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Cellular and Preclinical Imaging

Using a range of imaging modalities, our researchers can probe – at the molecular level – the events that underpin cellular health and dysfunction.

The Wolfson Imaging Centre is a flagship facility for cellular and pre-clinical imaging, including confocal microscopy coupled with live-cell analysis.



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
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
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
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 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 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 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 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
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
Nasteska Group: Islet Protein Turnover
Nasteska Group: Islet Protein Turnover
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 work on circadian rhythms, and nuclear receptors applied to both inflammation and energy metabolism. Our models range from cells to human populations.
Ray Group
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
Development and Application of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy
Tyler Group
Vascular Mechanotransduction in health and disease.
Tzima Group: Mechanotransduction Group
Using human genetics and functional genomics to understand inherited heart disease
Watkins Group: Inherited Heart Muscle Disease Group

Wolfson Imaging Centre

The Wolfson Imaging Centre contains a diverse range of wide-field and confocal microscopes suitable for imaging specimens ranging in complexity from single cells to small laboratory animals.

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