Professor Charles Serhan delivers the 2008 John Vane lecture at the William Harvey Research Institute

Lady Vane presents the William Harvey Medal to Professor Charles N Serhan

26 November 2008

 Professor Charles N Serhan, Director of the Center for Experimental Therapeutics and Reperfusion Injury at Brigham's Women Hospital, and Gelman Professor at Harvard University, has delivered the John Vane Lecture 2008, as part of the Annual Research Review of the William Harvey Research Institute (WHRI).

In his lecture, Professor Serhan highlighted the intellectual and strategic legacies of Sir John, and illustrated the importance of investigating the molecular aspect of inflammatory resolution for a full understanding of the processes required for tissue repair and homeostasis regain after an inflammatory insult.  Within this intellectual frame, Professor Serhan demonstrated his discoveries of novel lipid pathways including aspirin-triggered lipoxins and omega-3-derived resolvins and protectins; therefore revealing a scholarly link with Sir John’s research, not only for studying the mechanisms of action of aspirin, but also for his efforts in studying the structure and biology of novel lipids (in parallel to Sir John’s prostaglandins). Important proof-of-concept protective actions on these novel lipids in models of periodontal disease were also reported.

Displayed at the lecture were a series of historical photographs illustrating Sir John’s career achievements, his discoveries, and links with the Karolinska Institute (where Professor Serhan worked for five years in the mid-‘80s under the guidance of the other Nobel Laureate Professor Samuelsson, in whose company, along with Professor Bergnston, Sir John Vane received the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1982 for his work on the mechanism of action of aspirin and related therapeutics.

Founded by Sir John Vane in 1986, the William Harvey Research Institute (named within the Top 20 Pharmacology Institutes worldwide; ISI) is home to 240-scientists and is a world focal point in cardiovascular, inflammation and endocrinology research (www.whri.qmul.ac.uk). WHRI is one of the six Institutes of Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, part of Queen Mary, University of London.

Professor Serhan is one of the six members of the International Scientific Advisory Board of the WHRI.

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Notes to editors: 

Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry

Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry – at Queen Mary, University of London - offers international levels of excellence in research and teaching while serving a population of unrivalled diversity amongst which cases of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, TB, oral disease and cancers are prevalent, within east London and the wider Thames Gateway.  Through partnership with our linked trusts, notably Barts and The London NHS Trust, and our associated University Hospital trusts – Homerton, Newham, Whipps Cross and Queen’s – the School’s research and teaching is informed by an exceptionally wide ranging and stimulating clinical environment.

At the heart of the School’s mission lies world class research, the result of a focused programme of recruitment of leading research groups from the UK and abroad and a £100 million investment in state-of-the-art facilities.  Research is focused on translational research, cancer, cardiology, clinical pharmacology, inflammation, infectious diseases, stem cells, dermatology, gastroenterology, haematology, diabetes, neuroscience, surgery and dentistry. 

The School is nationally and internationally recognised for research in these areas, reflected in the £40 million it attracts annually in research income. Its fundamental mission, with its partner NHS Trusts, and other partner organisations such as CRUK, is to ensure that that the best possible clinical service is underpinned by the very latest developments in scientific and clinical teaching, training and research.

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