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Cellular and Molecular Biology

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.

© Angela Lee
Primary human dermal fibroblasts were treated with a macromolecular crowder that condenses extracellular matrix for a more accurate physiological representation.


Groups within this theme

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.
Akbar Group: Extracellular Vesicles in Cardiovascular, Inflammatory and Metabolic Disease
Our group studies the interplay between adipose tissue and the cardiovascular system. Using translational approaches, we develop novel diagnostic tools for the early detection of cardiovascular diseases and risk stratification. We also work towards the discovery of new therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, in the context of obesity and diabetes.
Antoniades Group: The Oxford Translational Cardiovascular Research Group
Ashrafian Group: Experimental Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology
Ashrafian Group: Experimental Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology
Our goals are to develop therapeutics targeting the chemokine network in inflammatory diseases affecting the heart, blood vessels and other organ systems.
Bhattacharya Group: Developing novel therapeutics for inflammatory diseases
We study the molecular mechanisms involved in disease initiation and progression in the myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) in order to better understand disease pathogenesis and to identify new therapeutic targets and prognostic markers for this disorder.
Boultwood Group: Blood Cancer UK Molecular Haematology Unit
The Laboratory of Cerebral Ischemia is a pre-clinical research group aiming to discover both the mechanisms which underlie cell death in stroke and to develop novel strategies to reduce this.
Buchan Group: Laboratory of Cerebral Ischemia
Cancer target identification and development
Our programme of work aims to understand nitric oxide (NO) and redox signalling in healthy and diseased myocardium, with a particular focus on atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Building on the resources and original discoveries that we have made recently, we plan to test novel interventions that aim to correct the myocardial substrate that promotes the new onset of AF, or HFpEF, or prevent the adverse atrial remodelling that is induced by AF.
Casadei Group: Translational approaches in chronic cardiac disease
Our group is interested in developing novel immunotherapeutic approaches for leukaemia. Clinical approaches currently used include allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors. While each of these approaches can be successful, they also fail in many patients as a result of tumour adaptations or diminished function of immune cells. Enhanced immunity can also lead to immune-related adverse events due to on- or off-target effects. We are exploring the mechanisms that underpin these failures and using this information to devise new strategies that can be translated into early phase clinical trials.
Chakraverty Group: Haematopoietic Transplantation and Immunotherapy
We work to understand how early changes in cells of the cardiovascular system, such as endothelial cells and leukocytes, are related to cardiovascular disease, with a particular focus on redox biology.
Channon Group: Cardiovascular functional genomics and redox signalling
This translational science laboratory aims to understand the functionally important heterogeneity in human cardiovascular disease to allow stratification of pathology and enable targeted therapies.
Choudhury Group: Understanding Inflammatory processes in Atherosclerosis and Acute Myocardial Infarction
We are interested in how lymphocytes decide to mount immune responses against, for example, tumours. This involves trying to understanding how leukocyte receptors, such as the T-cell receptor and immune checkpoints, are triggered.
Davis Group: T-cell Biology
We study the embryonic origins of blood stem cells with the aim to inform the generation of these cells in culture, and ultimate produce clinically relevant blood stem cells for therapeutic purposes.
de Bruijn Group: Developmental Haematopoiesis
Defining the function of new causal atherosclerosis genes from CAD GWAS loci using in vitro and in vivo models.
Douglas Group: Functional coronary artery disease genetics
We are investigating how iron and anaemia influence immunity and infectious diseases. Our research inspires treatments that control iron physiology to benefit the host at the expense of pathogens.
Drakesmith Group: Iron and Immunity
We research genetic diseases of the heart (cardiomyopathies) that can lead to sudden cardiac death. An example of an individual with cardiomyopathy is the professional football player Fabrice Muamba, who collapsed on the pitch and had to be resuscitated. He was fortunate to survive his cardiac arrest and his case was featured in the media.
Gehmlich group: Biomechanical stress signalling in the heart and its role in cardiomyopathies
We are developing gene therapy for lung conditions, including the genetic disease Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and neonatal lung conditions such as surfactant protein B (SPB) deficiency. We are also evaluating whether the lung can be used as a ‘protein factory’ to make therapeutic proteins such as antibodies.
Gill and Hyde Group: Gene Medicine Group
We are using a human genetic approach that relies on the latest developments of Next Generation Sequencing technology to study the intimate relationship that exists between the occurrence of new mutations and the regulation of cell fate choices in the male germline. Because life-long production of sperm is supported by regular divisions of so-called spermatogonial stem cells, each one of us acquire ~30-100 new mutations in our genome, the majority of which is paternal in origin.
Goriely Group: Clinical genetics
We use state-of-the-art laboratory and computational approaches to understand how mammalian genes are switched on and off during development and differentiation and how this goes awry in human genetic diseases.
Higgs Group: Laboratory of Gene Regulation
We investigate how cellular metabolism and GPCR signaling converge to influence energy homeostasis in the periphery and brain during health and metabolic disease. We develop novel tools and technologies that allow us to study cell and tissue function with exquisite accuracy and detail, and apply these approaches to both preclinical models and human tissue.
Hodson Group: Cellular Metabolism and GPCR Signalling
The Oxford MNM group focuses on developing in vitro models for neurological disease. Employing micro-fabrication techniques to define channels and features in cell culture devices at the scale of the cell and below, opens up the opportunity to shape cellular microenvironments to better reflect those found in the body. Our work uses these techniques and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies to create human cell culture models of the brain with the aim of enabling new possibilities to study neurovascular disease and improve drug discovery.
Holloway Group: Microfluidic Neurological Models (MNM)
We focus on the mechanisms controlling the migration of leucocytes and tumour cells via lymph in health and disease.
Jackson Group: Lymphatic Trafficking Research Group
Research in the Jacobsen group is focused at unravelling normal and malignant hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell biology at the single cell level.
Jacobsen Group: Haematopoietic Stem Cell Biology
We apply an integrated approach to human metabolic disease which involves genetic, genomic, cell biology and whole body metabolic studies to understand the pathogenesis of the complications of obesity such as fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Karpe, Hodson and Christodoulides Group: Metabolic Research Group
We lead colorectal cancer clinical trials, and study the basic biology of non-angiogenic and angiogenic tumours and mechanisms of vascular co-option.
Kerr and Pezzella Group: Colorectal Clinical and Pathology Group
We study how the heart meets its high and variable energy demands in order to identify novel strategies that may be beneficial in disease.
Lygate Group: Cardiac Energetics and Integrative Physiology
The Haematopoietic Stem Cell Biology (HSCB) Laboratory is focused on understanding how the normal haematopoietic stem/progenitor hierarchy is disrupted during the development of myeloid malignancies. Our overarching aim is to improve the management of myeloproliferative neoplasms and related conditions through better monitoring and therapeutic targeting of malignant stem cell populations.
Mead Group: Haematopoietic Stem Cell Biology
Aberrant epigenetic changes are a driving force in many human cancers. The focus of our lab is centred on understanding how epigenetics impacts gene regulation so that this information can potentially be used to develop new therapeutic strategies.
Milne Group: Epigenetic Control of Gene Expression in Leukaemia and Haematopoiesis
Nasteska Group: Islet Protein Turnover
Nasteska Group: Islet Protein Turnover
Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation is the only stem cell therapy in routine clinical use, and it is also the cell type that gives rise to most blood cancers. We use single cell biology and genetics to understand how hematopoietic stem cells normally sustain blood formation, and how this process is altered during ageing and when leukemia develops.
Nerlov Group: Hematopoietic Stem Cell Genetics
OCMR uses sophisticated cardiac MR imaging and spectroscopy methods to phenotype cardiovascular disease – in small-scale proof-of-principle studies, large-scale multicentre clinical trials and ultra-large scale population imaging programmes. As well as running their own research programmes, OCMR serves as a collaboration partner to any group wanting to strengthen their clinical research with state of the art non-invasive phenotyping tools.
Neubauer Group: Oxford Centre for Clinical Magnetic Resonance Research
We focus on four key areas: (1) Dissecting how blood cancers create 'self-reinforcing' niches that promote clonal expansion and protect malignant clones from immunotherapies; (2) Development and application of human bone marrow organoids to study normal and malignant haematopoiesis and validate targets in a relevant tissue microenvironment; (3) Developing novel strategies to selectively target cancer stem cells and pathological megakaryocytes in myelofibrosis, a severe bone marrow malignancy; (4) Understanding our recent discovery that platelets contain a repertoire of DNA fragments sequestered from cell free DNA, and confirming clinical utility for cancer detection and for pre-natal diagnosis.
Psaila Group: The tumour microenvironment in blood cancers
We work on circadian rhythms, and nuclear receptors applied to both inflammation and energy metabolism. Our models range from cells to human populations.
Ray Group
Defining important functional paradigms that lead to inherited cardiomyopathies, in search of novel treatments.
Redwood Group: Cardiac Contractility
Rehwinkel Group: Nucleic Acid Sensing
Rehwinkel Group: Nucleic Acid Sensing
Our group aims to understand the microRNA-mediated mechanisms fundamental to cardiac fibrosis and electrical remodelling that are associated with atrial fibrillation (a very common rhythm disorder). We are particularly interested in functional cross-talk between two major cell types in the heart – myocytes and fibroblasts.
Reilly Group: Molecular signalling in adverse myocardial remodelling and fibrosis
We study cellular physiology of pancreatic islets – the small organs that regulate the whole-body sugar levels. Our work will help to find new treatments for diabetes – a disease that is characterised by uncontrolled blood sugar.
Rorsman Group
We focus on systems level “big picture” approaches to understand gene regulation and build gene regulatory networks during development and disease in zebrafish, chick, lamprey and human models.
Sauka-Spengler Group: Gene Regulatory Networks in Development and Disease
We define how the immune system functions in the intestine to promote health. We uncover the immune pathogenesis of intestinal diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease to develop better ways to treat these disorders.
Simmons Group: Intestinal Immunity in Health and Disease
The aim of the group is to understand, at the molecular and cellular level, the role of human cutaneous immune responses in mechanisms of disease, treatment and vaccination. We have a particular focus on T cells which recognise inflammatory lipids presented by CD1a. As well as contributing to an understanding of disease pathogenesis, we aim to translate our findings to changes in clinical practice.
Skin Immunology Group
We investigate the genetic, molecular and physiological basis of endocrine disorders that affect calcium homeostasis, and endocrine tumour development. By identifying and understanding the underlying mechanisms, we aim to establish better diagnostic methods and develop novel targeted therapies for these disorders to improve patient care.
Thakker Group: Academic Endocrine Unit
Understanding key mechanisms that govern cardiac muscle function in health and disease
Toepfer Group: Cardiac Physiology and Disease Modeling
We work to understand how hormones regulate metabolic health in liver, fat and skeletal muscle. Our research has helped to define the role of ‘pre-receptor’ hormone metabolism in the pathogenesis of metabolic disease and has contributed to the development of novel interventions with the ultimate aim of improving patient care.
Tomlinson Group: Metabolism and Steroid Hormone Biology
Townsend Group: Molecular Immunology
Townsend Group: Molecular Immunology
Vascular Mechanotransduction in health and disease.
Tzima Group: Mechanotransduction Group
We aim to understand the fundamental biological processes underlying normal and malignant haematopoiesis and translate this to improve patient outcomes through new rational therapies.
Vyas Group: Biology and Treatment of Human Myeloid Cancers
Using human genetics and functional genomics to understand inherited heart disease
Watkins Group: Inherited Heart Muscle Disease Group
The ability to sequence whole exomes and genomes of individual people has revolutionised our ability to explore the full spectrum of genetic mutations causing serious human diseases. Working closely with the craniofacial teams based in Oxford and other UK units, we specialise in the application of these methods to children born with a serious malformation of the skull termed craniosynostosis.
Wilkie Group: Clinical Genetics
Haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) support blood cell production throughout life and are also used clinically in cell and gene therapies. We are studying the biology of this important stem cell population with the aim of developing new HSC-based therapies.
Wilkinson Group: Blood Stem Cell Expansion and Fitness

Our Divisions

Our divisions cluster experts in particular disease areas and experimental techniques.

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