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• infectious disease and the immune system
• epidemiology/population health research
• Other - please suggest keyword(s):

• Medicine

• Cardiology
• Clinical Trials
• Infectious diseases
• Immunology
• Pharmacology

The Dept of Pharmacology and Therapeutics investigates all aspects of drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion, in vivo through clinical trial work and in vitro using cell lines and pharmacokinetic profiling. We also investigate the regulation of these processes by the interaction of drugs with nuclear receptors such as PXR and LXR which govern some of the mechanisms by which the drug treatment for many illnesses has widespread positive and sometimes adverse systemic effects on physiological processes such as lipid metabolism, protein expression and on the cardiovascular system. More recently we have begun to investigate the effects of malnutrition on pharmacological processes and on immune function we are doing this as part of a study in Uganda which investigates the effects of providing food supplementation to HIV patients at the initiation of ARV's. Our work crosses many disciplines, we have a wide range of techniques available for studying the effects of drugs on many systems. The department also has a large patient cohort in GIM, Hypertension and hyperlipidaemia and can offer clinical PhD material. A PhD in our department is suitable for those with an interest in clinical medicine, drug efficacy or adverse effects, pharmacokinetics, HIV or cardiovascular disease or global health.

Project 1) The Department provides treatment to patients with familial hyperlipidaemia as well as secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. We would like to extend this work by developing a familial hyperlipidaemia screening service for those with a LDL > 5.0 using international best practice guidelines. As part of this we will look at some pleomorphic effects associated with the use of new lipid lowering drugs such as the PCS K9 inhibitors. This exciting project will involve the student in development of a new clinical service as well as provide an excellent foundation in the laboratory science of understanding how drugs work, their interactions and how their "known and unknown" effects can be measured.
Project 2) With immunology we have established the effect of malnutrition on immune function and in particular on gamma delta T cell expression in malnourished HIV patients starting ARV's in Uganda. We will extend this by looking at the effect of malnutrition on ARV drug levels and on the drug regulatory processes especially expression and function of the LXR receptor which is involved in the way the body handles lipids. This has implications for the development of the dyslipidaemia associated with ARV's This project will provide an opportunity to learn lab techniques associated with both immunology and pharmacology and to gain an understanding of how HIV is treated in resource poor settings such as Uganda and the relationship between malnutrition and drug metabolism. Suitable for those coming from an ID related discipline