Dr Ian Blagbrough
Profile
Together with my research group, we carry out cutting-edge, internationally competitive pharmaceutical science within a School of Pharmacy. We publish in top-flight research Journals, internationally recognised and with high impact. We aim to answer key questions in my areas of interest which are: molecular pharmaceutics especially controlling polymers for drug and siRNA delivery, gene delivery and gene silencing, applied pharmaceutical analysis, phytochemical (natural products) research, target-led synthetic pharmaceutical and biological chemistry, and collaborative research with regard to molecular pharmacology of inflammation, cancer, and CNS diseases.
We therefore work in the important areas of molecular pharmaceutics and medicinal chemistry in our design and control of novel nanoparticles for siRNA, gene, and drug delivery, nanomedicine based on lipospermines and biocompatible polymers using fluorescent probes which we have designed, prepared, and study with confocal microscope analysis and cell biology (with Dr Pourzand). We are also investigating nanofibres prepared by electrospinning to make novel controlled release devices (with Dr DeBank). We work on rational, target driven drug design in the area of polyamine conjugate analogue synthesis against cancer and for ligand-gated ion channel control, synthetic chemistry of target natural products with detailed pharmaceutical analysis. We also work on questions of natural product biosynthesis and the uses of animal and plant toxins as selective tools in molecular pharmacology. Whilst many of these research topics address fundamental questions in medicinal and biological chemistry, they all have applications in biochemistry, pharmacology, or in medicines design. Recent examples of this interdisciplinary research are in our PPRT funded PDRF (with Dr Rogers and Dr Sutton) and our Syrian Government funded PhD studentship (with Dr Scott and Dr Rowan).
We welcome applications from scientists with interests in pharmaceutical analysis, pharmaceutics, chemistry, and areas where the interdisciplinary approach will be successful. We have a 100% success rate for successful PhD submissions.
Publications
Blagbrough, I. S. and Metwally, A. A., 2013. siRNA and Gene Formulation for Efficient Gene Therapy. In: Molina, F. M., ed. Gene Therapy: Tools and Potential Applications. InTech.
Alhusein, N., Blagbrough, I. S. and De Bank, P. A., 2012. Electrospun matrices for localised controlled drug delivery: release of tetracycline hydrochloride from layers of polycaprolactone and poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate). Drug Delivery and Translational Research, 2 (6), pp. 477-488.
Metwally, A. A., Blagbrough, I. S. and Mantell, J. M., 2012. Quantitative silencing of EGFP reporter gene by self-assembled siRNA lipoplexes of LinOS and cholesterol. Molecular Pharmaceutics, 9 (11), pp. 3384-3395.
Blagbrough, I. S., Metwally, A. A. and Ghonaim, H. M., 2012. Asymmetrical N4,N9-Diacyl Spermines: SAR Studies of Nonviral Lipopolyamine Vectors for Efficient siRNA Delivery with Silencing of EGFP Reporter Gene. Molecular Pharmaceutics, 9 (7), pp. 1853-1861.
Metwally, A. A., Reelfs, O., Pourzand, C. and Blagbrough, I. S., 2012. Efficient silencing of EGFP reporter gene with siRNA delivered by asymmetricalN4,N9-diacyl spermines. Molecular Pharmaceutics, 9 (7), pp. 1862-1876.
Metwally, A. A., Reelfs, O., Pourzand, C. and Blagbrough, I. S., 2011. Asymmetrical N4,N9-diacyl spermines: SAR and their efficiency as siRNA delivery vectors compared with symmetrical mixtures. Human Gene Therapy, 22 (10), A84-A85.
Metwally, A. A. and Blagbrough, I. S., 2011. Self-assembled siRNA lipoplexes of LinOS-cholesterol mixtures: enhanced siRNA uptake and gene silencing in HeLa cells. Human Gene Therapy, 22 (10), A81.
Metwally, A. A. and Blagbrough, I. S., 2011. Synthesis and evaluation of N4,N9-fatty acid conjugates of N1,N12-diamidino-spermine as non-viral siRNA delivery vectors. Human Gene Therapy, 22 (10), A85.
Metwally, A. A., Pourzand, C. and Blagbrough, I. A., 2011. Efficient gene silencing by self-assembled complexes of siRNA and symmetrical fatty acid amides of spermine. Pharmaceutics, 3 (2), pp. 125-140.
Elmasry, M. S., Blagbrough, I. S., Rowan, M. G., Saleh, H. M., Kheir, A. A. and Rogers, P. J., 2011. Quantitative HPLC analysis of mebeverine, mesalazine, sulphasalazine and dispersible aspirin stored in a Venalink monitored dosage system with co-prescribed medicines. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 54 (4), pp. 646-652.
Stupariu, J., Blagbrough, I., Millar, J. I., Rogers, P. and Sutton, J. W., 2011. Research in pharmacy and the role of the undergraduate programme: Course Directors’ perspectives. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 19 (Suppl 2), pp. 10-11.
Metwally, A. A. and Blagbrough, I. S., 2011. Self-assembled lipoplexes of short interfering RNA (siRNA) using spermine-based fatty acid amide guanidines: effect on gene silencing efficiency. Pharmaceutics, 3 (3), pp. 406-424.
Blagbrough, I. S., Bayoumi, S. A. L., Rowan, M. G. and Beeching, J. R., 2010. Cassava: an appraisal of its phytochemistry and its biotechnological prospects. Phytochemistry, 71 (17-18), pp. 1940-1951.
Metwally, A. A., Pourzand, C. and Blagbrough, I. S., 2010. Efficient siRNA delivery and effective gene silencing by lipoplexes. Drug Discovery Today, 15 (23-24), p. 1090.
Metwally, A. A., Pourzand, C. and Blagbrough, I. S., 2010. Efficient siRNA delivery and gene silencing by unsymmetrical fatty acid amides of spermine. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 62 (10), pp. 1220-1221.
Ghonaim, H. M., Soltan, M. K. and Blagbrough, I. S., 2010. Heterocyclic N-4, N-9-diacyl spermines: nanoparticle lipopolyamine vectors for efficient pDNA and siRNA delivery. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 62 (10), pp. 1276-1277.
Ghonaim, H. M., Cheng, Y. X., Pourzand, C. and Blagbrough, I., 2010. Self-assembled complex formulations of lipid-aminoglycoside conjugates: nanoparticles for efficient gene and siRNA delivery. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 62 (10), pp. 1295-1296.
Bayoumi, S. A. L., Rowan, M. G., Beeching, J. R. and Blagbrough, I. S., 2010. Constituents and secondary metabolite natural products in fresh and deteriorated cassava roots. Phytochemistry, 71 (5-6), pp. 598-604.
Ghonaim, H. M., Li, S. and Blagbrough, I. S., 2010. N1,N12 -Diacyl Spermines: SAR Studies on Non-viral Lipopolyamine Vectors for Plasmid DNA and siRNA Formulation. Pharmaceutical Research, 27 (1), pp. 17-29.
Soltan, M. K., Ghonaim, H. M., El Sadek, M., Abou Kull, M., El-Aziz, L. A. and Blagbrough, I. S., 2009. Design and Synthesis of N 4,N 9-Disubstituted Spermines for Non-viral siRNA Delivery – Structure-Activity Relationship Studies of siFection Efficiency Versus Toxicity. Pharmaceutical Research, 26 (2), pp. 286-295.
Ghonaim, H. M., Li, S. and Blagbrough, I. S., 2009. Very long chain N4,N9-diacyl spermines: non-viral lipopolyamine V vectors for efficient plasmid DNA and siRNA delivery. Pharmaceutical Research, 26 (1), pp. 19-31.
Blagbrough, I. S. and Zara, C., 2009. Animal Models for Target Diseases in Gene Therapy - using DNA and siRNA Delivery Strategies. Pharmaceutical Research, 26 (1), pp. 1-18.
Elmasry, M. S., Saleh, H. M., Kheir, A. A., Blagbrough, I. and Rogers, P. J., 2009. Quantitative HPLC analysis of mebeverine HCI and other GIT medicines stored in a monitored dosage system for polypharmacy. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 17 (Supplement 1), A111-A112.
Blagbrough, I. S., Elmasry, M. S., Woodman, T. J., Saleh, H. M. and Kheir, A. A., 2009. Quantitative determination of mebeverine HCl by NMR chemical shift migration. Tetrahedron, 65 (25), pp. 4930-4936.
Bayoumi, S. A. L., Rowan, M. G., Beeching, J. R. and Blagbrough, I. S., 2008. Investigation of biosynthetic pathways to hydroxycoumarins during post-harvest physiological deterioration in cassava roots by using stable isotope labelling. ChemBiochem, 9 (18), pp. 3013-3022.
Ghonaim, H. M., Ahmed, O. A. A., Pourzand, C. and Blagbrough, I. S., 2008. Varying the chain length in N4,N9-diacyl spermines: non-viral lipopolyamine vectors for efficient plasmid DNA formulation. Molecular Pharmaceutics, 5 (6), pp. 1111-1121.
Bayoumi, S. A. L., Rowan, M. G., Blagbrough, I. S. and Beeching, J. R., 2008. Biosynthesis of scopoletin and scopolin in cassava roots during post-harvest physiological deterioration: The E-Z-isomerisation stage. Phytochemistry, 69 (17), pp. 2928-2936.
Farghaly, H. S. M., Blagbrough, I. S., Medina-Tato, D. A. and Watson, M. L., 2008. Interleukin 13 increases contractility of murine tracheal smooth muscle by a phosphoinositide 3-kinase p110δ-dependent mechanism. Molecular Pharmacology, 73 (5), pp. 1530-1537.
Farghaly, H., Causton, B., Blagbrough, I. and Watson, M. L., 2008. The effect of PI3K inhibition on IL-13-induced arginase I expression in mice tracheal segments. Fundamental & Clinical Pharmacology, 22, p. 14.
