The Biological Sciences group is housed in recently refurbished laboratories with dedicated state-of-the-art molecular biological, tissue culture, electrophysiological and microscopy facilities.
Our research is divided into three main themes:
- Infectious Diseases and Allergy
- Neuroscience
- Renal and Cardiovascular Physiology and Pharmacology.
To find out more about our research and current projects follow the links to our research groups or the ‘Research interests’ tab of each individual staff member.
Infectious Diseases and Allergy
The NANOVAC consortium, co-ordinated at the Medway School of Pharmacy, aims to produce, optimise and test the biological effects of nanoconjugates and nanovaccines with potential therapeutic applications for treating inflammation, allergy and leukaemia. The consortium has grown rapidly in the past 5 years and already published several high-impact papers on nanomaterials and nanoconjugate-facilitated targeting approaches.
Renal and Cardiovascular Physiology and Pharmacology
This grouping, as the name suggests, includes research into various aspects of renal and cardiovascular biology and/or function. We employ an interdisciplinary approach, using cell biology, electrophysiology, transgenic, ‘omics’, and optical techniques to understand how the renal-cardiovascular system works. Beyond the basic physiology and pharmacology, our academics, post-doctoral fellows and graduate students also focus on elucidating the mechanisms of human disease, including: hypertension, disorders of salt and water balance, AKI, CKD, early onset of fibrosis, diabetic nephropathy; with the ultimate goal of identifying novel drug targets.
The Grouping encompasses two specialist units. The Urinary System Physiology Unit, who specifically research the local regulation of renal tubular transport mechanisms, the regulation of the renal medullary blood flow using a novel live slice preparation, and urinary bladder epithelial cell signalling. The Medway Metabonomics Research Group, specifically utilise metabonomics in the study of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and exercise, nutrition and obesity.