Dr Niharika Duggal

Dr Niharika Duggal

Department of Inflammation and Ageing
Assistant Professor in Immunity and Ageing

Contact details

Telephone
+44 (0)121 3713263
Email
n.arora@bham.ac.uk
Twitter
@Duggal_UoB
View my research portal
Address
Department of Inflammation and Ageing
University of Birmingham Research Labs
Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Mindelsohn Way
Birmingham
B15 2WB

Dr Niharika Duggal is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Inflammation and Ageing at the University of Birmingham and a trustee for the British Society of Research in Ageing (BSRA) with a long-standing interest in the field of immunesenescence and its impact upon ageing and health.

Her research group is focused on understanding the underlying mechanisms involved in immunesenescene and investigating the role of immunesenescence as a contributor to pathological conditions that affect older adults with a higher incidence than the young, such as Rheumatoid Arthritis,  Inflammatory Bowel Disease, C.difficile infections (CDI) and more recently COVID-19 infections

Qualifications

  • Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education – University of Birmingham 2021
  • PhD in Immunology: University of Birmingham 2014
  • BSc (Hons) in Biological Sciences: University of Birmingham 2009

Biography

Niharika graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2009 with a BSc (Hons) in Biological Sciences. She joined Professor Janet Lord’s lab for her PhD undertaking a project investigating the effects of chronic stress (hip fracture and depression) on the ageing of the immune system. Since completing her doctorate she remained at Birmingham exploring the potential of lifelong physical activity to reverse the immune ageing clock and in 2017 she was awarded the Korenchevsky award by the British Society for Research in Ageing for this work.

In 2019, she was appointed as a Lecturer in the Department of Inflammation and Ageing. Her research focuses on exploring the links between immunesenescence and increased risk of autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and the role of regulatory B cells.

Niharika's research also focuses on investigating the role of microbiome changes in driving immunesenescence and has received a Springboard Award from the Academy of Medical Sciences to investigate the potential of microbiome-based interventions in reversing the immune ageing clock to promote healthy ageing. Her research has subsequently been supported by Ageing Research Foundation, BBSRC and an industrial award from Astra Zeneca.

Teaching

Undergraduate

  • BSc Biomedical Science – Academic Lead for Year 3 Module ‘ Biology of Ageing’
  • Year 3 Modules; Immunity and Inflammatory Diseases and Experimental Immunology
  • Academic mentor for Year 3 Module 'Global Challenges'
  • BSc Biomedical Science Year 2 – 'Immunity and Infection'
  • BSc Biomedical Science Academic Lead Year 2 – ‘Student Science Selected Project'
  • MBChB Year 2 – Academic lead for ‘Personal Interest Project: Ageing of the immune system’

Postgraduate 

Postgraduate supervision

Niharika currently supervises doctoral researchers working on the following projects:

  • Gut microbiome dysbiosis and immunesenescence: investigating associations and potential beneficial effects of physical activity

  • Unravelling the role of Bacteria outer membrane vesicles in driving features of B cell Immunesenescence.

  • Pneumonia after major trauma: clinical diagnosis, predictive biomarkers and long-term outcomes.

  • Exploration of pro-inflammatory and injury biomarkers, acute brain injury and long-term neurocognitive dysfunction after trauma.

For researchers who are considering undertaking a PhD, Niharika has a funded PhD studentship available: Unravelling the potential of microbiome-based therapies for rejuvenating aged T cells and combating frailty in old age.

Research

Research in Niharika’s lab aims to uncover new mechanisms of ageing alongside the development and translation of biomarker panels. We answer research questions through the application of three inter-related research themes:

  • Employ immunophenotypic analysis, alongside cell-based assays and genomic analysis to identify immunesenescence features with biomarker potential in inflammatory conditions [such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ulcerative Colitis and critically ill cohorts].
  • Dissecting novel mechanisms of immune-microbiome cross-talk across lifespan and to develop a better understanding of how an individual’s lifestyle choices [ such as physical activity levels, diet,] contribute to an individual’s immune health status.
  • Development of a portfolio of pharmacological and nutritional supplementation targets [targeting the microbiome] with anti-immunesenescence potential that can be used to boost health span in healthy and frail older adults in clinical trials.

A podcast discussing her research on the impact of gut health on T cell ageing can be found on YouTube: Gut Health Impacts The Thymus And Immune System During Aging: Niharika Duggal, PhD

She was also invited to be a part of the Healthy Ageing Podcasts to discuss the impact of physical activity on immunity: Science and Technology - An Introduction to Healthy Ageing Podcast (Nottingham Trent University)

Niharika has also been featured in the Telegraph Daily and on BBC Woman's Hour Radio interview on healthy living for longer. 

She is dedicated to promoting healthy ageing through public engagement and regularly delivers public lectures and webinars on the importance of maintaining immune health in later life. Read more on her contributions to the biology of ageing via Club Vita's website.

Other activities

  • Niharika serves on the Board of Trustees of the British Society of Research in Ageing (BSRA), a charity which promotes widening participation, social mobility and diversity in Ageing Research [2022 – 2027].
  • She is currently a member of the RIPEN scientific advisory committee. Translational Innovation Hub for Population Health using Food and Nutrition approaches to enhance Positive Physiology (RIPEN) is a BBSRC-funded network for UK focused on uncovering the complex relationship between food components and human physiology through the support of grant applications, organisation of meetings/workshops [ 2022 – 2027].
  • Member of the steering committee for the project on ‘Recognizing immunosenescence in ICD coding to guide clinical care’ for developing a guidance document unifying current research on the immune ageing, by developing a comprehensive system for classifying and staging age-related pathology, to complement the WHO’s International Classification of Diseases (ICD).
  • Associate Editor Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences (2023 - 2025)
  • Associated Editor Frontier of Ageing (2024 - present)
  • Early Career Researcher (ECR) Lead and member of the management board of the Food4Years Ageing Network
  • UK Coronavirus Immunology Consortium Dr Niharika A Duggal | UK-CIC

Publications

Recent publications

Faustini SE, Backhouse C, Duggal NA, Toellner KM, Harvey R, Drayson MT, Lord JM, Richter AG (2025) Time of day vaccination does not does not influence antibody responses to pneumococcal and annual influenza vaccination in a cohort of healthy older adults. Vaccine 49:126770 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.126770

Howroyd F, Earle N, Weblin J, McWilliams D, Raven M, Duggal NA, Ahmed Z, Veenith T (2025) Transitioning to a virtual post intensive care rehabilitation service in response to the COVID-19 pandemic: results of multidisciplinary focus-groups. Frontiers Med https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2024.1513121

Sharma-Oates A, Dunne N, Raza K, Padyukov L, Rivera N, helm-van Mil A, Pratt A G, Duggal NA, Jones S W, Lord J M (2025) Ethnicity-specific patterns of epigenetic age acceleration in rheumatoid arthritis. Gerosciencehttps://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-025-01508-w

Conway J, De Jong E, White AA, Dugan B, Padisson Rees N, Parnell SM, Lamberte L, Sharma-Oates A, Sullivan J, Mauro C, van Schaik W, Andersen G, Bowdish DME, Duggal NA (2024) Age-related intestinal barrier dysfunction promotes thymic involution and T cell ageing. Ageing Cell https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.14401

Withnall E, Hazeldine J, Llibre A, Duggal NA, Lord J M, Sardeli A V. Physical activity modifies the metabolic profile of CD4 and C8 T cell subtypes at rest and upon activation in older adults. Preprint https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.08.20.607078

Conway J, Acharjee A, Duggal N A (2024) Integrated analysis revealing novel associations between dietary patterns and the immune system in older adults. Integrative Biologyhttps://doi.org/10.1093/intbio/zyae010

Short E, ICCARP group, Calimport S, Bentley B (2024) Defining an ageing-related pathology, disease or syndrome: International consensus statement. Geroscience [ member of the ICCARP working group] https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.09.02.24312951

Howroyd F, Chacko C, MacDuff A, Gautam N, Pouchet B, Tunnicliffe B, Weblin J, Gao-Smith F, Ahmed Z, Duggal NA, Veenith T (2024) Ventilator-associated pneumonia:pathobiological heterogeneity and diagnostic challenges. Nature Comms 15:6647 [ joint senior author]. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-50805-z

Lord JM, Veenith T, Sullivan J, Sharma-Oates A, Richter AG, Greening NJ, McAuley HJC, Evans RA, Moss P, Moore SC, Turtle L, Gautam N, Gilani A, Bajaj M, Wain LV, Brightling C, Raman B, Marks M, Singapuri A, Elneima O, Openshaw PJM, Duggal NA (2024) Accelerated immune ageing is associated with COVID-19 disease severity. Immunity and Ageing

Meng G, Monaghan TM, Duggal NA, Tighe P, Peerani F (2023) Microbial-immune crosstalk in elderly-onset Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Unchartered Territory. J Crohn’s Colitis. https://doi.org/10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjad025

Clegg M, Methven L, Lanham-Nue S, Green M, Duggal NA, Hetherington (2023). The Food4Years Ageing Network: Improving foods and diets as a strategy for supporting quality of life, independence, and health-span in older adults. Nutrition Bulletin.

Dugan B, Conway J, Duggal NA (2023) Inflammaging as a target for healthy Ageing. Age and Ageing 52:afac328 https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afac328

Almeida H M, Sardeli AV, Conway J, Duggal NA,Cavagleiri CR (2022) Comparison between frail and non-frail older adults gut microbiota: a systemic review and meta-analysis. Ageing Res Rev 82:101773. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2022.101773

Foster MA, Bentley C, Hazeldine J, Acharjee A, Nahman O, Shenn-Orr SS, Lord JM, Duggal NA (2022) Accelerated immunesenescence and clinical outcome in severely injured patients. Immunity and Ageing 19:60 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12979-022-00317-5

Taylor JA, Greenhaff PA, Bartlett DB, Jackson TA, Duggal NA, Lord JM (2022) Multisystem physiological perspective of human frailty and its modulation by physical activity. Physiol Rev 103:1137-1191. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00037.2021

Veenith T, Martin H, Le Breuilly , Whitehouse T, Gao-Smith F, Duggal NA , Lord J M , Mian R, Moss P (2022) High generation of reactive oxygen species from neutrophils in patients with severe COVID-19.Scientific reports 12:10484. 

Monaghan TM, Duggal NA*, Rosati E, Griffin R, Hughes J, Roach B, Yang DY, Wang C, Wong K, Saxinger L, Pucic-Bakovic M, Vuckovic F, Klicek F, Lauc G, Tighe P, Mullish BH, Miguens Blanco J, McDonald JAK, Marchesi JR, Xue N, Dottorinin T, Acharjee A, Franke A, Li Y, Ka-Shu Wong G, Polytarchou C, Yau TO , Christodoulou N, Hatziapostolou M, Wang M , Russell LA , Kao D H (2021) A multi-factorial observational study on sequential fecal microbiota transplant in patients with medical refractory Clostridiodes difficile infection. Cells 10:3234. (*joint first author).

J Conway, M Certo, J M Lord, C Mauro and Duggal NA (2021) Understanding the role of host metabolites in the induction of immunesenescence; future strategies for keeping the ageing population healthy. British Journal Pharmacology.

J Conway and Duggal NA (2021) Ageing of the microbiome: potential influences on immunesenenscence and inflammaging. Ageing Research Review.

Tomic A , Tomic I , Waldron L , Geistlinger L , Kuhn M , Spreng RL , Dahora LC , Seaton KE , Tomaras G , Hill J , Duggal NA, Pollock RD , Lazarus NR, Harridge SDR , Lord JM , Khatri P , Pollard AJ , Davis MM (2021). SIMON: Open source knowledge discovery platform. Patterns 2: 100178

Bartlett D.B and Duggal NA (2020) Moderate physical activity associated with increased naïve:memory T cell ratio in healthy old; potential role of IL15. Age and Ageing 49(3):368-373.

Duggal NA, Niemiro G, Harridge SDR, Simpson RJ, Lord JM. (2019) Can physical activity ameliorate immunosenescence and thereby reduce age-related multi-morbidity?Nat Rev Immunol 19(9):563-572.

Duggal NA (2018) Reversing the immune ageing clock: lifestyle modifications and pharmacological interventions. Biogerontology 19(6):481-496. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30269199

Duggal NA, Snelson C, Shaheen U, Pearce V, Lord JM (2018) Innate and adaptive immune dysregulation in critically ill ICU patients.Sci Rep.8:10186. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29976949

Fuggle NR, Westbury LD, Syddall HE, Duggal NA, Shaw SC, Maslin K, Dennison EM, Lord J, Cooper C (2018) Relationships between markers of inflammation and bone density: findings from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study.Osteoporos Int. 29:1581-1589.

Pollock RD, O'Brien KA, Daniels LJ, Nielsen KB, Rowlerson A, Duggal NA, Lazarus NR, Lord JM, Philp A, Harridge SDR (2018) Properties of the vastus lateralis muscle in relation to age and physiological function in master cyclists aged 55-79 years. Aging Cell 17:2.

Duggal NA, Pollock RD, Lazarus NR, Harridge S, Lord JM (2018) Major features of immunesenescence, including reduced thymic output, are ameliorated by high levels of physical activity in adulthood. Aging Cell 17:2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29517845

Pollock RD, Duggal NA, Lazarus NR, Lord JM, Harridge SDR (2018) Cardiorespiratory fitness not sedentary time or physical activity is associated with cardiometabolic risk in active older adults. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 28:1653-1660

Westbury LD, Fuggle NR, Syddall HE, Duggal NA, Shaw SC, Maslin K, Dennison EM, Lord JM, Cooper C.(2018) Relationships Between Markers of Inflammation and Muscle Mass, Strength and Function: Findings from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study.Calcif Tissue Int 102:287-295.

Hazeldine J, Naumann DN, Toman E, Davies D, Bishop JRB, Su Z, Hampson P, Dinsdale RJ, Crombie N, Duggal NA, Harrison P, Belli A, Lord JM (2017). Prehospital immune responses and development of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome following traumatic injury: A prospective cohort study.PLoS Med.18:14

Vitlic A, Lord JM, Taylor AE, Arlt W, Bartlett DB, Rossi A, Arora-Duggal N, Welham A, Heald M, Oliver C, Carroll D, Phillips AC (2016). Neutrophil function in young and old caregivers.Br J Health Psychol.21:173-89.

Duggal NA, Upton J, Phillips AC, Lord JM (2016). Development of depressive symptoms post hip fracture is associated with altered immunosuppressive phenotype in regulatory T and B lymphocytes.Biogerontol. 17:229-39.

Duggal NA, Upton J, Phillips AC, Hampson P, Lord JM (2015) NK cell immunesenescence is increased by psychological but not physical stress in older adults associated with raised cortisol and reduced perforin expression.Age.37:9748.

Pollock RD, Carter S, Velloso CP, Duggal NA, Lord JM, Lazarus NR, Harridge SR (2015) An investigation into the relationship between age and physiological function in highly active older adults. J Physiol. 593:657-80.

Duggal NA, Upton JA, Phillips AC, Hampson P, Lord JM (2014) Depressive symptoms post hip fracture are associated with phenotypic and functional alterations in T cells. Immunity Ageing 11:25.

Duggal NA, Beswetherick A, Upton J, Hampson P, Phillips AC, Lord JM (2014) Depressive symptoms in hip fracture patients are associated with reduced monocyte superoxide production, Exp Gerontol 54:27-34.

Phillips AC, Upton JA, Duggal NA, Carroll D, Lord JM (2013). New onset depression following hip fracture is associated with increased physical frailty in older adults: the role of the cortisol: dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate ratio. BMC Geriatrics 13:60.

Duggal NA, Upton JA, Phillips AC, Hampson P, Lord JM (2013). Depressive symptoms are associated with reduced neutrophil superoxide generation in hip fracture patients. Brain Behavior Immunity 33:173-182.

Duggal NA, Upton JA, Phillips AC, Sapey E, Lord JM (2013). An age-related numerical and functional deficit in CD19+CD24hiCD38hi B cells is associated with an increase in systemic autoimmunity. Aging Cell 12:873-881.

Book Chapters

  1. Duggal NA (2023) Immunology: features of immunesenescence. Springer.
  2. Conway J, Rees-Paddison N, Duggal NA (2022) Ageing of the gut microbiome and its potential contribution towards immunesenescence and inflammaging. Springer.
  3. Duggal NA, Upton J, Phillips A, Lord JM (2017) Stress and immunosenescence: a tale of two hormones. Wiley and Blackwell.
  4. Duggal NA and Lord JM (2013) Introduction to ageing of the innate immune system. Springer
  5. AC Whittaker, J Upton, Duggal NA, Deb C, Randhawa C, Lord JM (2016) Understanding immunesenescence. The New Dynamics of Ageing:Volume 2, 107-130.
  6. Duggal NA and Lord JM (2013) Introduction to ageing of the innate immune system. Springer.

Editorials

Duggal NA, Henson SM, Turner JE (2023) Editorial: Inflammation, Ageing and Disease: New Perspectives and Interventions. Frontiers of Ageing.

Srivastava RK, Duggal NA, Parameswaran (2023) Editorial: Gut microbiota and gut-associated metabolites in bone health. Frontiers of Endocrinology.

View all publications in research portal