Awards made during 1999-2000
£84,954 over two years to Dr Gurman Pall, Professor Keith Johnson & Dr Catherine Winchester (Molecular Genetics, Glasgow University) for the identification and characterisation of the genes regulated by the homeodomain protein SIX5 and their contribution to the pathogenesis in myotonic dystrophy.
£69,961 over two years to Dr Robert Aitken (Infection & Immunity) and Dr Brian L. Jones (Microbiology, Glasgow University) for the development of recombinant immunotheraptutics against Clostridium difficile.
£37,920 over two years to Drs Sandrine Prost, Christian T. McCulloch & Professor David J. Harrison (Pathology, Edinburgh Unviersity) for an investigation of interferon gamma-induced apoptosis in primary hepatocytes.
£69,726 over two years to Dr Lars P. Erwig (Medicine & Therapeutics, Aberdeen University) for an investigation of macrophage programming in inflammation.
£42,647 over two years to Dr Paul Neary (Medical Cardiology) & Professor Godfrey Smith (Biological & Life Sciences, Glasgow Unviersity) to investigate the characteristics of spontaneous SR Ca2+ release in failing human myocardium.
£68,457 over two years to Dr Stephany M. Biello (Psychology, Glasgow University) for a study of the neural basis of circadian timing.
£69,882 over two years to Dr Jonathan Pettitt (Molecular & Cell Biology, Aberdeen University) to investigate RAS signalling and epidermal cell fate in the Caenorhabditis elegans embryo.
£19,400 to Professor Jill F. Belch (Vascular Medicine & Biology) Mrs Rosemary Levison (Vascular Laboratory) Profesosr Annie Anderson (Centre for Applied Nutrition Research), Dr J. Stewart Forsyth (Child Health) and Dr Faisel Khan (Vascular Medicine & Biology, Dundee University and Ninewells Hospital & Medical School) for the purchase of equipment for research into aortic compliance, measured by ultrasound echo tracking, as an early marker for vascular disease.
£62,411 over 18 months to Dr Christine Bell, Ms Caroline Clark & Professor Neva E. Haites (Medical Genetics, Aberdeen University) to investigate the role of regulatory sequences of the candidate genes in the pathogenesis of hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy Type 1 (HMSN1).
£69,045 over two years to Dr Iain B. McInnes (Centre for Rheumatic Diseases, Glasgow Royal Infirmary) & Dr Jeremy H. Brock (Immunology & Bacteriology, Glasgow University) for a study of lactoferrin-mediate resistance to Staphylococcus aureus infection.
£69,847 over two years to Dr Marie Boyd (Radiation Oncology), Professor S. Moira Brown (Neurovirology), Dr Robert J. Mairs (Radiation Oncology), Dr Wilson Angerson (Surgery) & Professor Tom Wheldon (Radiation Oncology, Glasgow University) for an in vitro assessment of a new treatment for glioma combining virally-mediated cell lysis with gene transfer and targeted radiotherapy.
£44,929 over one year to Drs Alexandra Cochrane & Peter Simmonds (Clinical & Molecular Virology, Edinburgh University) to study the molecular epidemiology of hepatitis C virus infection in injecting drug users.
£69,321 over two years to Dr Janice Spencer, Dr Alun Williams & Professor Mark Roberts (Veterinary Pathology, Glasgow University) for a study of host-pathogen interactions during colonisation of preferred microenvironments by verocytotoxogenic Escherichia coli O157:H7 in young and adult cattle.
£69,973 over two years to Dr David J. MacEwan (Biomedical Sciences, Aberdeen University) to investigate controlling tumour necrosis factor receptor subtypes in human tumour cells as a possible novel anti-cancer therapy.
£69,990 over two years to Dr Andrew M. Wilson & Professor Brian J. Lipworth (Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Dundee University) to study the clinical and histological outcomes in allergic airways disease and the efficacy of combined mediator antagonism or topical corticosteroid treatment.
£69,347 over two years to Drs Roger W. Brown & Stewart Fleming (Molecular Medicine Centre, Edinburgh University) for a study involving the identification of novel corticosteroid regulated genes and molecular pathways contolling renal sodium balance and blood pressure.
£50,625 for a one-year study to Dr Brain R. Walker, Professor Stephen G. Hillier, Dr Ruth Andrew & Dr Joo Thong (Medical Sciences, Edinburgh University) to try to identify the missing link between insulin resistance, obesity and anovulation in the tissue-specific diruption of cortisol metabolism in polycystic ovary syndrome.
£96,024 over three years to Drs Adam J.W. Paige & Hani Gabra (ICRF Medical Oncology Unit, Edinburgh University) to investigate the clinical significance and biological role of the WWOX gene in ovarian cancer.
£35,831 over one year to Dr Bernadette Connolly (Molecular & Cell Biology, Aberdeen University) to investigate the changes in protein and gene expression in skeletal muscle cells in vivo during dedifferentiation induced by infection with the nematode parasite Trichinella spiralis.
£69,162 over two years to Drs Thomas R.J. Evans, J. J. Going, Mr R. C. Stuart & Dr W.N. Keith (CRC Medical Oncology, Glasgow University) to study the senescence-like state of human oesophago-gastro cancers and its implication for response to cancer therapy.
£31,293 over three years to Dr Stuart R. Cobb (Neurosience & Biomedical Systems, Glasgow University) to investigate the role of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in controlling epileptiform activity.
£69,992 over two years to Dr Jamal Nasir (Human Genetics Unit, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh) to continue his work on exploring therapeutic opportunities for Huntingdon's disease.
The Nasmyth Travelling Research Scholarship 2000-2002 was awarded to Dr Tracey A. Baird (Neurology, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow) to visit the Department of Neurology, Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Centre for Brain Imagine Research, Austin & Repatriation Medical Centre, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia. The focus of Dr Baird's research is to find new, simple and cost-effective ways to diagnose and treat acute stroke - a disease which remains the third commonest cuase of dealth in Scotland.
The Mrs Jean V. Baxter Medical Research Fellowship 2000-02 was awarded to Dr Laura C. Lawrie (Molecular & Cell Biology, Aberdeen University) to use proteomics, a powerful new analytical technique for comparing proteins found in tumour tissue samples with those found in normal tissues, as a means of identifying possible targets for the development of both new early screening methods and new treatments in colorectal cancer.
The Cruden Medical Research Scholarship 2000-01 was awarded to Ms Amy Leslie (Surgery, Ninewells Hospital & Medical School, Dundee) to study the genetic mutations asociated with both colorectal cancer and the polyps which precede it, to clarify whether they might prove useful as markers in early screening for the disease.
A Medical Research Scholarship 2000-01 was also awarded to Dr Emma Honey (Medical Microbiology, Aberdeen University) to investigate the effectiveness of current screening strategies for Chlamydia trachomatis and indentify the amount of reinfection following treatment. In addition, she will clarify individual preference and acceptability of screening among women at risk of contracting the disease with the aim of developing improved screening strategies for the future.
Research Workshops
Drs Heather A. Wilkinson (Centre for Social Research on Dementia, Stirling University) & Kieran Breen (Alzheimer's Research Centre, Dundee University) to run a workshop entitled "Assessment of capacity - an interdisciplinary approach in practice".
Drs John R. Petrie (Medicine, Glasgow University) Andrew Morris (Medicine, Dundee University) & James Shaw (Medicine, Aberdeen University) for a workshop entitled "Scottish Diabetes Research Collaboration : Planning meeting".