Awards made during 2004-05
£79,807 over two years to Drs Robert Nibbs (Immunology), Dilys Freeman (Maternal & Reproductive Medicine), Professors Gerard Graham (Immunology) & Ian Greer (Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Glasgow University) for an investigation of the role of the chemokine receptor D6 in placental dysfunction.
Certain problems during pregnancy, such as the life-threatening pre-eclampsia, are caused by inflammation which damages the placenta. This study aims to investigate the potential for finding a biochemical means of controlling pre-eclampsia and other forms of placental dysfunction.
£79,786 over 17 months to Drs Megan Smith (Dermatology) & Adriano Rossi(Respiratory Medicine Unit, Edinburgh University) for a study of the role of nitric oxide as a regulator of apoptosis and inflammation in human skin following ultraviolet irradiation.
Lupus erythematosus (LE) is a photosensitive condition, where even small amounts of ultraviolet radiation (the active component of sunlight) causes the death of skin cells. Ultraviolet light has, however, been shown to have beneficial effects. This study aims to clarify how it can be used safely to treat photosensitive skin conditions, such as systemic lupus erythematosus.
£60,537 over one year to Dr Mozheh Zamiri & Professor Colin Munro (Dermatology, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow) and Dr Malcolm Hodgins (Dermatology, Glasgow University) for research aimed at moving towards a comprehensive resource for elucidating the pathogenesis of inherited keratodermas.
Keratodermas are a rare inherited disorder which affects the metabolism of skin and results in painful areas of thickened skin on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. This project will use a bank of patient tissues to identify cell markers which might be useful as targets for drug treatment.
£79,993 over two years to Dr Iain Anthony (Neuropathology), Professor Jeanne Bell (Neuropathology) & Dr Juan Carlos Arango (Forensic Medicine, Edinburgh University) for an investigation of neuroinflammation and accelerated neuro-ageing in HAART-treated HIV-infected individuals.
HIV-infected individuals now live much longer than previously and impairment of brain function is becoming a major problem in these people, so this study aims to clarify whether HIV or its associated treatment accelerates the natural ageing processes in the brain.
£74,044 over two years to Dr Rebecca Devon (Molecular Medicine Centre, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh) to study the role of alsin and its interacting proteins in juvenile onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a degenerative disease of the brain which results in progressive muscular weakness and ultimately fatal paralysis, is also known as motor neurone disease. This project aims to clarify the precise function of the gene known to be associated with the form of disease which starts in childhood.
£79,252 over two years to Dr Patricia Martin (Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University) & Dr Malcolm Hodgins (Cancer Sciences & Molecular Pathology, Glasgow University) to investigate the therapeutic benefits of gap junction inhibitors in chronic wound-healing events.
Wounds which do not heal properly (chronic non-healing wounds) are a major health problem, particularly in an ageing population. This study will investigate whether altering the levels of a small protein involved in the intracellular communication essential to normal wound repair processes, could improve wound healing.
£69,971 over two years to Dr Thomas Gillingwater (Anatomy, University of Edinburgh) for high-resolution imaging of synapse loss in mouse models of spinal muscular atrophy.
The junction between nerve and muscle is a primary site of damage in spinal muscular atrophy, one form of the degenerative and ultimately fatal condition known as motor neurone disease. This study will investigate the detail of the anatomical changes occurring in the cells of the junctions between the nerves and the muscles in the disease.
£80,000 over two years to Dr Kathryn Marshall (currently in Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Utah, but relocating to Edinburgh) & Dr Margarete Heck (Institute of Cell Biology, Edinburgh University) for the characterisation of invadolysin, a novel human metalloprotease involved in mitosis and migration.
Invadolysin is a recently-discovered enzyme known to be important in cell movement, as it is found at the leading edge of white blood cells as they move towards the site of injury. This study aims to investigate the part that invadolysin plays in this essential body process and in cell division.
The Mrs Jean V. Baxter Medical Research Fellowship 2005-07 was awarded to Dr John David Terrace (Clinical & Surgical Sciences, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary) for his project entitled "Characterisation of human liver stem cells during foetal development".
The Cruden & the Mrs Robina Menzies Smith Medical Research Scholarships 2005-06 were awarded together to Dr Kevin Dhaliwal (Centre for Inflammation Research, Edinburgh University) for his project entitled "Macrophage-based gene therapy for neutrophil-mediated lung injury".