Staff Profile

My main interest consists in the study of molecular and signalling pathways leading to cell dysfunction related to Human diseases.

After completing my PhD in 2011 on the mitochondrial proteome in cell models of Parkinson’s disease, at Nottingham Trent University, I went on specialising in using proteomics and metabolomics tools to study a range of diseases for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes.

I carried out biomarker discovery in biological fluids in relevance to pre-eclampsia (Nottingham Trent University), childhood malaria (NIMR, London) and mitochondrial inherited optic atrophies using mass spectrometry and immunoarray platforms. I have also used metabolomics and proteomics platforms to study molecular pathways of neurodegeneration and brain tumours (Newcastle University).

I am currently using next-generation 'omics' tools to study the cellular, tissue and organ remodelling events that occur in the mother and fetus during pregnancy. 

I am a member of the Biosciences Institute and my work contribute to the vascular Biology and Medicine research theme.

Spontaneous preterm birth has remained for many decades the major pregnancy complication associated with serious ill-health or death for newborns. There is no broadly effective drug that can reliably prevent premature contractions of the uterus without adverse side effects for the mother or baby. By studying the differences in proteome in uterine tissue, uterine and placental blood vessels, we seek to contribute to the development of new strategies to more specifically target uterine smooth muscle and thereby lead to better approaches for treating spontaneous preterm birth.

• Cairns G, Burte F, Price R, O'Connor E, Toms M, Mishra R, Moosajee M, Pyle A, Sayer JA, Yu-Wai-Man P. A mutant wfs1 zebrafish model of Wolfram syndrome manifesting visual dysfunction and developmental delay. Scientific Reports 2021, 11, 20491.
• Kurzawa-Akanbi M, Tammireddy S, Fabrik I, Gliaudelyte L, Doherty MK, Heap R, Matecko-Burmann I, Burmann BM, Trost M, Lucocq JM, Gherman AV, Fairfoul G, Singh P, Burte F, Green A, McKeith IG, Härtlova A, Whitfield PD, Morris CM. Altered ceramide metabolism is a feature in the extracellular vesicle-mediated spread of alpha-synuclein in Lewy body disorders. Acta Neuropathologica 2021, 142, 961-984.
• Burte F, Houghton D, Lowes H, Pyle A, Nesbitt S, Yarnall A, Yu-Wai-Man P, Burn DJ, Santibanez-Koref M, Hudson G. Metabolic profiling of Parkinson's disease and mild cognitive impairment. Movement Disorders 2017, 32(6), 927–932.
• Burte F, Carelli V, Chinnery PF, Yu-Wai-Man P. Disturbed mitochondrial dynamics and neurodegenerative disorders. Nature Reviews Neurology 2015, 11(1), 11-24.
• Bachmann J, Burté F, Pramana S, Conte I, Brown BJ, Orimadegun AE, Ajetunmobi WA, Afolabi NK, Akinkunmi F, Omokhodion S, Akinbami FO, Shokunbi WA, Kampf C, Pawitan Y, Uhlén M, Sodeinde O, Schwenk JM, Wahlgren M, Fernandez-Reyes D, Nilsson P. Affinity Proteomics Reveals Elevated Muscle Proteins in Plasma of Children with Cerebral Malaria. PLoS Pathogens 2014, 10(4), e1004038.
• Burté F, Brown BJ, Orimadegun AE, Ajetunmobi WA, Afolabi NK, Akinkunmi F, Kowobari O, Omokhodion S, Osinusi K, Akinbami FO, Shokunbi WA, Sodeinde O, Fernandez-Reyes D. Circulatory hepcidin is associated with the anti-inflammatory response but not with iron or anemic status in childhood malaria. Blood 2013, 121(15), 3016-3022.
• Burté F, Brown BJ, Orimadegun AE, Ajetunmobi WA, Battaglia F, Ely BK, Afolabi NK, Athanasakis D, Akinkunmi F, Kowobari O, Omokhodion S, Osinusi K, Akinbami FO, Shokunbi WA, Sodeinde O, Fernandez-Reyes D. Severe childhood malaria syndromes defined by plasma proteome profiles. PLoS ONE 2012, 7(12), e49778.
• Burté F, De Girolamo LA, Hargreaves AJ, Billett EE. Alterations in the mitochondrial proteome of neuroblastoma cells in response to complex I inhibition. Journal of Proteome Research 2011, 10(4), 1974-1986.