Newcastle University

Introduction

I am a medical graduate and an Honorary Consultant Physician at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust . I have an interest in pulmonary infections. A focus on Gram negative infections in Cystic Fibrosis formed part of my early research. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biological activity and LPS structure to function correlation has formed part of more recent work. Developing clinical services for non cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (Bronchiectasis) and severe smoking related lung disease (emphysema/ COPD) has opened up new translational research avenues. An interest in developing newer techniques to improve diagnosis of infection is also a research theme. I am involved in EURO COST and ESF applications to forward these themes. I have a particular interest in clinical trials and am involved in investigator led and commercial/industry trials of new therapies in bronchiectasis and COPD

Respiratory Medicine
Undergraduate at University of Dundee
Postgraduate Medical training in Newcastle
Higher Specialist Training in Northern Deanery in Respiratory Medicine
PhD attained from Newcastle University 2005

Qualifications

BMSC Hons
MBChB Hons MRCP UK
PhD

Positions 

National Institute for Health Research CLRN Deputy Chair respiratory specialty group

CLRN Regional lead Northumbria Tyne and Wear  Specialty group lead for Respiratory Medicine

Associate Director for Industry studies (cross specialty) Northumbria Tyne and Wear  CLRN

Medical Lead Respiratory Medicine Trials Centre "Sir William Leech Centre" Freeman Hospital

Honours and Awards

1) Higher Education Council For England Senior Lecturer Award 5 Year Tenure University of Newcastle
Funded £250,000 over 5 years. This post is complemented with a 50% clinical component funded by Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals Teaching Trust under the Biomedicine initiative.

2) Newcastle Hospital Special Trustees 2005-2006 Funded £38,000
I co-supervised a technician continuing research themes from the Wellcome Trust grant. 3 publications.

3) Wellcome Clinical Training Fellowship 2001-2003 Funded £138,000
(work led to 4 publications as below)

4) Breathe North Research Fellowship
1999-2001 Funded £90,000
Bedside to bench research in cystic fibrosis and lung transplantation. Audit led to a change in management of patients allowing certain high risk groups to be transplanted successfully

5)3M Pharmaceuticals Small airways research award

6)British Lung Foundation Young Investigator of the Year Award 2003

7) FFC Italian Cystic Fibrosis Charity / Newcastle Hospital Special Trustees 2008-10 Funded £56,000
I co-supervised a technician continuing research themes from the Wellcome Trust grant. 2 publications. 

8) Newcastle Hospital Special Trustees 2007 Funded £17,000
I co-supervised a RA developing mass spectrometry data on volatiles emitted from Pseudomonas. 1 publication

9) BRC Research Grant 50,000 2010 2 publications in press

Languages

English

Research Interests

My main interest is in pulmonary infections.
A focus on Gram negative infections in Cystic Fibrosis has formed part of my early research. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biological activity and LPS structure to function correlation has formed part of more recent work. Clinical research in bronchiectasis and severe smoking related lung disease (COPD) is underway in collaboration with many clinical and academic colleagues

Expertise in protein extraction, LPS extraction, PCR, electron microsopy, tissue culture, FACS and ELISA.

Other Expertise

Clinical Trial design, conduct and research.

Current Work

Structure and biological activity of LPS extracted from pathogens infecting patients with a variety of respiratory conditions (Cystic Fibrosis, Bronchiectasis and COPD).

Signalling pathways for LPS signal transduction.

Research Roles

Principal Investigator

Postgraduate Supervision

The post-graduate supervision of research candidates started in October 2007. Three MRES students have completed to merit/distinction levels and publications arisen through this

Esteem Indicators

Funding of ~500K

3M Pharmaceuticals Small Airways Research Prize 1999
University of Newcastle, School of Medicine Annual Research presentation, First prize, 2000
Wellcome Trust Clinical Training Fellowship,Sep 2001 - October 2003
British Lung Foundation Young Investigator of the Year 2003
One of two national HECFE award winners in Respiratory Medicine 2007

Funding

Wellcome Clinical Training Fellowship 2001-2003 (work led to 4 publications) Funded £138,000
HEFCE award £250,000 2007
GSK investigator led grant £10K 2008
FFC Charity grant £24,000 2009

Breathe North Research Fellowship 1999-2001 (work led to 4 publications) Funded £90,000
I learned clinical study design, ethics application and database design. Audit led to a change in management of patients allowing certain high risk groups to be transplanted successfully

Newcastle Hospital Special Trustees 2005-2006
(1 Publication with a further in press) Funded £38,000
I co-supervised a technician continuing research themes from the Wellcome Trust grant.

Higher Education Council For England Senior Lecturer Award
5 Year Tenure University of Newcastle
Funded £250,000 over 5 years towards wages. This post is complemented with a 50% clinical component funded by Newcastle Teaching Trusts.

Industrial Relevance

Significant input into UK clinical trials by recruitment at Sir William Leech Trials Centre.
Prior UK Chief Investigator duties undertaken
Facilitated Industrial contact with UKCRN adoption process improving trials throughput
Co supervisor to Wellcome Translational PhD student part funded by AstraZeneca

Keywords

Cystic Fibrosis, microbiology, bronchiectasis, lipopolysaccharide, virulence, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Burkholderia, cepacia, cenocepacia, COPD

Undergraduate Teaching

MRES student supervision / cosupervision Syba Sunny, S Maloney
3 Biology honours undergraduates B Johnson, K Laws and I Laher

Postgraduate Teaching

1 Academic clinical fellow in ENT Dr SL Ball
2 Academic clinical fellow Dr Jary
3 CoSupervisor to Dr L Moisey
4 CoSupervisor to Jodie Birch
I also teach on the Masters of Clinical Research

• Cummings SP, Nelson A, Purcell PJ, De Soyza A, Bourke SJ, Perry JD. A comparative study of polymicrobial diversity in CF and in non-CF bronchiectasis. In: Thorax: British Thoracic Society Winter Meeting. 2010, Westminster, UK: BMJ Group.
• Moisey EJ, Borthwick LA, Perry J, De Soyza A, Fisher AJ. Cigarette smoke dysregulates pro-inflammatory cytokine release from airway epithelial cells and macrophages in response to haemophilus influenzae. In: Thorax: British Thoracic Society Winter Meeting. 2010, Westminster, UK: BMJ Group.
• De Soyza A, Roberts J. Current COPD care in the UK; Results from 180 000 patients in the points database. In: Thorax: British Thoracic Society Winter Meeting. 2010, Westminster, UK: BMJ Group.
• Macfarlane JG, Tedd H, Small T, Newton J, De-Soyza A. Earlier onset of fatigue in bronchiectasis as compared with COPD. In: European Respiratory Society Annual Congress. 2010, Barcelona, Spain.
• Macfarlane JG, Tedd H, McAlinden P, Small T, Rostron L, Newton J, De Soyza A. Fatigue in bronchiectasis: Its relationship to pseudomonas colonisation, dyspnoea and airflow obstruction. In: Thorax: British Thoracic Society Winter Meeting. 2010, Westminster, UK: BMJ Group.
• Savelev S, Perry J, Bourke SJ, Taylor R, Fisher AJ, Petrie M, Corris PA, De Soyza A. Identification of pseudomonas aeruginosa infection via volatile organic compounds in sputum headspace gases. In: Thorax: British Thoracic Society Winter Meeting. 2010, Westminster, UK: BMJ Group.
• Macfarlane JG, McAlinden P, De Soyza A. Longitudinal study of sputum microbiology in adult non-CF bronchiectasis. In: Thorax: British Thoracic Society Winter Meeting. 2010, Westminster, UK: BMJ Group.
• Carnell SC, Perry JD, Khan CMA, De Soyza A. The bacterial cytoskeleton-A new antimicrobial target in cystic fibrosis pathogens?. In: Thorax: British Thoracic Society Winter Meeting. 2010, Westminster, UK: BMJ Group.
• Borthwick LA, Brodlie M, Johnson GE, Ward C, Perry J, Corris PA, De-Soyza A, Fisher AJ. The M1 macrophage phenotype accentuates TGF-beta 1 driven epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) via the secretion of TNF alpha. In: Thorax: British Thoracic Society Winter Meeting. 2010, Westminster, UK: BMJ Group.
• Macfarlane JG, De-Soyza A. What you need to know about bronchiectasis. London, UK: Pulse magazine online, 2009.
• De Soyza A, Corris PA. Lung transplantation and the Burkholderia cepacia complex. Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation 2003, 22(9), 954-958.
• De Soyza A, De Hormaeche RD, Corris P. Lipopolysaccharide structural profiles are not altered in Genomovar III Burkholderia cepacia quorum sensing knockouts. In: Thorax: Winter Meeting of the British Thoracic Society. 2002, London: BMJ Group.
• De Soyza A, Gould K, Parry G, Dark JH, Corris PA. Sequential single lung transplantation for septic lung disease; A single centre comparison between CF and non-CF bronchiectasis. In: Thorax: Winter Meeting of the British Thoracic Society. 2002, London: BMJ Group.
• Ward C, De Soyza A, Fisher A, Pritchard G, Corris P. Small airway reticular basement membrane (RBM) thickening in clinically stable lung transplant recipients (SLTR) is not affected by three months treatment with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). In: Thorax: Winter Meeting of the British Thoracic Society. 2002, London: BMJ Group.
• Ward C, Camara M, Forrest I, Rutherford B, Pritchard G, Daykin M, De Soyza A, Fisher AJ, Williams P, Corris PA. The presence of quorum sensing signal molecules in clinically stable lung allograft recipients suggests bacterial biofilm biology. In: Thorax: Winter Meeting of the British Thoracic Society. 2002, London: BMJ Group.
• De Soyza A, De Hormaeche RD, Corris P. Variability in pro-inflammatory activity of purified lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from selected Burkholderia cepacia Genomovars; The role of LPS structural differences and chemotype. In: Thorax: Winter Meeting of the British Thoracic Society. 2002, London: BMJ Group.
• Egan C, Pritchard G, De Soyza A, Corris PA. A comparison of induced sputum and BAL cell profiles in pulmonary transplant recipients. In: THORAX. 2000.
• De Soyza A, Higgins B, Gould K. An unusual case of pulmonary abscess. Journal of Infection 2000, 41(1), 114-114.
• Milne DS, Moy JV, Corris PA, Robertson H, De Soyza A, Kirby JA, Cunningham AC. Intragraft Proliferating T Lymphocytes are associated with Moderate Acute Pulmonary Rejection 1. Transplantation 2000, 69(9), 1981-1984.
• De Soyza A, Egan C, Ellis CD, McDowell A, Moore J, Elborn S, De Hormaeche R, Corris PA. The role of genomovars in Burkholderia cepacia proinflammatory activity. In: THORAX. 2000.
• Ierano T, Silipo A, Sturiale L, Garozzo D, Corris P, Perry J, Lanzetta R, Parrilli M, De Soyza A, Molinaro A. Structural Elucidation of a Novel B. cenocepacia ET-12 Lipooligosaccharide Isolated from a Cystic Fibrosis Patient after Lung Transplantation. European Journal of Organic Chemistry 2010, (7), 1299-1306.
• De Soyza A, Silipo A, Lanzetta R, Govan JR, Molinaro A. Review: Chemical and biological features of Burkholderia cepacia complex lipopolysaccharides. Innate Immunity 2008, 14(3), 127-144.
• Heslop K, De Soyza A, Baker CR, Stenton C, Burns GP. Using individualised cognitive behavioural therapy as a treatment for people with COPD. Nursing Times 2009, 105(14), 14-17.
• Meachery G, De Soyza A, Nicholson A, Parry G, Hasan A, Tocewicz K, Pillay T, Clark S, Lordan JL, Schueler S, Fisher AJ, Dark JH, Gould FK, Corris PA. Outcomes of lung transplantation for cystic fibrosis in a large UK cohort. Thorax 2008, 63(8), 725-731.
• Ieranò T, Silipo A, Sturiale L, Garozzo D, Brookes H, Khan CM, Bryant C, Gould FK, Corris PA, Lanzetta R, Parrilli M, De Soyza A, Molinaro A. The structure and proinflammatory activity of the lipopolysaccharide from Burkholderia multivorans and the differences between clonal strains colonizing pre and posttransplanted lungs. Glycobiology 2008, 18(11), 871-881.
• Silipo A, Molinaro A, Ierano T, De Soyza A, Sturiale L, Garozzo D, Aldridge C, Corris PA, Khan CMA, Lanzetta R, Parrilli M. The complete structure and pro-inflammatory activity of the lipooligosaccharide of the highly epidemic and virulent gram-negative bacterium Burkholderia cenocepacia ET-12 (strain J2315). Chemistry - A European Journal 2007, 13(12), 3501-3511.
• Ward C, De Soyza A, Fisher AJ, Pritchard G, Forrest I, Corris P. A descriptive study of small airway reticular basement membrane thickening in clinically stable lung transplant recipients. Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation 2005, 24(5), 533-537.
• Ward C, De Soyza A, Fisher AJ, Pritchard G, Forrest IA, Corris PA. Reticular basement membrane thickening in airways of lung transplant recipients is not affected by inhaled corticosteroids. Clinical and Experimental Allergy 2004, 34(12), 1905-1909.
• De Soyza A, Ellis CD, Khan CMA, Corris P, Demarco de Hormaeche R. Burkholderia Cenocepacia Lipopolysaccharide, Lipid A and Proinflammatory Activity. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 2004, 170(1), 70-77.
• De Soyza A, Morris K, McDowell A, Doherty C, Archer L, Perry J, Govan JRW, Corris PA, Gould K. Prevalence and clonality of Burkholderia cepacia complex genomovars in UK patients with cystic fibrosis referred for lung transplantation. Thorax 2004, 59(6), 526-528.
• Ward C, Camara M, Forrest I, Rutherford R, Pritchard G, Daykin M, Hardman A, De Soyza A, Fisher AJ, Williams P, Corris PA. Preliminary findings of quorum signal molecules in clinically stable lung allograft recipients. Thorax 2003, 58(5), 444-446.
• De Soyza A, Archer L, Wardle J, Parry G, Dark JH, Gould K, Corris PA. Pulmonary transplantation for cystic fibrosis: Pre-transplant recipient characteristics in patients dying of peri-operative sepsis. Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation 2003, 22(7), 764-769.
• De Soyza AG, Dark JH, Parums DV, Curtis A, Corris PA. Donor acquired small cell lung cancer following pulmonary transplantation. Chest 2001, 120(3), 1030-1031.
• Ierano T, Silipo A, Sturiale L, Garozzo D, Bryant C, Lanzetta R, Parrilli M, Aldridge C, Gould FK, Corris PA, Khan CMA, De Soyza A, Molinaro A. First structural characterization of Burkholderia vietnamiensis lipooligosaccharide from cystic fibrosis-associated lung transplantation strains. Glycobiology 2009, 19(11), 1214-1223.
• Hester KL, Macfarlane JG, Tedd H, Jary H, McAlinden P, Rostron L, Small T, Newton JL, De Soyza A. Fatigue in bronchiectasis. Quarterly Journal of Medicine 2012, 105(3), 235-240.
• Macfarlane JG, Jary H, Hester KL, McAlinden P, Wake J, Small T, Walton KE, Spickett G, De Soyza A. Low serum mannose-binding lectin level is not associated with disease severity in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. Innate Immunity 2012, 18(6), 787-792.
• Holme J, Bianchi S, Clifton I, De Soyza A, Edenborough F, Peckham D, Pirzada O, Walker P, Walshaw M, Niven R. Expert consensus on diagnostic criteria and tertiary service requirements for bronchiectasis. In: Thorax: Winter Meeting of the British Thoracic Society. 2011, Westminster: BMJ Group.
• Purcell PJ, Nelson A, Fisher A, Perry JD, De Soyza A, Cummings SP. Molecular fingerprinting and metagenomic analysis reveals a polymicrobial element in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In: Thorax: Winter Meeting of the British Thoracic Society. 2011, Westminster: BMJ Group.
• De Soyza A, McDowell A, Archer L, Dark JH, Elborn SJ, Mahenthiralingam E, Gould K, Corris PA. Burkholderia cepacia complex genomovars and pulmonary transplantation outcomes in patients with cystic fibrosis. Lancet 2001, 358(9295), 1780-1781.
• De Soyza A, Egan C, Ellis CD, Mcdowell A, Elborn S, De Hormaeche RD, Corris PA. Differential cytokine induction profiles by Burkholderia cepacia genomovars is not explained by LPS chemotypes. In: Thorax. 2001, BMJ Group.
• De Soyza A, Small T, Higgins B, Corris P. Do asthma studies really apply to primary and secondary care asthmatics?. In: Thorax. 2001, BMJ Group.
• Small T, De Soyza A, Corris PA. Exhaled nitric oxide (ENO) in pulmonary transplant recipients and the influence of Mycophenolate (MMF). In: Thorax. 2001, BMJ Group.
• De Soyza A, Fisher AJ, Small T, Corris PA. Inhaled corticosteroids and the treatment of lymphocytic bronchiolitis following lung transplantation. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 2001, 164(7), 1209-1212.
• Davis K, Wilson J, De Soyza A, Higgins B. Inspiratory flow in COPD patients; Implications for inhaler prescribing patterns. In: Thorax. 2001, BMJ Group.
• De Soyza A, Pirrie S, Corris PA. The 6 minute walk test's correlation with FEV1 in 50 Cystic Fibrosis patients referred for lung transplantation. In: Thorax. 2001, BMJ Group.
• De Soyza A, Corris PA, Archer L, McDowell A, Moore J, Elborn S, Dark JH, Gould K. Pulmonary transplantation for CF; The effect of B. cepacia genomovars on outcomes. In: THORAX. 2000.
• Ghoorah K, De Soyza A, Kunadian V. Increased Cardiovascular Risk in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and the Potential Mechanisms Linking the Two Conditions: A Review. Cardiology in Review 2013, (epub ahead of print).
• Hester KLM, De Soyza A, Rapley T. Information and Education Needs of Patients with Bronchiectasis: A Qualitative Investigation. In: Winter Meeting of the British Thoracic Society. 2012, London, UK: BMJ Group.
• Borthwick LA, Corris PA, Mahida R, Walker A, Gardner A, Suwara M, Johnson GE, Moisey EJ, Brodlie M, Ward C, Perry JD, de Soyza A, Mann DA, Fisher AJ. TNFα From Classically Activated Macrophages Accentuates Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Obliterative Bronchiolitis. American Journal of Transplantation 2013, 13(3), 621-633.
• Borthwick LA, Gardner A, De Soyza A, Mann DA, Fisher AJ. Transforming Growth Factor-β1 (TGF-β1) Driven Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) is Accentuated by Tumour Necrosis Factor α (TNFα) via Crosstalk Between the SMAD and NF-κB Pathways. Cancer Microenvironment 2012, 5(1), 45-57.