1. An Overview of the Research Institute 2015
Prof Alicia El Haj
Director, Institute for Science & Technology in Medicine, Keele University

2. www.keele.ac.uk Keele University
A campus-based university located in the West Midlands of England, offering dual-honours degrees and research in science, social science and humanities.
Founded as a University College in 1949, it received its Royal Charter in 1962.

3. Research Institute for Science & Technology in Medicine (ISTM)
A multidisciplinary Institute formed in 2006 to underpin the new Medical School established between Keele and Manchester Universities
Keele Medical School
ISTM brings together dispersed clinical and laboratory-based researchers from different departments and cultures.
School of Life Sciences
University Hospital of North Staffordshire
(PFI development)
Guy Hilton Research Centre
RJ&AH Orthopaedic Hospital

4. Facilitating Biomedical Research
ISTM brings together clinicians and bio-scientists across four hospital sites and the Keele campus:
University Hospital of North Staffordshire, Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent
The Haywood Hospital, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent
Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry
Leighton Hospital, Crewe
School of Medicine
School of Pharmacy
School of Health & Rehabilitation
School of Life Sciences
School of Computing & Mathematics
School of Chemistry & Physics
ISTM Away Day 2014

5. Translational Research
“bench to bedside”
Industrial
Partnership
Industrial
Partnership
Potential
Clinical application
Clinical Trial
Basic science
Cell biology/ Physics/
Biological Chemistry
Bioengineering/
Imaging/
In vitro/ In vivo
modelling

6. ISTM - Current Staff 91 full members:
Professors: 27
Readers, Senior Lecturers, Clinical Lecturers: 40
Lecturers: 18
Research Fellows: 6
50+ NHS clinicians run clinical trials through ISTM
27 affiliated members from other Keele RI’s
Key chair appointments of senior clinical/non clinical academics to expand capacity
~20 career-young researchers in the Schools of
Medicine, Pharmacy and SHAR

7. ISTM – Executive Committee
Director Clinical Co-Director
Prof Alicia El Haj Prof Simon Davies
Associate Directors
Dr Nicholas Forsyth (GHRC)
Prof Anand Pandyan (Keele campus)
Prof James Richardson (RJ&AH)
Director of Postgraduate Studies
Dr Paul Horrocks

8. ISTM – Scientific themes Resulting from 2013/14 reviews
Bioengineering and Regenerative Medicine
Biomagnetics and Nanomedicine
Cell & Molecular Medicine
Diagnostics, Engineering and Proteomics
Health Services Research Unit
Neuroscience
Rehabilitation
Sustainable Pharmacy

9. Bioengineering & Regenerative Medicine
Theme leader: Dr Nick Forsyth
Basic research into cell physiology and pathology, to developing new therapies in the laboratory, translating to treatments in the clinic and then assessing their efficacy by running clinical trials.
European Centre of Excellence in Tissue Engineering.
ARUK Centre of Excellence (+ Newcastle, Aberdeen, York)
EPSRC Doctoral Training Centre in Regenerative Medicine (+ Loughborough and Nottingham)
Part of 2 UK Regenerative Medicine Platform (UKRMP) hubs

10. Biomagnetics & Nanomedicine
Theme leader: Dr Neil Telling
New nanomaterials, surface design and nano-particle formulations, both magnetic and polymer based, coupled to a benchmarking approach in the development of nano-magnetic technology for drug, gene and cell targeting.
Peer reviewed grant support from EPSRC, BBSRC, MRC, RCUK, NIH (USA), Royal Society and European FP7
European and US networks

11. Cell & Molecular Medicine
Theme leader: Prof Gwyn Williams
Includes genetics and epigenetics, structural biology, cell biology, including apoptosis and the control of cell growth and a wide range of analytical techniques such as proteomics and electromagnetic imaging.
Dedicated Human Genomics facility

12. Diagnostics, Engineering & Proteomics
Theme leader: Dr Josep Sulé-Suso
Expertise in structural biology, proteomics and synchrotron radiation with a key aim of establishing biomarkers for clinical applications.
Selected Ion Flow Tube Mass Spectrometry (SIFT-MS)
Microwave Imaging
Structural Biology, leads UK Midlands consortium
Proteomics facility

13. Health Service Research Unit
Theme leader: Prof Simon Davies A joint initiative between Keele's Research Institutes for Science & Technology in Medicine, Primary Care Sciences and a range of NHS partners in North Staffordshire. To identify and promote beacon pathways of care as exemplars for integrating programmes of education, training, evaluation and applied health research with service development and high quality care.

14. Neuroscience Theme leader: Prof Divya Chari
Specialises in several related basic, translational and clinical areas.
Stem cell therapy and implantable materials for neurological disease and injury
Mechanisms of brain development including plasticity mechanisms
Application of nanotechnology and nanoscale devices for neural repair
Development of reductionist models of neurological injury
Genetic studies and clinical trials in Multiple Sclerosis & stroke.

15. Rehabilitation Theme leader: Dr Ed Chadwick
Uses science and engineering principles to tackle the physical limitations brought on by neuromuscular and skeletal disease, injury and ageing:
Investigating biomechanical and physiological causes
Developing Assistive devices to restore function
Mathematical and conceptual models for biomedical and rehabilitation engineering research

16. Sustainable Pharmacy Theme leader: Dr David Morgan
Addresses sustainable healthcare and pharmacy issues identified by “Improving the use of Medicines (for better outcomes and reduced waste)”. These priorities include:
Involvement of patients in decisions about their treatment to help them use their medicines effectively
Reduction of the scale and cost of medicines waste
Optimisation of the supply and use of medicines, including optimisation in the synthesis and production of medicines.
Reduction in the harm associated with medication use.
Enhanced use of the Pharmacist in the community and in the developing healthcare setting.

17. ISTM - Activity Metrics
Manages ~185 live research grants and trials
Receives £5m / year income, incl £3.8m in grants
Applies for ~150 new research grants / year
Outputs ~280 peer-reviewed publications / year
RAE2008: 90% of staff rated of international quality in UoA 25 General Engineering
REF2014: UoA 15 General Engineering
UoA 3 Allied Health Professions
UoA 5 Biological Sciences
Potentially academics submitted

18. ISTM Current Major Funding Sources
Keele QR funding is +1.5% for 2014/15

19. ISTM – Training Researchers
Mentoring early-career lecturers and fellows
Research fellows transition to independence
~35 research assistants and technical staff
Support and activities: eg Keele studentships, start-up funds incl. MRC Centenary Awards, HEFCE Capital Equipment funds, workshops.

20. International links to ISTM
Examples incl. China, Malaysia, Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, Mali and Burkina Faso
Masters and PhD / MPhil level
Researcher exchanges
Funded programmes – eg MRC African Leaders grant, HYANJI SCAFFOLD, NEMO, MagNETicFUN, Fellowships

21. ISTM - Enterprise Activities
Industrial collaborations, eg:
Technology Strategy Board collaborative projects
MRC and BBSRC CASE studentships, primarily with UK companies
European joint projects involving Small & Medium Sized Enterprises
Contract research and clinical trials with UK / European industry, eg:
3M Healthcare Abbott Laboratories AstraZeneca Biogen Bose Bristol Myers Squibb Cellon SA ConMed Cordis Endovascular GlaxoSmithKline GW Pharma Merck Sharp & Dohme Novartis Oxitec PepTcell Pfizer Smith & Nephew Surgicraft Syngenta Teva Weleda AG Wella AG Wyeth Research XenoGesis Zimmer
Licensing of Intellectual Property
Examples of current spin-off companies from ISTM:
NanoTherics ( Mica Biosystems (

22. Web pages and contacts:
Director: Prof Alicia El Haj
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PA to Director: Joseph Clarke
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Facilities & Administration Manager: Jeanette Forrester
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RI Manager: Mark Smith
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