Publication: Cell Reports Medicine

Petra Mlcochova, Dami Collier, Allyson Ritchie, Sonny M. Assennato, Myra Hosmillo, Neha Goel, Bo Meng, Krishna Chatterjee, Vivien Mendoza, Nigel Temperton, Leo Kiss, Leo C. James, Katarzyna A. Ciazynska, Xiaoli Xiong, John AG. Briggs, James A. Nathan, Federica Mescia, Laura Bergamaschi, Hongyi Zhang, Petros Barmpounakis, Nikos Demeris, Richard Skells, Paul A. Lyons, John Bradley, Steven Baker, Jean Pierre Allain, Kenneth GC. Smith, Rachel Bousfield, Michael Wilson, Dominic Sparkes, Glenn Amoroso, Effrosyni Gkrania-Klotsas, Susie Hardwick, Adrian Boyle, Ian Goodfellow, Ravindra K. Gupta 

1 September 2020

Summary

Testing patients for COVID-19 as soon as they arrive at hospital is essential to obtain a diagnosis and to make sure they receive the correct treatment as soon as possible.

In a recent Cambridge study, the use of the SAMBA II test reduced the amount of time patients spent on holding wards. Now Cambridge researchers wanted to go further to create a ‘gold-standard’ method of testing.

The most common form of testing is taking a swab of the nose and throat (known as PCR) to see if the virus is present. However, it can take as long as 14 days for an individual to show symptoms of COVID-19, by which time the virus may have moved from the nose and throat and into the lungs and other tissues and organs, making it harder to detect via a swab test. Another way to detect the virus is looking for antibodies (from blood samples) in individuals.

Cambridge researchers combined the two tests – PCR and the antibody test – to help identify who may have the virus. They found combining both tests was more effective to identify patients who had Covid than those who had just one of the tests. Read the full news story.

Publication: medRxiv

Dami A Collier, Sonny M Assennato, Nyarie Sithole, Katherine Sharrocks, Allyson Ritchie, Pooja Ravji, Matt Routledge, Dominic Sparkes, Jordan Skittrall, Ben Warne, Anna Smielewska, Isobel Ramsey, Neha Goel, Martin Curran, David Enoch, Rhys Tassell, Michelle Lineham, Devan Vaghela, Clare Leong, Hoi Ping Mok, John Bradley, Kenneth Gc Smith, Vivien Mendoza, Nikos Demiris, Martin Besser, Gordon Dougan, Paul J Lehner, Hongyi Zhang, Claire Waddington, Helen Lee,  Ravindra K Gupta

03 June 2020

Summary:

SAMBA II machines were deployed in the ED and holding wards at Addenbrooke’s hospital to help detect COVID-19 in patients as part of a research trial called COVIDx.

Researchers investigated whether using the new machines could accurately provide a faster diagnosis than standard testing practices and review how it would affect patient waiting times.

After collecting nose and throat swabs from over 140 patients, the samples were processed using the SAMBA II machine. Researchers found they were able to provide an accurate diagnostic result within 90 minutes, compared to the standard 24-48-hour lab waiting time. Read the full story.

Publication: Nature

James E. D. Thaventhiran, Hana Lango Allen, Kenneth G. C. Smith 

06 May 2020

Summary:

Cambridge researchers sequenced the entire genetic code of 974 people with PID. The team were able to identify variations in genes already known to cause PID. To help identify genetic causes for the remaining participants and other patients with PID, the team used a statistical program known as BeviMed. BeviMed can be used to predict genes that may cause PID, by comparing the genomes of cases and controls. Using this technique, the team were able to identify new genes that cause PID. Full press release here

Publication: Science

Jong-Eun Park, Rachel A. Botting, Cecilia Domínguez Conde, Dorin-Mirel Popescu, Marieke Lavaert, Daniel J. Kunz, Issac Goh, Emily Stephenson, Roberta Ragazzini, Elizabeth Tuck, Anna Wilbrey-Clark, Kenny Roberts, Veronika R. Kedlian, John R. Ferdinand, Xiaoling He, Simone Webb, Daniel Maunder, Niels Vandamme, Krishnaa T. Mahbubani, Krzysztof Polanski, Lira Mamanova, Liam Bolt, David Crossland, Fabrizio de Rita, Andrew Fuller, Andrew Filby, Gary Reynolds, David Dixon, Kourosh Saeb-Parsy, Steven Lisgo, Deborah Henderson, Roser Vento-Tormo, Omer A. Bayraktar, Roger A. Barker, Kerstin B. Meyer, Yvan Saeys, Paola Bonfanti, Sam Behjati, Menna R. Clatworthy, Tom Taghon, Muzlifah Haniffa, Sarah A. Teichmann

21 February 2020

Summary:

Human thymus tissue makes T-cells for adaptive immunity and this research made a comprehensive cell atlas of thymus tissue over the course of human life, from embryo to adult thus gaining new insights into human T-cell development.

Publication: Genome Biology

E. Madissoon, A. Wilbrey-Clark, R. J. Miragaia, K. Saeb-Parsy, K. T. Mahbubani, N. Georgakopoulos, P. Harding, K. Polanski, N. Huang, K. Nowicki-Osuch, R. C. Fitzgerald, K. W. Loudon, J. R. Ferdinand, M. R. Clatworthy, A. Tsingene, S. van Dongen, M. Dabrowska, M. Patel, M. J. T. Stubbington, S. A. Teichmann, O. Stegle & K. B. Meyer

31 December 2019

Summary: 

The Human Cell Atlas, which is an international collaboration to map all the cell types in the human body.

However, delays between fresh sample collection and processing may lead to poor data and difficulties in experimental design.

This study looked at the effect of cold storage on fresh healthy spleen, esophagus, and lung from donors and concluded that cold storage of tissue works well and increases the time frame for processing samples; however robust protocols are needed for tissue preservation that can be used by all the research teams involved.

Publication: Immunity

Tomas Castro-Dopico, Thomas W. Dennison, John R. Ferdinand, Simon Clare, Miles Parkes, Menna R. Clatworthy et al

12 March 2019

Summary: 

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is due to aberrant responses of the gut mucosa to the resident microbiome.

This research looked at Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis (both types of IBD) to identify which immune cells are involved in IBD, and to help identify novel therapeutic targets.

Publication: Nature Immunology

Kylie R. James, Tomas Gomes, Rasa Elmentaite, Nitin Kumar, Emily L. Gulliver, Hamish W. King, Mark D. Stares, Bethany R. Bareham, John R. Ferdinand, Velislava N. Petrova, Krzysztof Polański, Samuel C. Forster, Lorna B. Jarvis, Ondrej Suchanek, Sarah Howlett, Louisa K. James, Joanne L. Jones, Kerstin B. Meyer, Menna R. Clatworthy, Kourosh Saeb-Parsy, Trevor D. Lawley, Sarah A. Teichmann

17 February 2020

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Summary:

This research surveyed the microbiome in different regions along the length of a healthy human colon, and in parallel surveyed the populations of immune cells.The map of the bacterial composition in the human colon showed that specific genera had preferences for colonising certain regions of the colon. B and T cells also changed along the length of the colon. This is the first survey to find out what constitutes a healthy homeostatic relationship between the microbiome in the human colon and host immune cells.

Publication: Nature

Duuamene Nyimanu, Richard G. Kay, Petra Sulentic, Rhoda E. Kuc, Philip Ambery, Lutz Jermutus, Frank Reimann, Fiona M. Gribble, Joseph Cheriyan, Janet J. Maguire, Anthony P. Davenport

27 December 2019

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Summary:

An LC-MS method was developed to measure Apelin in human plasma, and demonstrate apelin dosing achieved the correct concentration in volunteers. The extracts were also analysed on an LC-MS system to identify break-down products of the peptide that were produced in the body. The researchers found out that apelin is broken down from both ends of the peptide, but more so from the C-terminal. This information can be used to develop a better peptide that is stabilised against degradation, therefore improving its characteristics as a drug; and apelin-derived peptides may be potential new drugs for cardiovascular disease.

Publication: QJM: An International Journal of Medicine

R El-Damanawi, M Lee, T Harris, L B Cowley, S Bond, H Pavey, R N Sandford, I B Wilkinson, F E Karet Frankl, T F Hiemstra

Publication: Nature

Henry Lee-Six, Sigurgeir Olafsson, Peter Ellis, Robert J. Osborne, Mathijs A. Sanders, Luiza Moore, Nikitas Georgakopoulos, Franco Torrente, Ayesha Noorani, Martin Goddard, Philip Robinson, Tim H. H. Coorens, Laura O’Neill, Christopher Alder, Jingwei Wang, Rebecca C. Fitzgerald, Matthias Zilbauer, Nicholas Coleman, Kourosh Saeb-Parsy, Inigo Martincorena, Peter J. Campbell & Michael R. Stratton

23 October 2019

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This was a study of early changes in human colorectal tissue that could lead to adenomas/carconomas. These are rare outcomes even after a substantially increased mutational burden has been placed on the tissue, but it is important to study the earliest stages of colorectal carcinogenesis.

Publication: Nature

Bashford-Rogers, R.J.M., Bergamaschi, L., McKinney, E.F., Pombal, D.C., Mescia, F., Lee, J.C., Thomas, D.C., Flint, S.M., Kellam, P., Jayne, D.R.W., Lyons P.A. and Smith, K.G.C.

25 September 2019

Publication: Pediatric Nephrology

Jack L. Martin, Anja V. Gruszczyk, Timothy E. Beach, Michael P. Murphy, Kourosh Saeb-Parsy 

2 June 2018

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Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a major problem in critically unwell children, including ischaemic reperfusion (IR) injury involving mitochondria. This research proposes a variety of novel therapeutic targets as potential treaments of AKI.

Publication: Immunity

Tomas Castro-Dopico, Thomas W. Dennison, John R. Ferdinand, Rebeccah J. Mathews, Aaron Fleming, Dean Clift, Benjamin J. Stewart, Chenzhi Jing, Konstantina Strongili, Larisa I. Labzin, Edward J.M. Monk, Kourosh Saeb-Parsy, Clare E. Bryant, Simon Clare, Miles Parkes, Menna R. Clatworthy

12 March 2019

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Summary:

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is due to aberrant responses of the gut mucosa to the resident microbiome. The identification of which immune cells are involved in IBD will lead to identification of novel therapeutic targets.

Publication: Cell

Berry MR, Mathews RJ, Ferdinand JR, Jing C, Loudon KW, Wlodek E, Dennison TW, Kuper C, Neuhofer W, Clatworthy MR.

10 August 2017

Publication: Cell

Ramakrishnan L, Roca Soler FJ, Whitworth L, Redmond S, Jones AA.

29 August 2019

Publication: Journal of Experimental Medicine

Spencer S, Köstel Bal S, Egner W, Lango Allen H, Raza SI, Ma CA, Gürel M, Zhang Y, Sun G, Sabroe RA, Greene D, Rae W, Shahin T, Kania K, Ardy RC, Thian M, Staples E, Pecchia-Bekkum A, Worrall WPM, Stephens J, Brown M, Tuna S, York M, Shackley F, Kerrin D, Sargur R, Condliffe A, Tipu HN, Kuehn HS, Rosenzweig SD, Turro E, Tavaré S, Thrasher AJ, Jodrell DI, Smith KGC, Boztug K, Milner JD, Thaventhiran JED.

24 June 2019

Publication: Journal of Experimental Medicine

Zhang Z, Gothe F, Pennamen P, James JR, McDonald D, Mata CP, Modis Y, Alazami AM, Acres M, Haller W, Bowen C, Döffinger R, Sinclair J, Brothers S, Zhang Y, Matthews HF, Naudion S, Pelluard F, Alajlan H, Yamazaki Y, Notarangelo LD, Thaventhiran JE, Engelhardt KR, Al-Mousa H, Hambleton S†, Rooryck C†, Smith KGC†, Lenardo MJ†.

30 April 2019

Publication: Nature

Gupta RK, Abdul-Jawad S, McCoy LE, Mok HP, Salgado DPM, Martinez-Picado J, Nijhuis M, Wensing AMJ, Lee H, Grant P, Nastouli E, Lambert J, Pace M, Salasc F, Monit C, Innes, Mui L, Waters L, Frater J, Lever AML, Edwards SG, Gabriel IH, Olavarria E.

5 March 2019

Publication: Science

Cuchet-Lourenço D, Eletto D, Wu C, Plagnol V, Papapietro O, Curtis J, Ceron-Gutierrez L, Bacon CM, Hackett S, Alsaleem B, Maes M, Gaspar M, Alisaac A, Goss E, AlIdrissi E, Siegmund D, Wajant H, Kumararatne D, Al Zahrani MS, Arkwright PD, Abinun M, Doffinger R, Nejentsev S.

24 August 2018

Publication: Nature

Mills EL, Ryan DG, Prag HA, Dikovskaya D, Menon D, Zaslona Z, Jedrychowski MP, Costa ASH, Higgins M, Hams E, Szpyt J, Runtsch MC, King MS, McGouran JF, Fischer R, Kessler BM, McGettrick AF, Hughes MM, Carroll RG, Booty LM, Knatko EV, Meakin PJ, Ashford MLJ, Modis LK, Brunori G, Sévin DC, Fallon PG, Caldwell ST, Kunji ERS, Chouchani ET, Frezza C, Dinkova-Kostova AT, Hartley RC, Murphy MP, O’Neill LA.

28 March 2018

Publication: Nature

Burr ML, Sparbier CE, Chan-YC, Williamson JC, Woods K, Beavis P,Lam EYN, Henderson MA, Bell CC, Stolzenburg S, Gilan O, Noori T, Morgens D, Bassik MC, Neeson PJ, Behren A, Darcy PK, Dawson S-J, Voskoboinik I, Trapani JA, Cebon J, Lehner PJ^†, Dawson MA^†.

16 August 2017

Publication: Nature Genetics

Lee, J.C., Biasci, D., Roberts, R., Gearry, R.B., Mansfield, J.C., Ahmad, T., Prescott, N.J., Satsangi, J., Wilson, D.C., Jostins, L., Anderson, C.A., Consortium, U.I.G., Traherne, J.A., Lyons, P.A., Parkes, M. and Smith, K.G.C.,

9 January 2017

Publication: Cell

C.A. Madigan, C.J. Cambier, K.M. Kelly-Scumpia, P.O. Scumpia, T.Y. Cheng, J. Zailaa, B.R. Bloom, D.B. Moody, S.T. Smale, A. Sagasti, R.L. Modlin, L. Ramakrishnan.

24 August 2017

Publication: Nature Genetics

Tchasovnikarova IA, Timms RT, Douse DH, Roberts RC, Dougan G, Kingston RE Modis Y, Lehner PJ .

5 June 2017

Publication: Arthritis Res Ther

Vanderleyden, I., Linterman, M.A. and Smith, K.G.C.

30 October 2014