Newcastle University

Introduction

Our research is focused on understanding the relationship between biomaterials and their target tissues through a portfolio of projects that encompass aspects of cell biology and micro/nanoscale fabrication. The strategy is to couple our findings that identify biomolecules which regulate bone-forming cells (osteoblasts) with studies that investigate how specific micro/nanotopography can influence aspects of cell behaviour including proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. These studies aim to define how biomolecules can be combined with biomaterial surface architecture to control specific aspects of cellular activity both in vitro and in vivo.

• Deehan DJ, Dowen DJ, Sprowson AP, Ferguson LC, Prathalingam NS, Isaacs JD, Birch MA, Oldershaw RA. Differential Release of Heterogeneous Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Populations from Haemarthrotic Traumatic Knee Injury. American Journal of Stem Cell Research 2012. In Press.
• Birch MA, Nouraei S, Wu QB, Ngalim S, Lu WJ, Watchorn C, Yang TY, McCaskie AW, Roy S. Effect of electrochemical structuring of Ti6Al64V on osteoblast behaviour in vitro. Journal of Biomaterials 2012. In Press.
• Woods S, Barter M, Elliott H, Syddall C, Swingler T, Clark I, Birch M, Young D. miR324-5p in osteoarthritis and indian hedgehog signalling. In: International Journal of Experimental Pathology: Spring Meeting of the British Society for Matrix Biology (BSMB). 2011, Bristol, UK: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
• Bokhari MA, Akay G, Zhang S, Birch MA. The enhancement of osteoblast growth and differentiation in vitro on a peptide hydrogel - PolyHIPE polymer hybrid material. Biomaterials 2005, 26(25), 5198-5208.
• Lind T, McKie N, Wendel M, Racey SN, Birch MA. The hyalectan degrading ADAMTS-1 enzyme is expressed by osteoblasts and up-regulated at regions of new bone formation. Bone 2005, 36(3), 408-417.
• Aldridge SE, Lennard TWJ, Williams JR, Birch MA. The Role of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptors in Osteoclast Differentiation and Function.. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 2005, 335(3), 793-8.
• Aldridge, S.E., Lennard, T.W.J., Williams, J., Birch, M.A. Vascular endothelial growth factor acts as an osteolytic factor in breast cancer metastases to bone. British Journal of Cancer 2005, 92(8), 1531-1537.
• Akay G, Birch MA, Bokhari MA. Microcellular polyHIPE polymer supports osteoblast growth and bone formation in vitro. Biomaterials 2004,25 18 3991-4000.
• Elfick APD, Green SM, McCaskie AW, Birch MA. Opsonization of polyethylene wear particles regulates macrophage and osteoblast responses in vitro. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research - Part B Applied Biomaterials 2004,71B 2 244-251.
• Bokhari M, Birch MA, Akay G. Polyhipe polymer: a novel scaffold for in vitro bone tissue engineering. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology 2003, 534(IV), 247-54.
• Bokhari M, Birch M, Akay G. Polyhipe polymer: A novel scaffold for in vitro bone tissue engineering. In: Tissue Engineering, Stem Cells and Gene Therapies: 9th International Symposium on Biomedical Science and Technology. 2003, Antalya, Turkey: Springer.
• Grewal TS, Genever PG, Brabbs AC, Birch M, Skerry TM. Best5: A novel interferon-inducible gene expressed during bone formation. FASEB Journal 2000, 14(3), 523-531.
• M. A. Birch and T. M. Skerry. Differential regulation of syndecan expression by osteosarcoma cell lines in response to cytokines but not osteotropic hormones. Bone 1999, 24, 571-578.
• P. G. Genever, M. A. Birch, E. Brown and T. M. Skerry. Osteoblast-derived acetylcholinesterase: A novel mediator of cell-matrix interactions in bone?. Bone 1999, 24, 297-303.