Contact
Biography
ORCiD:0000-0002-9950-7201
I am an Associate Professor in the Hepatology Group in the Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre in Translational Medical Sciences and the Gastrointestinal and Liver Disorders Theme of the NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre. My research includes translational research projects in the following areas:
- Drug-induced liver injury (assessment, genetic and environmental factors that affect drug metabolism and hepatotoxicity).
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and alcoholic liver disease (mechanisms and biomarkers of liver injury including microbiome and metabolomics).
- Genetic determinants of liver disease.
- Development and validation of markers of oxidative stress in the evaluation of acute liver injury and chronic liver diseases.
- Non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis.
- Clinical application of liver biomarkers.
- Experimental diagnostics of chronic liver injury.
IMI TransBioLine Consortium Research: The TransBioLine project aims to develop novel safety biomarkers that will reliably indicate injury of the liver, kidneys, pancreas, blood vessels, and central nervous system for drug development purposes. By the end of the project, the team will have set up an infrastructure and processes to continue biomarker research across a comprehensive network of industry, academic institutions, and small and medium-sized enterprises, providing to the scientific community, industry and patients with detailed data across a large spectrum of advanced safety biomarkers. (www.Transbioline.com)
I am co-leader for work group 1 of COST ACTION CA17112 - PRO-EURO DILI NETWORK https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA17112
I am involved in collaborative research partnerships with Population Health and Research Institute, Trivandrum, India. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03844165 - Fighting Fatty Liver in India.
I also contributed to the Nottingham Molecular Pathology Node (http://www.nmpn.info/).
Current research studies recruiting participants:
Fatty Liver and Steatohepatitis Study-
This study evaluates possible genetic reasons for the development of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH) and the progression of fatty liver.
Methotrexate Study-
This study investigates the effectiveness of certain non-invasive tests in the detection of liver scarring in patients with rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis who are currently on methotrexate.
Drug-induced Liver Injury Study-
This is an international Biobank resource to enable research into the causes and characteristics of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) so that new, non-invasive diagnostic tests can be developed. The goal is to predict and prevent drug-induced liver injury (DILI) so patients can be safely treated with medications they need.
Checkpoint Inhibitor-induced Liver Injury (ChILI) - ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04476563:
Multi-center prospective observational study to identify the incidence and risk factors for checkpoint inhibitor-induced liver injury and characterize biochemical, genetic, immunological, and histological features associated with it.
Low GI Diet Effects on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (LGI-NAFLD) Study - ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04415632.
A 2 x 2 cross-over dietary intervention trial designed to investigate the effects of low glycemic index (LGI) versus high glycemic index (HGI) diet on hepatic fat accumulation and gut microbiota composition in participants with NAFLD.
NDDCBRU Research Tissue Bank-
Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre Biomedical Research Unit research tissue bank is a local collection of biological samples from patients and research participants to facilitate new research projects investigating digestive health. The aim is to provide high quality biological samples to researchers worldwide for projects to improve the health and care of patients in the future.
Responsibilities:
I am academic lead for postgraduate student training and development in the School of Medicine and a member of the Doctoral Training Committee.
I am the Human Tissue Authority Person Designate for the Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre and academic representative on the University Biosafety Committee and School of Medicine Safety Committee. (I have Biosafety Practitioner 1 qualification).
I am a member of the UK Stratified Medicine and Pharmacogenetics Committee and am involved in developing Biobank networks.
Research Experience:
Analysis of genetic determinants of the development of alcoholic liver disease. (Newcastle University)
Improvement of E. coli nitroreductase by mutagenesis: a route to optimization of virus- directed enzyme-prodrug cancer therapy. (Cobra Therapeutics)
DNA double-strand break repair in E. coli. (Nottingham University)
Role of novel Type IV secretion systems in Helicobacter pylori virulence. (Nottingham University)
Degree: Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (Durham University)
PGCE: secondary science (University of Nottingham) & Qualified Teacher Status
PhD: Escherichia coli genes essential for formate-dependent nitrite reduction, cytochrome c biosynthesis and periplasmic nitrate reduction. (Birmingham University)
Expertise Summary
Quantification of circulating biomarkers including Luminex multiplex analysis on Bioplex 200
Characterisation and phenotyping of patient cohorts and analysis of clinical data
Expression analyses including assessment of liver tissue markers
Molecular genetics including detection of polymorphisms, cloning, PCR and sequencing
Biochemistry (including protein expression, purification and analysis)
Biobanking: setting up a Research Tissue Bank, clinical sample collection, storage and cataloging/databases
Microbiology: specialist in E.coli and H.pylori manipulation and phenotyping
Research Summary
My research includes translational research projects in the following areas:
- Drug-induced liver injury (assessment, genetic and environmental factors that affect drug metabolism and hepatotoxicity).
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and alcoholic liver disease (mechanisms and biomarkers of liver injury).
- Genetic determinants of liver disease.
- Development and validation of markers of oxidative stress in the evaluation of acute liver injury and chronic liver diseases.
- Non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis.
- Clinical application of liver biomarkers.
- Experimental diagnostics of chronic liver injury.
Research Experience:
Analysis of genetic determinants of the development of alcoholic liver disease. (Newcastle University)
Improvement of E. coli nitroreductase by mutagenesis: a route to optimization of virus- directed enzyme-prodrug cancer therapy. (Cobra Therapeutics)
DNA double-strand break repair in E. coli. (Nottingham University)
Role of novel Type IV secretion systems in Helicobacter pylori virulence. (Nottingham University)
Degree: Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (Durham University)
PhD: Escherichia coli genes essential for formate-dependent nitrite reduction, cytochrome c biosynthesis and periplasmic nitrate reduction. (Birmingham University)
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Selected Publications
ASTBURY, S, GROVE JI, DORWARD DA, GUHA IN and FALLOWFIELD JA, 2021. Reliable computational quantification of liver fibrosis is compromised by inherent staining variation. J Pathol Clin Res. Sep;7(5), 471-481 NICOLETTI P, DEVARBHAVI H, GOEL A, VENKATESAN R, EAPEN CE, GROVE JI, ZAFER S, BJORNSSON E, LUCENA MI, ANDRADE RJ, PIRMOHAMED M, WADELIUS M, LARREY D, LARREY D, IBANEZ L, WATKINS PB, DALY AK and AITHAL GP, 2021. Genetic Risk Factors in Drug-Induced Liver Injury Due to Isoniazid-Containing Antituberculosis Drug Regimens Clin Pharmacol Ther. 109(4), 1125-1135 ATKINSON, STEPHEN R, GROVE, JANE I, LIEBIG, STEPHANIE, ASTBURY, STUART, VERGIS, NIKHIL, GOLDIN, ROBERT, QUAGLIA, ALBERTO, BANTEL, HEIKE, GUHA, INDRA NEIL, THURSZ, MARK R, NEWCOMBE, PAUL, STRNAD, PAVEL and AITHAL, GURUPRASAD P, 2020. In Severe Alcoholic Hepatitis, Serum Keratin-18 Fragments Are Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Theragnostic Biomarkers. The American Journal of Gastroenterology. 115(11), 1857-1868 STICKEL, FELIX, LUTZ, PHILIPP, BUCH, STEPHAN, NISCHALKE, HANS DIETER, SILVA, INES, RAUSCH, VANESSA, FISCHER, JANETT, WEISS, KARL HEINZ, GOTTHARDT, DANIEL, ROSENDAHL, JONAS, MAROT, ASTRID, ELAMLY, MONA, KRAWCZYK, MARCIN, CASPER, MARKUS, LAMMERT, FRANK, BUCKLEY, THOMAS WM, MCQUILLIN, ANDREW, SPENGLER, ULRICH, EYER, FLORIAN, VOGEL, ARNDT, MARHENKE, SILKE, VON FELDEN, JOHANN, WEGE, HENNING, SHARMA, ROHINI, ATKINSON, STEPHEN, FRANKE, ANDRE, NEHRING, SOPHIE, MOSER, VINCENT, SCHAFMAYER, CLEMENS, SPAHR, LAURENT, LACKNER, CAROLIN, STAUBER, RUDOLF E., CANBAY, ALI, LINK, ALEXANDER, VALENTI, LUCA, GROVE, JANE I., AITHAL, GURUPRASAD P., MARQUARDT, JENS U., FATEEN, WALEED, ZOPF, STEFFEN, DUFOUR, JEAN-FRANCOIS, TREBICKA, JONEL, DATZ, CHRISTIAN, DELTENRE, PIERRE, MUELLER, SEBASTIAN, BERG, THOMAS, HAMPE, JOCHEN and MORGAN, MARSHA Y, 2020. Genetic variation in HSD17B13 reduces the risk of developing cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in alcohol misusers Hepatology. 72(1), 88-102