PHURI’s multidisciplinary researchers will focus on how disease impacts different patient groups and how to best address their needs. Our research will address four interconnected research centres which will come together to create a complete journey from disease identification, through the development of a therapy, intervention or device, to translation for patients in the clinic. This integrated approach is a distinguishing feature of PHURI. Find out more about our research centres below.
Our ability to investigate many different human diseases at unprecedented scale has been transformed by patients and study participants who enable access to anonymised data from their healthcare records for medical research. Our scientists are experts in computational methods using these data in a way that provides an understanding of the frequency, risk factors, determinants, and prognosis of these diseases, with findings that are relevant for our local population, and matter globally.
The generation of human genomic, transcriptomic, epigenomic, proteomic and metabolomic (‘-omics’) data is now feasible at population scale and at single cell resolution. We integrate molecular ‘-omics’ data with information about the different diagnoses we see in our local population across all medical specialties (the ‘diseasome’ or human ‘phenome’). This helps to understand how gene expression, gene activation, and protein levels contribute to disease development, identify and target individuals or groups at highest risk, and manage patients according to their underlying disease mechanism.
Genomics: About our genes themselves
Transcriptomics: When and where genes are switched on or ‘expressed’
Epigenomics: How genes are packaged and modified
Proteomics: About the proteins encoded by our genes
Metabolomics: About the chemicals and molecules (or metabolites) our bodies use to create energy.
We will be recruiting academics to join and lead this Centre in the coming months. The Centre will create an environment where the hospital and university interact with industry partners to accelerate the development of new technologies and testing of precision medical devices. We will also develop innovative technologies that will alter existing medical care pathways. This collaborative approach is designed to break down the existing boundaries between our different disciplines and with industry.
The main focus of the Bradley group is in the application of chemistry to manipulate, control and understand specific biological processes and functions, and to address specific biological questions, problems and needs. We have expertise in the areas of fluorescent sensors and diagnostics, smart materials/polymers, in vivo chemistry, prodrug activation strategies and molecular imaging - all from a Precision Healthcare perspective. This is traditionally carried out with a translational agenda - with six spinouts having emerged from the Bradley research group over the years.