Staff Profile
Dr Rachel Crossland
Research Associate
- Email: rachel.crossland@ncl.ac.uk
- Telephone: 0191 282 0451
- Address: Haematological Sciences
Translational & Clinical Research Institute
Leech Building
Medical School
Framlington Place
Newcastle University
NE2 4HH
Qualifications
2018: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
2011: PhD Molecular Biology of Cancer, Newcastle University
2006: BSc Biomedical Sciences, Newcastle University (First class)
Administrative
COST Action CA17138 EUROGRAFT Management Committee
COST Action CA17138 EUROGRAFT Science Communication Manager
Board Member: UK Society for Extracellular Vesicles (UKEV)
Websites
My Research
My research interests lie in the multi-disciplinary role of extracellular vesicles (EV) and their molecular cargo in disease pathology, as novel biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis, and as potential therapeutic targets, particularly in relation to immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMID) and rare disease. I have a current focus on acute & chronic graft versus host disease (GvHD) as a model system, where I aim to:
- Identify EV biomarkers of GvHD/IMID
- Investigate the pathophysiological role of EVs in GvHD and immunotherapy
- Investigate the action of MSC-EVs as a GvHD therapeutic
Extracellular Vesicles
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have attracted excitement in the scientific community due to their novel role in intercellular communication. These cell-derived nanoparticles are released after fusion of multi-vesicular bodies with the plasma membrane. EVs mediate local and systemic cellular communication by transferring their genetic and proteomic cargo to recipient cells, thus, reprogramming target cells and regulating normal physiological processes and pathological conditions. EVs are present in biofluids, where they deliver systemic communication, demonstrating enticing promise for ‘Liquid Biopsies’ in cancer, autoimmune and cardiovascular disease. EVs are released by immune cells and can act as antigen-presenting vesicles, stimulate antitumoral immune responses or induce tolerogenic effects to suppress inflammation. The role of EVs in the pathophysiology of immunological disorders is an exciting field for research, and these potent genetic information agents offer translatable and cross-disciplinary importance as potential therapeutic targets, informative biological agents, predictive biomarkers, & potential indicators of immunotherapeutic response.
More information about EV research in the UK can be found by visiting the UK Society for Extracellular Vesicles:
https://www.ukev.org.uk/
PhD
Mrs Kay Carruthers (current)
Ms Kimberly Schell (current)
Dr Sadaf Atarod (alumnus)
Dr Rihab Gam (alumnus)
MRes
Annual MRes students
BSc
Annual undergraduate students from BSc Biomedical Sciences
Clinical
4th year elective medical student projects
Other Teaching
Versus Arthritis Tissue Engineering Centre Training and Development Programme Coordinator
COST Action CA17138 Short Term Scientific Mission Coordinator & Supervisor
- Sanjurjo-Rodriguez C, Crossland RE, Reis M, Pandit H, Wang X-N, Jones E. Characterization and miRNA Profiling of Extracellular Vesicles from Human Osteoarthritic Subchondral Bone Multipotential Stromal Cells (MSCs). Stem Cells International 2021, 2021, 7232773.
- Wielinska J, Crossland RE, Lacina P, Swierkot J, Bugaj B, Dickinson AM, Bogunia-Kubik K. Exploring the Extracellular Vesicle MicroRNA Expression Repertoire in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis Treated with TNF Inhibitors. Disease Markers 2021, 2021, 2924935.
- Newman AM, Zaka M, Zhou P, Blain AE, Erhorn A, Barnard A, Crossland RE, Wilkinson S, Enshaei A, De Zordi J, Harding F, Taj M, Wood KM, Televantou D, Turner SD, Burke GAA, Harrison CJ, Bomken S, Bacon CM, Rand V. Genomic abnormalities of TP53 define distinct risk groups of paediatric B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Leukemia 2021, Epub ahead of print.
- Crossland RE, Norden J, Ghimire S, Juric MK, Pearce KF, Lendrem C, Collin M, Mischak-Weissinger E, Holler E, Greinix HT, Dickinson AM. Profiling Tissue and Biofluid miR-155-5p,miR-155* and miR-146a-5p Expression in Graft vs Host Disease. Frontiers in Immunology 2021, 12, 639171.
- Crossland RE, Perutelli F, Bogunia-Kubik K, Mooney N, Milutin Gasperov N, Pucic-Bakovic M, Greinix H, Weber D, Holler E, Pulanic D, Wolff D, Dickinson AM, Inngjerdingen M, Grce M. Potential Novel Biomarkers in Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease. Frontiers in Immunology 2020, 11, 602547.
- Partanen J, Hyvarinen K, Bickeboller H, Bogunia-Kubik K, Crossland RE, Ivanova M, Perutelli F, Dressel R. Review of Genetic Variation as a Predictive Biomarker for Chronic Graft-Versus-Host-Disease After Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation. Frontiers in Immunology 2020, 11, 575492.
- Ahmed FW, Bakhashab S, Bastaman IT, Crossland RE, Glanville M, Weaver JU. Anti-Angiogenic miR-222, miR-195, and miR-21a Plasma Levels in T1DM Are Improved by Metformin Therapy, Thus Elucidating Its Cardioprotective Effect: The MERIT Study. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2018, 19(10), 3242.
- Atarod S, Norden J, Bibby LA, Janin A, Ratajczak P, Lendrem C, Pearce KF, Wang XN, O'Reilly S, Van Laar JM, Collin M, Dickinson AM, Crossland RE. Differential MicroRNA Expression Levels in Cutaneous Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease. Frontiers in Immunology 2018, 9, 1485.
- Juric MK, Shevtsov M, Mozes P, Ogonek J, Crossland RE, Dickinson AM, Greinix HT, Holler E, Weissinger EM, Multhoff G. B-Cell-Based and Soluble Biomarkers in Body Liquids for Predicting Acute/Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation. Frontiers in Immunology 2017, 7, 660.
- Crossland RE, Norden J, Juric MK, Green K, Pearce KF, Lendrem C, Greinix HT, Dickinson AM. Expression of Serum microRNAs is Altered During Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease. Frontiers in Immunology 2017, 8, 308.
- Gam R, Shah P, Crossland RE, Norden J, Dickinson AM, Dressel R. Genetic Association of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Outcome beyond Histocompatibility Genes. Frontiers in Immunology 2017, 8, 380.
- Noble RA, Bell N, Blair H, Sikka A, Thomas H, Phillips N, Nakjang S, Miwa S, Crossland R, Rand V, Televantou D, Long A, Keun HC, Bacon CM, Bomken S, Critchlow SE, Wedge SR. Inhibition of monocarboxyate transporter 1 by AZD3965 as a novel therapeutic approach for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and burkitt lymphoma. Haematologica 2017, 102(7), 1247-1257.
- Crossland RE, Norden J, Juric MK, Pearce KF, Lendrem C, Bibby LA, Collin M, Greinix HT, Dickinson AM. Serum and Extracellular Vesicle MicroRNAs miR-423, miR-199, and miR-93* As Biomarkers for Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease. Frontiers in Immunology 2017, 8, 1446.
- Crossland RE, Norden J, Bibby LA, Davis J, Dickinson AM. Evaluation of optimal extracellular vesicle small RNA isolation and qRT-PCR normalisation for serum and urine. Journal of Immunological Methods 2016, 429, 39-49.
- Jalapothu D, Boieri M, Crossland RE, Shah P, Butt IA, Norden J, Dressel R, Dickinson AM, Inngjerdingen M. Tissue-specific expression Patterns of Microrna during acute graft-versus-host Disease in the rat. Frontiers in Immunology 2016, 7, 361.
- Carey CD, Gusenleitner D, Chapuy B, Kovach AE, Kluk MJ, Sun HH, Crossland RE, Bacon CM, Rand V, Dal Cin P, Le LP, Neuberg D, Sohani AR, Shipp MA, Monti S, Rodig SJ. Molecular Classification of MYC-Driven B-Cell Lymphomas by Targeted Gene Expression Profiling of Fixed Biopsy Specimens. Journal of Molecular Diagnostics 2015, 17(1), 19-30.
- Culpin RE, Sieniawski M, Proctor SJ, Menon G, Mainou-Fowler T. MicroRNAs are suitable for assessment as biomarkers from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue, and miR-24 represents an appropriate reference microRNA for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma studies. Journal of Clinical Pathology 2013, 66(3), 249-252.
- Culpin RE, Sieniawski M, Angus B, Menon GK, Proctor SJ, Milne P, McCabe K, Mainou-Fowler T. Prognostic significance of immunohistochemistry-based markers and algorithms in immunochemotherapy-treated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients. Histopathology 2013, 63(6), 788-801.
- Mazumdar R, Evans P, Culpin R, Bailey J, Allsup D. The automated monocyte count is independently predictive of overall survival from diagnosis in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and of survival following first-line chemotherapy. Leukemia Research 2013, 37(6), 614-618.
- Culpin R, Sieniawski M, Anderson J, Angus B, Proctor S, Menon G, McCabe K, Milne P, Crosier S, Mainou-Fowler T. Mature microRNAs of the miR-17-92 cluster predict for disease outcome in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients treated with CHOP-R immunochemotherapy. In: International Journal of Molecular Medicine. 2011, Spandidos Publications.
- Culpin R, Pearce K, Bailey J, Pointon J, Sunter N, Bailey J, Evans P, Allsup D, Allan J, Mainou-Fowler T. MicroRNAs in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL): mature microRNAs of the miR-17-92 cluster predict for treatment free survival (TFS) in patients with B-CLL. In: International Journal of Molecular Medicine. 2011, Spandidos Publications.
- Culpin RE, Proctor SJ, Angus B, Crosier S, Anderson JJ, Mainou-Fowler T. A 9 series microRNA signature differentiates between germinal centre and activated B-cell-like diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cell lines. International Journal of Oncology 2010, 37(2), 367-376.
- Anderson JJ, Fordham S, Overman L, Dignum H, Wood K, Proctor SJ, Crosier S, Angus B, Culpin RE, Mainou-Fowler T. Immunophenotyping of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) defines multiple sub-groups of germinal centre-like tumours displaying different survival characteristics. International Journal of Oncology 2009, 35(5), 961-971.