Medway school of pharmacy

Bernhard studied Medicinal Chemistry as an undergraduate at University College London and then went on to lead a research group at the University of Lübeck in Germany, where he obtained his Habilitation in 2003. He joined the Medway School of Pharmacy last summer as a Senior Lecturer in Immunopharmacology. His research interests have focussed on human basophils, which play a crucial role in promoting allergic diseases. In addition to his teaching and research at the School he is a council member of European Histamine Research Society.

Specialist area: Immunopharmacology

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My group is dedicated to understanding the biological functions of human basophils and mast cells in relation to allergic inflammation. This includes discovering new agents that display anti-allergic properties in these cells and may be further developed into new therapies for allergies. Specifically, our group focuses on the following areas:

• Elucidating FceRI-mediated signal transduction in human basophils
• Pharmacological regulation of mast cell and basophil mediator production
• Heterogeneity of mast cells and basophils
• Role of mast cells and basophils in allergic diseases and innate immunity to parasites
• Regulation of basophil priming by nerve growth factor (NGF)

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• Gibbs BF, Räthling A, Zillikens D, Huber M, Haas H (2006). Initial signal strength controls basophil FceRI-mediated signaling which is down-regulated by SH2 domain-containing inositol 5-phosphatase. J Allergy Clin Immunol 118: 1060-1067.
• Metz M, Lammel V, Gibbs BF, Maurer M (2006). Inflammatory murine skin responses to UVB are partially dependent on endothelin-1 and mast cells. Am J Pathol 169: 815-822.
• Kleine-Tebbe J, Erdmann S, Knol EF, MacGlashan DW, Poulsen L, Gibbs BF (2006). Diagnostic Tests based on Human Basophils: Potentials, Pitfalls and Perspectives. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 141: 79-90.
• Gibbs BF, Wolff HH, Zillikens D, Grabbe J (2005). Differential role for mitogen-activated protein kinases in IgE-dependent signalling in human peripheral blood basophils: in contrast to p38 MAPK, c-Jun N-terminal kinase is poorly expressed and does not appear to control mediator release. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 136: 329-339.
• Gibbs BF, Zillikens D, Grabbe J (2005). Nerve Growth Factor Influences IgE-Mediated Human Basophil Activation: Functional Properties and Intracellular Mechanisms Compared with IL-3. Int Immunopharmacol 5: 735-747.
• Plath KES, Grabbe J, Gibbs BF (2003). Calcineurin Antagonists Differentially Affect Mediator Secretion, p38 Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase and Extracellular Signal Regulated Kinases from Immunologically Activated Human Basophils. Clin Exp Allergy 33: 342-350.
• Gibbs BF, Plath KES, Wolff HH, Grabbe J (2002). Regulation of Mediator Secretion in Human Basophils by p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase: Phosphorylation is Sensitive to the Effects of Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Inhibitors and Calcium Mobilization. J Leukocyte Biol 72: 391-400.
• Falcone FH, Pritchard DI, Gibbs BF (2001). The role of basophils in the immune response to parasites. Trends Parasitology (Parasitol. Today), 17: 126-129.
• Strenzke N, Grabbe J, Plath KES, Rohwer J, Wolff HH, Gibbs BF (2001). Mercuric Chloride Enhances IgE-Dependent Mediator Release from Human Basophils. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 174: 257-263.
• Falcone FH, Haas H, Gibbs BF (2000). The Human Basophil: A New Appreciation of its Role in Immune Responses. Blood 96: 4028-4038.

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