GROUP MEMBERS
DR CHRIS DAVID
Postdoctoral Researcher
Dr Christopher David has a background in biochemistry, regenerative medicine, and nanotoxicology, having gained his BSc in Medical Biochemistry and MSc in Nanomedicine at Swansea University before joining the Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Liverpool to undertake his PhD.
His ongoing research investigates biocompatibility and immunological safety of conventional and nanotechnology-enabled medicines as well as cellular therapies to better inform the assessment methodologies used for biologically applied nanotechnologies
DANIELLE BRAIN
Research Associate
Danielle is a 3rd year PhD student working on an NIH funded grant looking at improving the assays that are used to assess the immunocompatbility of novel long-acting formulations and more specifically those designed to be administered subcutaneously. Danielle is particularly interested in exploring the role of the inflammasome in mediating immunological responses to these long-acting formulations. Recently Danielle has also been investigating the inflammasome and the role it plays in COVID-19 infection. Danielle has joined us as a research associate, developing in vitro and ex vivo assays of immune sites.
ALEX PLANT-HATELY
PhD Student
Alex joined the group, following an undergraduate degree in Pharmacology and an MRes in Biomedical Sciences and Translational medicine. Alex's current work is investigating the link between immune recogntion of lipidic nanoparticles and cardiovascular events, linked to complement and inflammasome activation.
BETH HEATON
PhD Student
Beth Heaton is a first year PhD student within the Department of Pharmacology, working with Dr Neill Liptrott.
Previously, Beth has completed her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and has a MRes degree in exploring the impact of HIV antiretrovirals on glucose uptake and immune cell activation.
Currently, her PhD work is focused on investigating the interactions of nano-enabled medical technologies with components of the human immune and haematological systems, looking more specifically into the biocompatibility of these materials with the immune system. Her project will be looking into the impact of how long these nano-enabled materials remain in place and how this affects their clinical utility. The project is funded by SAFE-N-MEDTECH.
DR TAMIRIS BORGES DESILVA
Research Associate
Tamiris has a background in Biomedical Sciences and has obtained a Masters in Research doing short rotations at different laboratories, in which she gained experience with molecular biology, microscopy, cell culture and immunology techniques. Her PhD research was mainly focused on monocyte-derived macrophage polarisation and extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from mesenchymal stromal cells. She has a strong interest in EV physiology and how they can potentially impact the immune system, particularly macrophages and dendritic cells. Tamiris worked with the group as part of a collaboration with Prof. Patricia Murray.
IOANA MARTINAS
PhD student
Ioana is currently completing a PhD cellular and molecular physiology at the University of Liverpool. Her project investigates the effects of regenerative cellular-based therapies on macrophage levels in animal models of acute kidney injury. Prior to her PhD, Ioana graduated from Lancaster University with a BSc Hons in Biomedical Sciences followed by an MRes in Biomedical Sciences and Translational Medicine from the University of Liverpool.
MICHEAL MUNSON
MRes student
Micheal graduated from Baylor University in 2020 with a B.A. in Biochemistry and Philosophy and is currently a Masters' student in the Liptrott lab. Micheal's work is on assessing the immunomodulatory effects of chemical compounds repurposed for COVID treatments
GEORGE KENNEY
MRes student
George is currently studying an MRes in Biomedical science at the University of Liverpool, specialising in nanomedicine. Having previously studied Chemistry at an undergraduate level at the University of Liverpool where he gained a 2:2 qualification. He has been researching the impact that liposomes have on the KU812 cell line in the context of the complement system by assessing cell viability, cell secretions, and cell surface protein expression after exposure to the treatments. Having studied chemistry for my undergraduate degree, he found moving to biomedical sciences an enjoyable learning experience, taking pleasure in learning this discipline of science and the research he has taken part in.
JOSH HENSHAW
BSC Hons Student
Josh is a final year BSc Pharmacology student, at the University of Liverpool. Josh joined the group to assess interactions between antiretrovirals drugs, including previously studied lopinavir and efavirenz, and the metabolic transporters GLUT1 and GLUT4 using in silico methods in order to gain a foundational knowledge that could be used for future in vitro analysis.
LUKE WINGRAVE
MRes student
Luke studied for his undergraduate degree at the University of Liverpool and graduated with a degree in Pharmacology. As part of his final year projects, Luke studied the effects of glucose uptake transporters (GLUTs) and the potential effects that could be caused by single nucleotide polymorphisms. Luke is currently continuing to investigate these transporters as part of his MRes in Biomedical Sciences and Translational Medicine.
Currently, Luke's project involves investigating various drugs and attempting to identify potential impacts on glucose uptake by immune cells via the GLUT transporters, and any functional consequences this could have on the ability of the cells to mount an effective response.
