Dr Lorraine Work
- Reader (Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health)
telephone:
01413305869/4962
email:
Lorraine.Work@glasgow.ac.uk
pronouns:
She/her/hers
C443, SCMH, BHF GCRC, Glasgow G12 8TA
Biography
I graduated from the University of Strathclyde with a 1st class BSc (Hons) in Immunology & Pharmacology in 1995 and went on to study for my PhD investigating anti-proliferative agents for therapy in in vitro and in vivo models of vascular injury, graduating in 1999. Following a brief period spent at the University of Washington, Seattle, I joined the Division of Cardiovascular and Medical Science, University of Glasgow in 2000 as a post-doctoral researcher in Professor A. Baker’s research group. In so doing I moved from pharmacological interventions to gene based approaches - specifically, identifying novel targets which could be used to direct therapy to the vasculature (smooth muscle cells and organ specific endothelial beds). I was awarded a BHF Intermediate Research Fellowship in 2006 to study a combination of pharmacological and gene-based therapies in stroke. In 2007, I was appointed lecturer through the BBSRC Capacity Building awards in Integrative Mammalian Biology (IMB) and so central to my research is the translation of knowledge gained from single molecules back to the whole organism, including in vivo studies. In 2015 I was promoted to Senior Lecturer.
Research interests
Member: Stroke Research
My interest lies in combining gene and drug intervention strategies in an attempt to reduce infarct volume and improve neurological recovery following experimental stroke. I am interested in the use of microRNAs as potential means of delivering a single therapy to achieve a multifactorial outcome with endogenous extracellular vesicles being used as a means of delivery. Furthermore, I have an interest in determining the effect of stabilisation of mitochondrial function on outcome following stroke, how endogenous mitochondrial turnover processes are altered with ischaemic injury and targeting mitochondria therapeutically. Although stroke is the 3rd leading cause of death and the leading cause of long term disability worldwide there is, currently, only one clinically approved intervention. In determining the relative contribution of the underlying signalling pathways to infarct size and consequent neurological recovery we hope to identify novel therapeutic approaches. Furthermore, many target microRNAs may be involved in promoting endogenous repair allowing delayed delivery thus promoting clinical translation. My research group use in vitro methods to determine efficacy prior to in vivo application in a model of transient cerebral ischaemia.
Research:
- Polytherapy for stroke
- http://www.imb-glasgow.org
Grants
Grants and Awards listed are those received whilst working with the University of Glasgow.
- Cross disciplinary capacity building in ultra-high frequency preclinical cardiovascular ultrasound
British Heart Foundation
2022 - 2025
- Cardiac-targeted exosome-mediated delivery of angiotensin-(1-7) to treat cardiac disease
British Heart Foundation
2021 - 2024
- Extracellular vesicle mediated microRNA delivery as a therapeutic for ischaemic stroke
Chief Scientist Office
2018 - 2021
- Improving consistency and application of outcome measures in preclinical models of vascular cognitive impairment
Alzheimer`s Research UK
2018 - 2018
- Pharmacological investigations on neuroinflammatory and excitotoxic mechanisms in animal model of stroke
British Council
2018 - 2018
- Refinement in pre-clinical stroke research: investigation of morbidity and mortality and development of improved post-stroke care in rodents
American College of Laboratory
2015 - 2016
- Angiotensin-(1-7): a novel treatment for acute and long term recovery from stroke?
The Henry Smith Charity
2014 - 2016
- Modulation of the kynurenic pathway following stroke (ISSF STS)
Wellcome Trust
2013 - 2014
- Modulation of miRNA as a therapeutic strategy for stroke
Medical Research Council
2012 - 2016
- Supporting the ischaemic brain with oxygen-carrying perfluorocarbons.
Chief Scientist Office
2012 - 2015
- A combined approach targeting oxidative stress and apoptosis in stroke
British Heart Foundation
2008 - 2012
- A combined approach to target reactive oxygen species and neuronal death in stroke
British Heart Foundation
2007 - 2010
Supervision
- Blaikie, Zachariel
Determining the role of NADPH oxidase 5 in stroke, cerebral small vessel disease, and vascular dementia
Teaching
I successfully completed my PG Cert in Academic Practice becoming a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2009. Currently, I lecture for the MSc Cardiovascular Sciences and to levels 2, 3 and 4 for the Human Biology degree groups. I am a PBL facilitator for undergraduate medical students (years 1 and/or year 2). A significant portion of my teaching time is spent on project supervision and assessment for wet laboratory-based projects for L4 students (Pharmacology, Neuroscience), intercalating BMed Sci students and MRes/MSc students (IMB/Systems Biology and Clinical Pharmacology). Further to assessment of the research project write up/students laboratory performance, I have completed the oral "viva" style exam and assessed the oral presentations. I am course co-ordinator for the IMB specialisation within the MRes in Biomedical Sciences. I established and run a 5 day summer school in “in vivo cardiovascular systems”. As course leader this involved a substantial amount of coordination/planning with the involvement of academic staff from the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde. Each day had to be meticulously planned, equipment sourced, checked and support staff identified and trained. There was a significant amount of setup for the in vivo experiments and validation of equipment prior to the summer school. All of this had to be done within a set budget. This highly innovative learning experience was a tremendous success, measured by the extremely positive feedback left by participants annually. Based on the success of the schools, further funding was secured to allow the schools to continue and I remain integrally involved with these both directly and as the project licence holder.