School of Life Sciences
 

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Paddy Tighe

Professor of Molecular Immunology, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences

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Biography

My lab has interests in rare autoinflammatory conditions and systemic autoimmune diseases and I has spent many years investigating the molecular mechanisms associated with defects in the TNFR1 receptor which give rise to TNF-receptor-associated periodic syndrome (TRAPS). Over this time I have developed a number of methodologies for high-thoughput, high-content screening to enable wide-scale analysis of intrasignalling pathways within cells and serum-based assays (autoantibodies, pathogen-specific antibodies and other serum markers). This has lead to successful MRC applications in the area of drug repurposing in the context of the autoinflammatory diseases TRAPS, and subsequently to funding and collaborations applying these technologies for cancer early diagnosis (autoantibody detection) and alternatives to TMA tumour staining (tumour antigen detection), analysis and drug repurposing in systemic lupus erythematosus and ongoing projects in immune response surveillance in relation to influenza vaccine administration and a range of conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, Myasthenia gravis, H. pylori and C. difficile infections. I have current collaborations with both optical and electronics engineers in terms of label-free immunosensing methodologies.

Expertise Summary

I am an immunologist with many years experience of molecular cloning technologies, Molecular Immunology, T cell receptor analysis, DNA fragment analysis, fluorescent methods and real-time quantification, microarray and macroarray printing capabilities; automated colony picking; liquid handling robotics; lab-on-a-chip technologies; microarray probe generation and quality control; automated stations for moderate/high-throughput serological analysis etc.

Teaching Summary

I am interested in distance learning technologies and virtual learning environments and how to enhance the interaction of students with materials on VLEs. I am a keen supporter of mixed media… read more

Research Summary

I am currently involved in projects examining the potential of detecting autoantibodies which develop against tumour associated antigens(TAAs) as a route towards early diagnosis in relation to a… read more

Selected Publications

  • VOYSEY, M., COSTA CLEMENS, S. A., MADHI, S. A., WECKX, L. Y., FOLEGATTI, P. M., ALEY, P. K., ANGUS, B., BAILLIE, V. L., BARNABAS, S. L., BHORAT, Q. E., BIBI, S., BRINER, C., CICCONI, P., CLUTTERBUCK, E. A., COLLINS, A. M., CUTLAND, C. L., DARTON, T. C., DHEDA, K., DOLD, C., DUNCAN, C. J. A., EMARY, K. R. W., EWER, K. J., FLAXMAN, A., FAIRLIE, L., FAUST, S. N., FENG, S., FERREIRA, D. M., FINN, A., GALIZA, E., GOODMAN, A. L., GREEN, C. M., GREEN, C. A., GREENLAND, M., HILL, C., HILL, H. C., HIRSCH, I., IZU, A., JENKIN, D., JOE, C. C. D., KERRIDGE, S., KOEN, A., KWATRA, G., LAZARUS, R., LIBRI, V., LILLIE, P. J., MARCHEVSKY, N. G., MARSHALL, R. P., MENDES, A. V. A., MILAN, E. P., MINASSIAN, A. M., MCGREGOR, A., MUJADIDI, Y. F., NANA, A., PADAYACHEE, S. D., PHILLIPS, D. J., PITTELLA, A., PLESTED, E., POLLOCK, K. M., RAMASAMY, M. N., RITCHIE, A. J., ROBINSON, H., SCHWARZBOLD, A. V., SMITH, A., SONG, R., SNAPE, M. D., SPRINZ, E., SUTHERLAND, R. K., THOMSON, E. C., TOROK, M. E., TOSHNER, M., TURNER, D. P. J., VEKEMANS, J., VILLAFANA, T. L., WHITE, T., WILLIAMS, C. J., DOUGLAS, A. D., HILL, A. V. S., LAMBE, T., GILBERT, S. C., POLLARD, A. J. and OXFORD, COVID VACCINE TRIAL GROUP, 2021. Single-dose administration and the influence of the timing of the booster dose on immunogenicity and efficacy of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) vaccine: a pooled analysis of four randomised trials: Lancet Lancet. 397(10277), 881-891
  • VOYSEY, M., CLEMENS, S. A. C., MADHI, S. A., WECKX, L. Y., FOLEGATTI, P. M., ALEY, P. K., ANGUS, B., BAILLIE, V. L., BARNABAS, S. L., BHORAT, Q. E., BIBI, S., BRINER, C., CICCONI, P., COLLINS, A. M., COLIN-JONES, R., CUTLAND, C. L., DARTON, T. C., DHEDA, K., DUNCAN, C. J. A., EMARY, K. R. W., EWER, K. J., FAIRLIE, L., FAUST, S. N., FENG, S., FERREIRA, D. M., FINN, A., GOODMAN, A. L., GREEN, C. M., GREEN, C. A., HEATH, P. T., HILL, C., HILL, H., HIRSCH, I., HODGSON, S. H. C., IZU, A., JACKSON, S., JENKIN, D., JOE, C. C. D., KERRIDGE, S., KOEN, A., KWATRA, G., LAZARUS, R., LAWRIE, A. M., LELLIOTT, A., LIBRI, V., LILLIE, P. J., MALLORY, R., MENDES, A. V. A., MILAN, E. P., MINASSIAN, A. M., MCGREGOR, A., MORRISON, H., MUJADIDI, Y. F., NANA, A., O'REILLY, P. J., PADAYACHEE, S. D., PITTELLA, A., PLESTED, E., POLLOCK, K. M., RAMASAMY, M. N., RHEAD, S., SCHWARZBOLD, A. V., SINGH, N., SMITH, A., SONG, R., SNAPE, M. D., SPRINZ, E., SUTHERLAND, R. K., TARRANT, R., THOMSON, E. C., TOROK, M. E., TOSHNER, M., TURNER, D. P. J., VEKEMANS, J., VILLAFANA, T. L., WATSON, M. E. E., WILLIAMS, C. J., DOUGLAS, A. D., HILL, A. V. S., LAMBE, T., GILBERT, S. C., POLLARD, A. J. and OXFORD, COVID VACCINE TRIAL GROUP, 2021. Safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine (AZD1222) against SARS-CoV-2: an interim analysis of four randomised controlled trials in Brazil, South Africa, and the UK: Lancet Lancet. 397(10269), 99-111
  • HAMED, A., TODD, I., TIGHE, P. J., POWELL, R. J., HARRISON, T. and FAIRCLOUGH, L. C., 2021. Array-based measurements of aero-allergen-specific IgE correlate with skin-prick test reactivity in asthma regardless of specific IgG4 or total IgE measurements: J Immunol Methods J Immunol Methods. 492, 112999
  • ALLEN, C. M., RAMSAMY, S., TARR, A. W., TIGHE, P. J., IRVING, W. L., TANASESCU, R. and EVANS, J. R., 2021. Guillain-Barre Syndrome Variant Occurring after SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination: Ann Neurol Ann Neurol. 90(2), 315-318

I am interested in distance learning technologies and virtual learning environments and how to enhance the interaction of students with materials on VLEs. I am a keen supporter of mixed media podcasting and am involved in University funded video/screen podcasting developments.

I teach on multiple modules and courses across the Life Sciences and Medical degrees, and convene a popular undergraduate module "Infection and Immunity" for yr 2 undergraduates in the Life sciences. I convene other modules, including "Autoimmunity" and "Therapeutic Immunology" which are available to post-graduate taught-course (Masters degree) students.

Current Research

I am currently involved in projects examining the potential of detecting autoantibodies which develop against tumour associated antigens(TAAs) as a route towards early diagnosis in relation to a number of common solid cancers. These investigations are aimed to enhance early rapid diagnosis and stratification of patients who may have cancer.

Thes methods originated in early work performed on screening methods for autoantibody detection in systemic autoimmune diseases .

My group also has interests in rare immune-mediated conditions, such as the the rare autoinflammatory diseases and common variable immunodeficiences.

Past Research

Autoimmunity (Autoimmune uveitis, SLE) peptide immunotherapeutics, Rare autoinflammatory disease mechanisms (related to TNF receptor-associated periodic syndrome (TRAPS) and intracellular signaling in relation to inflammatory pathway signalling

Future Research

My group is developing novel detection methods (including the use of nanobodies, peptide libraries and microfluidics approaches to generate comprehensive diagnostic testing methods for autoantibodies and serum biomarkers

School of Life Sciences

University of Nottingham
Medical School
Queen's Medical Centre
Nottingham NG7 2UH

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