Research Into Chronic Wounds Receives Funding Boost , University Of Leicester

Main Category: Dermatology
Article Date: 09 Aug 2007 - 1:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

A University of Leicester scientist has received an important award for her research into potential treatments of chronic wounds such as bed sores and diabetic ulcers.

Dr. Christine Pullar, of the Department of Cell Physiology and Pharmacology at the University of Leicester's Medical School, has been awarded a 3 year Wellcome Trust grant for £261,864, for a study entitled: "The roles of ß2-adrenoceptors and electric guidance cues in angiogenesis and wound healing".

Chronic wounds heal with difficulty and are extremely debilitating and prevalent in our ageing population. Poor blood supply to the wound is a major problem in non-healing wounds.

Dr Pullar's research will help to unravel the complex mechanisms controlling blood vessel formation and healing, hopefully leading to new avenues of treatment for chronic wounds.

Endothelial cells migrate into the wound site to initiate new blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) which is critical for the supply of nutrients to promote tissue repair. However, the mechanisms directing endothelial cell migration into the wound are poorly understood.

Electric fields exist in all developing and regenerating tissues, providing possible spatial and temporal guidance cues for effective development and wound repair.

ß2-adrenergic receptors (ß2-ARs) are also expressed on endothelial cells and are activated by nor adrenaline released from sympathetic nerves and adrenaline synthesised in the adrenal medulla and locally in the skin.

Drugs that interact with ß2-ARs alter wound electric fields and cell behaviour, delaying or accelerating wound repair mechanisms.

One interesting possibility is that the wound electric field and ß2-ARs act in concert to guide endothelial cell migration into the wound, initiating angiogenesis and promoting healing.

Dr. Blair Grubb, Head of the Department of Cell Physiology and Pharmacology, commented, " Dr. Pullar's work on wound healing is key to our understanding of basic mechanisms of skin repair.

"This substantial award from the Wellcome Trust will provide her with the opportunity to establish her new lab and exciting research programme in Leicester."

Dr Pullar is one of a small number of prestigious 'New Blood' research appointments made recently at the University of Leicester. These lectureships offer talented research staff an opportunity to pursue their research, with a reduced teaching load during the first four years of employment and funding for research travel.

When the University first advertised the New Blood appointments nearly 1000 applications were received for the 21 posts on offer.

University Of Leicester

-- A member of the 1994 Group of universities that share a commitment to research excellence, high quality teaching and an outstanding student experience.

- Ranked joint top for two consecutive years for the quality of teaching and overall satisfaction amongst full-time students at English universities
- Ranked as a Top 20 university by The Times Good University Guide and The Guardian University League Table
- One of just 19 UK universities to feature in world's top 200- Shanghai Jiao Tong International Index, 2005 and 2006.
- Short listed Higher Education Institution of the Year - THES awards 2005 and 2006
- Students' Union of the Year award 2005, short listed 2006

Founded in 1921, the University of Leicester has 19,000 students from 136 countries. Teaching in 18 subject areas has been graded Excellent by the Quality Assurance Agency- including 14 successive scores - a consistent run of success matched by just one other UK University. Leicester is world renowned for the invention of DNA Fingerprinting by Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys and houses Europe's biggest academic Space Research Centre. 90% of staff are actively engaged in high quality research and 13 subject areas have been awarded the highest rating of 5* and 5 for research quality, demonstrating excellence at an international level. The University's research grant income places it among the top 20 UK research universities. The University employs over 3,000 people, has an annual turnover of £173m, covers an estate of 94 hectares and is engaged in a £300m investment programme- among the biggest of any UK university.

http://www.le.ac.uk