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Biomedical Science |
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Universities Involved |
University
College Dublin |
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Department(s) |
Pharmacology |
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Other Universities |
University of Ulm (Denmark) |
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Project Title / Description |
Catecholaminemediated regulation of lymphatic vessels (Key words: lymphatics; smooth muscle; adenylyl cyclase; catecholamines; 5HT). The objective of this study was to investigate plasma membrane signalling by catecholamines in cells cultured from bovine mesenteric lymphatic smooth muscle. Cell cultures were established and characterised by electron microscopy and immunofluorescent staining for smooth muscle aactin. Evidence was not obtained for binding by a2 or a1adrenergic ligands to whole cells or to derived plasma membranes. Forskolin concentrationdependently stimulated adenylyl cyclase (AC) activity in plasma membranes and guanine nucleotide analogues also augmented basal and forskolinstimulated activities. No effect of catecholamines, phenylephrine or clonidine was observed on basal or forskolinstimulated activity. Under assay conditions favouring activation of inhibitory Gproteins, basal AC activity was again concentrationdependently increased by guanine nucleotide. Pertussis toxin treatment of whole cells did not alter basal or stimulated membrane AC activities. Limited evidence was obtained for low affinity binding of [3H]5HT to whole cells and plasma membranes. [3H]Thymidine incorporation into cellular DNA was stimulated by 5HT or by the 5HT1A receptorselective agonist 8OHDPAT. High concentrations of the 5HT1 receptor antagonist methiothepin inhibited basal, 5HT and 8OHDPATstimulated [3H]thymidine incorporation. Lastly no inhibition of basal or forskolinstimulated AC activity by 5HT or 8OHDPAT was observed under conditions favouring activation of inhibitory Gproteins. It is concluded that bovine lymphatic smooth muscle cells express a plasma membrane AC which is not linked to measurable catecholamine receptors, but which is subject to regulation by guanine nucleotides via the stimulatory Gs protein, or directly by forskolin. No evidence was found for a linkage of inhibitory Gproteins to AC; limited evidence has been presented for a possible mitogenic effect of 5HT, mediated by 5HT1 receptors |
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Universities Involved |
Trinity
College Dublin |
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Department(s) |
Clinical Medicine |
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Project Title / Description |
The effect of folate deficiency on DNA breaks in human colonic mucosa. This project is with the University of Ulster. This study is to assess the presence or absence of folate deficiency in the colonic mucosa of patients with colonic polyps or colonic cancer. We also wish to see whether giving low dose folic acid supplementation can significantly increase the level of colonic mucosal cell folate content and also reduce the likelihood of colonic mucosal cancer developing. The project started in 1998 and will run until 2002. |
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Contacts |
Prof. DG
Weir |
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Development Potential |
The University of Ulster are experts in Nutrition with a special interest in the effects of folate. They also have a laboratory which is renowned for its work in Comet assays of DNA breakes. |
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Universities Involved |
Trinity
College Dublin |
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Department(s) |
Ocular Genetics Unit |
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Project Title / Description |
Diseases of Visual Impairment This has been a collaboration with Dr Julie Sylvestri, Dept of Ophthalmology, over the tracing of families with forms of glaucoma. Both glaucoma and retinitis pigmentosa are common causes of registered blindness. |
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Publication arising from the collaboration |
Farrar GJ, Kenna P, Redmond R, McWilliam P, Bradley D, Humphries MM, Sharp P, Ingkehearn C, Bashir R, Jay M, Watty A, Ludwig M, Schinzel A, Sammans C, Gal A, Bhattacharya S and Humphries P, Autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (RP4): absence of the rhodopsin codon 23 proline>histidine transversion in pedigrees of European origin. American Journal of Human Genetics, 47, 941945, 1991. Farrar GJ, Kenna P, Redmond R, McWilliam P, Bradley D, Humphries MM, Sharp EM, Fishman G, Marchese C, Fusi L, Dufier JL, Abitbol M and Humphries P, Autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (RP4): analysis of mutations within the rhodopsin gene. Retinitis Pigmentosa: Advances in Clinical and Genetic Research. (Pbl. CRC Press, Florida: Eds. Humphries P, Bhattacharya S and Bird A), 1991. |
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Contacts |
Dr Julie
Sylvestri, Dept Ophthalmology |
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Development Potential |
Yes. There have been discussions with Dr Roger Anderson, Department of Optometry, University of Ulster over possible areas of future collaboration. |
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Universities Involved |
Trinity
College Dublin |
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Department(s) |
Biomedical Science |
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Project Title / Description |
Bioavailability of 5 methyltetrahydrofolate 20002004 duration. New
collaborators cannot join as project is ongoing. Main objective of project
is to determine the bioavailability of 5 methyltetrahydrofolate. Resources
are 400,000 ECU. Project funded |
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Contacts |
Dr Helene
McNulty |
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Universities Involved |
Trinity
College Dublin |
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Department(s) |
Biomedical Science |
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Project Title / Description |
Bioavailability of folic acid and food folates 19992002 duration. New collaborators cannot join as project is ongoing. Main objectives of project are to determine the bioavailability of folic acid and food folates in man, and determine the differences in bioavailability of food folates and folic acid. Main outcomes are to be published. Resources are IR£1.0m. Project funded by Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food U.K. (MAFF). |
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Contacts |
Dr Helene
McNulty |
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Development Potential |
MAFF have ongoing funding for projects in the role of folic acid in preventing colorectal cancer. |
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Universities Involved |
University
College Dublin |
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Department(s) |
Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Science |
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Project Title / Description |
Catecholamine regulation of lymphatic vessel function. This was an EU funded project, under the second Framework SCIENCE programme: There were three participants: Prof. McHale QUB; Dr A Keenan, UCD; Prof. P Gierschik, University of Ulm Germany. Outputs were a number of abstracts, a full research paper, one PhD student trained. One postdoctoral research fellow employed. |
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Contacts |
Prof. NG
McHale, QUB |
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Development Potential |
Informal discussions have taken place regarding future possible cooperation. |
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Universities Involved |
Dublin
City University |
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Project Title / Description |
The biomedical and environmental sensor technology (BEST) centre. The BEST centre was established in 1995 with grant aid assistance from the International Fund for Ireland. The centre is a distributed network of research centres combining the sensor expertise of sensor research groups across the island of Ireland. Currently the centre represents a partnership between the Northern Ireland BioEngineering Centre (NIBEC), UU, and the National Centre for Sensor Research (NCSR) at DCU. The centre was funded until 1998 by the IFI and since then has been supported from internal resources by the two research centres. The project's primary objective is the promotion of vibrant biomedical and environmental sensor industry in Ireland through close collaboration with industry and the research centres. |
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Contacts |
Dr Declan
Raftery |
Prof.
Malcolm Smyth |
Prof.
Dermot Diamond |
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Prof.
Brian MacGraith |
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Business Involvement |
As this is a collaborative centre, there are a number of industrial partners involved in a range of collaborative R&D projects. |
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Universities Involved |
University
College Cork, Ireland |
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Department(s) |
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Dept of Biochemistry |
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Project Title / Description |
Intracellular Processing of Bile SaltStimulated Lipase prior to secretion. Identification and characterisation of the cognate proteoglycan for PCE/BSSL. Pancreatic cholesterol
esterase (PCE) and Bile Saltstimulated Lipase (BSSL) are members of the
lipasedsuperfamily of proteins and share identical primary structures. They
are heparin binding proteins that are widely distributed in tissues and
among species. Sources include pancreatic tissue and juice, mammary gland and
milk. PCE/BSSL is detected by Northern blot in liver. It is present in
insulinoma, hepatocarcinoma, panreatic carcinoma cell lines, and eosinophils.
PCE/BSSL activity is found in human placenta, rat and rabbit heart, rat and
rabbit aorta, and in the plasma of a variety of species including man.
PCE/BSSL First contact was made by email after literature review. It is hoped to gain Wellcome funding. Onsite resources are available for tissue culture, molecular and protein chemistry techniques. |
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Contacts |
Dr Niall
Colwell, UCC |
Dr MMT
O'Hare, QUB |
Prof.
Brian MacGraith |
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Development Potential |
The project is open to new collaborators. In particular, Dr BV Kumar of St Louis MO USA, has expressed interest in the project. Dr Kumar has worked on regulation of the gene expression for PCE in a rabbit model. |
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Universities Involved |
University
of Ulster |
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Department(s) |
Radiation
Science Group |
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Project Title / Description |
Selective activation of transgenes to enhance radiotherapy in prostate cancer. It is hoped to complete this gene therapy based project In 2004 providing adequate funding is obtained from HPSS/HRB. This project is open to new collaborations. The aims of this North/South cooperation are to:
The genesis of the collaboration resulted from a presentation given by myself on the development of Xray inducible promoters at the Irish Association of Cancer Research in Belfast 1999. Two meetings have taken place since this time to plan the details of a collaborative project, involving presentations from the Northern and Southern partners on work to date and the development of a cooperative strategy for future research. A series of GFP
expressing plasmids which have been used in preliminary experiments to
investigate the delivery of tissue specific expression promoters to prostate
tissue, have been given to TCD. TCD has agreed Since this time an application, has been lodged, for an HPSS North/South grant to help fund this collaboration. Both groups at present are currently investigating genetic prodrug activating therapy approaches for the treatment of cancer. UU obtained a grant from the CRC to investigate a novel bioreductive drug, AQ4N by delivery of cytochrome p450 under the control of Xray inducible promoters. TCD has obtained funding from HRB to pursue a gene therapy approach to increase prodrug activation specifically in prostate tumours using prostate specific promoter and enhancer elements. A collaborative project would enhance the overall quality of the research of both partners. It is hoped to use a dual promoter incorporating both Xray inducible and prostate specific elements to target prostate tumours using a prodrug activation approach. |
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Contacts |
Dr Mark
Lawler |
Prof.
Donal Hollywood |
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Development Potential |
Yes, provided there is funding from HPSS/HRB. At present the current grants are funding this collaboration. However, funding specifically for this collaboration would allow for development in this area. |
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Universities Involved |
University
College Cork |
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Department(s) |
Department of Biochemistry |
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Project Title / Description |
Identification of susceptibility genes for progressive renal disease by combined genotyping for single nucleotide polymorphisms and analysis of differential gene expression. Diabetic nepropathy and IgA nephropathy are major causes of end stage renal failure. Glomerulosclerosis is a
central pathological feature of both diseases and results, in large part,
from mesangial cell dysfunction. Here, it is proposed to identify
susceptibility genes for glomerulosclerosis by combining (a) genotyping of
DNA from patients with diabetic nephropathy and IgA nephropathy for single
nucleotide polymorphisms and mutations with (b) analysis of differential gene
expression in models of these diseases in vitro. This collaborative project
will bring together complementary expertise from three centres to create a
research programme that is significantly stronger than the sum of its
component parts. Dr Maxwell's research group at the Queen's University of
Belfast has extensive expertise in molecular epidemiology and role of
polymorphisms in the pathogenesis of renal disease. Professor Brady's group
at University College Dublin has recently established the utility of
suppressive subtractive hybridisation (SSH) as a methodology for identifying
proglomerulosclerotic genes in renal cell culture systems in vitro. Dr
McCarthy's group at University College Cork has recently established the
exciting technique for rapid high throughput genotyping of human DNA for
polymorphisms and mutations in disease susceptibility genes. Our long term
goal |
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Contacts |
Dr T
McCarthy, UCC |
Professor
Hugh R Brady, Coordinator, UCD |
Dr A
Peter Maxwell, QUB |
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Universities Involved |
University
College Cork |
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Department(s) |
Department of Biochemistry |
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Other Universities |
Karolinska
Institute, Stockholm, Sweden |
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Project Title / Description |
Investigation of the influences of presenilin1 on amyloid precursor protein metabolism and to examine if this modulation is regulated by protein kinase C? The project combines the complementary skills of biomedical research groups North and South. Its overall objective is to understand biological phenomena and mechanisms which cause the neurodegeneration that results in Alzheimer's disease. The outcome is expected to provide a greater understanding of what causes Alzheimer's disease with a view to being able to develop treatments to ameliorate the devastating symptoms of this brain disorder. Specifically the present project is investigating how brain signals control the metabolism of the beta amyloid precursor protein. Original contact was made when the two major participants Dr C O'Neill and Dr J Johnston worked together in an Alzheimer's Disease research centre at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. The project is funded by the Health Research Board of Ireland over three years (Dec. 1998 Dec. 2001) to the value of £68,000. A post graduate student Rebecca Griffin is employed to conduct the research work. The project collaboration is progressing very satisfactorily with one publication being prepared for submission and the research work will be presented at the American Society for Neuroscience. The research collaborators are in constant contact by email and through visits between NorthSouth to plan and discuss work, learn and develop complementary expertise and also to give seminars. |
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Contacts |
Dr Cora
O'Neill |
Dr Janet Johnston,
QUB |
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Development Potential |
Yes, there is very strong potential for this. In fact, the major collaborating partners have very recently submitted another more expansive grant to the Health Boards HRBHPSS including more interacting groups north and south. This application has the same overall aim namely the understanding of the molecular mechanisms which cause the brain to degenerate in Alzheimer's disease. However, the research input is much more broadly focused including clinical groups both North (Dr C Foy, Belfast City Hospital) and South (Prof. D Coakley, St. James Hospital, Dublin) and two clinical geneticists (Dr S McIlroy, QUB and Dr T McCarthy, UCC). |
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Universities Involved |
University of Ulster, Coleraine University College
Cork |
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Department(s) |
Northern Ireland Centre for Diet and Health (NICHE) School of Biomedical
Sciences |
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Project Title / Description |
Synbiotics and cancer prevention in humans Start 2000 Finish 2003 Contact made via existing collaborations No further collaborators are possible under EU
contract. The overall aim of the proposal is to evaluate the
potential cancer-preventing activity of pro- and pre-biotic (‘SYNBIOTIC’)
combinations in human volunteers. The results from the project will
contribute to the formulation of improved dietary advice for Europeans. The project involves in vitro experiments, studies
in animal models and an intervention study in human volunteers to establish
whether combinations of pro and prebiotics have cancer preventing potential. The project consortium is complete and hence not
open to new collaborators. Project funded by EC (5th Framework programme) |
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Contacts |
Prof. J K Collins Tel + 353 21 902 642 Fax + 353 21 903101 |
Prof. Sean Strain NICHE University of Ulster Coleraine, BT52 1AA Tel 04870 324795 Fax 04870 323023 jj.strain@ulst.ac.uk |
Prof. P Morrissey Dept of Nutrition University College Cork Tel + 353 21 902406 Fax +353 21 270244 p.morrissey@ucc.ie |
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Prof. M Gibney Trinity Centre for Health Sciences St James Hospital Dublin 8 Tel + 353 1 608 2102 Fax + 353 1 454 2043 mgibney@tcd.ie |
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Development Potential |
Other collaborative projects in this area have been
submitted to EU. |
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