Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Accept all cookies Reject all non-essential cookies Find out more

Akbar Group: Extracellular Vesicles in Cardiovascular, Inflammatory and Metabolic Disease

  • Division of Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Metabolism in Molecular Medicine

The Akbar Lab is interested in defining the therapeutic and diagnostic potential of extracellular vesicles for immunomodulation and precision medicine in cardiovascular, metabolic, and inflammatory diseases.

Three panel image: panel 1 shows an illustration of a cell with specific proteins on cell surface, a blow up of the lipid bilayers, and miRNAs, DNA and metabolites inside the cells; the second panel is a electron microscopy images of cells, and the third is a dot graph showing data for groups at presentation and followup, which shows two distinct groups at these two time points.

We have a particular interest in how endothelial cell derived extracellular vesicles mediate long range communication across organs, and how we can capitalise on this signalling for targeted therapeutics and diagnosis. We employ state of the art techniques in extracellular vesicle isolation and characterisation, using translational approaches of highly characterised clinical cohorts to derive hypothesis driven in vitro and in vivo studies using model systems.

 

   

 

 

 

Our team

Recent publications

Postdoctoral Research Fellows

Dr Stephanie Anderson (Novo Nordisk Fellow)

Postdoctoral Research Assistants 

Dr Rebecca Rooney

DPhil Students

Current

Lewis Timms

Amaury Genovese

Waleed Seddiq


Alumni 

         2024 Dann Paget

 2019 Laurienne Edgar

       

Masters Students

Current

        Leo Hesse

Alumni 

2024 Amber Wilkins


Undergraduate Final Honours School Students

Current

          Samuel Thompson


Alumni 

         2023 Divya Ganesh

2022 Raphaella Ridley

2019 Charlotte Lee 

2018 Jonathan Martin

2018 Eleanor Hogg

2017 Tanvir Rafe 

Related research themes

Using a range of imaging modalities, our researchers can probe – at the molecular level – the events that underpin cellular health and dysfunction.
Cellular and Preclinical Imaging
We are committed to translating our innovative research into clinical benefit. From new methods of diagnosing chronic conditions, to finding the latest treatments for diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke and rare diseases, our department is involved in hundreds of clinical studies every year.
Clinical Studies and Trials
We seek to bridge the ‘innovation gap’ between ‘basic’ research in the laboratory and tangible benefits for patients. Our researchers aim to develop novel approaches to treating disease and we have particular strengths in evaluating technologies such as antibody therapy and gene therapy, and using new techniques for target discovery. Many of our researchers collaborate with biotech and industry partners to accelerate progress along the drug discovery pipeline and assess these new treatments in the clinic.
Emerging Therapies and Drug Discovery
A raft of cellular and molecular biology techniques underpin much of the work we do to elucidate the mechanisms of disease. We use established techniques to answer new questions and also develop our own novel and unique methodologies to drive further innovation.
Cellular and Molecular Biology