Imaging at Birmingham runs across the disciplines and right across the range of techniques and across size scales from studies of individual biomolecules, through studies in cells and tissues, and on into patients. It is underpinned by the multidisciplinary “Physical Sciences of Imaging for Biomedical Science’ (PSIBS) life science interface doctoral training centre. Researchers access a range of facilities across campus including equipment in the MDS technology hub, the BUIC MRI centre, the BALM light microscopy facility, the electron microscopy facility and instruments located in individual schools. Topics addressed include (but are not restricted to) key University strengths in cardiovascular science, immunity and infection, cancer, brain imaging and translational medicine.

Mass spectrometry imaging With capabilities in SIMS and MALDI MS imaging, a particular focus is in the improvement and development of matrix assisted laser desorption ionisation (MALDI) as an MS imaging tool for small molecules, enabling imaging of drugs and metabolites in preclinical applications (Bunch, Chemistry; Rainger, Laylor, Medicine). 

Image Analysis Computational approaches to simplify complex image data and extract key information is combined with modelling of the image acquisition and the interaction of the light with different biological tissues (Dehghani, Styles, Claridge Comp. Sci; Johansson, Maths; Landini, Dentistry).

Molecular Probes New fluorescent, MRI and multi-technique molecular probes are being developed for imaging blood flow, labelling and tracking cells, and visualising and quantifying receptors to guide therapeutic treatment regimes. (Pikramenou, Hannon, Peacock, Chemistry; Thomas, Nash, Watson, Brain Medicine; Hodges, Biosciences; Claridge, Computer Sciences). This work dovetails with development of instrumentation:

Optical and Fluorescence Imaging Instrument Development Coupled to the research programmes a variety of advances in imaging instrumentation are under development: a TIRF endoscope to allow TIRF to be used in the body; a new molecular imaging system for in vivo fluoresence imaging; optical imaging of the brain; a unique fluorescence lifetime microscope for studying lanthanide complexes in cells. (Dehghani, Styles Comp. Sci; Frampton, Medicine; Rappoport, Biosciences; Bagshaw, Psychology; Pikramenou, Chemistry).

MRI imaging The BUIC centre focuses on the use of MRI and related techniques to investigate the brain (Kourtzi, Humphreys, Miall, Bagshaw, Psychology; Arvanitis, Engineering; Tino, Comp. Sci.).   MRI is also used to study childhood brain tumours in a clinical setting (Britton, Chemistry; Arvanitis, Engineering; Peet, Cancer Studies) and is being explored for tracking movement of cells within the body (Adams, Medicine; Pikramenou, Chemistry). centre focuses on the use of MRI and related techniques to investigate the brain (Kourtzi, Humphreys, Miall, Bagshaw, Psychology; Arvanitis, Engineering; Tino, Comp. Sci.).   MRI is also used to study childhood brain tumours in a clinical setting (Britton, Chemistry; Arvanitis, Engineering; Peet, Cancer Studies) and is being explored for tracking movement of cells within the body (Adams, Medicine; Pikramenou, Chemistry).

Multispectral Imaging.  Non-invasive multispectral imaging is being developed and combined with other techniques to map eye histology and degeneration (Styles, Claridge Comp. Sci; Bunch, Chemistry) and blood flow in limbs (Dehghani, Styles, Comp. Sci.)

The creation of nanoscale surface structures creates new possibilities for interfacing inorganic with biological materials at the individual molecular level (Palmer, Physics). A recent example is the development of a new generation of high performance biochips based on size-selected clusters which immobilize and orientate capture antibodies, also leading to a new spin-out company working on early stage cancer detection and biomarker discovery. The new technique of aberration-corrected electron microscopy promises 3D images of protein molecules with ~0.1nm resolution, complementing AFM and near-field optical probes.

The interaction of nanoparticles and nanostructures within biological systems and with the environment has great societal importance and also potential medical benefits. Research teams at Birmingham are exploring the toxicity of different nanoparticles and nanostructures (Pikramenou, Chemistry; Kysela, Medicine; Hodges, Biosciences) their applications in biology (Pikramenou, Hannon, Chemistry; Nash, Thomas, Medicine) and their impact on the environment (Preece, Chemistry; Lead, Environmental Sciences; Chipman, Rappoport, Biosciences).

Work on the development of mathematical models for studying and understanding biological and medical processes is aligned with Systems Science for Health (SSH) an –omics technologies cross-College initative targeting advances in haematological malignancies and lipid-related diseases. Examples of mathematical models under study include plant root and pollen tube growth from cell wall microstructure (Dyson, Maths); cilia driven flows and sperm motility (Smith, Blake Maths; Kirkman-Brown, Medicine), steroid metabolomics (Smith, Maths; Arlt, Stewart, Medicine), infection and immunology (Smith, Dyson, Maths; Sansom, Medicine); Flows in drug design and drug delivery, particularly drug delivery to the colon and modelling digestion, and within tissue engineering constructs (Decent, Smith, Dyson Maths; Grover, Chem. Eng.). The SSH initiative also involves computer scientists interested in optimisation, data mining, agent-based modelling and their applications to proteomics and metabolomics (He, Rowe, Computer Science).

DNA recognition and anti-cancer metallo-drugs. DNA recognition by drugs and proteins, and their interplay, is a key focus for a number of groups (Hannon, Pikramenou, Peacock, Chemistry; Busby, Chipman, Hodges, Hyde, Thomas, Biosciences). A multidisciplinary team is investigating a new class of nanosize cylinder agents that target DNA replication forks and show promising anti-cancer activity (Hannon, Chemistry; Hodges, Chipman, Bunce, Biosciences; Young, Cancer Sciences; Afford, Medicine). Detection of DNA is also being explored (Tucker, Chemistry).

Peptide Chemistry  Projects include (i) probing immune responses to modified peptides (Snaith, Chemistry; Hislop, Rickinson, Moss Cancer Studies), (ii) using peptides as vectors to target nanoparticles, lanthanide-based fluorescent or MRI-active molecular probes, and therapeutic metallo-drugs to specific cell types, especially tumours (Pikramenou, Snaith, Hannon, Chemistry; Thomas, Kysela, Medicine) and (iii) de novo peptide designs to create new DNA regulation agents and new classes of molecular probes (Peacock, Chemistry).

Bioactive molecules  Glycolipids, based on aGalCer, that bind the CD1d receptor and elicit targeted immune responses are being designed (Cox, Chemistry; Besra, Biosciences) as therapeutics for diverse diseases. Organic synthesis of anti-cancer and anti-parasitic natural products is studied (Simpkins, Chemistry). Designs of enzyme inhibitors are supported by computational calculation (Wilkie, Chemistry). Photolabile analogues of b-lactam antibiotics allow study of antibiotic degradation by fast spectroscopy (Snaith, Chemistry; Wharton, Biosciences).

Pharmaceutical and bio- engineering: Current activities include studying the process of tablet manufacture to optimise both production and drug delivery systems, and developing novel bioprocess and bioseparation systems for high-value biotherapeutics (Wu, Zhang, Thomas, Simmons, Overton, Chem. Eng.). New opportunities are afforded by Birmingham’s nascent Pharmacy activities in MDS (Marriot, Medicine).

Prosthesis development/characterisation - There is significant expertise in EPS in the development and characterisation of joint prostheses and determining how these may perform in vivo (Shepherd – Mechanical Engineering, Davenport – Materials Science). There are strong interactions in this area with MDS (Lord) and the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital (Davis) that have sought to evaluate the risks behind metal-on-metal joint replacements. Furthermore, the University has strong interactions in the area of prosthesis development with key industrial players (Depuy, Smith and Nephew, JRI). There is also significant expertise in the development of calcium phosphate ceramics as bone graft replacements and coatings on metallic prostheses (Grover- Chemical Engineering, Wright – Chemistry, Stamboulis – Materials Science).    (Shepherd – Mechanical Engineering, Davenport – Materials Science). There are strong interactions in this area with MDS (Lord) and the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital (Davis) that have sought to evaluate the risks behind metal-on-metal joint replacements. Furthermore, the University has strong interactions in the area of prosthesis development with key industrial players (Depuy, Smith and Nephew, JRI). There is also significant expertise in the development of calcium phosphate ceramics as bone graft replacements and coatings on metallic prostheses (Grover- Chemical Engineering, Wright – Chemistry, Stamboulis – Materials Science).   

Biomaterials: There is a significant breadth of work on the development of biomaterials for implantation across EPS at the University of Birmingham. This work is focussed around the development of novel materials and implants for the replacement of diseased and damaged tissues. Such implantable materials may be supplied either alone in the form of a joint replacement or seeded with cells to enhance tissue regeneration (tissue engineering, cell delivery).

Tissue engineering/cell delivery – There is strong research activity across the university and in the university hospital that seeks to translate novel cell therapies to the clinic. The University Hospital boasts a functioning skin lab, which focuses on the production of tissue engineered skin for the treatment of burns patients. Work complimenting this in engineering has sought to develop bilayered skin replacements (Grover – Chemical Engineering, Shelton – Dentistry). In addition, the university has coordinated trials of first-in-man stem cell therapies (Newsome, Frampton – MDS). Work in EPS will enable this research through the development of novel cell delivery vehicles (Spyropoulos – Chemical Engineering, Grover – Chemical Engineering). There is also BBSRC/ORUK funded research that focuses on the in vitro production of tissues, such as ligaments (see inset) and bone and seeks to translate this technology into the clinic (Grover, Chemical Engineering). Researchers are also focussing on the production of switchable surfaces to guide cell migration (Mendes – Chemical Engineering) and facilitate tissue regeneration.

College of Engineering and Physical Sciences

• Professor M. Hannon -  Chemistry; molecular probe design; fluorescence; DNA recognition.
• Professor E. Claridge -  Computer science; multispectral imaging; physics of image formation; quantitative fluorescence microscopy; biomedical image analysis; modelling.
• Dr L. Grover - Chemical engineering; bioresponsives; orthopaedic applications.
• Dr J. Bunch -  Chemistry; mass spectrometry imaging; MALDI-MS, LA-ICP-MS; drug distribution studies.
• Dr H. Dehghani -  Computer science; physiological measurements; optical imaging; image reconstruction; molecular imaging.
• Professor R. Palmer -  Physics; immobilisation of individual protein molecules with size-selected clusters; liquid phase atomic force microscopy; electrospray deposition of mass-selected protein beams.
• Dr Z. Pikramenou -  Chemistry; lanthanide fluorescent markers/labels; MRI contrast agents.
• Dr I. Styles -  Computer science; medical image analysis; biomedical optics; model-based image interpretation; computational modelling.
• Dr T. Arvanitis -  Electronic, electrical and computer engineering; biomedical internet engineering and patient records; medical imaging; complex computer software, networks and architectures.
• Dr G. Barreto -  Physics and astronomy; nanostructures; luminescence from nanostructures; Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscopy (NSOM).
• Dr R. Beale -  Computer science; theories of interaction; usability; mobile and pervasive computing; intelligent agents; genetic algorithms; neural networks; e-learning and HCI education.
• Dr R. Bridson -  Chemical engineering; pharmaceutical technology; drug delivery systems; pharmaceutical process understanding; supercritical fluid technology.
• Dr M. Britton -  Chemistry; Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR); Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI); oscillatory and autocatalytic reactions; chemical waves and patterns; magnetic field effects.
• Dr Y. L. Chiu -  Metallurgy; microstructural details governing plasticity of advanced structural and functional materials.
• Dr L. Cox -  Organic chemistry; asymmetric synthesis; molecular electronics; multi-role catalysts; intramolecularisation strategies; tethered allylsilanes; carbohydrate chemistry; tricarbonyl complexes of d8-metals; 1,2-metallate rearrangements.
• Dr R. Dyson -  Mathematics; modelling for biomedicine and tissue engineering; biomechanics; thin liquid films and fibre-reinforced fluids.
• Professor P. Fryer -  Chemical engineering for the food industry including product safety assurance and palatability.
• Professor R. Johnston -  Chemistry; simulation of solids, surfaces and clusters; modelling cluster growth and dynamics; nanoalloy clusters; electronic structures of inorganic and organic solids.
• Dr A. Kaban -  Computer science; statistical machine learning; data mining; high dimensional data spaces; probabilistic modelling of data; Bayesian inference.
• Dr P. Mendes -  Chemical engineering; nanoscience and nanotechnology; biomimetic materials for studies of cell behaviour; applications in medical imaging and catalysis.
• Dr T. Overton -  Biochemical engineering; microbial physiology and gene regulation in bioprocesses.
• Dr A. Peacock -  Bioinorganic chemistry; medicinal chemistry; metallodrugs; de novo peptide design; chemical biology.
• Professor J. Preece -  Supramolecular chemistry; nanoscale materials science for  (i) electron beam resists, (ii) assembly of inorganic/ organic hybrid nanoparticles with novel electro-optic, structural and medicinal properties (gene delivery), (iii) liquid crystals, and (iv) surfaces used in technological applications.
• Dr J. Rowe -  Computer science; evolutionary computation, multi-agent systems, artificial life and other complex adaptive systems.
• Dr P. Sloan -  Physics; AFM.
• Dr D. Smith -  Mathematics; microbiological fluid mechanics, particularly sperm motility and embryonic cilia; metabolomics and machine learning; numerical simulation of particle tracking; chemical advection-diffusion.
• Dr J. Snaith -  Synthetic organic chemistry; stereocontrolled ring-forming reactions; small molecule-receptor interactions.
• Dr P. Tino -  Artificial intelligence; machine learning; neural networks; evolutionary computation; bioinformatics; computational biology; intelligent methods for pattern recognition; molecular biology, computational models of dynamical systems.
• Dr J. Tucker -  Supramolecular chemistry; ferrocene chemistry; DNA modification and sensing; photochromic systems; electrochemical chiral sensors.
• Dr M. Ward -  Mechanical engineering; bio-medical engineering; micro-engineering.
• Dr J. Wilkie -  Computational bio-organic chemistry; enzyme catalysis; selective inhibitors; mechanisms in phosphatase enzymes.
• Professor X. Yao -  Computer science/CERCIA; evolutionary computation; neural network ensembles; complex adaptive systems.
• Dr S. White -  Biosciences; structural biology and functions of proteins, enzymes and macromolecular complexes; protein-ligand and protein-protein interactions.

College of Life and Environmental Sciences

• Professor L. Macaskie - Biosciences; MRI biofilms; bioreactors; biomedical devices; ESEM biofilms; AFM biominerals; confocal microscopy biofilms; Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXIE) elemental mapping.
• Professor C. Thomas - Biosciences; replication, stability, gene spread and global regulation of bacterial plasmids; polyketide antibiotic synthesis.
• Dr J. Rappoport - Biosciences; polarised trafficking in cell migration; clathrin-mediated endocytosis.
• Professor J. Heath - Biosciences; structure and function of growth factors and their receptors.
• Dr N. Hodges - Biosciences; repair of oxidative DNA damage; mechanisms of secondary genotoxicity related to oxidative stress.
• Professor Z. Kourtzi - Psychology; multimodal brain imaging methods (structural and functional MRI, EEG, MEG), established behavioural paradigms and mathematical algorithms to study brain structure, neural function and behaviour.
• Dr L. Alderwick - Biosciences; cell wall biosynthesis and assembly in mycobacterium tuberculosis.
• Professor G. Besra - Biosciences; cell walls of mycobacterium tuberculosis.
• Dr S. Brogna - Biosciences; RNA processing and translation.
• Dr C. Bunce - Biosciences; apoptosis pathways; differentiation in tumour cells.
• Professor S. Busby - Biosciences; regulation of gene expression in bacteria; promoter recognition by RNA polymerase; transcription activation.
• Professor K. Chipman - Biosciences; carcinogensis; mechanistic toxicology; ecotoxicology; mechanisms of nanoparticle toxicity.
• Dr A. Chowdhury - Psychology
• Dr H. Cooper - Biosciences; methods for proteomics; peptide fragmentation; post-translationally modified peptides and proteins; top-down analysis of proteins; polymers, dendrimers and organometallic species.
• Dr M. Chechlacz - Psychology.
• Dr T. Dafforn - Biosciences; serine proteases and disease; serpin function; heat shock proteins; interaction between collagen and Hsp47; protein fibre structures.
• Dr J. Kreft - Biosciences; anaerobic demethylation; individual-based modelling of microorganisms.
• Professor J. Lead - Environmental nanoscience; structure, properties and behaviour of nanomaterials including interactions with natural colloids; chemical speciation.
• Dr R. May - Biosciences; evolution and molecular basis of host-pathogen interactions.
• Professor M. Pallen - Biosciences; microbial genomics; molecular bacteriology; bacterial pathogenesis; genome sequence data.
• Dr J. Renshaw - Earth and environmental sciences; microbial transformations of radionuclides and metals; biogeochemistry of metals and organic pollutants in groundwater.
• Professor M. Viant - Biosciences; metabolomics and bioinformatics for characterizing responses to environmental toxicants with high-throughput NMR and mass spectrometry.

College of Medical and Dental Sciences

• Professor G. Nash - Cardiovascular medicine; haemodynamics; vascular biology; blood rheology.
• Professor D. Walmsley - Dentistry; ultrasonics and bioeffects; imaging of vibration characteristics; biological effects of low-frequency (kHz) ultrasonic instruments.
• Dr S. Thomas - Cancer sciences; actin dynamics; megakaryocytes; visualising the dynamics of proteins in live platelets for study of the cytoskeleton; actin nodules.
• Professor S. Watson - Cardiovascular sciences and cellular pharmacology; physiological and pathological features and roles of platelets in activation by glycoprotein receptors; actin polymerisation; angiogenesis; cancer metastasis.
• Dr N. Davies - Child health; functional imaging and metabolomics of childhood cancer; magnetic resonance spectroscopy metabolite profiles for characterising childhood tumours.
• Professor J. Frampton - Stem cell biology and gene regulation; processes causing failures of stem cell regulation.
• Dr A. Peet - Paediatrics and child health; magnetic resonance spectroscopy; magic angle spinning NMR; childhood brain tumours
• Professor L. Young - Cancer sciences; pathological specimens to study the development of cancer; different forms of EBV latency in virus-associated tumours; EBV gene expression in post-transplant lymphomas, Hodgkin’s lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma; signalling functions of EBV-encoded latent proteins.
• Professor D. Adams - Immunity and infection; tumour immunology and immune/gene therapy; mechanisms of immune-mediated liver disease and leucocyte trafficking.
• Professor J. Ayres - Health and population sciences; environmental health and epidemiology; exposure and risk assessment; health impact assessment; occupational health; respiratory health.
• Dr J. Caamano - Immune regulation; roles of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB) proteins in interactions between bone marrow derived cells and stromal cells at the core of secondary lymphoid tissue development.
• Dr M. Chidgey - Cancer sciences; cancer cell biology; cardiovascular research; skin diseases; molecular basis of desmosomal adhesion.
• Dr P. Cooper - Dentistry; tissue injury, repair and regeneration.
• Dr A. Filer - Inflammation and inflammatory disease; predictive and therapeutic approaches to the treatment of inflammatory arthritis including roles of stromal fibroblast cells in regulating the switch to persistence.
• Dr N. Kahlia - Cardiovascular sciences; pathophysiological mechanisms underlying ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury including contributory roles of platelets.
• Dr J. Kirkman-Brown - Reproduction, genes and development; calcium signalling; fluid dynamics.
• Dr N. Krone - Clinical and experimental medicine; endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism; genetic analysis; interaction of cytochrome P450 enzymes affected in CAH.
• Dr G. Landini - Dentistry; applied fractal principles to study morphological complexity; image segmentation, quantitative measurement and focusing.
• Professor J. McKeating - Immunity and infection; molecular biology of the Hepatitis C virus (HCV); cell surface receptors in the viral life cycle; humoral immune responses to HCV.
• Dr E. Odintsova - Cancer sciences; tetraspanins and receptor signalling.
• Prof M. Overduin - Cancer studies and biomolecular NMR; FYVE domains; phox homology; tetraspanin signaling; SHD1 adaptation; GTPase signaling; SH2 domains.
• Professor L. Piddock - Immunity and infection; bacterial resistance to antibiotics.
• Dr G. E. Rainger - Chronic inflammation; immunology.
• Dr R. Shelton - Dentistry; tissue-engineering approaches for bone and oral mucosal replacement; influence of plasma proteins on setting characteristics of trioxide.
• Dr C. Tselepis - Cancer sciences; structural biology and biomarkers; cancer and chronic disease epidemiology; gastrointestinal disease and medical decision-making.
• Dr D. Ward - Cancer sciences; structural biology and biomarkers.