The Worcester Biomedical Research Group (WBRG) aims to promote multidisciplinary Biomedical Science research at the ¾ÞÈéÎÞÂë

About the group

Science students in white coats in a lab

The Worcester Biomedical Research Group (WBRG) fosters collaborations between staff (cross-institute), students and local health and industrial organisations. Our current research aims to address the major health issues of our time.

Building sustainable societies through research into disease prevention, medical treatment and diagnostics, lies at the heart of the WBRG research ethos. We aim to achieve this goal through basic and translational Biomedical Research with particular focus on cancer, cardiovascular disease and neurodegeneration.

 

Dr Steve Coles; Senior Lecturer in Biochemistry, provides an insight into the work of Worcester Biomedical Research Group.

 

Current Research

The Role of BCAT1 in the Development and Treatment of AML (3 year FT PhD studentship  supported by the ¾ÞÈéÎÞÂë and Sir Halley Steward Trust).

Our PhD student James Hillier is investigating the role of a metabolic enzyme known as BCAT1 in the development of a type of blood cancer known as Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML). AML is a challenging disease particularly for the over 60’s, whom for many treatment is not durable. James is seeking to better understand the biochemical mechanisms that underpin this disease in hope that new treatment strategies may be discovered.

Monitoring Markers of Oxidative Stress in Acute Coronary Syndrome (5 year PT PhD studentship supported by the NHS).

Through her research our PhD student Angela Doughty aims to improve the early detection and diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Angela is situated at the Worcester Royal NHS Trust and is developing a high throughput assay for the detection of novel biomarkers that appear in the blood during and after AMI. It is hoped that her research will assist in the diagnosis and stratification of patients who present at the clinic with chest pain.

Molecular Pathways in Neurodegeneration (3 year FT PhD studentship supported by the ¾ÞÈéÎÞÂë).

Our PhD student Ellen Joyce’s research focusses on understanding the complex cellular processes that lead to the development of neurodegeneration such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Ellen’s work seeks to understand how nutrition effects important cellular components i.e. membrane lipid composition and how this contributes to neuronal cell function and survival. It is hoped that understanding this process may impact on AD prevention and treatment.

Nutritional Biochemistry: Neuronal Cell Biology (FT international PhD student from Sao Paulo Federal University in Brazil).

Bruna Hirata is an International PhD visiting student from Brazil, and her areas of interest include obesity and its related metabolic disorders, and research on management and treatment strategies.It is expected that the research Bruna will undertake will reveal novel mechanisms in the pathophysiology of chronic diseases, and will also attempt to elucidate the potential anti-obesogenic and antidiabetic effects of plant polyphenols.

Key Publications

2022

de Jesus, R.P., de Carvalho, J.F., de Oliveira, L.P.M., Cunha, C.M., Alves, T.C.H.S., Vieira, S.T.B., Figueiredo, V.M. and Bueno, Allain (2022) World Journal of Hepatology, 27 (14(1)). pp. 80-97. ISSN 1948-5182 (online)

Di Miceli, Mathieu, Derf, A. and Gronier, B. (2022) International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23 (15). p. 8588. ISSN 1422-0067

Di Miceli, Mathieu, Martinat, M., Rossitto, M., Aubert, A., Alashmali, S., Bosch-Bouju, C., Fioramonti, X., Joffre, C., Bazinet, R. P. and Layé, S. (2022) International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23 (12). ISSN 1422-0067

Di Miceli, Mathieu, Omoloye, A. and Gronier, B. (2022) Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry, 112. p. 110406. ISSN 0278-5846

Casagrande, B.P., Bueno, Allain, Pisani, L.P. and Estadella, D. (2022) Metabolic Brain Disease. ISSN Electronic: 1573-7365 Print: 0885-7490

Hillier, James, Allcott, Gemma, Guest, Laura, Heaselgrave, Wayne, Tonks, Alex, Conway, Myra, Cherry, Amy and Coles, Steven (2022) The BCAT1 CXXC Motif Provides Protection Against ROS in Acute Myeloid Leukaemia Cells. Antioxidants, 11 (4). p. 683. ISSN 2076-3921

Price, James, Santos, H. O. and Bueno, Allain (2022) Digital Health, 8. ISSN 2055-2076 Online ISSN: 2055-2076

Richardson, Jane, Erol, Rosie and Bueno, Allain (2022) Journal of Cancer Education. ISSN Electronic: 1543-0154 Print: 0885-8195

Rios, Tatiane Correia, Boulhosa, Ramona Souza da Silva Baqueiro, da Costa, Maria Lúcia Varjão, Sassaki,, Betina, Bueno, Allain, Passos De Jesus, Rosangela and de Oliveira, Lucivalda Pereira Magalhães (2022) Forum of Clinical Oncology. ISSN eISSN: 1792-362X (In Press)

Watanabe, R.L.H., Boldarine, V.T., Pedroso, A.P., Telles, M.M., Dornellas, A.P.S., Wang, Y., Bueno, Allain and Ribeiro, E.B. (2022) Revista Argentina de Endocrinología y Metabolismo (Argentine Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism), 59 (2). pp. 24-40. ISSN 0326-4610

2021

Boldarine, V.T., Pedrosa, A.P., Joyce, Ellen, Telles, M.M., Oyama, L.M., Bueno, Allain and Ribeiro, E.B. (2021) Scientific Reports, 11 (3841). pp. 1-11. ISSN Online: 2045-2322

Chataigner, M., Lucas, C., Di Miceli, Mathieu, Pallet, V., Laye, S., Mahaignerie, A., Bouvret, E., Dinnel, A.L. and Joffre, C. (2021) Frontiers in Nutrition, 8 (75029). ISSN 2296-861X

Genario, R., Cipolla-Neto, J., Bueno, Allain and Santos, H.O. (2021) Pharmacological Research, 163. p. 105254. ISSN 1043-6618

Martinat, M., Rossitto, M., Di Miceli, Mathieu and Layé, S. (2021) Nutrients, 13 (4). p. 1185. ISSN 2072-6643

Rastogi, N., Baker, S., Man, S., Uger, R., Wong, M., Coles, Steven, Hodges, M., Gilkes, A., Knapper, S., Darley, R. and Tonks, A. (2021) British Journal of Haematology, 193 (1). pp. 155-159. ISSN 1365-2141

Rios, T.C., de Oliveira, L.P.M., da Costa, M.L.V., da Silva, R.S., Roriz, A.K.C., Ramos, L.B. and Bueno, Allain (2021) Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 19 (90). ISSN 1477-7525

2020

Berland, C., Montalban, E., Perrin, E., Di Miceli, Mathieu, Nakamura, Y., Martinat, M., Sullivan, M., Davis, X.S., Shenasa, M.A., Martin, C., Tolu, S., Marti, F., Caille, S., Castel, J., Perez, S., Salinas, C.G., Morel, C., Hecksher-Sørensen, J., Cador, M., Fioramonti, X., Tschöp, M.H., Layé, S., Venance, L., Faure, P., Hnasko, T.S., Small, D.M., Gangarossa, G. and Luquet, S.H. (2020) Cell metabolism, 31 (4). 773-790.e11. ISSN Print: 1550-4131 Online: 1932-7420

Boldarine, V.T., Pedroso, A.P., Brandao-Teles, C., Lo Turco, E.G., Nascimento, C.M.O., Oyama, L.M., Bueno, Allain, Martins-de-Souza, D. and Ribeiro, E.B. (2020) American Journal of Physiology - Endocrinology and Metabolism, 319 (2). E427-E437. ISSN Print: 0193-1849 Online:1522-1555

Di Miceli, Mathieu, Husson, Z., Ruel, P., Layé, S., Cota, D., Fioramonti, X., Bosch-Bouju, C. and Gronier, B. (2020) Frontiers in neural circuits, 14. p. 51. ISSN 1662-5110

Di Miceli, Mathieu, Bosch-Bouju, C. and Layé, S. (2020) The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 79 (4). pp. 388-403. ISSN 1475-2719

Lin, L., Metherel, A.H., Di Miceli, Mathieu, Liu, Z., Sahin, C., Fioramonti, X,, Cummins, C.L., Layé, S. and Bazinet, R.P. (2020) Journal of lipid research, 61 (11). pp. 1480-1490. ISSN Print: 0022-2275 Online: 1539-7262

Santos, H.O., Price, James C. and Bueno, Allain (2020) Nutrients, 12 (10). e3159. ISSN 2072-6643 Online: 2072-6643

Santos, H.O., da Silva, G., Tinsley, G. and Bueno, Allain (2020) Journal of Personalized Medicine, 10. Article no. 145. ISSN 2075-4426

Wadley, Alex, Cullen, Tom, Vautrinot, Jordan, Keane, Gary, Bishop, N.C. and Coles, Steven (2020) Brain Behaviour and Immunity: Health, 3. Article no. 100049. ISSN 2666-3546

2019

Di Miceli, Mathieu, Omoloye, A. and Gronier, B. (2019) Journal of Psychopharmacology, 33 (1). pp. 109-121. ISSN Print: 0269-8811 Online: 1461-7285

Genario, R., Morello, E., Bueno, Allain and Santos, H.O. (2019) Pharmacological Research, 147. p. 104337. ISSN 1043-6618

Heaselgrave, W., Hamad, A., Coles, Steven and Hau, S. (2019) Translational Vision Science and Technology, 8 (5). Article no. 17. ISSN 2164-2591

Hirata, B.K., Cruz, M.M., de Sá, R.D., Farias, T.S., Machado, M.M.F., Bueno, Allain, Alonso-Vale, M.I.C. and Telles, M.M. (2019) Frontiers in Endocrinology, 10. Article 284. ISSN 1664-2392

Sakamoto, F.L., Ribeiro, R.M.P., Bueno, Allain and Santos, H.O. (2019) Pharmacological Research, 147. p. 104395. ISSN 1043-6618

Wadley, A., Keane, Gary, Cullen, Tom, James, L., Vautrinot, Jordon, Davies, Matthew, Hussey, B., Hunter, D.J., Mastana, S., Holliday, A., Petersen, SV., Bishop, N.C., Lindley, M.R. and Coles, Steven (2019) Journal of Applied Physiology, 127 (3). pp. 858-866. ISSN Print: 8750-7587 Online: 1522-1601

2018

Coles, Steven (2018) Open Access Journal of Oncology and Medicine, 1 (2). pp. 1-2. ISSN 2638-5945

de Jesus, R.P., Mota, J.F., González-Muniesa, P., Waitzberg, D.L., Telles, M.M. and Bueno, Allain(2018) Journal of Obesity and Nutritional Disorders, 2018 (129). ISSN 2577-2244

Di Miceli, Mathieu and Gronier, B. (2018) Reviews on recent clinical trials, 13 (2). pp. 114-125. ISSN 1876-1038

Gronier, B., Savignac, H.M., Di Miceli, Mathieu, Idriss, S.M., Tzortzis, G., Anthony, D. and Burnet, P.W.J. (2018) European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, 28 (1). pp. 211-224. ISSN 0924-977X

Hillier, James, Wadley, A.J., Morgan, R.G., Cherry, Amy, Conway, M.E. and Coles, Steven (2018) Blood, 132. p. 1473. ISSN 00064971

Morgan, R.G., Chambers, A., Legge, D.N., Coles, Steven, Greenhough, A. and Williams, A.C. (2018) Scientific Reports, 8 (7952). ISSN 2045-2322

Santos, H.O., Bueno, Allain and Mota, J.F. (2018) Pharmacological Research, 137. pp. 170-178. ISSN 1043-6618

Wadley, A.J., Hole, P., Tonks, A., Darley, R., Omidvar, D., Morgan, R., Gary, Keane and Coles, Steven (2018) Blood, 132. p. 2751. ISSN 00064971

Wadley, Alex, Holliday, Adrian, Morgan, R.G., Heesom, K.J., Aldred, S., Peters, D.M., Bueno, Allain and Coles, Steven (2018) Journal of Applied Physiology, 125 (2). pp. 586-595. ISSN 8750-7587 Online: 1522-1601

Wadley, Alex, Morgan, R.G., Heesom, K.J., Hole, P.S. and Coles, Steven (2018) MethodsX, 5. pp. 1473-1483. ISSN 2215-0161

2017

Coles, Steven and Wadley, Alex (2017) Cancer and Oncology: Open Access Journal, 1 (1). 

Current Opportunities

PhD (fully-funded)

Fully-funded PhD studentships with WBRG will be advertised here, but also on .

PhD (self-funded)

Approaches from self-supporting PhD students are accepted all year round. Please contact Dr Steven Coles for an informal discussion.

Current opportunities

Projects that staff within WBRG are currently looking at for self-funded PhD students:

MRes

We welcome any approach from high achieving graduates that would like to consider studying for an MRes in Biomedical Research at the ¾ÞÈéÎÞÂë. Topics of interest are those which focus on aspects of either WBRG research theme. Please contact Dr Steven Coles to express an interest with an outline of your research interests.

Current opportunities

Projects that staff within WBRG are currently looking at for MRes students:

Project title: “Development of diagnostic tests for the stratification and monitoring of cancer”.
Contact: Dr Steven Coles: s.coles@worc.ac.uk 

Project title: “Evaluating novel chemotherapeutic compounds for the treatment of cancer”.
Contact: Dr Steven Coles: s.coles@worc.ac.uk

Project title: “The role of essential fatty acids in glucose homeostasis in neural cells subjected to oxidative stress”.
Contact: Dr Allain Bueno: a.bueno@worc.ac.uk

Project title: “Effects of plant polyphenols on intracellular insulin signalling in neural cells and blood brain barrier”.
Contact: Dr Allain Bueno: a.bueno@worc.ac.uk

Project title: “Combined effects of physical activity and supplementation with essential fatty acids from plant or marine sources in blood cell membrane composition and stability”.
Contact: Dr Allain Bueno: a.bueno@worc.ac.uk

Project title: “Cell signalling crosstalk in myeloid leukaemia”.
Contact: Dr Amy Cherry: a.cherry@worc.ac.uk

Project title: “The role of the Hedgehog signalling pathway in programmed cell death”.
Contact: Dr Amy Cherry: a.cherry@worc.ac.uk

WBRG Members

Academic Staff Members

Research Student Members

  • Angela Doughty (PhD Student in Cardiovascular Disease Research)
  • Ellen Joyce (PhD Student in Neurobiology Research)
  • Bruna Hirata (International PhD student in Nutritional Biochemistry)

  • Samantha Paskin (PhD student in Behavioural Neurochemistry)

  • Theresa May (PhD Student in Nutrition)

Associate Staff & Post-Graduate Members

External Collaborators

  • Dr Alex Wadley (Loughborough University)
  • Dr Wayne Heaselgrave (Wolverhampton University)
  • Dr Rhys Morgan (University of Bristol)
  • Dr Mike Beeton (Cardiff Metropolitan University)
  • Dr Pedro Gonzales-Muniesa (University on Navarra, Spain)
  • Dr Monica Telles (Federal University of Sao Paulo, Brazil)
  • Dr Rosangela Passos (Federal University of Bahia, Brazil)