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Cardiovascular disease is a major focus for PharmaLinks. Research efforts are currently directed at target identification, new drug discovery, drug assessment in experimental models, development of disease models, pathophysiological investigations, and clinical pharmacology.
The major areas under investigation include:
- Abnormalities of vascular function
- Myocardial dysfunction
- Genetic basis of cardiovascular disease
- Blood-borne factors
- Cellular and molecular biology of the cardiovascular system
The area of respiratory investigation is intensive within PharmaLinks. Research efforts in this field also concentrate on target identification, new drug discovery, drug assessment in experimental models, development of disease models, pathophysiological investigations, and clinical pharmacology. Key research topics include:
- Asthma and airway function
- Immunological aspects of respiratory disease
- Pulmonary hypertension
PharmaLinks includes one of the largest groups of neurobiologists in the UK, with the scientists at the forefront of research into neurodegenerative, psychiatric and autoimmune disease as well as leading fundamental research on novel receptor proteins and ion channels that may represent new therapeutic targets.
Expertise includes advanced molecular, biological and electrophysiological techniques, and animal models of psychiatric disorders, neurodegenerative diseases and stroke have been developed. Many state-of-the-art brain imaging techniques are used, including in vivo mapping of cerebral metabolism and blood flow, receptor distribution and gene expression, immunohistochemistry, and confocal and electron microscopy. SPECT is also available to evaluate pharmaceuticals in humans.
Current research areas cover:
- Neurodegeneration and neuroprotection
- Neural plasticity
- Spinal cord
Cell-to-cell communication and intracellular signalling are critically important in health and disease. Consequently, a large number of drugs work by selectively targeting components in cell signalling pathways. PharmaLinks researchers are active in both fundamental and applied research in the area of cell signalling. Expertise covers:
- G protein-coupled receptors
- Ion channels and ion channel receptors
- Synaptic transmission
- Intracellular signalling
- Transcription factors and metabolic systems
- Proto-oncogenes
The ability to visualise physiological processes is a powerful tool with many applications. Multiphoton technology is expensive and difficult to apply to biological samples without specialist expertise in optical physics. A major PharmaLinks initiative provides access to state-of-the-art multiphoton imaging facilities and to the latest research technologies for three-dimensional biological imaging.
The Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde have combined to create a centre of excellence in biophotonics - applied biological imaging. The centre brings together high level expertise in optical technology and biomedical science for the very first time. The facility offers access to leading edge imaging technology in an environment created for biological experiments. PharmaLinks has at its disposal:
- Confocal microscopes
- Multiphoton microscopes
- Dedicated laser sources and technical support
- Video rate imaging
- Silicon graphics image analysis stations
Epidemiolgy incorporates a wide range of studies to help understand the causes, occurrence and distribution of diseases. Through PharmaLinks, the latest techniques and expertise in human and veterinary epidemiology are easily accessible. PharmaLinks provides an extensive group of researchers who apply their combined expertise to the quantitative study of epidemiology - using statistical and mathematical modelling, as well as information science. With 25 staff the group is one of the largest in the world.
Major research activities include:
- Informatics - application of statistical techniques and information science to clinical data in the provision of expert systems and decision support software
- Clinical and molecular epidemiology - disease identification and risk factor investigation using logistic regression, survival analysis, phylogenetic cluster analysis and deterministic modelling
- Statistical and mathematical modelling - novel applications leading to improved clinical decisions
The Robertson Centre for Biostatistics was established in 1993 to carry out research in biostatistical methodology, to promote its application to practical problems and to participate in research initiatives addressing major medical and biological issues. The Centre is one of the top clinical trial data centres world-wide and is accessible through PharmaLinks.
The services of the Centre include:
- Consultancy
- Data management
- Study co-ordination
- Statistical analysis
- Report writing
- Statistical refereeing
- Training
PharmaLinks integrates a unique combination of a well documented patient population with university biomedical research expertise. The patient population provides the material for the science, which, in turn, provides the basis for new therapeutic approaches and their rapid translation to the population through the proximity of bench and bedside.
Our expertise and research facilities are world class and are available for contract and collaborative research.
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