Training of MSc and PhD students is offered in topics including the pathogenesis of thrombosis and atherosclerosis, molecular basis of bleeding disorders, platelet biology and functions, mechanisms of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis, links between blood clotting and the immune system, links between blood clotting and cancer, and biomaterial engineering.

Current Research Interests:

• Human and animal studies of cardiovascular diseases
• Structure/function studies of coagulation factors, fibrinolytic enzymes, and their natural inhibitors
• Protein and biomaterial engineering to produce new antithrombotic agents and biocompatible surfaces
• Pharmacology and mechanisms of action of antithrombotic and thrombolytic agents
• Causes and therapy of bleeding disorders, including gene therapy
• Cellular stress response pathways in atherosclerosis
• Platelet maturation, mechanisms of action and signal transduction
• Links between blood clotting and the immune system
• Links between blood clotting and cancer
• Effects of diabetes and hyperglycemia on blood cells and blood vessels
• Lipid transport, cholesterol metabolism and atherogenesis
• Platelet/megakaryocyte biology

Students will be exposed to a wide variety of techniques and approaches, including studies of human blood and tissue samples, recombinant protein expression, intravital, electron and confocal microscropy, flow cytometry, cell biology and signalling, biochemistry, biomaterial engineering, and numerous in vivo animal models.

• transgenic mouse models for cancer and development
• oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes
• cell cycle regulation of mammalian cells
• function of telomeres
• viral vectors for human cancer therapy
• genetics and cytogenetics of human cancer
• gene therapy
• growth factor and cytokine signaling pathways
• genetics of hemoglobinopathies
• protein targeting
• regulation of gene expression
• mechanism of viral infection

These projects use a number of modern and traditional techniques of molecular and cellular biology including transgenic and gene knockout mice, a wide variety of recombinant DNA techniques, the use of viral and non-viral vectors for gene therapy, protein-protein interactions, polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies for biochemical and histological analysis, cytogenetics and in situ hybridization.

• immunology and disease pathogenesis at mucosal surfaces including the airways, gastrointestinal and reproductive tracts
• examination of T-cell and antibody responses, cytokine cascades in inflammation and immunity
• investigation and development of vaccines and novel strategies of immuno-modulation and gene therapy
• immune stimulation for treatment of cancer
• roles of (and interactions between) lymphocytes, mast cells, eosinophils, macrophages, connective tissue cells and nerve cells
• immunology of pregnancy, immunogenetics and HIV immunodeficiency
• cell receptors and cell signaling in innate immunity

The laboratories use the full range of molecular, in vitro and in vivo approaches to examine disease related issues of importance to our understanding of basic mechanisms and the potential for new approaches to therapy. Close collaborations have been formed involving scientists of the Centre for Gene Therapeutics, the Intestinal Disease Research Program, the Rheumatic Disease Unit and the Asthma Research Groups as well as colleagues at other universities, research institutes and the pharmaceutical industry, that thus provide an interesting and interactive environment for students.

• Cellular Resistance to Anticancer Drugs
• Origin of Eukaryotic Cells
• Signal Transduction
• Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease
• Mitochondria
• Skeletal Muscle
• Bone Morphology and Metabolism
• Anti-inflammatory Mediators
• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Smooth Muscle Growth
• Bone Growth and Disease
• Diabetes
• Imaging and Image Analysis

These topics are addressed by using various biochemical and molecular techniques, immunolabelling, confocal and electron microscopy, ligand binding, radioimmunoassays, proteomics, cell culture, electrophysiology, elemental analysis, spectroscopy and electron tomography.

Most research groups/programs have a close association with various clinical departments in the Faculty of Health Sciences and give students the opportunity to conduct research in clinically related areas.

Current Research Interests:

• Osteoporosis
• Exercise
• Inflammation
• Neurocardiology
• Hypertension
• Calcium transport
• Fat and carbohydrate metabolism
• Atherosclerosis
• Responses to stress
• Gastrointestinal physiology
• Reproductive endocrinology
• Human pharmacology
• Neuropeptides
• Asthma
• Cancer
• Apoptosis
• Signal transduction
• Ion transport

These topics are addressed using techniques of biochemistry, molecular biology, computer topography, light and electron microscopy, immunohistology, patch clamping and morphometry.