Use of blood and blood derived cells to study inflammation and disease
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Use of blood and blood derived cells to study inflammation and disease and develop assays for personalised medicine
IRAS ID
162823
Contact name
Daniel M Reed
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Cardiovascular disease represents a major global health burden. A number of processes are involved in maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system. In particular, damage to the blood vessels is thought to be a key event in cardiovascular disease. Blood vessels throughout the body are made from smooth muscle cells that form the main tube structure and endothelial cells that line the tubes. These cells not only provide blood supply to critical organs such as the heart and the lungs, but also release hormones in to the bloodstream that protect the body. We now know that these types of cells can be grown from the blood of healthy people and from people with diseases such as cardiovascular disease. Importantly, there is encouraging evidence to suggest that these cells show differences between healthy individuals and those with certain diseases. Studying these cells in the laboratory therefore will help scientists and doctors learn more about the mechanisms the regulate health and disease in the cardiovascular system; and discover new drugs. At the same time, since many drugs used to treat cardiovascular disease effect the blood vessels, using this type of approach, we think that in the future doctors will be able to take a small blood sample from people with disease, grow blood vessels cells from the blood and then use these cells to predict what drugs will work for them. This gives rise to the concept of personalised medicine. However, more work needs to be done. Our project aims to complete the basic characterisation of endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells grown from the blood of healthy volunteers. We suggest that once this work is completed we will be in a position to develop new therapies and laboratory tools to get patients with disease on drugs that work for them.
REC name
London - West London & GTAC Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/0223
Date of REC Opinion
13 Mar 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion