Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Birmingham
Department Name: Institute of Inflammation and Ageing
Abstract
Research context: We are living longer but not healthier, with adults in the UK on average now spending the last decade of life in poor health. Decline in our musculoskeletal system (muscle, bone, cartilage and tendon), and diseases of the joints such as Osteoarthritis (OA) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), are major contributors to ill health in old age. The annual cost to the NHS of musculoskeletal decline is over £5 billion. Doing nothing about the current situation is an expensive and untenable option.
The Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research aims to understand the age-related loss of musculoskeletal function and the role played by lifestyle (physical inactivity and obesity) in influencing this process. Physical activity and diet-based interventions are tested by the Centre to ensure these are effective in older adults. The Centre also includes motivational psychology research to develop approaches that encourage people to adopt healthy lifestyles.
Aims and objectives:
In the second 5 years of the Centre the research will expand to investigate the processes that cause a person to progress from healthy old age to developing arthritis. This will open up new ways to prevent and treat arthritis.
The objectives of the Centre are:
1. To increase understanding of the processes influencing the rate of ageing of the musculoskeletal system and how these increase susceptibility to frailty and disease;
2. To develop and test interventions to improve musculoskeletal health;
3. To develop strong national and international networking to create a significant Healthy Musculoskeletal Ageing research, training and dissemination facility;
4. To increase use of existing patient cohorts and data to support our aims;
5. To work with key policy and health practice influencers, industry and PPI groups to find routes to translation of our research in to health benefits.
Potential applications and benefits:
The potential benefits of the research carried out by the Centre are significant as age-related loss of musculoskeletal function has major health consequences and reduced ability to stay in employment and maintain independence. Applying the knowledge we acquire to understanding the link between ageing and the development of arthritis will increase the impact of our work further, potentially revealing novel routes to the prevention or treatment of arthritis. Applying our exercise interventions to those with established disease can help reduce pain and fatigue and improve quality of life.
Contribution to the Arthritis Research UK strategic focus (2015-2020).
The research in CMAR will contribute to the strategic focus of Arthritis Research UK, helping to understand the link between ageing and arthritis and how lifestyle and pharmacological approaches can delay the former to prevent the latter. For example, if Centre research reveals that the processes that drive normal ageing also contribute to the development of arthritis, then some of the new drugs being tested to slow the ageing process may also help prevent development of arthritis, bringing us closer to a Cure. Work on the benefits of exercise for reducing pain and fatigue in adults with OA or RA will transform patient quality of Life. Together the Centre's research programme will thus help meet ARUK's "Prevent, Transform, Cure" strategy.
This summary was drafted with patients in our arthritis PPI group R2P2. They were supportive of research that could give advice on how to exercise safely, fear of making their pain or disease worse with exercise was common. They were supportive of any treatments that could delay or prevent disease, especially drug repurposing. Overall they were supportive and thought it made sense to expand our programme toward disease pathogenesis and to work with other centres to share knowledge. On the subject of PPI group involvement, they suggested that the group supporting the Centre should include healthy elders too, so we will do this
The Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research aims to understand the age-related loss of musculoskeletal function and the role played by lifestyle (physical inactivity and obesity) in influencing this process. Physical activity and diet-based interventions are tested by the Centre to ensure these are effective in older adults. The Centre also includes motivational psychology research to develop approaches that encourage people to adopt healthy lifestyles.
Aims and objectives:
In the second 5 years of the Centre the research will expand to investigate the processes that cause a person to progress from healthy old age to developing arthritis. This will open up new ways to prevent and treat arthritis.
The objectives of the Centre are:
1. To increase understanding of the processes influencing the rate of ageing of the musculoskeletal system and how these increase susceptibility to frailty and disease;
2. To develop and test interventions to improve musculoskeletal health;
3. To develop strong national and international networking to create a significant Healthy Musculoskeletal Ageing research, training and dissemination facility;
4. To increase use of existing patient cohorts and data to support our aims;
5. To work with key policy and health practice influencers, industry and PPI groups to find routes to translation of our research in to health benefits.
Potential applications and benefits:
The potential benefits of the research carried out by the Centre are significant as age-related loss of musculoskeletal function has major health consequences and reduced ability to stay in employment and maintain independence. Applying the knowledge we acquire to understanding the link between ageing and the development of arthritis will increase the impact of our work further, potentially revealing novel routes to the prevention or treatment of arthritis. Applying our exercise interventions to those with established disease can help reduce pain and fatigue and improve quality of life.
Contribution to the Arthritis Research UK strategic focus (2015-2020).
The research in CMAR will contribute to the strategic focus of Arthritis Research UK, helping to understand the link between ageing and arthritis and how lifestyle and pharmacological approaches can delay the former to prevent the latter. For example, if Centre research reveals that the processes that drive normal ageing also contribute to the development of arthritis, then some of the new drugs being tested to slow the ageing process may also help prevent development of arthritis, bringing us closer to a Cure. Work on the benefits of exercise for reducing pain and fatigue in adults with OA or RA will transform patient quality of Life. Together the Centre's research programme will thus help meet ARUK's "Prevent, Transform, Cure" strategy.
This summary was drafted with patients in our arthritis PPI group R2P2. They were supportive of research that could give advice on how to exercise safely, fear of making their pain or disease worse with exercise was common. They were supportive of any treatments that could delay or prevent disease, especially drug repurposing. Overall they were supportive and thought it made sense to expand our programme toward disease pathogenesis and to work with other centres to share knowledge. On the subject of PPI group involvement, they suggested that the group supporting the Centre should include healthy elders too, so we will do this
Technical Summary
Poor musculoskeletal health has a significant impact upon the economy, society and the individual. The Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research (CMAR) integrates the work of world class researchers, clinicians and health professionals at the Universities of Birmingham, Nottingham and Oxford to focus on understanding:
1. The age-related loss of musculoskeletal mass and function, including the role played by lifestyle (diet, physical inactivity) in influencing the trajectory of this process. Mechanisms such as anabolic resistance, autophagy, neuromuscular decline and cell senescence are key mechanisms being investigated;
2. How ageing influences musculoskeletal disease pathogenesis and frailty. This will include determining: whether ageing is accelerated in Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other chronic inflammatory conditions using epigenetic marks indicative of biological ageing, the role of the gut microbiome in musculoskeletal health and disease, the role of anti-inflammatory pathways and their dysregulation in ageing and RA, the factors driving the sarcopaenia secondary to common chronic inflammatory diseases (COPD, IBD) and physical trauma.
3. Physical activity and diet-based interventions will continue to be assessed and validated in healthy elders and patients, ensuring protocols are tailored to adults of differing ability. Metabolomics will be used to help RA patient stratification for therapy and biomedical engineers and neuroscience researchers will test novel methods to improve tissue regeneration and motor control respectively. CMAR will continue to apply its internationally recognised expertise in motivational psychology to develop programmes achieving good adherence in adults, including patients with arthritis and chronic inflammatory conditions.
CMAR will also place emphasis on collaborative working, supporting students and early career researchers to make collaborative visits of up to 1 year to other centres of excellence in the UK or overseas.
1. The age-related loss of musculoskeletal mass and function, including the role played by lifestyle (diet, physical inactivity) in influencing the trajectory of this process. Mechanisms such as anabolic resistance, autophagy, neuromuscular decline and cell senescence are key mechanisms being investigated;
2. How ageing influences musculoskeletal disease pathogenesis and frailty. This will include determining: whether ageing is accelerated in Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other chronic inflammatory conditions using epigenetic marks indicative of biological ageing, the role of the gut microbiome in musculoskeletal health and disease, the role of anti-inflammatory pathways and their dysregulation in ageing and RA, the factors driving the sarcopaenia secondary to common chronic inflammatory diseases (COPD, IBD) and physical trauma.
3. Physical activity and diet-based interventions will continue to be assessed and validated in healthy elders and patients, ensuring protocols are tailored to adults of differing ability. Metabolomics will be used to help RA patient stratification for therapy and biomedical engineers and neuroscience researchers will test novel methods to improve tissue regeneration and motor control respectively. CMAR will continue to apply its internationally recognised expertise in motivational psychology to develop programmes achieving good adherence in adults, including patients with arthritis and chronic inflammatory conditions.
CMAR will also place emphasis on collaborative working, supporting students and early career researchers to make collaborative visits of up to 1 year to other centres of excellence in the UK or overseas.
Planned Impact
Life expectancy in the UK is increasing at a rate of approximately two years per decade; with 1 in 3 children born now expected to reach 100 years. This would be a cause for celebration if it were not for the fact that increases in health span, the years spent in good health, are not keeping pace with lifespan changes. Estimates from the WHO show a 10 year difference between health span and lifespan in the UK. Supporting the continued need for a Centre of Excellence focused on research into musculoskeletal ageing are the dramatic statistics concerning age-related compromise to the musculoskeletal system: 740,000 adults are admitted to A&E each year after a fall, which resulted in 89,000 hip fractures in 2015; 20% of the population consults their GP about a musculoskeletal problem each year and the NHS spends >£5 billion on MSK health; low muscle mass predicts all-cause mortality in older people; arthritis affects over 10 million people in the UK and there are >175,000 joint replacements annually as a result; the indirect cost to the economy of arthritis, in terms of working time lost, is estimated at £14 billion. These figures make it clear that the opportunity to improve the musculoskeletal health of our ageing population is a critical need for a range of key stakeholders.
Academic researchers across a wide variety of disciplines have the opportunity to benefit not only from the new multidisciplinary knowledge produced across our themes of "Mechanisms of musculoskeletal ageing"; "Ageing and the progression to disease and frailty" and "Interventions to improve musculoskeletal health and function", but to access the technical facilities, well-defined patient cohorts and training courses that the Centre will offer.
There will be significant patient benefit from these themes in terms of tackling the conditions outlined above, which do not only affect the elderly but also a significant proportion of younger people, particularly those who have suffered traumatic injury. The approach of the Centre offers not only the potential to develop new approaches to diet and exercise and measure their efficacy in specific populations, where possible directly consulting with patients and using their input to inform developments, but also to develop new pharmaceutical therapies where needed and to work with charities and policymakers to provide the critical evidence and expertise to inform future policy and patient care, as well as to ensure that consistent and well-informed messages are delivered through mainstream media where possible.
Opportunities for economic outputs will arise from the Centre's innovative research programmes, which already benefit from significant industry engagement. New ideas around potential pharmaceutical or dietary approaches can be protected and discussed with industry partners, who can then resource them to reach wider consumers and patients, while smaller firms may wish to partner around the dissemination of new exercise programmes targeted to organisations such as care homes and health services as well as directly to individuals.
Academic researchers across a wide variety of disciplines have the opportunity to benefit not only from the new multidisciplinary knowledge produced across our themes of "Mechanisms of musculoskeletal ageing"; "Ageing and the progression to disease and frailty" and "Interventions to improve musculoskeletal health and function", but to access the technical facilities, well-defined patient cohorts and training courses that the Centre will offer.
There will be significant patient benefit from these themes in terms of tackling the conditions outlined above, which do not only affect the elderly but also a significant proportion of younger people, particularly those who have suffered traumatic injury. The approach of the Centre offers not only the potential to develop new approaches to diet and exercise and measure their efficacy in specific populations, where possible directly consulting with patients and using their input to inform developments, but also to develop new pharmaceutical therapies where needed and to work with charities and policymakers to provide the critical evidence and expertise to inform future policy and patient care, as well as to ensure that consistent and well-informed messages are delivered through mainstream media where possible.
Opportunities for economic outputs will arise from the Centre's innovative research programmes, which already benefit from significant industry engagement. New ideas around potential pharmaceutical or dietary approaches can be protected and discussed with industry partners, who can then resource them to reach wider consumers and patients, while smaller firms may wish to partner around the dissemination of new exercise programmes targeted to organisations such as care homes and health services as well as directly to individuals.
Organisations
- University of Birmingham (Lead Research Organisation)
- Charité - University of Medicine Berlin (Collaboration)
- University of Copenhagen (Collaboration)
- University of Manchester (Collaboration)
- University College London (Collaboration)
- Quadram Institute Bioscience (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER (Collaboration)
- Move It or Lose It (Collaboration)
- Lmito Therapeutics Inc (Collaboration)
- Birmingham Children's Hospital (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (Collaboration)
- Bayer (Collaboration)
- Nuffield Council on Bioethics (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW (Collaboration)
- Parliament of United Kingdom (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM (Collaboration)
- Physiological Society (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON (Collaboration)
- KING'S COLLEGE LONDON (Collaboration)
Publications
Abdulla H
(2020)
Glucagon-like peptide 1 infusions overcome anabolic resistance to feeding in older human muscle.
in Aging cell
Abdulla H
(2023)
Effects of GLP-1 Infusion Upon Whole-body Glucose Uptake and Skeletal Muscle Perfusion During Fed-state in Older Men.
in The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism
Abdulla H
(2019)
The effect of oral essential amino acids on incretin hormone production in youth and ageing.
in Endocrinology, diabetes & metabolism
Abou Sawan S
(2022)
Trained Integrated Postexercise Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis Rates Correlate with Hypertrophy in Young Males and Females.
in Medicine and science in sports and exercise
Adiamah A
(2018)
A systematic review of the epidemiology, pathophysiology and current management of hyperlipidaemic pancreatitis.
in Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland)
Adiamah A
(2020)
Hypertriglyceridaemia as a risk factor for critical care admission in acute pancreatitis: A prospective study.
in Clinical nutrition ESPEN
Adiamah A
(2021)
Post-discharge oral nutritional supplementation after surgery for gastrointestinal cancer: Real or marginal gains?
in Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland)
Ahtiainen JP
(2018)
Physiological adaptations to resistance training in rats selectively bred for low and high response to aerobic exercise training.
in Experimental physiology
Alldritt I
(2021)
Metabolomics as an Important Tool for Determining the Mechanisms of Human Skeletal Muscle Deconditioning.
in International journal of molecular sciences
Allen SL
(2021)
Sarcopenia in chronic liver disease: mechanisms and countermeasures.
in American journal of physiology. Gastrointestinal and liver physiology
Allen SL
(2021)
The effect of young and old ex vivo human serum on cellular protein synthesis and growth in an in vitro model of aging.
in American journal of physiology. Cell physiology
Alqurashi HB
(2023)
The effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation on hospitalised adults: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.
in Age and ageing
Althubeati S
(2022)
Mapping brain activity of gut-brain signaling to appetite and satiety in healthy adults: A systematic review and functional neuroimaging meta-analysis.
in Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews
Anderson J
(2020)
Optimization of Synovial Fluid Collection and Processing for NMR Metabolomics and LC-MS/MS Proteomics
in Journal of Proteome Research
Andersson SEM
(2020)
Moderate- to high intensity aerobic and resistance exercise reduces peripheral blood regulatory cell populations in older adults with rheumatoid arthritis.
in Immunity & ageing : I & A
Anis FS
(2022)
Incidence and treatment of splanchnic vein thrombosis in patients with acute pancreatitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
in Journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Anyanwagu U
(2019)
Albuminuria Regression and All-Cause Mortality among Insulin-Treated Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: Analysis of a Large UK Primary Care Cohort.
in American journal of nephrology
Anyiam O
(2023)
Addition of very low calorie diet (VLCD) during initiation of semaglutide in individuals with type 2 diabetes - interim results.
in Clinical medicine (London, England)
Ardavani A
(2021)
The Effects of Very Low Energy Diets and Low Energy Diets with Exercise Training on Skeletal Muscle Mass: A Narrative Review.
in Advances in therapy
Ardavani A
(2021)
Indicators of response to exercise training: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
in BMJ open
Arends J
(2017)
ESPEN expert group recommendations for action against cancer-related malnutrition.
in Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland)
Arvanitakis M
(2020)
ESPEN guideline on clinical nutrition in acute and chronic pancreatitis
in Clinical Nutrition
Title | You tube video on exercises to stay healthy in lockdown |
Description | The video has been viewed over 100,000 times on Facebook and other media. I received many requests form around the world for interviews and also many emails from older adults thanking me for making the video. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Impact | As a result I also made a video for a company that delivers exercise classes to older adults , Move it or Lose It, and this was used on their online platform. |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6_zJtbzMho |
Description | Care Home staff training workshops |
Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Description | Contribution to CMO's 2023 annual report |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
URL | https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65562ff2d03a8d000d07faa6/chief-medical-officers-annua... |
Description | G7 Academies statement on ageing |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
URL | https://royalsociety.org/-/media/about-us/international/g-science-statements/delivering-better-healt... |
Description | Growing Older Better |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
URL | https://static.physoc.org/app/uploads/2019/10/11135853/Growing-old-better-Full-report-and-summary-do... |
Description | House of Lords Inquiry |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Description | Nuffield Council on Bioethics inquiry in to the future of ageing |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Description | Part of a policy roundtable organised by the Physiological Society and chaired by Lord James Bethell. Subject "Economic inactivity, health and older workers". |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | Participation in a strategy setting workshop on age-related physical decline by the Physiology Society |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Description | Policy brief |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
URL | https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/477114/ |
Description | A novel diagnostic for vestibular dysfunction |
Amount | £920,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/X013944/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2023 |
End | 06/2027 |
Description | An uncontrolled open label trial of Alphaville Essentials to reduce biological ageing in healthy older people |
Amount | £482,213 (GBP) |
Organisation | Bayer |
Sector | Private |
Country | Germany |
Start | 06/2022 |
End | 01/2024 |
Description | Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital Charity |
Amount | £15,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2022 |
End | 12/2024 |
Description | Clinical Training Fellowship |
Amount | £120,498 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 21386 |
Organisation | Versus Arthritis |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2017 |
End | 03/2019 |
Description | Comparing the Phenotypes and Trajectories of Human Ageing Associated with Exercise or Inactivity: with a particular focus on the biology of skeletal muscle and the immune system |
Amount | £1,055,698 (GBP) |
Organisation | JetBrains |
Sector | Private |
Country | Czech Republic |
Start | 02/2021 |
End | 05/2024 |
Description | DIF/Evotec |
Amount | £60,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Birmingham |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2021 |
End | 08/2021 |
Description | Daphne Jackson Trust Fellowship |
Amount | £150,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2023 |
End | 05/2026 |
Description | Daphne Jackson Trust fellowship |
Amount | £150,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2023 |
End | 05/2026 |
Description | Daphne Jackson Trust/ Kidney Research UK Fellowship award to Dr Winnie Chan; project lead Prof Carolyn Greig |
Amount | £86,671 (GBP) |
Organisation | Kidney Research UK |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2021 |
End | 06/2023 |
Description | Does major trauma accelerate the ageing process and can it be alleviated by physical activity? |
Amount | £120,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Scar Free Foundation |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2021 |
End | 04/2022 |
Description | Establishing a network to catalyse collaboration for reducing immune ageing (CARINA: CAtalyst Reducing ImmuNe Ageing) |
Amount | £201,993 (GBP) |
Funding ID | BB/W018225/1 |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2022 |
End | 02/2024 |
Description | FOREUM |
Amount | € 599,881 (EUR) |
Organisation | Foreum |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | Switzerland |
Start | 03/2018 |
End | 03/2021 |
Description | FRAME bursary |
Amount | £150 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Birmingham |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2022 |
End | 04/2022 |
Description | GEroscience and Multi-Morbidity: identifying targets for intervention (GEMM) |
Amount | £100,794 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/V005030/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2020 |
End | 02/2021 |
Description | H2020_IF_LAC-TB |
Amount | £175,730 (GBP) |
Funding ID | H2020 GA 841729 |
Organisation | European Commission H2020 |
Sector | Public |
Country | Belgium |
Start | 01/2020 |
End | 12/2021 |
Description | HEFCE CCF SPINE Network |
Amount | £4,900,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | NIHR/HEFCE Higher Education Fund for England |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2018 |
End | 10/2020 |
Description | IIA travel award for oral presentation at the BRS-ECTS joint conference in Liverpool |
Amount | £470 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Birmingham |
Department | Institute of Inflammation and Ageing |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2023 |
End | 04/2023 |
Description | In vitro modelling of bone infection for osteomyelitis and osteoradionecrosis |
Amount | £134,094 (GBP) |
Organisation | National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2024 |
End | 06/2028 |
Description | Investigating lactate as an inflammatory early signal in ectopic lymphoid neogenesis and its translational impact in patients with autoimmune diseases |
Amount | £591,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/T016736/1 |
Organisation | Research Councils UK (RCUK) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2020 |
End | 02/2023 |
Description | Investigating muscle weakness in older age |
Amount | £191,398 (GBP) |
Funding ID | PDM2202\5 |
Organisation | The Dunhill Medical Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2023 |
End | 12/2026 |
Description | Kennedy Network travel and skills enhancement grant |
Amount | £5,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | The Kennedy Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2023 |
End | 03/2024 |
Description | Lifelong Physical AcTivity TArgeting INequalities (ATTAIN): A Transformative Network for Healthy Ageing |
Amount | £171,985 (GBP) |
Funding ID | BB/W018330/1 |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2022 |
End | 02/2024 |
Description | Longitudinal analysis of the effects of lifelong physical activity on muscle and immune ageing. |
Amount | £90,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Versus Arthritis |
Department | Arthritis Research UK Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2019 |
End | 03/2023 |
Description | MICA: Synovial fibroblast pain pathotypes: A roadmap to understanding and targeting the complexity of patient-reported joint pain in osteoarthritis |
Amount | £1,322,218 (GBP) |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2022 |
End | 05/2025 |
Description | MNTRF |
Amount | £10,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Midland Neuroscience Teaching and Research Fund |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2017 |
End | 01/2018 |
Description | Multi-PhD Studentship Programme |
Amount | £389,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | PDM2310\13 |
Organisation | The Dunhill Medical Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2024 |
End | 09/2027 |
Description | Muscle resilience across the life course: from cells to society |
Amount | £184,485 (GBP) |
Funding ID | BB/W018284/1 |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2022 |
End | 01/2024 |
Description | NIHR BRC in Inflammation |
Amount | £12,800,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | National Institute for Health Research |
Department | NIHR Biomedical Research Centre |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2017 |
End | 03/2022 |
Description | OPTIMising therapies, disease trajectories, and AI assisted clinical management for patients Living with complex multimorbidity (OPTIMAL study) |
Amount | £2,495,158 (GBP) |
Funding ID | NIHR202632 |
Organisation | National Institute for Health Research |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 07/2021 |
End | 04/2025 |
Description | Responsive mode |
Amount | £1,100,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | BB/R003971/1 |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2018 |
End | 12/2020 |
Description | Royal Society Leverhulme Senior Research Fellowship |
Amount | £54,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | The Royal Society |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2017 |
End | 09/2019 |
Description | The impact of trauma and related inflammation on skeletal muscle fuel and protein metabolism. |
Amount | £275,685 (GBP) |
Organisation | Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2017 |
End | 07/2018 |
Description | Therapies For Long COVID In Non-hospitalised Individuals: From Symptoms, Patient-reported Outcomes And Immunology To Targeted Therapies (The TLC Study) |
Amount | £2,546,586 (GBP) |
Organisation | National Institute for Health Research |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2021 |
End | 11/2023 |
Description | Tissue research in childhood inflammatory arthritis |
Amount | £1,300,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2022 |
End | 12/2026 |
Description | Tissue-resident CD8+ memory T cell and fibroblast cross-talk in juvenile idiopathic arthritis |
Amount | £250,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2022 |
End | 09/2025 |
Description | Travel and attendence award: JRC summer school on non-animal approaches in science - towards sustainable innovation |
Amount | £500 (GBP) |
Organisation | European Union Reference Laboratory for Alternatives to Animal Testing (EURL ECVAM) |
Sector | Public |
Country | Italy |
Start | 04/2023 |
End | 05/2023 |
Title | The challenges of muscle biopsy in a community based geriatric population |
Description | Abstract Objectives To describe the difficulties of obtaining muscle samples using a Bergstrom needle technique in a frail older adult population. The data were obtained from a study primarily investigating immunosenescence in frailty. An intended research technique was skeletal muscle biopsy in a small subset of participants to investigate muscle morphology and local inflammatory factors. Results Forty healthy older adults and 37 frail older adults were considered for a Bergstrom needle muscle biopsy. Of these, 17.5% of healthy older adults and 94.6% of the frail older adults had single or multiple participant factors resulting in a contra-indication to muscle biopsy. 40.7% of healthy older female participants were at risk of a failed muscle biopsy due to low muscle mass. Considering only muscle mass muscle biopsy would have been successful in 18.7% of the frail older women and 21.4% of the frail older men. In this population, muscle biopsy was not feasible because of contra-indications in the majority of participants. This questions whether a biopsy sample obtained from frail older individuals, is actually representative of this population and supports the need to disclose biopsy failure rate in this population. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | This dataset has helped other muscle researchers trying to take muscle biopsies from frail older adults and has informed our work on sarcopenia in patients with Long Covid. |
URL | https://figshare.com/collections/The_challenges_of_muscle_biopsy_in_a_community_based_geriatric_popu... |
Description | 'Put Pep in Your Step' DVD |
Organisation | Move it or Lose It |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | We produced and released our own DVD, launched on October 1st 2013 on World Older Adults Day, comprising a staged exercise programme based on the PEPPI programme validated by Prof Bill Evans but also employing factors revealed by our motivational psychology team to enhance self determination to lifestyle change. These include the use of music and using demonstrators of the appropriate age group, we thus used members of the Birmingham 1000 Elders as the actors on the DVD |
Collaborator Contribution | Industrial Partner |
Impact | The DVD is available to buy. Importantly local Age Concern groups and the Birmingham Later Life forum have both bought the DVD to use in their befriending schemes to reduce isolation and improve health in older adults. We have also developed a training course for physical activity trainers in the use of our DVD and exercise programme and we deliver this as a 2-day VTCT accredited course 3 times a year beginning in March 2014. We have also run 2 full day workshops for older adults on healthy ageing with 200 attendees in total. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Bayer Alphaville project |
Organisation | Bayer |
Department | Bayer HealthCare |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | I have acted as a consultant to Bayer on their development of a lifestyle programme to improve health in middle-aged to older adults. |
Collaborator Contribution | As a result of my consultancy activity Bayer then asked me to run a clinical trial of one of a nutraceutical mix developed as part of their lifestyle programme. The trial completed in 2023 and the manuscript is under review at gerosicence. |
Impact | Manuscript under review and a Youtube seminar also being planned. |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Bi-lateral collaboration with the Maffia's group at University of Glasgow (2019 - Still Active) |
Organisation | University of Glasgow |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We have shared with them some of our Slc5a12KO mice to perform a PCSK9-induced athero model |
Collaborator Contribution | They have performed an athero model for us |
Impact | None |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Bi-lateral collaboration with the Mauri's group at University College London (2021 - Still Active) |
Organisation | University College London |
Department | Centre for Rheumatology and Bloomsbury Rheumatology Unit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Providing expertise on metabolism to the study of B regulatory cells |
Collaborator Contribution | Expert of B regulatory cells and their impact in rheumatological diseases |
Impact | Not yet - a high impact manuscript is in preparation |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | CARINA network |
Organisation | University College London |
Department | Centre for Inflammation and Tissue Repair |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I am a member of the management board of CARINA |
Collaborator Contribution | CARINA aims to build a UK wide network of researchers to research the basis of immune frailty, which is directly relevant to the research of the MRC-VA centre. They have organised workshops and are supporting ECRs to write grant applications. |
Impact | 3 workshops, >5 grant applications to the BBSRC Ageing Research Discovery Awards. |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Can FcRL4+ B cells capture bacterial extracellular vesicles? |
Organisation | Quadram Institute Bioscience |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | In our collaboration with Berlin and Stockholm we have demonstrated a strong B cell response to gramnegative bacteria in the joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. There are no intact bacterial traveling in the blood of our patients, but we plan top assess whether BEV can be detected in blood or synovial fluid of RA patients. As our work on FcRL4+ B cells has shown that they capture IgA aggregates, and circulating BEV are likely to be covered in IgA, we plan to assess whether FcRL4 + B cells capture IgA coated BEV in RA joints. We will send samples of sorted cells and synovial fluid to the Quadram Institute. |
Collaborator Contribution | Professor Carding is an expert in the research of bacterial extracellular vesicles (BEV), small vesicles shed by gramnegative bacteria. As our work on FcRL4+ B cells has shown that they capture IgA aggregates, and circulating BEV are likely to be covered in IgA, we plan to assess whether FcRL4 + B cells capture IgA coated BEV in RA joints. Prof Carling will determine BEV content in our samples of FcRL4+ B cells, synovial fluid and pserum of controls and RA patients |
Impact | We have received a small grant from the MRC VA Centre of Musculoskeletal Ageing |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Centre for Healthy Ageing, Copenhagen |
Organisation | University of Copenhagen |
Department | Center for Healthy Aging |
Country | Denmark |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This partnership is to carry out PhD student training and research in the area of musculoskeletal ageing. Our role is to co-organise and part fund the first training workshop and conference in May 2020. This is planned to be a regular event going forward. |
Collaborator Contribution | Our partners are hosting the first meeting, they co-organised the speakers and programme and they are part funding the event. |
Impact | None as yet. |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Collaboration Agreement with Lmito Thereapeutics Korea (2020 - Still Active |
Organisation | Lmito Therapeutics Inc |
Country | Korea, Republic of |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | We will use their small molecules acting on lactate production pathway in the cell to investigate immune functions and ageing responses |
Collaborator Contribution | They provide the small molecules |
Impact | None |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Collaboration on the effects of cellular senescence on protein metabolism |
Organisation | King's College London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Application of stable isotope tracer techniques to investigate muscle protein metabolism in vitro. |
Collaborator Contribution | Cell culture of human primary muscle-derived cells and induction of senescence. |
Impact | NA |
Start Year | 2023 |
Description | Collaboration with German Rheumatism Research Centre |
Organisation | Charité - University of Medicine Berlin |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We have started to collaborate with colleagues at the German Rheumatism Research Centre to investigate whether FcRL4+ B cells are specifically recognising gut bacteria. A PhD student working with me has travelled to Berlin to modify the technique used at the (DRFZ) and to run his experiments. He has now moved to Berlin and is working as a postdoctoral researcher at the DRFZ. We are continuing with our collaborative project and are hoping to publish our first shared manuscript in the near future. |
Collaborator Contribution | They have hosted the student in their lab and are sequencing and are analysing the sorted bacteria. They are now employing the researcher who developed this project during his PhD project with me as a post doc to allow continuation of this work in Berlin. |
Impact | We are planning to jointly publish the data once the work is completed |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Collaboration with KCL on cyclists cohort |
Organisation | King's College London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This collaboration is with Prof Stephen Harridge who has a cohort of master cyclists aged over 55 years. Our contribution is to work with him to determine the impact of lifelong physical activity on body systems, with our team looking at immune function. We also provided data from an age matched inactive control cohort. |
Collaborator Contribution | The KCL team did the analysis of major body systems including muscle and bone and also managed the cohort. |
Impact | We have so far published 4 papers from this collaboration. It is multidisciplinary involving metabolic physiologists and immunologists. |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | Hertfordshire Ageing Cohort |
Organisation | University of Cambridge |
Department | MRC Epidemiology Unit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We have worked with the Hertfordshire Ageing Cohort to analyse stored serum samples to determine the impact of systemic inflammation and HPA axis changes with age on muscle and bone mass and function and physical frailty |
Collaborator Contribution | HAS supplied the samples and associated clinical and physiological data and helped with statistical analysis of the data. |
Impact | The collaboration has produced 4 papers to date with more in the pipeline. |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | House of Lords Inquiry in to Ageing: Science, Technology and Healthy Living |
Organisation | House of Lords |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | I have been appointed as the Specialist Adviser to the S7T committee inquiry in to Ageing: Science, Technology and Healthy Living. I work with the panel to hear oral evidence for witnesses, read written evidence and will help to draft the report from the inquiry that will be presented to the Minister for Health and debated in the House of Lords. |
Collaborator Contribution | The House of Lords set up, funds and administers the inquiry. |
Impact | The inquiry led to a report published in January 2021. |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Kennedy Institute for Rheumatology |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Professor Chris Buckley, a theme lead in this award, has set up a collaboration with the KIR to accelearte the development of new drugs for Rheumatoid Arthritis. As a result he will now be funded 0.5FTE by the Kenendy Foundation and has received £7m in funding from them for this collaboration, £3.7m of which will come to Birmingham. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Kennedy Foundation have supported this link and the researchers at the KIR will work with Prof Buckley to develop the new research programme across both sites. |
Impact | £7m funding from the Kennedy Foundation |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | MyAge network |
Organisation | University of Southampton |
Department | Faculty of Medicine |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I am a member of the strategic advisory board on this Uk Ageing network. |
Collaborator Contribution | This network has organised workshops and training and offered small pilot grant funding for ECRs which has been very beneficial to memebrs of the MRC-VA centre. |
Impact | This si multidisciplinary including clinicians, biomedical scientists, data scientists. Outputs are 3 workshops and a pilot project funding round. |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | MyAge network |
Organisation | University of Southampton |
Department | Institute for Life Sciences |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Network Co-Director and Management Group Member 2022-2024 |
Collaborator Contribution | Directing the network, organising network activities and contributing to outputs |
Impact | 1. Greig CA, Alavian, KN, Godfrey K, Gray J, Lillycrop KA, Mant A, Piasecki M, Smith PJS (2023). Muscle resilience across the life course: from cells to society. A Roadmap for transformative research in healthy ageing. Report, University of Southampton. DOI: 10.5258/SOTON/P1128 2. Alavian KN, Godfrey K, Gray J, Greig CA, Lillycrop KA, Mant A, Piasecki M, Smith PJS (2023). Muscle resilience across the life course: from cells to society. Value proposition. University of Southampton. Report. DOI: 10.5258/SOTON/P1130 3. Piasecki M, Alavian KN, Godfrey K, Gray J, Lillycrop KA, Mant A, Smith PJS, Greig CA (2023). A lifelong approach to muscle resilience: implications for policy and practice. Policy Brief, University of Southampton, DOI: 10.5258/SOTON/PP0035 |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | National Musculoskeletal Ageing Network |
Organisation | University of Southampton |
Department | MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This collaboration is to set up a national network of researchers to tackle the issue of frailty. The MRC made an award to Southampton which covers the networks activity for 2 years, My team is part of this network, contributing ideas and seminars. |
Collaborator Contribution | Southampton is the lead but the network includes 10 universities overall. Southampton organise the workshops and seminar programme. |
Impact | This activity is multidisciplinary including clinicians, biomedical scientists, geneticists, epidemiologists, data modellers. One opinion piece published, 2 face to face workshops and a bimonthly seminar series. Harvey NC, Clegg PD, Dennison EM, Greenhaff P, Griffin SJ, Gregson CL, Jackson MJ, Lord JM, McCloskey EV, Stevenson E, Tobias JH, Ward KA, Cooper C and the UK MRC National Musculoskeletal Ageing Network Study Group. (2022) UKRI MRC National Musculoskeletal Ageing Network: Strategic prioritisation to increase healthy lifespan and minimise physical frailty. Osteoporosis Arch. |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Nuffield Council on Bioethics - Ageing Research |
Organisation | Nuffield Council on Bioethics |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | I am a member of the Council's working group looking at some of the ethical issues arising from agenij research. I contributed my expertise in biogerontology for the report they produced in 2023. |
Collaborator Contribution | The council have funded the various evidence gathering activities, including in person fora with older adults and the working party meetings themselves. |
Impact | The report was published in April 2023 with a public launch at the Councils HQ. The report is here: https://www.nuffieldbioethics.org/publications/future-of-ageing |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | PHOSP COVID Sarcopenia working group |
Organisation | University of Leicester |
Department | Respiratory Medicine |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | My team worked with the PHOSP COVID platform to understand the factors driving frailty in Long COVID patients. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partners provided samples (blood, muscle) and clinical data to allow the analysis by my team. |
Impact | The collaboration is multidisciplinary, involving immunologists, muscle physiologists, clinicians, physicists (for MRI and MRS). Outputs so far are 2 papers: Evans RA et al; PHOSP-COVID collaborative group (2021). Physical, cognitive and mental health impacts of COVID-19 following hospitalisation - a multi-centre prospective cohort study. Lancet Resp Med 9:1275-1287. PHOSP-COVID collaborative group (2022). Clinical characteristics with inflammation profiling of Long-COVID and association with one-year recovery following hospitalisation in the UK: a prospective observational study. Lancet Resp Med doi.org/10.1016/ S2213-2600(22)00127-8. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Physiological Society strategy working group on healthy ageing |
Organisation | Physiological Society |
Country | Global |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | The Physiological Society of Great Britain held a series of workshops in 2018 with researchers and stakeholders such as UKRI to discuss research gaps in the area of achieving health in old age. The workshop series is chaired by Prof Paul Greenhaff, now the director of CMAR and Prof Janet Lord attended one of the workshops and is also on the leadership team for this activity. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Physiological Society co-ordinated the meetings, funded the 3 workshops and are developing the policy document that will be the key output. |
Impact | A report called Growing Older Better was published. The link is: https://www.physoc.org/policy/public-health-and-ageing/healthyageing/ |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | The role of PRG4 in joint disease |
Organisation | Birmingham Children's Hospital |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Hospitals |
PI Contribution | Clinical samples of synovial tissue taken from individuals with arthopathy. Single cell analysis and advanced tissue analytics of the above samples |
Collaborator Contribution | Glasgow - Provision of genetically altered fibroblasts for comparison Oxford - reagents and imaging BWCH - patient samples |
Impact | Abstract submissions generation of datasets |
Start Year | 2023 |
Description | The role of PRG4 in joint disease |
Organisation | University of Glasgow |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Clinical samples of synovial tissue taken from individuals with arthopathy. Single cell analysis and advanced tissue analytics of the above samples |
Collaborator Contribution | Glasgow - Provision of genetically altered fibroblasts for comparison Oxford - reagents and imaging BWCH - patient samples |
Impact | Abstract submissions generation of datasets |
Start Year | 2023 |
Description | The role of PRG4 in joint disease |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Clinical samples of synovial tissue taken from individuals with arthopathy. Single cell analysis and advanced tissue analytics of the above samples |
Collaborator Contribution | Glasgow - Provision of genetically altered fibroblasts for comparison Oxford - reagents and imaging BWCH - patient samples |
Impact | Abstract submissions generation of datasets |
Start Year | 2023 |
Description | Tissue research in Childhood Arthritis |
Organisation | University College London |
Department | Institute of Child Health |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Expertise in synovial tissue biopsies Single cell transcriptomics and advanced tissue analytics Immunology and tissue expertise Functional assays Patient recruitment |
Collaborator Contribution | The aim of the collaboration is to share expertise and University of Manchester - Long term data collection and disease trajectory analysis University of Oxford - data management and multiomics analysis University College London - synovial tissue analysis, patient recruitment, immunology expertise and pathophysiology (functional assays) and |
Impact | Abstracts presented at British Society of Rheumatology annual meeting and Paediatric Rheumatology European Association Supported successful fellowship funding applications for Dr Lizzy Rosser (Kennedy Trust Senior Fellowship), Dr Christine Bolton (Clinical Research Training Fellowship) and Dr Beth Clay (Daphne Jackson Trust fellowship - Medical Research Council, Kennedy Trust). |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Tissue research in Childhood Arthritis |
Organisation | University of Birmingham |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Expertise in synovial tissue biopsies Single cell transcriptomics and advanced tissue analytics Immunology and tissue expertise Functional assays Patient recruitment |
Collaborator Contribution | The aim of the collaboration is to share expertise and University of Manchester - Long term data collection and disease trajectory analysis University of Oxford - data management and multiomics analysis University College London - synovial tissue analysis, patient recruitment, immunology expertise and pathophysiology (functional assays) and |
Impact | Abstracts presented at British Society of Rheumatology annual meeting and Paediatric Rheumatology European Association Supported successful fellowship funding applications for Dr Lizzy Rosser (Kennedy Trust Senior Fellowship), Dr Christine Bolton (Clinical Research Training Fellowship) and Dr Beth Clay (Daphne Jackson Trust fellowship - Medical Research Council, Kennedy Trust). |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Tissue research in Childhood Arthritis |
Organisation | University of Manchester |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Expertise in synovial tissue biopsies Single cell transcriptomics and advanced tissue analytics Immunology and tissue expertise Functional assays Patient recruitment |
Collaborator Contribution | The aim of the collaboration is to share expertise and University of Manchester - Long term data collection and disease trajectory analysis University of Oxford - data management and multiomics analysis University College London - synovial tissue analysis, patient recruitment, immunology expertise and pathophysiology (functional assays) and |
Impact | Abstracts presented at British Society of Rheumatology annual meeting and Paediatric Rheumatology European Association Supported successful fellowship funding applications for Dr Lizzy Rosser (Kennedy Trust Senior Fellowship), Dr Christine Bolton (Clinical Research Training Fellowship) and Dr Beth Clay (Daphne Jackson Trust fellowship - Medical Research Council, Kennedy Trust). |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Tissue research in Childhood Arthritis |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Expertise in synovial tissue biopsies Single cell transcriptomics and advanced tissue analytics Immunology and tissue expertise Functional assays Patient recruitment |
Collaborator Contribution | The aim of the collaboration is to share expertise and University of Manchester - Long term data collection and disease trajectory analysis University of Oxford - data management and multiomics analysis University College London - synovial tissue analysis, patient recruitment, immunology expertise and pathophysiology (functional assays) and |
Impact | Abstracts presented at British Society of Rheumatology annual meeting and Paediatric Rheumatology European Association Supported successful fellowship funding applications for Dr Lizzy Rosser (Kennedy Trust Senior Fellowship), Dr Christine Bolton (Clinical Research Training Fellowship) and Dr Beth Clay (Daphne Jackson Trust fellowship - Medical Research Council, Kennedy Trust). |
Start Year | 2022 |
Title | INHIBITORS OF LACTATE TRANSPORTERS FOR USE IN THE TREATMENT OF INFLAMMATORY DISEASES |
Description | We are forming a start-up, Solute Guard Therapeutics (SGTx) on the back of the research funded in part by this MRC Project Grant. This is funded through NGBio VC. It is now starting the pre-seed round of fund raising and should officially launch later in 2024 between June-July. The start-up aim is to develop anti-Slc5a12 monoclonal antibodies for treatment of inflammatory arthrites. |
IP Reference | EP3209328 |
Protection | Patent / Patent application |
Year Protection Granted | 2017 |
Licensed | No |
Impact | None yet. |
Title | TREATMENT OF OBESITY-ASSOCIATED INFLAMMATORY CONDITIONS |
Description | The present invention concerns a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence SVTEQGAELSNEER, or variants thereof for use in the prophylaxis or treatment of obesity-associated inflammatory conditions such as obesity-induced chronic low-grade systemic inflammation and pancreatic beta-cell damage. Methods of treatment or prophylaxis of obesity-associated inflammatory conditions comprise administering an effective amount of a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence SVTEQGAELSNEER, or variants thereof, to a patient in need thereof. |
IP Reference | PB164285GB |
Protection | Patent / Patent application |
Year Protection Granted | 2023 |
Licensed | No |
Impact | Patent has only just been filed in February 2023 prior to forthcoming paper. No notable impact yet due to the short timelines. |
Title | DHEA supplementation to reduce muscle loss (Adapt) |
Description | The drug is a steroid, dehydroepiandrosterone, which declines with age and our previous work has shown also declines rapidly after trauma. As a sex hormone precursor it is involved in muscle mass maintenance and its decline was associated with muscle mass loss after injury. This trial is to establish the dose required and the delivery route (oral vs sublingual) to achieve the dose required. The two patient groups are elderly hip fracture and young trauma patients. |
Type | Therapeutic Intervention - Drug |
Current Stage Of Development | Early clinical assessment |
Year Development Stage Completed | 2019 |
Development Status | Under active development/distribution |
Clinical Trial? | Yes |
Impact | None to date |
Company Name | Mestag Therapeutics Ltd |
Description | |
Year Established | 2020 |
Impact | None at present |
Website | http://mestagtherapeutics.com |
Description | A National Post-Pandemic Resilience Programme: Supporting older adults to recover from the pandemic |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I helped lead the Physiological Society in the generation of the report "A National Post-Pandemic Resilience Programme: Supporting older adults to recover from the pandemic" focussed on the importance of physical activity in maintaining health and augmenting recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020,2021 |
URL | https://static.physoc.org/app/uploads/2021/12/15170209/National-Post-Pandemic-Resilience-Programme.p... |
Description | Active Ageing |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham themed talk on Control of Movement |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Agewell 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This was a workshop lasting one day to convey the results of studies in the area of ageing and health and to allow older adults to interact directly with researchers. Prevented in 2020 due to pandemic. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018,2019 |
Description | Article on the value of working with patient research partners |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | An interview about the value of engaging with patient research partners, from a researcher perspective. This was published online, tweeted about and included in our institute newsletter and University website. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/inflammation-ageing/news/2021/08/researchers-perspective-patie... |
Description | BBC TV broadcast |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | BBC TV visited the David Greenfield Human Physiology Unit at the University of Nottingham to film this BBSRC funded bed-rest study. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | BBC news item and press media coverage on master cyclists |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This was a news item on the BBC and over 30 associated press articles internationally reporting our recent publications showing that lifelong physical activity not only prevented musculoskeletal decline but also protected the immune system. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | CMAR Patient and Public Involvement Event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | CMAR members presented elements of their research to the general public at The Exchange, University of Birmingham on 06 June 2023. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | CMAR Patient and Public Involvement Event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | CMAR members presented elements of their research to members of the public/ public involvement groups at the Town Hall, Nottingham on 15 June 2023. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | COVID Exercise YouTube |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | I made 2 You Tube videos aimed at older adults and their carers, showing them simple exercises they could do at home during lockdown to maintain or improve muscle strength and general health. The first video has so far been viewed over 100,000 times. As a result I made a second one which has also been popular. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6_zJtbzMho |
Description | Co-authored publication for The Conversation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Co-authored a Birmingham Conversation Jan 2022 with Prof Janet Lord: Tackling ageing may be best way to prevent multiple chronic conditions from developing in older people |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://theconversation.com/tackling-ageing-may-be-best-way-to-prevent-multiple-chronic-conditions-f... |
Description | Contribution to CMO's 2023 annual report |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I worked with the CMO and his team to write a chapter on geroscience in his 2023 annual report which was focussed on the health of our ageing population. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65562ff2d03a8d000d07faa6/chief-medical-officers-annua... |
Description | Exercise and vitamin D supplementation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Patients, carers and/or patient groups |
Results and Impact | Invited speaker at a local National Osteoporosis Society meeting |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Falls prevention project with Birmingham libraries |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This activity was done with Move it ro Lose It. 100 books and 100 "Put Pep in your Step" DVDs developed with our Centre input were placed in 4 libraries across Birmingham. Those who borrow the book/DVD are given a voucher for a free Move it or Lose it class. 2 x 12 week programmes are running at Northfield Library and West Heath Medical Centre to test falls risk using a QTUG and then follow strength and balance classes to reduce frailty. We will evaluate progress and signpost to other community classes.This is funded by RoSPA and Birmingham South Central CCG |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Healthy Ageing talk for U3A regional meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This was a lecture to the Wets Midlands U3A annual meeting, on Healthy Ageing, going through the science behind ageing processes and how to stay healthy in old age. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | How to Stay Young |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This was a programme made by BBC Science, in 3 parts in season 1 (2016) and 2 parts in season 2 (2017). The Centre's researchers and our PPI group featured in both and showed how to assess how well you are ageing and the benefits of physical activity. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017 |
Description | Invited lecture - Nutrition Society Scottish Section Conference 2022: Nutrition, immune function and infectious disease |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I delivered an invited lecture titled "the impact of acute infection and inflammation on muscle metabolism." To attendees of teh conference and to those joining online. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.nutritionsociety.org/node/1451/programme |
Description | Invited lecture - The centre for Sport, Exercise and Osteoarthritis Versus Arthritis Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I delivered an invited lecture titled "Physical Inactivity and Musculoskeletal Degeneration" This was a national conference hosted by the Centre for Sport, Exercise and Osteoarthritis in November 2022. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.sportsarthritisresearchuk.org/conference-2022/conference-2022.aspx |
Description | Item for local TV news |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The team were interviewed for BBC West Midlands about the work of the project looking at the very early response to injury. The research team and the air ambulance crews were interviewed. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Lecture to medical students at the Surgical Society Annual Meeting (title - What Type of Research Should I do?) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | It was a training day for medical students to get them to think about research as part of surgical medical training. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | MRC Musculoskeletal Ageing Network Launch |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | This was a workshop to launch the MRC MSK Ageing network at teh Academy of Medical Sciences in London to agree direction and strategy for the network |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | MyAGE network launch event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I delivered a lecture titled "Is there a better way forward for muscle ageing research?" at the inaugural meeting of the UKRI MyAge network. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | 50 patients, carers and members of the public attended to hear a discussion on our research activities and impacts and the opportunities to be involved in studies. This was followed by a question and answer session. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Pint of Science "Our Body" theme, Birmingham 2022 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | 50 members of the general public attended a Pint of Science "Our Body" theme, Birmingham, which sparked questions and discussions afterwards around human biology. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Policy Engagement Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Workshop organised and led by Prof Greig as part of MyAge and in collaboration with the UK Physiological Society. As a consequence, MyAge participated in Evidence Week, organised by the Charity Sense about Science, held at Westminster. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Princes Teaching Institute |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | This activity relates to 5 talks given at a series of workshops for secondary school science teachers organised by the Princes Teaching Institute. We have given the talks, covering Human musculoskeletal ageing, Immune ageing and The Response to Trauma to workshops around the UK. As a result we have been invited to give these talks to school pupils in the schools the teachers belong to. The original session and the ones in schools have triggered lively discussion of the topics and been very enjoyable as well as raising awareness of the two topic areas. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014,2015,2016,2018,2020 |
Description | Radio 4 item with Michael Moseley (One Long Thing) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This was a programme for Radio 4, entitled Just One Long Thing, with the well known presenter Dr Michael Moseley. He was doing a series of 40 minute discussions with leaders in their fields on topics related to health. I was discussing ways to stay healthy in old age, especially physical health, based upon my research and the research of my Centre. The programme had an amazing response and I am still getting emails and requests from other media and the public who heard the talk and enjoyed it. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
URL | https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/inflammation-special-with-prof-janet-lord/id1560369423?i=10006... |
Description | Royal Society workshop on Geroscience |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | This was an invitation only workshop to convey the latest developments in geroscience and the current challenges in translating ageing research advances in to clinical practice. Speakers included the Chief Medical Officer and leaders from industry who are engaged in geroscience work. The invitees included funders, politicians and policy makers as well as research leaders. A report from the meeting is in preparation. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | Scar Free Foundation MoD talk |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Supporters |
Results and Impact | This was a talk on how trauma accelerates ageing, given at the MoD in London to a wide ranging audience including 2 government ministers |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Schools talk - the Friary |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | This was a talk on what causes ageing, biologically, to year 11 at a large comprehensive school. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Site Visit to the Copenhagen Center for Healthy Aging, as part of the External Scientific Advisory Board |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I was visiting the Center for Healthy Ageing as part of an external review process of the ageing research undertaken by the Center |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Symposium included within British Geriatrics Society main meeting Nov 2023 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Symposium entitled 'Sarcopenia and frailty: understanding mechanisms and developing interventions' was included within British Geriatrics Society Autumn meeting Nov 2023. The symposium was organised and chaired by Profs Greig and Lord and included talks from CMAR members. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Symposium presentation to British Geriatrics Society annual conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Symposium presentation to British Geriatrics Society annual conference - topic of age-related musce deterioration with obesity and inactivity. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | TV programme - Care homes for 4 years oalds |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This was a TV programme involving a centre member that had pre-school children visiting care home residents and then monitoring the improved mental health and physical functioning of the older adults. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Talk at the 2019 HMTRC Workshop in San Francisco (USA) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | talk to present our preliminary data on 13C hyperpolarised MR spectroscopy study in the skeletal muscle |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://ucsfonline-my.sharepoint.com/personal/jenna_bernard_ucsf_edu/_layouts/15/onedrive.aspx?id=%2... |
Description | Talk at the surgical research annual meeting event 2023 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | talk to present latest data for our metabolic imaging study in the skeletal muscle. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://surgicalresearch.org.uk/event/2023-annual-meeting/ |
Description | Talks to older adults groups such as PROBUS |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This represents a series of talks to audiences of older adults varying from 30 to 150 attendees. Don by zoom in the pandemic period. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018,2019,2020,2021 |
Description | The Application of Stable Isotope Tracer Techniques Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Around 60 researchers attended a 2-day workshop introducing them to the potential application of stable isotope tracers in physiology and metabolism. The primary focus was on the musculoskeletal system and the impact of ageing. The event was deemed a success, in that feedback was extremely positive and the Physiological Society have agreed to underwrite a workshop this year, and a second workshop will be advertised for August 23. We have initiated a number of collaborations on the back of this workshop. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.physoc.org/events/the-application-of-stable-isotope-tracer-techniques-in-human-physiolog... |
Description | The Biomedical Basis of Elite Performance Physiological Society Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I was chair of the scientific organising committee for the 3rd Biomedical Basis of Elite Performance hosted at the University of Nottingham. This two-full day meeting was attended by researchers from across the globe |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.physoc.org/events/the-biomedical-basis-of-elite-performance-2022/ |
Description | The Physiological Society report: Growing Older, Better Physiology's role in meeting the UK Government's healthy ageing mission |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I chaired a panel of experts that generated The Physiological Society report: Growing Older, Better Physiology's role in meeting the UK Government's healthy ageing mission. This was a report aimed at raising awareness of age related decline and how physiology can positively contribute to healthy ageing. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019,2020,2021 |
URL | https://static.physoc.org/app/uploads/2019/10/11135853/Growing-old-better-Full-report-and-summary-do... |
Description | U3A National conference talk |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This was a lecture of how to stay healthy in old age, given at the national annual U3A conference. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | U3A talks |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This is one of my regular talks to local older peoples groups, they are well attended and I do 3 or 4 a year. This is to tell them about our work and the immune and musculoskeletal systems are major focus. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | University of Birmingham Arts and Science Festival |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The event was entitled 'stop sitting, start moving'. It included talks about research on ageing and sedentariness followed by an exercise (seated yoga) class. The event was in collaboration with the University of Birmingham Sport and Fitness Centre. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Webinar organised by American Federation on Ageing Research. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | I did two webinars for US audiences on Healthy Ageing, going through the science behind ageing processes and how to stay healthy in old age. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |