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Biological Sciences Research (UoA5)

UoA5 scientists deliver transformational biological discoveries that underpin new clinical and industrial applications. A common theme of the UoA5 ICSs is a foundation in fundamental laboratory research that can be developed for therapeutic or commercial benefit.

Delivering transformational biological discoveries 

UoA5 scientists deliver transformational biological discoveries that underpin new clinical and industrial applications.

Highlights of our return

Some of our highlights include:

  • Our REF2021 UoA5 return has significantly expanded to 58 Category A staff (56.6FTE) versus 32 in 2014
  • Our research income in this REF period was £58M
  • We have made 2 senior appointments at senior professorial level, and nine early career researcher (ECR) appointments
  • Our members have secured a number of competitive fellowships and funding awards including: five new Wellcome Investigator Awards, two Wellcome Senior Fellowships, three Wellcome Sir Henry Dale Fellowships, two Wellcome Collaborative Awards, an MRC Career Development Award, a BBSRC/Innovate UK Catalyst grant and a CRUK programme grant.
  • Three of our researchers were elected as Fellows of the Royal Society
  • We have made major investments in UoA5 research
  • £9.4million investment in scientific facilities, research infrastructure and state-of-the-art technologies that underpin our research

Outreach activities

UoA5 scientists helped organise or participated in several outreach events. These include:
We often engage with local schools and provide opportunities for work experience placements. Between 2015 and 2019 we hosted 57 school students on work experience placements.
 
UoA5 scientists are members of national and international research networks such as:
  • Alliance for Healthy Ageing; the Multidisciplinary Institute for Ageing Portugal
  • Global Mycetoma Working Group
  • EU COST Transautophagy network
  • Molecule Localization Microscopy challenge
UoA5 scientists have organised or co-organised many national and international meetings such as:
  • the International Frontiers of Science Symposium, Japan
  • 26th Zing Conference ‘Protein Secretion in Bacteria’, Florida
  • 3rd Bacterial Cell Biology Conference, Nassau
  • EMBO Workshop "Bacterial Cell Division: orchestrating the ring cycle", Prague
  • International C. difficile Symposium
  • the Biochemical Society meeting: Redox Signalling in Physiology, Ageing and Disease
UoA5 scientists chair or sit on many grant panels, including:
  • MRC Infections and Immunity Board
  • Wellcome Science Interview Panel
  • Wellcome Molecules Genes and Cells Expert Review Group
  • Wellcome Molecular Basis of Cell Function Expert Review Group
  • MRC Non-Clinical Career Development
  • BBSRC Committee B
  • Agence Nationale de Recherche, France

Our research areas

Researchers in UoA5 focuses on 3 main areas:

Bacterial Cell Biology and the Human Microbiota

Microorganisms play critical roles in all major aspects of life on earth. These include:

  • human health
  • infectious diseases
  • global ecology

Bacteria are ideal experimental models to unravel the complexity of crucial cellular mechanisms and organismal interactions. Many researchers in this area are also members of the:

Key discoveries include:

  • identifying a Staphylococcus aureus toxin that can inhibit the growth of bacterial competitors in vivo
  • providing new insights into the mechanisms underlying the breakdown of complex glycans by the microbiota in the gut
  • understanding bacterial and eukaryotic evolution. Demonstrating that eukaryotes derived from archaea prokaryotes in a two domain ‘Tree of Life’
  • demonstrating the importance of L-form bacteria in antibiotic resistance and recurrent urinary tract infections
Eukaryotic Cell Biology, Signalling and Disease

Our scientists investigate the molecular basis of cell signalling in:

  • normal cellular function
  • disease using model and pathogenic organisms

Many researchers in this area are also members of:

  • Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research (WCMR)
  • the Centre for Cancer NUCoRE

Key discoveries include:

  • understanding how inflammation, cell senescence and telomere loss contribute to defects in cell signalling, ageing and the development of cancer and other diseases
  • investigating the fundamental mechanisms underlying the cell cycle, genome stability, mitosis, meiosis and cell polarity
  • age-associated oxidative phosphorylation defects caused by somatic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations result in metabolic remodelling of cells that accelerates intestinal tumorigenesis
Structural Biology

Knowledge of the structure of biomolecules is essential for understanding all biological processes. It is the basis for the development of novel therapeutics, materials and diagnostics.

Key discoveries include:

  • determining the structural basis for nutrient acquisition by dominant members of the human gut microbiota
  • determining the structure and function of a spectrin-like regulator of bacterial cytokinesis
  • discovering that copper storage requires a four-helix protein bundle
  • revealing new structural models for the gram negative bacterial outer membrane. This is known to reduce antibiotic effectiveness

Our facilities

Colleagues enjoy state-of-the-art technical facilities that underpin our research. Since 2014, an investment of 9.4m from external income sources and FMS ensures they meet demand and deliver cutting-edge analytical technologies and methodologies. This includes more than 18 additional permanent core facility staff employed.

Our facilities include:

  • Bioimaging Unit
  • Flow Cytometry Core Facility
  • Genomics Core Facility
  • Electron Microscopy Research Services
  • Preclinical In Vivo Imagining
  • Bioinformatics Support Unit
  • Protein and Proteome Analysis
  • Comparative Biology Centre
  • The Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology

Our achievements

We aim to further develop interdisciplinary research, an area we have identified where improvement is needed. This will be facilitated by the Research Themes that create a more collaborative research culture. In parallel, NUCoREs link UoA5 scientists to:

  • other faculties
  • NHS colleagues and patients
  • local and national research structures
  • industry and businesses

UoA5 staff are already members of the NUCancer and Rare Diseases NUCoREs. Interdisciplinary research will highlighted through the development of:

  • the IMA incubation Incubator
  • Special Interest Groups (SIGs)

To stimulate future growth, we plan to build future capacity in:

  • metabolomics
  • single cell technologies
  • data science

Inclusive research

Of the 58 members of staff returned:

  • 15 are women (25% up from 9% in 2014)
  • 3 are Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic (BAME)
  • one staff member declares a disability

The gender split at career stage shows a gradual increase in the proportion of women. They include:

  • 13% of Chairs
  • 33% of mid-career
  • 43% of ECRs

We hold University Athena Swan status at the University level, are a signatory:

  • of the Advance HE’s Race Equality Charter
  • Global Stonewall Diversity Champion
  • member of the Business Disability Forum

Following successful Athena Swan awards we have sought to maintain and built on our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion through:

  • our Faculty restructure
  • building on the positive practices developed during these awards

In this REF period, 20 fellows in UoA5 have been recruited. We now have:

  • 11 who've progressed to open-ended contracts and remain in Newcastle
  • 4 that are still part of the Academic Track
  • 5 who've progressed to faculty positions elsewhere

Interdisciplinary research

UoA5 scientists collaborate extensively with colleagues across Newcastle University and other institutions. Of the UoA5 outputs in REF2021:

  • 18% are authored with researchers in other UoAs
  • 71% and 22% feature international and national co-authors respectively
  • 29 (46%) UoA5 scientists are authors on outputs returned in other UoAs

The Innovation, Methodology and Application (IMA) Research Theme developed:

  • Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
  • the IMA Innovation Incubator (III)

SIGs are focused on developing and optimising new approaches to connect the most appropriate technologies and methodologies to the right research questions. The III provides a collaborative space for researchers with very different expertise to form multi-disciplinary teams to address key research questions. UoA5 staff members lead five relevant Themes, including:

  • Chromosome Biology
  • the Cell Cycle
  • Microbes in Health and Disease
  • Cell Signalling

Impact case studies

A common theme of the UoA5 ICSs is a foundation in fundamental laboratory research that can be developed for therapeutic or commercial benefit:

Skimune, a test for adverse immune reactions to compounds

Platform of predictive assays

Novel pharmaceutical, chemical and cosmetic products can cause unforeseen adverse immune reactions. This can cause harm but also costing excess development time and money.

Newcastle research of graft-versus-host disease led to the Skimune® platform of predictive assays. The platform predicts adverse immune reactions to novel chemicals, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Wide adoption

International pharmaceutical, cosmetic and chemical companies now use Skimune®. The biotechnology company Alcyomics Ltd. patented and commercialised the platform in their development pipelines.

Skimune® is also the safety platform for the Northern Alliance Advanced Therapies Treatment Centre. The Centre develops novel cellular therapeutics.

aProximate, a renal in vitro cell culture model to better predict toxicity during drug development

Cell culture models

Drug development is expensive, with the majority of drug attrition occurring at ’first in man’. Here, pre-clinical screening of new drug molecules in animal models fails to predict human toxicity.

We developed aProximate™. This platform differentiates cell culture models of human and animal kidney proximal tubule.

Screening new drug molecules

The models resemble the physiology of the in vivo proximal tubule. They also provide new data about the nephrotoxic potential of new drug molecules.

Newcells Biotech Ltd. provides aProximate. Major pharmaceutical companies use it to screen new drug molecules. It also supports regulatory submissions to international regulatory authorities.

Erdafitinib, a best-in-class treatment for bladder cancer

Therapeutic target

Fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) upregulation occurs in 75% of metastatic bladder cancers. It drives cell proliferation and survival. FGFR could be a potential therapeutic target.

Newcastle research and industry collaboration identified FGFR inhibitors. They looked at potent anti-oncogenic effects in cell lines and in vivo models.

Best-in-class

This work led to the development of erdafitinib. , It is a best-in-class pan-FGFR inhibitor, created by Astex and collaborators.

A successful phase 2 clinical trial by Astex, of high-risk urothelial cancer showed a 42% response rate. This is double the expected rate.

In 2019, erdafitinib was the first US Food and Drug Administration-approved FGFR inhibitor. There have now been at least 14 more international trials since.

Fibrofind, a stable human alternative for testing anti-fibrotic drugs

Predicting fibrosis

Fibrosis is the thickening and scarring of organ tissue, which has a large associated health burden. Current models of fibrosis are poor predictors for anti-fibrotic drug interactions in the body. As a consequence many drugs fail when tested in human trials.

Precision cut slices of human tissues offer better predictive abilities. Newcastle developed a novel bioreactor for keeping precision cut slices viable for longer. A reliable protocol for inducing fibrosis improved the predictability of drug action on fibrotic tissue ex vivo.

FibroFind

This research led to the spin-out company FibroFind. It used the novel bioreactor and fibrosis protocol to test candidate anti-fibrotic drugs in precision cut slices. Many of FibroFind's clients are large pharmaceutical companies and small to medium-sized enterprises.

Peptest, a quick and simple test for reflux

Detecting pepsin

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is a chronic disease linked to other health problems. Existing methods for diagnosing GORD are invasive, lacking sensitivity and specificity.

Newcastle research confirmed that pepsin was a suitable biomarker of reflux events. It was responsible for damage during reflux events. No test existed to easily and accurately detect pepsin in patients.

Peptest

Newcastle research in collaboration with Technostics led to the development of Peptest. This is a sensitive and non-invasive measure of pepsin presence and reflux events.

Peptest has achieved regulatory approval in several countries. It has also:

  • received FDA approval in the US
  • been sold in 46 countries
  • being used by at least six NHS trusts

Our ambitions

Create an interdisciplinary research centre in which experimental and computational scientists, engineers, and clinicians collaborate to tackle major leading-edge questions and develop research tools that transform neuroscience in the following principal areas:  

  • Cognitive systems: understanding the basis of cognition and its link to dementia and mental health 
  • Artificial intelligence for the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders 
  • Neuro-medical engineering for implants, assistive and wearable technology 
  • The development of novel animal models that harnesses our unique rodent-to-primate-to-human translational capabilities. 
  • Translational to applied research enhancing understanding and treatment of dementias and mental illness. 
  • Understand how mental navigation of abstract concepts is supported by cerebellar-medial temporal- and prefrontal networks. 
  • Develop molecular and opto-electronic tools to address clinical needs in epilepsy and motor dysfunction. 
  • Understand how sensation and perception of basic features links to high-level cognition.  
  • We will continue to create a work environment that embraces equality, diversity and inclusivity and establish a research culture based on openness, where talent at whatever level is nurtured and creative thinking can thrive.   

Find out more

Learn about our transformational biological discoveries that underpin new clinical and industrial applications research by following these links:

Units of Assessment
Our approach to REF 2021