Cell models and biotechnology

Increasing attrition rates in the pharmaceutical industry have catalysed requirements for new technologies, which can be incorporated into pre-clinical drug development to de-risk compounds pre clinic entry.

In a joint collaboration with CN Bio Innovations Ltd., the Cell Models and Biotechnology group aim to develop establish an advanced liver microphysiological systems that allows the direct interaction(s) between the liver and other organs to be accurately modelled in vitro.

To ensure the development and safety aspects of new ophthalmic drugs, a variety of techniques have been used to confirm their effectiveness and/or potential harm in patients.

However, some of these techniques still rely on the use of animals or, where alternatives exist, are too basic (i.e. cannot relate or mimic what happens in the body), too costly, or simply do not provide enough information on the mechanism of drug uptake.

The aim of this research is to develop a perfusion-based, biologically representative model of the eye using ophthalmic cell lines, novel constructs and additional biomimetic materials. It is anticipated that this model may be exploited for the elucidation of cellular behaviour/mechanisms, for regenerative therapeutic applications and drug development i.e. formulation, toxicity and disease modelling.

New inhaled medicines require extensive non-clinical safety validation before progressing to the clinic for evaluation of safety and efficacy in humans. During this assessment stage, it is not uncommon for alveolar macrophage responses to be observed in histological lung slices of animals during inhalation toxicology studies: these are typically characterised by a highly vacuolated appearance and larger cell size.

This project aims to identify and characterise the reason(s), mechanism and downstream response of the presence of these (foamy) macrophages.

Lung diseases are a major global health burden and the inhalation of therapeutic aerosols is deemed the traditional medical strategy to treat these ailments. However, achieving aerosol deposition in the lungs is a major challenge even for those patients with good inhaler technique.

This project, in collaboration with a number of industrial and academic partners, aims to predict, manufacture and assess a portable dosage form to maximise its therapeutic efficacy following delivery to the lungs

Cells are involved in a range of biotechnological applications and more recently have been increasingly exploited in regenerative medicine. Critical to successful applications involving mammalian cells are their long-term storage and transport, for which cryopreservation in liquid nitrogen is the most frequently used strategy.

However, cryopreservation suffers from high costs, difficulties in transport logistics and the use of undesirable additives. An alternative approach, proposed as low cost, low maintenance and process-compatible, is viable desiccation of mammalian cells.

This project aims to, ultimately, develop and/or assess the feasibility of a desiccation-tolerant mammalian cell line via molecular, biological and/or bioprocessing-defined manipulation.