The Pitt lab would like to say a big congratulations to Ben Reilly-O’Donnell who passed his PhD viva today. Ben did very well and we are all incredibly proud of him.

Ben has recently started a new position as a postdoctoral research scientist working with Prof. Julia Gorelik, Faculty of Medicine, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London

The FASEB – Trace Elements in Biology and Medicine meeting 2018 took place in Tahoe City, California, USA 3-8 June. Samantha Pitt would like to thank Dr Amanda Bird (Ohio State University) and Dr Paul Cobine (Auburn University) for putting together  such an exciting programme. Samantha would also like to thank the organisers for inviting her to present her work. The title of her talk was “Cardiac dysfunction and the role of zinc in sarcoplasmic reticulum remodelling”

The Stewart group are grateful to the organisers of the recent Frontiers in Cardiovascular Biology (FCVB) meeting in Vienna, Austria, which was held between 20-22nd April. Dr Alan Stewart, Dr Siavash Khazaipoul and Amelie Sobczak were in attendance for the three-day conference and both Siavash and Amelie (pictured below) presented posters on their work.

The glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) heparan sulfate, dermatan sulfate and heparin are important anticoagulants that inhibit clot formation. Unfractionated heparin, low molecular weight heparin and heparin-derived drugs are often the main treatments used clinically to handle coagulatory disorders. Such agents are neutralised endogenously by a wide range of proteins to control coagulation. In a recent article by Amelie Sobczak, Samantha Pitt and Alan Stewart, a review of GAG neutralisation, the proteins involved and the molecular processes that contribute to the regulation of anticoagulant GAG activity is presented. The review will be published in an upcoming issue of the journal, Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common cause of site loss associated with the formation of proteinous deposits that block circulatory exchange with the retina. The factors that contribute to deposit formation are not well understood. Recently, the presence of spherular hydroxyapatite (HAP) structures within these deposits was discovered to which several AMD-associated proteins were bound. This suggests that protein binding to HAP represents a potential mechanism for the retention of proteins and thus deposit formation.

As part of a Fight for Sight-funded study, the Stewart lab set about identifying circulating plasma proteins that may contribute to deposit formation through binding to HAP using SWATH-MS proteomics. The study, in collaboration with Dr Imre Lengyel (Queen’s University Belfast) utilised blood plasma samples taken from phenotyped late-stage AMD patients (some of whom carry an “at risk” genetic variation, CFH T402H in their DNA). From a library of 242 identified HAP binding plasma proteins, significant quantitative differences in the abundance of 32 HAP-binding proteins (p<0.05) between the two homozygous groups (“normal” vs “at-risk”). The concentrations of six proteins (FHR1, FHR3, APOC4, C4A, C4B and PZP) in the HAP eluted fractions and whole plasma were further analysed using ELISA and their presence in sections from human cadaver eyes was examined using immunofluorescence.

The published article is available here.

Research from the Stewart lab into the role that certain fats may play in pathological blood clotting has been highlighted by the BHF in their “Heart Matters” magazine. A link to the article can be found here.

On the 31st of January Dr Samantha Pitt, Dr Alan Stewart, Amy Dorward, Amelie Sobczak and Gavin Robertson represented the Metal Ions in Medicine Group at the British Heart Foundation Scotland’s Annual Reception, which took place in the Scottish Parliament Building in Edinburgh. The event, attended by fundraisers, researchers and politicians, highlighted the great work of the BHF in funding cutting-edge research, informing policy and promoting public awareness of its activities. During the meeting they bumped into local MSP and leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Willie Rennie. The reception was followed by a private dinner hosted by the Head of BHF Scotland, James Cant that Sam attended.

Alan Stewart is pleased to join the Editorial Board of the journal, Biometals. BioMetals, which is published in co-operation with the International Biometals Society, is the only established journal to feature the important role of metal ions in chemistry, biology, biochemistry, environmental science, and medicine. It is a multidisciplinary journal singularly devoted to the rapid publication of the fundamental advances of both basic and applied research in this field.

On Wednesday 22nd November, 3rd year PhD student Gavin Robertson was invited to attend a British Heart Foundation Parliamentary reception at Westminster. The event was held in the Members’ dining room of the Houses of Parliament and was sponsored by Chris Green MP. This provided a great opportunity to promote our BHF-funded work in St. Andrews to MPs and fellow BHF researchers.

Our British Heart Foundation funded students Gavin Robertson, Amy Dorward (Pitt lab) and Amelie Sobczak (Stewart lab) took part in the 2017 Dundee Science festival hosted by the BHF. They volunteered at the BHFs family-orientated interactive pop-up lab “what’s it like to be a heart scientist?” Here they educated visitors on how the heart works, what can go wrong in heart disease, and the importance of looking after your heart. The event was a fun and interactive way to engage children into the world of medical research, as well as conveying information to adults about the vital work and research that the BHF carries out locally. They found the event to be very enjoyable and hope that it will inspire future heart research scientists.