TheTheTheTheTheTheTheThe UK UK UK UK UK UK UK UK RusselRusselRusselRusselRusselRusselRusselRussel Group Group Group Group Group Group Group Group

UniversitiesUniversitiesUniversitiesUniversitiesUniversitiesUniversitiesUniversitiesUniversitiesUniversity of BirminghamUniversity of BristolUniversity of CambridgeCardiff UniversityUniversity of EdinburghUniversity of GlasgowImperial College LondonKing's College LondonUniversity of LeedsUniversity of LiverpoolLondon School of EconomicsUniversity of ManchesterNewcastle UniversityUniversity of NottinghamUniversity of OxfordQueen's University BelfastUniversity of SheffieldUniversity of SouthamptonUniversity College LondonUniversity of Warwick

Facts about QueenFacts about QueenFacts about QueenFacts about QueenFacts about QueenFacts about QueenFacts about QueenFacts about Queen’’’’’’’’ssssssss

Founded in 1845Founded in 1845Founded in 1845Founded in 1845

17,20017,20017,20017,200 undergraduate students

5,5005,5005,5005,500 postgraduate students

1,200 1,200 1,200 1,200 international students

3,6003,6003,6003,600 staff (1000+ researchers)

Facts about QueenFacts about QueenFacts about QueenFacts about QueenFacts about QueenFacts about QueenFacts about QueenFacts about Queen’’’’’’’’ssssssss

� Noted for excellent in student experienceNoted for excellent in student experienceNoted for excellent in student experienceNoted for excellent in student experience

� Multiple international links,Multiple international links,Multiple international links,Multiple international links,

� e.g. Europe, India, China, Malaysia and the US.e.g. Europe, India, China, Malaysia and the US.e.g. Europe, India, China, Malaysia and the US.e.g. Europe, India, China, Malaysia and the US.

� Growing links with ThailandGrowing links with ThailandGrowing links with ThailandGrowing links with Thailand

� Entrepreneurial University of the Year 2009 Entrepreneurial University of the Year 2009 Entrepreneurial University of the Year 2009 Entrepreneurial University of the Year 2009

� A patron of the arts, Belfast Festival at QueenA patron of the arts, Belfast Festival at QueenA patron of the arts, Belfast Festival at QueenA patron of the arts, Belfast Festival at Queen’’’’ssss

� The University has more than 250 buildings, manyThe University has more than 250 buildings, manyThe University has more than 250 buildings, manyThe University has more than 250 buildings, many

listed as being of special architectural meritlisted as being of special architectural meritlisted as being of special architectural meritlisted as being of special architectural merit

Opened in 2009Opened in 2009Opened in 2009Opened in 2009

�Cost: $80 million (2.4Billion Bhat)

�2,000 reader places

�1.2 million books

Seamus Heaney David Trimble

University Structure

Three Faculties

•Life Sciences & Medicine

•Physical Sciences

•Humanities

Evolu

tionar

y

Biolo

gy

Animal

Behaviour &

Welfa

re

Ecolo

gy

Environm

enta

l

Econom

ics

Microbio

logy

Bioch

emist

ry

Paras

itolo

gy

Food Saf

ety &

Nutritio

n

ASSETASSETASSETASSET: Centre for Assured Safe and Traceable Food

GIBSON GIBSON GIBSON GIBSON INSTITUTEINSTITUTEINSTITUTEINSTITUTE: Centre for

Environmental Economics

QUESTORQUESTORQUESTORQUESTOR:Cooperative Microbiology

Research Centre

Animal Health

Animal Welfare

Food Safety

Nutrition

Project Title: Determining the extent of human exposure to toxic agents present in drinking water by identification of specific biomarkers

Principal InvestigatorChris Elliott, Professor of Food Safety

Chris.Elliott@qub.ac.uk

MicrocystinsAnatoxinsCylindrospermopsinHarmful amino acids

CancerLiver diseaseNeurological diseases

Project Title: Rapid multiplex analysis of plant alkaloids in feed, food and herbal supplements

Principal InvestigatorKatrina Campbell,

Lecturer in Biomolecular Targets

Katrina campbell@qub.ac.uk

Plant Alkaloids

Tropane

Pyrrolizidine

Ergot

Opoid

Health effects

Liver cirrhosis

Cancer

Hallucinations

Convulsions

Neurological disorders

Quality Assurance

Quality Control

Science

Food Security

Traceability

Sensors

ConsumerConfidence

Biosensor

Technology Novel

BindersField based sensor testing

or HACCP Testing in

Food supply chain

Current methods of

detection LC-MS/MS

Lab based equipment

Project Title: Effect of low dose levels of marine biotoxinson cell line systems related to human disease

Principal InvestigatorKatrina Campbell

Lecturer in Biomolecular Targets

Katrina campbell@qub.ac.uk

Identification of expressed protein biomarkers

by variety of different methods

Acute toxicity

No scientific evidence on low dose levels over prolonged periods????

Cell line expression systems

fed low toxin doses

In vivo studies to identify biomarkers

in animals fed low toxin doses

Correlate biomarkers to diseases

in different populations

Marine Biotoxins

Paralytic shellfish toxins

Diarrheic shellfish toxins

Amnesic shellfish toxins

Neurotoxic shellfish toxins

Rapid immunodiagnostics for chemical contaminants Rapid immunodiagnostics for chemical contaminants Rapid immunodiagnostics for chemical contaminants Rapid immunodiagnostics for chemical contaminants Rapid immunodiagnostics for chemical contaminants Rapid immunodiagnostics for chemical contaminants Rapid immunodiagnostics for chemical contaminants Rapid immunodiagnostics for chemical contaminants in food and the environmentin food and the environmentin food and the environmentin food and the environmentin food and the environmentin food and the environmentin food and the environmentin food and the environmentDr Chen SITU (Dr Chen SITU (Dr Chen SITU (Dr Chen SITU (Dr Chen SITU (Dr Chen SITU (Dr Chen SITU (Dr Chen SITU (c.situ@qub.ac.ukc.situ@qub.ac.ukc.situ@qub.ac.ukc.situ@qub.ac.ukc.situ@qub.ac.ukc.situ@qub.ac.ukc.situ@qub.ac.ukc.situ@qub.ac.uk))))))))

Agrochemicals Agri-food production Food safety issues Food safety monitoring

Dipstick ELISA SPR biosensor

Project Title: Endocrine disrupting compounds in food and the environmentPrincipal Investigator:Dr Lisa Connolly

Lecturer in Toxin Food Safetyl.connolly@qub.ac.uk

Interference of the endocrine system at the nuclear and/or hormone production level.

• Man-made (pesticides, pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals)• Natural chemicals (hormones, mycotoxins, phytoestrogens)

Endocrine disruptors

Food chain,Drinking water

Personal care products

Environment,Waste waters

Cancer Infertility

MalformationsBirth defects

Mammalian cell cultureToxicological assaysReporter gene assay

Steroidogenesis assayFluorescent microscopyHybridoma technology

Mass spectrometry

IdentificationMechanism

EffectsRisk assessmentExposure control

Exposure

Project Title: Modern energy-efficient drying technologies and their effect of quality of dried fruits and vegetables

Principal InvestigatorTassos Koidis , Lecturer in Food Science

t.koidis@qub.ac.uk

Novel drying methods

Energy

Analysis

ModellingPredict quality and optimum drying

conditions

Project Title: Phosphorus removal and recovery from waste.

Principal InvestigatorJohn McGrath, Senior Lecturer

Environmental Microbiology

j.mcgrath@qub.ac.uk

Freshwater eutrophicationcaused by phosphorus discharge: single biggest threat to water quality globally

Paradoxically phosphorus running out, with current reserves only sufficient to last 45 – 100 years.

Project Title: Towards a genomic-understanding of the marine phosphorus cycle.

Principal InvestigatorJohn Quinn, Reader

Environmental Microbiology

j.quinn@qub.ac.uk

Microbes must access less

readily forms of phosphorus

‘OmicsIdentification of: •Novel genes and enzymes of phosphonate metabolism

•Drugs and drug precursors.

Project Title: Making parasite/host co-evolution work for us: Controlling liver flukes with incompatible hosts.

Principal InvestigatorAlan Trudgett, Senior Lecturer in

Biological Sciencesa.trudgett@qub.ac.uk

Snails #23 and #34 - cercariae shed per day

Day of Shedding

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28

Num

ber

of C

erca

riae

Cou

nted

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

#23#34

Collect local populations of flukes and their intermediate host, a (lymnaeid) mud snail.

Use advanced molecular techniques and virulence assays to determine genotypes, population structure and snail/fluke compatibility.

54

64

64

67

95

7363

89

67

H3H35H31H6

H26H25H27H34H4H2H13H5

H9H18H10H38H23H36H20H1H17

H33H30H32H16H29H21H22H24

H7H8H14H11H12H28H19H37

I

II

III

Can incompatible snails be substituted for fluke-compatible ones in a field situation?

Project Title: Cellular response to hypoxia and ischemia/reperfusion damage.

Principal InvestigatorDr Alexander Galkin, :Lecturer in Biochemistry

a.galkin@qub.ac.uk

Infarction / StrokeNeurodegenerationSurgery

Cancer cellsHypoxia (O2↓)ReoxygenationOxidative and nitrosative stress

Functional and structural analysis of oxidative phosphorylation and ROS production

Warburg effect

Project Title: Determining the structure and function of membrane transporter proteins involved in antibiotic resistance

Principal InvestigatorChris Law, Lecturer in Biochemistry

c.law@qub.ac.uk

Project Title: The biochemical basis of the genetic disease galactosemia

Principal InvestigatorDavid J Timson, Senior Lecturer in Biochemistry

d.timson@qub.ac.uk

Galactose metabolising enzymes

Normal function•Recombinant expression/purification•Enzymology•Inhibition•Stability•Co-factor interactions•Enzymes from other species

Disease-associated variants•Site-directed mutagenesis•Recreate disease-associated variants•Assess biochemistry•Collaborations with labs in USA

0 200 400 600 8000

10

20

30

[UDP-Gal]/µµµµM

Sp

ec

ific

Ra

te/

µµ µµm

ol U

DP

-Glc

.min

-1.m

g-1

Relate biochemistry to disease•Particular emphasis on alleles from non-Western populations•Refer back to structures•Identify allosteric modifiers•Discover “small molecule chaperones”

R333

L74

F171

F194D28

D28F194

F171

L74

R333

C + + + + + + + M For Rev

Gal-1P

Glc-1P

UDP-Glc

UDP-Gal

Project 1 The electric sense in fish

Understanding sensory systems in animal navigationRichard Holland, Lecturer in Animal Cognitionr.holland@qub.ac.uk

Project 2 Magnetoreception

Training

TestingMaze learning canreveal differences inmemory mechanisms

Sensory manipulationand biotelemetryinvestigate the roleof the magnetic sensein a natural setting

Evolu

tionar

y

Biolo

gy

Animal

Behaviour &

Welfa

re

Ecolo

gy

Environm

enta

l

Econom

ics

Microbio

logy

Bioch

emist

ry

Paras

itolo

gy

Food Saf

ety &

Nutritio

n