NHS Blood and Transplant Samples V1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
NHS Blood and Transplant Samples: Investigation of inflammatory signalling pathways
IRAS ID
235988
Contact name
Sandra Sacre
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Sussex
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Inflammation plays an important role in the body’s defence against infection and can also initiate wound healing. However, inappropriate or persistent inflammation is often associated with inflammatory diseases and can sometimes be triggered in the absence of an infection. This can lead to pain, a reduced quality of life and in some cases disability.
Inflammation usually starts with the activation of receptors on immune cells in the blood. Activated receptors then send signals through the cells instructing them to make and release molecules that produce inflammation. There are many different receptors involved in this process. The way that these receptors are activated as well as the regulation of their downstream signalling pathways remain relatively undefined in human cells. This project will investigate the mechanism by which some of these pathways are regulated. Understanding how these pathways function in blood cells from healthy people may help researchers to then understand what goes wrong during inflammatory diseases. Ultimately, this will help researchers to develop new ways to treat inflammatory diseases in the clinic.
REC name
Wales REC 6
REC reference
18/WA/0176
Date of REC Opinion
4 May 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion