to a targeted therapy for inherited breast cancer patients.
Anastasia Plehun
Assistant Lecturer (Physiology)
Dr David Qualtrough
Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Science
Dr Helen Quasnichka
Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Science (Biochemistry)
Dr James Robson
Lecturer in Biomedical Science
Miss Sarah Rushton
Senior Lecturer in Neurophysiology
Dr Mo Salehan
Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences
Dr Tim Satchwell
Senior Lecturer in Applied Biomedical Science
Dr Adam Thomas
Senior Lecturer in Human Genetics and Genomics
Dr Adam Thomas is a genotoxicologist interested in the signalling process that dictates cell fate (survival or death) following exposure to a DNA-damaging chemical. This work has centred on the role of microRNAs in guiding the signalling process towards a particular outcome. Most recently, he has adapted his approach to research and is starting to tread very gingerly into the world of coding and bioinformatics to address some of the more fundamental questions in genetics and genome architecture.
Dr Daniel Turnham
Wallscourt Senior Research Fellow
Dr Bahareh Vahabi
Senior Lecturer in Physiology
Dr Trevor Whittall
Senior Lecturer in Immunology
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