Find out more about the research being undertaken by our groups.
Medicines Design
The group encompasses drug design and delivery and aims to optimise administration of the right drug at the right location of the body to achieve optimal clinical benefit. This requires novel drug design and new formulation strategies that consider the accessibility of the pharmacological target, the optimal route of administration, and the physicochemical properties of the drug. Research focusses on molecular events at the formulation-biomembrane interface, the mechanism of absorption, and the drug’s interactions with the site of action. Specifically, we develop novel drugs, experimental evaluative tools, predictive models, and location-dependent and delivery-optimising strategies.
Current projects include:
- Duration of action and the role of spatiotemporal control of GPCR signalling
- Polypharmacology and the development of new treatments for pain, drug use disorders and neuropsychiatric conditions
- Non-invasive spectroscopy and imaging techniques to assess pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of drugs applied to the skin
- Characterisation and influence of metered dose inhaler canister treatments
- Organ on a chip model of age-related macular degeneration for applications in drug discovery and delivery
- Improving the performance of topical treatments for nail disease
- Smart molecules as biomarkers or preventive/therapeutic agents for iron-related skin photodamage and disorders
Epidemiology and Clinical Research
The group uses Big Data such as UK primary health care records and clinical data integrated with associated biobanks with a focus on immune-mediated inflammatory disease and vulnerable populations. A range of methods including causal inference modelling and machine learning are used to understand predictors, biomarkers, medication use, disease trajectory, and patient outcomes to aid early diagnosis, improve patient care and safety, personalise treatment strategies and influence medicines policy and practice.
Current projects include:
- Establishing a risk profile for the development of psoriatic arthritis in people with psoriasis
- Drug safety and effectiveness in older people
- Medication use in pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes in women with chronic inflammatory disease
- Using artificial intelligence to read hand radiographs in arthritis
- Discovery of novel autoantigens as targets for autoimmunity in adult and juvenile myositis
- Covid as a risk factor for development of giant cell arteritis
- Improving clinical guideline design to prevent medication errors
Special Interest Groups
We have meetings to present research findings, report back on meetings and pitch research grant ideas that are organised within our special interest groups:
- Epidemiology (lead Anita McGrogan)
- Rheumatology (lead William Tillett)
- Autoimmune serology (lead Sarah Tansley)
- South West Pharmacy Research Network (lead Sarah Jones)
- Psychopharmacology (lead Stephen Husbands)