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The Nuffield Department of Medicine (NDM) at the University of Oxford has a global reach and significant breadth in terms of capabilities and capacity.
Claire Palles: Gastrointestinal cancers
The gastrointestinal track is responsible for more cancers than any other system. A condition called Barrett's oesophagus, characterised by a change in the cells lining the oesophagus, can lead to oesophageal adenocarcinoma. Only few people with Barrett's oesophagus will go on to develop cancer, and genome sequencing studies aim to identify genetic risk factors and therefore better target high-risk patients.
Antonio Velayos-Baeza: Rare neurological disorders
ChAc is a rare progressive neurological disorder caused by mutations in a very complex gene. A better understanding of the biology underlying this disease helps develop better diagnostic tools, and opens up the possibility of discovering targets for possible future treatments.
Zamin Iqbal: Computation and genetics
Resistance to drugs in bacteria can be aquired by swapping genes between individual bacteria. Computer programs developed by Dr Iqbal enable doctors to predict which antibiotics will be met with drug resistance, enabling the selection of the right drug. His work also enables the tracking of an infection from patient to patient, as well as the tracking of the spread of an infection within a hospital.
Gerton Lunter: The evolution of the genome
Computational and stastistical methods help us understand evolution as well as genetic disease. Looking at our genomes opens up clinical possibilities, for example in cancer, allowing more genes to be looked at - more quickly and more cheaply, wich can impact prognosis and treatment selection.
Catherine Green: DNA replication and Cancer
The process of DNA replication is complex, and mistakes can lead to genome instability. Surveillance systems are not always successful which results in mutations that have the potential to inactivate genes or change their activity. This can lead to cancer, and many chemotherapeutic drugs are designed to disrupt DNA replication. A better understanding of these mechanisms can help us develop new drugs with reduced side effects.
Christopher Yau: Big Data
Over the past decade, data-driven science has produced enormous sets of data. The convergence of statistics and computer science, in the field known as machine learning, provide the means to understand these large datasets. Ultimately, machine learning algorithms will be develop into clinical decision making support systems.
Peter Donnelly: Human Genetics
Professor Donnelly tries to understand the genetic basis of common human diseases. Information about the genetic variants can give us clues into the biology of the diseases. We can then use that information to develop new drugs, to find new drug targets and develop new therapies. Changes in clinical practice are already happening, and we expect genetics to play an important role in translational medicine over the next ten or twenty years.
Krina Zondervan: Women's Health
Women suffering from endometriosis experience severe pelvic pain and may suffer from infertility. Endometrial-like cells develop outside the uterine cavity. These cells are influenced by hormonal changes and respond similarly to the cells lining the uterus. Causes of endometriosis remain unknown and treatments are limited to either surgery or the use of hormonal drugs.
Cecilia Lindgren: Obesity and Genetics
Genetic variants influence obesity at the population level. Fat distribution is an additional determinant of individual risk: waste/hip ratio is correlated with age-related diabetes, cardiovascular disorders and some cancers. Understanding the underlying biological pathways might help us establish better therapies and better preventive actions.
Julian Knight: Genetic Variation in Inflammation and Immunity
Genetic variation plays an important role in individual susceptibility to many common diseases. New insights into genetic variants which modulate gene expression allow us to better understand why people develop these diseases. We can then target treatments much more effectively. Ultimately, we will be able to identify patients at risk of developing disease.
Gil McVean: Statistical Genetics
Genomics and Genomic Technology have a powerful influence on understanding disease, and we believe that they have huge potential to take that further into diagnosis and treatment options. Statistical methodologies and skills are needed to make sense of the incredibly complex data generated from genomic technology.
Paul Brennan: Chemistry, epigenetics and drugs
Alteration of gene expression is fundamental to many diseases. A better understanding of how epigenetic proteins affect diseases provides a starting point for therapy development and the discovery of new drug. We hope that this area of rersearch will ultimately provide leads to finding new treatments for dementia.
Wyatt Yue: The genetics of metabolic diseases
A missing step in a metabolic pathway leads to the build-up of toxic compounds, and the lack of materials essential for normal function. Therapeutic options are currently limited: diet supplements or restrictions, or organ transplantation. Professor Yue studies the shape and function of these defective enzymes, in order to eventually develop new small molecule drugs.
Panagis Filippakopoulos: Targeting epigenetics to treat cancer
Transcription is a tightly regulated process, where chemical modifications initiate the duplication of genetic material. This epigenetic process is often dysregulated in cancer, but it can be targeted with small molecule inhibitors. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underpinning disease will ultimately help develop better drugs.
Jenny Taylor: Personalised medicine
Clinical diagnoses can be broad descriptions, but today's test results can help better understand the condition as well as target treatment. Cancer is a good example in which personalised medicine can help decide which molecular targeted therapy is most appropriate.
Ian Tomlinson: Cancer predisposition and evolution
Identifying genes that increase the risk of bowel or other cancers allows us to offer preventative measures, such as removing tumours at an early stage. A better understanding of how and why cancers grow also helps develop improved treatments.
Gareth Bond: Human Cancer Genetics
There is great heterogeneity between individuals in their risk of developing cancer, disease progression and responses to therapy. Specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are associated with human cancers. They have the potential to help us identify individuals more at risk of developing cancer, and better target preventative or therapeutic strategies.
Opher Gileadi: Genome Integrity
Our cells have many proteins that maintain the integrity of the DNA by repairing DNA damage and by preventing cells from dividing until any damage to the DNA is properly repaired. We aim to understand the mechanisms of action and to modify the activity of DNA repair proteins.