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 in 2006 as a Senior Lecturer in Immunopharmacology. His research interests have focus on human basophils and mast cells, which play a crucial role in allergic diseases. In addition to his teaching and research at the School he is UK representative for the EU COST Action “Mast Cells and Basophils - Targets for Innovative Therapies”. Since 2010, he is also außerplanmäßiger Professor of Experimental Allergology at the University of Lübeck (unpaid affiliation) where he still maintains close ties.

Specialist area: Immunopharmacology

back to top

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. Our research is currently funded by awards from Asthma UK and industry. Specifically, our group focuses on the following areas:

• Elucidating IgE-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 factors
• Role of hypoxic signalling in basophils and mast cells

back to top

• Gibbs BF, Yasinska IM , Oniku AE, Sumbayev VV: Effects of Stem Cell Factor on Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 alpha Accumulation in Human Acute Myeloid Leukaemia and LAD2 Mast Cells. PLoS ONE, 6(7):e22502 (2011).
• Nicholas SA, Coughlan K, Yasinska I, Lall GS, Gibbs BF, Calzolai L, Sumbayev VV: Dysfunctional mitochondria contain endogenous high-affinity human Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) ligands and induce TLR4-mediated inflammatory reactions. Int J Biochem Cell Biol, 43:674-81 (2011)
• Falcone FH, Knol E, Gibbs BF: Invited review. The role of basophils in the pathogenesis of allergic disease. Clin. Exp. Allergy, 41:939-947 (2011).
• Nowak A, Gibbs BF, Amon U: Pre-inpatient evaluation on quality and impact of care in systemic mastocytosis and the influence of hospital stay periods from the perspective of patients: a pilot study. J. Deutsch. Dermatol. Ges., 9: 525–532 (2011)
• Sumbayev VV, Nicholas S, Gibbs BF: Differential Role of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 Alpha in Toll-Like Receptor-Mediated and Allergic Inflammatory Reactions. World Allergy Organization Journal, 3(10); 245-249 (2010).
• Dresow S, Sitaru C, Recke A, Oostingh GJ, Zillikens D, Gibbs BF: IgE autoantibodies against the intracellular domain of BP180. Brit. J. Dermatol.,160: 429-432 (2009).
• Sumbayev VV, Nicholas S, Streatfield C, Gibbs BF: Involvement of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1 in Pro-Allergic Responses Mediated by Primary Human Basophils. Eur. J. Immunol., 39: 3511-3519 (2009).
• Gibbs BF: Differential modulation of IgE-dependent activation of human basophils by ambroxol and related mucolytic analogues. Int. J. Immunopath Pharmacol., 22: 919-927 (2009).
• Knol E, Gibbs BF: Editorial. Basophil Survival and Immunomodulatory Function is uniquely Regulated by a Novel MyD88-Dependent Pathway. J. Leukocyte Biol., 86: 753–755 (2009).
• Gibbs BF, Papenfuss K, Falcone FH: A Rapid Two-Step Procedure for the Purification of Human Peripheral Blood Basophils to Near Homogeneity. Clin. Exp. Allergy, 38: 480-485 (2008)
• Gibbs BF, Räthling A, Zillikens D, Huber M, Haas H: 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 (2006).

back to top