The news offers hope that doctors may one day be able to investigate suspected kidney pathologies without carrying out invasive procedures such as biopsies, raising the tantalising prospect of earlier and simpler disease detection.

The impact of late detection of kidney disease can be severe and can lead to serious - and sometimes life threatening - complications.

The team led by University of 51福利社 scientists measured the levels of approximately 20,000 genes in each cellular sediment sample of urine using a technique called transcriptomics.

The British Heart Foundation-funded study benefited from access to the world's largest collection of human kidney samples collected after surgery or kidney biopsy conducted before transplantation, known as the Human Kidney Tissue Resource, at 51福利社.

They extracted both DNA and RNA from each sample and connected information from their analysis, together with data from previous large-scale analyses of blood pressure (called genome-wide association studies), using sophisticated computational methods.

Transcriptomics allows scientists to understand which genes are turned on or off in different situations so they can understand how cells respond to changes in their environment.

Such molecular-level understanding enhances the precision and effectiveness of diagnostic approaches, potentially improving patient care and outcomes.

The study, published in Nature Communications today (19/03/24) also showed that low levels of a specific gene in the kidney is likely to be one of the causes of high blood pressure.

The gene, called ENPEP, is an important part of the hormonal system which is essential for regulation of blood pressure, by making an enzyme called aminopeptidase A.

It was one of 399 genes identified by the researchers whose levels in the kidney are also causally related to either increasing or decreasing in blood pressure.

The study was led by Chair of Cardiovascular Medicine at 51福利社 and Honorary Consultant Physician at 51福利社 University NHS Foundation Trust.

He is also Integrative Cardiovascular Medicine Co-Theme Lead at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) 51福利社 Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), which supported the research.

He said: 鈥淭his study shows that using cutting-edge technology we are able to combine different unique datasets together using genetics as a connector.

鈥淥ne of the most exciting findings of that is we discover how cells harvested from urine have the potential to provide a glimpse into the molecular operation of the human kidney.

鈥淭hat gives us an exciting avenue of research for non-invasive diagnostic testing.鈥�

He added: 鈥淧ersistent high blood pressure鈥攐r hypertension鈥攃an increase the risk of a number of serious and potentially life-threatening health conditions, such as heart disease, heart attacks and strokes.

鈥淥ur results also show that the gene ENPEP in the kidney is a new promising target for development of new blood pressure lowering medications.

鈥淭here are several classes of effective antihypertensives available, though the last new medication approved for management of high blood pressure was over a decade and a half ago.

鈥淲hile for some people, they are effective, side effects make it difficult for others to take over the long term. That is why we need more choice.鈥�

Professor Bryan Williams, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the British Heart Foundation, said: 鈥淭here is a well-known link between the heart and the kidneys in regulating blood pressure. This study uses cutting-edge scientific techniques to analyse genes present in kidney cells that are normally expelled in the urine. Analysing these cells could reveal which genes may be playing a key role in people with high blood pressure, and could potentially offer clinicians a new, non-invasive way to help diagnose those with kidney disease early on.

鈥淗igh blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, and this research has identified a gene called ENPEP that regulates important enzymes in the kidney that could be a promising target for blood pressure-lowering drugs. This study has demonstrated the power in using large sets of data and in doing so, shows how funding research like this can help us to improve treatment for people with high blood pressure.鈥�

The paper Genetic imputation of kidney transcriptome, proteome and multi-omics illuminates  new blood pressure and hypertension targets  is available . The DOI for the paper is 10.1038/s41467-024-46132-y

The highly interdisciplinary team used cutting-edge unsupervised deep learning to analyse over 50,000 three-dimensional magnetic resonance images of the heart from UK Biobank, a world-leading biomedical database and research resource.

The study, published in the leading journal , focused on uncovering the intricate genetic underpinnings of cardiovascular traits. The research team conducted comprehensive genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS), resulting in the discovery of 49 novel genetic locations showing an association with morphological cardiac traits with high statistical significance, as well as 25 additional loci with suggestive evidence.  

The study's findings have significant implications for cardiology and precision medicine. By elucidating the genetic basis of cardiovascular traits, the research paves the way for the development of targeted therapies and interventions for individuals at risk of heart disease.

The research was funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng), The Royal Society, the British Heart Foundation (BHF), and the Argentinean National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) in an interdisciplinary collaboration involving a RAEng Chair, two BHF Professors, and an IBM Fellow.

The research was directed by , Director of the , the Bicentennial Turing Chair for Computational Medicine, and a Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Emerging Technologies. The first author was Rodrigo Bonazzola, a PhD candidate, jointly co-supervised by Prof Frangi, (CONICET, Argentina) (IBM Fellow and Chief Scientist at IBM Research).

Prof Frangi said: 鈥淭his is an achievement which once would have seemed like science fiction, but we show that it is completely possible to use AI to understand the genetic underpinning of the left ventricle, just by looking at three-dimensional images of the heart.

鈥淧revious studies have only investigated association of traditional clinical phenotypes, such as left ventricular mass or stroke volume, limiting the number of gene associations detected for a given study size. However, this study used AI not only to delineate the cardiac chambers from three-dimensional medical images at pace but also to unveil novel genetic loci associated with various cardiovascular deep phenotypes.鈥�

He added: 鈥淭his research exemplifies the power of multidisciplinary teams and international collaborations, bolstered by UK Biobank's valuable data. By marrying genetic data with cardiac imaging through advanced machine learning, we've gained novel insights into the factors shaping cardiovascular health.鈥�

Early career scientist and rising star, Bonazzola, the study's lead author said: 鈥淥ur research reveals genes that harbour mutations known to be detrimental to other organisms, yet the impact of common variations within these genes on cardiac structure across the human population had not been previously documented. For instance, the STRN gene, recognised for its harmful variants leading to dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs, exhibits a common variant in humans that seems to induce a subtle but detectable change in mitral orientation.鈥�

Dr Ferrante said: 鈥淭he study's core achievement is a robust method based on geometric deep learning for large-scale genetic and cardiac imaging data analysis, leading to ground-breaking genetic insights related to heart structure. These discoveries could revolutionize our approach to disease understanding, drug development, and precision medicine in cardiology. The study's thorough analysis and ensemble-based methods also enhance the discovery rates and the reliability of our findings.鈥�

Prof Keavney, BHF Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at 51福利社, emphasised the transformative methodology. He said: 鈥淓mploying cutting-edge deep learning to integrate genetic and imaging data has shed light on the genetic underpinnings of heart structure. This approach is a beacon for future organ studies and understanding genetic influences on organ anatomy.鈥�

Prof Plein, BHF Professor of Cardiovascular Imaging in Leeds, said: "Cardiovascular MRI plays a crucial role in understanding disease phenotypes, allowing us to uncover genetic associations that help stratify cardiovascular diseases, ultimately leading to better treatments and precision medicine."

Professor Frangi added: 鈥淥ur publication marks a significant stride in correlating deep cardiovascular imaging traits with genetic data. It paves the way for revolutionary progress in cardiovascular research, clinical practices, and tailored patient care.鈥�

Professor Bryan Williams, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the British Heart Foundation, said: 鈥淭his new research shows the huge power of big data linking genes to heart structure. Machine learning has made this possible by transforming how we process, analyse and gain insights from big data to tackle the biggest questions in cardiovascular research. This pioneering new method has uncovered many more genes that influence the structure and function of the heart, which will lead to new insights into why abnormal structure and function can lead to heart disease.

鈥淗eart and circulatory diseases are still devastating millions of lives each year in the UK. AI could unlock more information about the genes that contribute to the structure of the heart. In future this could lead to real improvements for patients, including the development of tailored, precision treatments for people with heart problems.鈥�

The paper Unsupervised ensemble-based phenotyping enhances discoverability of genes related to left-ventricular morphology is published in

A research team led by a University of 51福利社 Professor has shown that a urine test, developed previously in Leicester, leads to a drop in blood pressure in patients who had been struggling to regularly take their blood pressure lowering tablets.

Professor Maciej Tomaszewski led the team from The Universities of 51福利社, Leicester, University College London and Prague, with collaborators from Central 51福利社 University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.

Of the 238 patients who underwent the urine test, 73 were not taking their blood pressure lowering tablets on a regular basis.

These data are consistent with previous research by the team which revealed more than one third of people with high blood pressure have not been taking their blood pressure medication as prescribed.

The research team tracked blood pressure changes in the 73 patients who had struggled to take their tablets regularly following their appointment at which the discussion of their initial urine test took place. 

The team noticed that systolic blood pressure fell on average by between 20 and 30 mmHg between the urine test and the final clinic visit.

A majority - over 50% -of patients who underwent the urine test became completely adherent to their prescribed blood pressure lowering treatment and a further 30% of patients improved their adherence. 

In terms of public health, such a significant drop in blood pressure may translate into an approximate 45% reduction in risk of coronary heart disease and a 65% reduction in the risk of stroke.

A previous study has shown that non-adherence to blood pressure-lowering tablets in the United States cost the health economy $18.5 billion.

The most common non-intentional non-adherence often results from forgetting to take the drugs, because so many of them are prescribed.

The research is published today in Hypertension.

Professor Tomaszewski, from 51福利社 said: “Our study shows the therapeutic benefits of biochemical screening for non-adherence to antihypertensive treatment.

“The urine test creates an opportunity for patients and their doctors to discuss the barriers to regular taking of blood pressure lowering medications. The doctors can then act on these barriers and provide the support the patients need to adhere to the treatment regimes.

“The blood pressure drop we see as a result of this test being used in clinical practice is likely to save lives. It is also likely to have an important impact on health economy if this test is used routinely”.

Dr Pankaj Gupta the first author of the paper from the University of Leicester’s Department of Cardiovascular Sciences and National Centre for Drug Adherence Testing (NCAT) based at Leicester’s Hospitals said: “High blood pressure is the single most important risk factor for premature death internationally.

“Conversion of the majority of non-adherent hypertensive patients to adherence with a significant drop in blood pressure is an important breakthrough, given that previous studies showed limited benefits from complex and costly interventions.”

Dr Prashanth Patel, the co-author of the paper, Head of the Department at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and Co-Director of NCAT, said: “Although treatments available to doctors are effective, target blood pressures are only achieved in 40-50% of patients.

“We suggest that repeated urine should be considered as a potential therapeutic approach to non-adherence in patients with high blood pressure.”

Professor Bryan Williams - Chair of Medicine, UCL, and Chairman of the European Society of Cardiology Council on Hypertension said: “This research is important because it shows that patients taking multiple blood pressure pills are often failing to take all of their medications and this leaves them at increased risk of poor blood pressure control and risk of stroke and heart disease.

“The research shows that identifying this problem can lead to better adherence to treatment and better blood pressure control and will reduce the risk of these patients. These techniques for monitoring treatment should be more widely available on the NHS to improve patient outcomes.”

The paper, ‘Biochemical screening for non-adherence is associated with blood pressure reduction and improvement in adherence’, published in Hypertension

A pioneering new study is set to help surgeons repair hearts without damaging precious tissue.

A team of scientists from Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), 51福利社, Aarhus University and Newcastle University, have developed a way of producing 3D data to show the cardiac conduction system - the special cells that enable our hearts to beat – in unprecedented detail. The findings were published in  鈥�

The new data in this study gives them a much more accurate framework than previously available for computer models of the heartbeat and should improve our ability to make sense of troublesome heart rhythms like atrial fibrillation that affects 1.4 million people in the UK. The data reveals exactly where the cardiac conduction system is in a normal heart. For example, it shows just how close it runs to the aortic valve.

Professor Jonathan Jarvis who is based at the LJMU School of Sport and Exercise Sciences explained: “The 3D data makes it much easier to understand the complex relationships between the cardiac conduction system and the rest of the heart. We also use the data to make 3D printed models that are really useful in our discussions with heart doctors, other researchers and patients with heart problems.

“New strategies to repair or replace the aortic valve must therefore make sure that they do not damage or compress this precious tissue. In future work we will be able to see where the cardiac conduction system runs in hearts that have not formed properly. This will help the surgeons who repair such hearts to design operations that have the least risk of damaging the cardiac conduction system.”

Co-author , who is based in 51福利社’s , has been working on the anatomy of the cardiac conduction system for 20 years. She says: "This is just the beginning. The British Heart Foundation is supporting my group to visualise this system in 3D from aged and failing hearts. With my research assistant Andrew Atkinson and working with Professor Jonathan Jarvis, Robert Stephenson and others, we will produce families of data from aged and failing hearts in 3D."

How this works

Soaking post-mortem samples in a solution of iodine, means soft tissue such as the heart can absorb X-rays and become visible 

With modern X ray scanners, scientists can make detailed 3D images. In the best images, they can even see the boundaries between single heart cells, and detect in which direction they are arranged. Within the heart, there is a special network called the cardiac conduction system that generates and distributes a wave of electrical activity stimulating the heart muscle to contract. This system makes sure that the various parts of the heart contract regularly and in a coordinated way, a bit like a team of rowers in a boat race. If the system is damaged, and one part of the heart contracts out of time with the rest, then the heart does not pump so efficiently.

This research was also in collaboration with the Visible Heart Laboratory, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA; National Institute of Legal Medicine, Bucharest, Romania and Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

Micro-CT scanning was carried out using the Nikon Metris XTEK 320 kV Custom Bay and Nikon XTEK XTH 225 kV systems at the 51福利社 X-Ray Imaging Facility, University of 51福利社".

The paper, ‘,’ was published in Scientific Reports. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-07694-8

University of 51福利社 researchers together with their UK and overseas collaborators have found out that more than one third of 1,400 people with high blood pressure have not been taking their blood pressure medication.

High blood pressure is the single most important risk factor for health loss and premature death globally, and although treatment is proven to be effective, target blood pressures are only achieved in 40-50% of patients. This is likely to be largely caused by high numbers of patients not taking their medicines correctly, or at all.

The scientists have used a mass-spectrometry technique to examine blood and urine samples from almost 1,400 people in the UK and Czech Republic.

They found that non-adherence to the blood pressure lowering drugs was high at 41.6% in the UK and 31.5% in the Czech Republic. Furthermore, with each additional prescription, the rate of non-adherence increased by 85% and 77% respectively.

from 51福利社, who led the study, said: “We suspected that some patients haven’t’ been taking their medications on a regular basis but this analysis shows how high that figure is.

“Clearly, the more blood pressure lowering drugs are prescribed, the higher the risk that the patients will not be taking them on a regular basis. We also showed that diuretics are particularly poorly taken.”

The results from this analysis, show that four easy-to-collect parameters: patients’ age, sex, the number of blood pressure lowering medications and the diuretics together can provide a good measure of the risk of not taking the medications on a regular basis.

The researchers believe that in the future they can develop even better formulae to estimate the risk of not taking blood pressure lowering drugs without a need of a urine/blood analysis.

This will be particularly useful in countries with limited resources, as Professor Tomaszewski explained. “Not all countries will have sufficient expertise and the financial capacity to invest in technology that we are using.”

Professor Tomaszewski’s research team has just been awarded £750,000 by the to further the understanding of non-adherence to antihypertensive treatment.

Professor Tomaszewski said: “We are thrilled by this generous award from the British Heart Foundation. Our collaborative OUTREACH study brings together the key UK centres and researchers in the field of hypertension to examine how our urine test can help patients taking their blood pressure lowering medications on a regular basis.”

The paper, ‘’ was published in the journal Hypertension.

A study by 51福利社 and Stanford scientists into the effects on fish of a 2010 oil disaster could shed new light on how air pollution affects humans’ hearts.

The 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster resulted in a major oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, an area of water which is heavily populated with fish species. In a paper published in Nature Scientific Reports, the team analysed the effects of individual components of crude oil on the hearts of fish.

By studying cardiac cells from pelagic fish, like tunas and mackerels that live in the Gulf of Mexico, the team identified phenanthrene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) released from oil as a key factor in disrupting heart function.

Furthermore the processes in the heart which are affected by this PAH are common across all vertebrates, including humans, and underlie both the strength and the rhythm of the heart.

This is of particular importance as phenanthrene is present in air pollution in urban areas.

, a senior lecturer at 51福利社 who worked on the study, said: “These open ocean fish are hard to study in captivity, but understanding what component of the Deepwater Horizon disaster oil negatively affected the heart is really important. It could help us distinguish the cardiotoxic potential of environmental catastrophes.

“It also provides insight into the possible cardiac impacts of urban air pollution on public health.”

The use of oil and its derivatives, in particular in car engine combustion, has been a cause of concern for some time, with high levels of air pollutants measured in urban areas around the world, including in the UK.

Dr Shiels added: “Very little information to date has been available on individual PAH chemical toxicity beyond developmental and carcinogen effects. As a result we hope that this study will raise global interest in this important pollutant, given the prevalence of petroleum and PAHs in our environment.”

The paper, ‘’ was published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports. doi:10.1038/srep41476 It is available under open access.

For more information, visit the website of .

A biologic drug which treats rheumatoid arthritis has been shown by new research to reduce the risk of heart attacks in arthritis sufferers by up to 40 per cent.

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have a 60 per cent higher risk of heart attacks than the public, thought to be linked to the inflammation caused by the disease on affected joints. Reducing inflammation is a key goal of medical interventions, and several types of treatments are used.

Biologic drugs, such as tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi), work by reducing or eliminating certain proteins that cause inflammation. Synthetic disease modifying therapies (sDMARD) are used to slow down progression of rheumatoid arthritis and include drugs like methotrexate.

Current guidelines in the UK restrict the prescribing of TFNi in RA patients only to those with a sustained and highly active disease which has failed to respond to therapeutic doses of sDMARDS. Other patients with persistent inflammation which is at a more moderate level despite sDMARDs are not eligible. It is estimated that around 15% of patients with RA are receiving biologic therapies.

Researchers from the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register for Rheumatoid Arthritis (BSRBR-RA) at the Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology at 51福利社, studied two groups of RA patients to determine both heart attack risk and the severity of attack when occurred.

The first group, 11,200 strong, was for those receiving TNFi drugs, while remaining 3,058 patients were taking only sDMARDs.

Over three to five years of clinical and records follow-up, the researchers noted that risk of heart attacks was reduced by almost 40 per cent in patients who received TNFi compared to those who had received sDMARD only.

Kimme Hyrich, Professor in 51福利社’s Division of Musculoskeletal & Dermatological Sciences, led the BSRBR-RA’s research team and said: “Rheumatoid arthritis patients already have to endure a debilitating condition, but to have an elevated risk of heart attacks because of their disease is a very worrying complication. In addition to managing risk factors such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, achieving excellent control of inflammation can also reduce this risk.

“Our team has been able to show that this elevated risk can be reduced significantly by using biological drug therapies such as TNFi. The prescribing guidelines for TFNi therapies are very specific, and for good reason.

“However, the biologically plausible explanation for our findings – not only that TFNi reduces the inflammation associated with atherosclerosis but that it also may inhibit the accumulation and progression of plaque leading to fewer heart attacks – could be used to review existing guidelines and in particular, extend the use to patients with moderate levels of disease activity.”

Another member of the research team, the majority of whose research is funded by the British Heart Foundation is University of Leeds Associate Professor of Cardiovascular Health Sciences and Honorary Consultant Cardiologist, Dr Chris Gale. He said: “This study, which linked the national registry of patients with rheumatoid arthritis with the national health attack registry, shows a striking relationship between the use of biological treatments for rheumatoid arthritis and reduced risk of heart attack.

“Clearly, further research is needed to investigate the cellular mechanisms behind this, but also to test whether immunosuppressive agents may reduce the risk of heart attack in other high risk populations.”

Stephen Simpson, Director of Research and Programmes at Arthritis Research UK, said: “This promising research could make a real difference to people with arthritis who live with the knowledge that they are have an increased risk of having a heart attack. We are delighted that our funding is helping find ways to understand and reduce that risk and help give people the everyday freedom they need from the limits of arthritis.”

Another research outcome related to the severity of heart attacks that did occur in the total study cohort. There was no difference in the severity of heart attacks among those who did suffer a myocardial infarction while on either drug therapy. So while TNFi treatments did reduce the risk of experiencing a heart attack, it showed no impact on the severity – and overall survivability – of heart attacks among RA patients.

The research team worked with the Myocardial Ischaemia National Audit Project, as mentioned by Professor Gale, to assist in grading heart attack severity and also the Health and Social Care Information Centre to access reporting of deaths.

Dr Mike Knapton, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said:

“Patients with the painful and disabling condition rheumatoid arthritis also have a 60 to 70 per cent increased risk of a heart attack. This research is interesting, showing a clear association between receiving TNFi and risk of heart attack, however, it does not actually confirm that the biological drug causes the reduction in risk of heart attack.

“This research will inform future work, as we discover new ways to reduce heart attacks in people living with rheumatoid arthritis.

"In the meantime it is important that patients with rheumatoid arthritis should not only be offered treatment for their condition, but also offered management to reduce their risk of a heart attack – including managing blood pressure, cholesterol and lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise.”

51福利社 has announced a strategic collaboration with U.S. company Singulex, Inc., a leader in the use of single molecule counting technology as a diagnostic tool.

The Company, a leader in next generation immunodiagnostics, has installed its SMCTM powered Sgx ClarityTM System in the 51福利社 Molecular Pathology Innovation Centre (MMPathIC) labs as part of the Company’s ongoing clinical evaluation ahead of an anticipated European CE-Mark declaration in 2017. The Sgx Clarity System, a fully-automated in vitro diagnostics platform currently under development, is designed to bring the benefits of Singulex’s SMC technology to hospital and reference labs worldwide.

This represents an important milestone in MMPathICs vision to get new biomarkers into clinical use in the NHS. 51福利社 received £3M of Medical Research Council (MRC) and Engineering and Physical Research Council (EPSRC) funding for MMPathIC, one of 6 molecular pathology nodes, which has built an infrastructure of key expertise which can work with researchers, clinicians and companies in biomarker discovery and development.

51福利社 Molecular Pathology Innovation Centre is utilizing the Sgx Clarity System to evaluate SMC powered high-precision cardiac troponin assays to guide disease rule-out in the high cost and high patient risk area of cardiac disease.

“The ability to access SMC technology in our own facility via the Sgx Clarity System is extremely valuable,” said Prof. Anthony Freemont, Director of the 51福利社 Molecular Pathology Innovation Centre at the University of 51福利社. “Our clinical evaluation of the Sgx Clarity System is examining the economic impact of ruling-out coronary artery disease, with a view to the utility in the acute and community-based settings. We’re also looking at potential future applications in AMI, oncology and infectious disease. Already, I can see broad potential for clinical applications and the ability to inform physician decisions and help bring economic benefits to the broader health setting.”

“High-sensitivity testing of cardiac troponin is a game-changer for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac disease,” said Prof. Rick Body, from 51福利社 and Professor at the Royal College of Emergency Medicine. “We need high precision and sensitivity assays to definitively rule-out disease. Assessing cardiac biomarkers at levels previously unattainable will help physicians rule-out disease in patients suspected of having cardiovascular disease and hence focus on the patients with the greatest risk and need, while also helping to reduce the overall cost and risk for the patient and the health system.” 

“Singulex is very excited to be working with our colleagues in the 51福利社 Molecular Pathology Innovation Centre” said Guido Baechler, president and CEO of Singulex, Inc. “It is critical for our company that we work with organizations that share our desire to deliver precision approaches for the transformation of patient care. As a recognized leader in the UK and across Europe, we feel MMPathIC will play an important role in the development of future assays and application of our technology to help improve health outcomes and reduce health care costs.”

Prof. Freemont added “The collaboration with Singulex is a great exemplar of the work that MMPathIC can do to support companies, whilst facilitating the translation of new tests to the clinic for the benefit of patients.”

About the molecular pathology nodes
Molecular pathology is a major tool in stratified medicine. Tiny samples of blood or tissue are taken from the patient – usually with minimal discomfort because of the small amount taken and the use of minimally-invasive methods of collection. The samples are then analysed for levels of large molecules (such as proteins and DNA).  Combining these results with other information, such as imaging and clinical data, enables the precise subdivision of patients.

In 2014, the MRC produced a report that warned that, while UK investment in stratified medicine has reached nearly £200 million in the last four years, the UK capacity for molecular pathology needed to be increased in order to capture the potential patient and economic benefits stratification offers.

To support molecular pathology, the MRC and EPSRC have supported six nodes led by the universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leicester, 51福利社, Newcastle and Nottingham. Each node brings researchers, clinicians and industry together to develop molecular diagnostic tools, to enable stratification, in key disease areas
About 51福利社 Molecular Pathology Innovation Centre

MMPathIC addresses the challenges through the MRC report, through its pipeline model for working, which aims to bring key stakeholders (academia, clinical/ pathology service, and industry) into proximity, better define the developmental pathway, and offer cross-cutting training approaches to expand the skills base to support molecular pathology and diagnostic development. MMPathIC provides an environment to facilitate the translation of stratified medicine and biomarker research into usable tests that can be implemented within the NHS. The MMPathIC vision is to deliver at least six new biomarker tests or biomarker-based technologies to the clinic/market by October 2019. MMPathIC received £3M in funding from MRC and EPSRC, which was supplemented by a further £1.9M institutional and industry support.

Men with type 2 diabetes taking treatments for erectile dysfunction could be reducing their risk of a heart attack and improving their chances of surviving a heart attack, according to a study funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR).

The researchers at the University of 51福利社 were studying the electronic health records between January 2007 and May 2015 of almost 6,000 men with type 2 diabetes aged between 40 and 89 years old.

The findings, , provide strong evidence that erectile dysfunction treatments that block an enzyme called PDE5 act to reduce risk of death in type 2 diabetes, according to the researchers. Viagra is one example of an erectile dysfunction treatment that works by blocking the PDE5 enzyme.

Compared with non-users, the 1,359 men who were prescribed PDE5 inhibiting drugs experienced lower percentage of deaths during follow-up (19.1 per cent vs. 23.8 per cent) and lower risk of death (31 per cent) by any cause. Risk of death was still reduced after adjusting for age and other factors that affect heart disease risk. They also found that there were significantly fewer heart attacks in people taking erectile dysfunction treatment over the study period. And in a subgroup of patients who had a history of heart attack or had one during the study period, the drugs were associated with significantly lower risk of death.

3.5 million adults in the UK have been diagnosed with diabetes and 90 per cent of those people have type 2. Having diabetes can double the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

One of the 51福利社 team, BHF Senior Research Fellow , has already shown in the lab that heart cells from a failing heart survive longer when they receive this treatment. This team is now looking to confirm whether the same drugs can also prevent abnormal heart rhythms which are responsible for killing up to half of heart failure patients. They hope that these two laboratory studies, in animals, will then lead to clinical trials in people with heart failure.

Scientists funded by the British Heart Foundation have discovered that oxidants, which have historically been blamed for heart disease, have a vital role ensuring the heart pumps blood around the body effectively. The discovery, by researchers working collaboratively in 51福利社 and London, opens up the potential for new treatments.

The researchers now hope to develop drugs based on their discovery that could lower blood pressure and treat conditions caused by the heart not pumping properly, including certain forms of heart failure.

The study, published today in Nature Communications, found that when the heart relaxes oxidants are released which activate an enzyme called Protein Kinase G (PKG), in a process called oxidation. The oxidation of PKG helps to ensure the amount of blood entering the heart is the same as the amount pumped out. This is vital in the functioning of a healthy heart.

However, when the researchers looked at the hearts of mice with a form of PKG that cannot be oxidised, they found that their hearts did not fill with blood properly and that their heart function was compromised.

The findings in the heart were complemented by BHF-funded research on arteries published recently in Science Signaling. The BHF researchers found activation of PKG by oxidants is also critical for the way arteries sense high blood pressure and then relax.

The researchers, led by BHF Research Fellow Dr Adam Greenstein from 51福利社, found that when arteries sense high blood pressure inside them they generate oxidants which activate PKG. The activation of PKG in response to pressure then relaxes the arteries. In mice with PKG that cannot be oxidised, the arteries constricted more strongly and this caused high blood pressure. 

The scientists believe that dysregulation of the activation of PKG may occur in several cardiovascular diseases. They now hope to develop drugs which can mimic the oxidant-induced relaxation of the heart and arteries, to treat patients with problems in the way their hearts fill and pump blood around the body. This may also be valuable in lowering blood pressure.

“These new papers demonstrate just how important PKG is in the regulation of the heart and blood vessels," said Professor Jeremy Pearson, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, which funded the research. “The studies provide strong evidence that new drugs which target PKG activation are likely to be useful in patients suffering with heart failure or with high blood pressure.”

You can find out more about the BHF’s fight against heart disease at .

An international collaboration of scientists involving a team of researchers at 51福利社 led by Dr David J. Lewis has developed a tiny electric sensor, which could potentially improve patient survival rates by telling doctors if a person has had a heart attack.

Cardiovascular diseases account for around 30% of adult deaths in the 30−70 year age group, which is greater than the combined deaths from all types of cancer. The ability to diagnose cardiac disease is therefore of utmost concern to doctors. When someone has a heart attack, certain chemicals are released into their bloodstream in elevated amounts, and blood tests are therefore the key to diagnosis. 

Dr Lewis, from 51福利社’s School of Materials, has worked with his colleagues and a team at India’s Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST) since 2014 to develop a nanoscale sensor made from ‘few-layer black phosphorus’, a new 2D material, which was coated in DNA. The immobilised DNA binds to a chemical called myoglobin, which increases in blood plasma after a heart attack and can be detected and measured by a simple electrical test.

This could have a major impact, as it is potentially the most rapid, sensitive, selective and accurate method currently available to detect if someone has elevated levels of myoglobin– the measurement of which is one of the methods used in hospitals to check if someone has suffered a heart attack. The researchers predict that its eventual introduction into the clinic could improve patient survival rates after an attack.

This work is the first example of 2D few-layer black phosphorus being used as a biological sensing platform. The test could eventually be used at the patient bedside, and does not require the use of centralised laboratories that may slow down their diagnosis. As the DNA used is developed using chemical information imparted to it by the biological target, it is potentially a universal system that could be applied to other targets beyond myoglobin.

Their work is described in detail in the

A period of intense debate about statins, covered widely in the mainstream media, was followed by a substantial rise in the proportion of people in the UK stopping taking the drug, according to a new study published in the BMJ.

Led by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, supported by 51福利社 and funded by , the study by Anthony Matthews and colleagues is the first to attempt to quantify how the controversy questioning the risk-benefit balance for statins, reflected by the UK media, may have affected the use of the drug in primary care.

The researchers found no evidence that widespread media coverage of the debate was linked to changes in the proportion of newly eligible patients starting statins, but there was an increase in the likelihood of existing users stopping statin therapy.

Statins reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and are widely recommended as part of the prevention strategy for patients with a high recorded 10-year CVD risk score (primary prevention) and patients who have experienced a recent cardiovascular event such as a heart attack or stroke (secondary prevention). Severe side effects associated with statins are extremely rare, but questions over the frequency with which the drugs cause problematic symptoms, such as muscle pain and weakness, have been raised in the academic press and reported in the national media.

Using data from UK primary care records, the researchers calculated the proportion of patients initiating and stopping statins for primary and secondary CVD prevention each month from January 2011 - March 2015. They analysed the data to investigate changes in statin use following a period of intense media coverage of the public debate around statins from October 2013 to March 2014.

The researchers found an 11% and 12% increase of existing users stopping statins given for primary and secondary prevention respectively following the period of intense coverage. The increase appeared to be temporary, with the overall proportion stopping the drug returning to expected levels six months after the coverage. Older patients and those who had been taking statins for longer were more likely to stop therapy.

The analysis also revealed a marked decrease in the proportion of patients receiving a 10-year CVD risk score from their GP after the period of media coverage, which the researchers say suggests other important impacts on conversations between GPs and patients regarding general cardiovascular health.

Study author Dr Liam Smeeth from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine said: “Our findings suggest that widespread coverage of health stories in the mainstream media can have an important, real world impact on the behaviour of patients and doctors. This may have significant consequences for people’s health.

“It’s undoubtedly important that debates around health issues are reflected in the media, who play a key role in communicating public health advice. We have seen many other instances where health-related media coverage has had an impact on patient behaviour, sometimes in a positive way, such as increases in attendance for cancer screening after coverage of celebrities developing cancer.

“However, in the case of statins, we are concerned that widespread reporting of the debate has given disproportionate weight to a minority view about possible side effects. This has dented public confidence in a drug which most scientists and health professionals believe to be a safe and effective option against heart disease for the vast majority of patients.”

from 51福利社’s added: “This study was made possible by accessing anonymised health records. It is another powerful example of how data that already exists in the health service can be re-used for the purpose of research, enhancing our understanding of the factors that influence human health.”

Scaling their findings up to the UK population, the researchers estimated that, assuming the intense media coverage was the cause of the observed changes, it could have resulted in more than 200,000 patients across the UK stopping statin therapy in the six months following the exposure period.

Previous research suggests that up to two-thirds of patients who stop statins will restart within 12 months, but the remainder may have stopped permanently, losing any protection their statins conferred against cardiovascular disease.

The researchers then modelled the number of cardiovascular events (such as heart attack and stroke), that may have resulted from the changes, by combining the number of people thought to be affected with established estimates for the effectiveness of statins. Based on a number of assumptions, they estimated there would be at least 2,000 cardiovascular events over the next 10 years, which would not have occurred if these patients had continued taking statins.^[2] The British Heart Foundation estimate that 188,000 hospital stays are attributable to heart attacks per year.

Dr Smeeth said: “Journalists are faced with the difficult task of reporting claims and counter claims when it comes to health research. While they are accountable for accurate, balanced and responsible reporting, scientists, journals and press offices are accountable for the accurate dissemination of research.

“Patients should have the most accurate information possible that reflects the balance of scientific evidence to enable them to make informed decisions about their health. People with concerns about statins, or who are thinking about making any important health decision, should always discuss this with their doctor.”

Professor Peter Weissberg, Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, said: “There is no debate that patients who have suffered a heart attack or stroke should be taking statins to reduce their risk of another cardiovascular event. Evidence from numerous objective clinical trials also shows that statins are a safe and effective way of reducing risk of someone suffering a heart attack or stroke in the first place.

“It is absolutely vital that medical practice is guided by evidence, rather than strongly held personal opinions. This study shows that confidence in the evidence can be shaken by opinions published in the mainstream media and medical press and points to an important and complex relationship between doctors, patients and the media.

“No one should stop taking their statin without first discussing it with their GP.”

The authors acknowledge that their study cannot confirm that media coverage of the statins debate was the cause of the observed changes in the likelihood of stopping statins. If other external factors affecting prescribing rates coincided with the media coverage, this may have affected the study estimates. To try to rule this out they carried out two additional analyses, one using the same methods to look for changes in the use of drugs prescribed for glaucoma, and another looking at changes in statin prescribing exactly a year earlier when there was no notable media coverage. As expected, neither analyses showed associations, strengthening the researchers’ confidence in their methods and their main findings.

, BMJ. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.i3283

Some 61 million rural children left behind by parents moving to China’s booming urban centres are at risk from increased fat and reduced protein in their diets, research from 51福利社, published in Public Health Nutrition suggests.

The study of 975 children from 140 rural villages in nine provinces carefully analysed nutritional intake and showed a particular risk to boys who were left behind in the care of grandparents or one parent while a mother or father sought work away from home.

The research was led by Nan Zhang from the University’s . She said: “There are sound financial reasons why so many people move from rural to urban areas in China, but the benefits that more money brings to a family can often be at the expense of child nutrition.

“The Chinese government needs to recognise this growing problem among rural communities and this research provides some evidence to target health policies on encouraging a balanced diet.”

The study found that ‘left behind’ boys in particular consumed more fat and less protein than those from complete families, which leaves them at increased risk of obesity and stunted growth. This finding has important policy implications in a specific cultural context where ‘son preferences’ are powerful.

Although the findings don’t provide reasons for this change in diet, the researchers speculate that mothers moving away from home generally earn less, and that these lower earnings act in combination with grandparents’ poorer dietary knowledge or willingness to spend more on food.  Another academic paper led by Nan Zhang has explored the intergenerational differences in beliefs about healthy eating for left-behind children among grandparents and parents and was published in Appetite.

Another factor at work could be that prices of protein-based foods such as eggs and meat have increased faster than many households’ incomes – meaning that even though money is being sent home from one or both parents, nutrition doesn’t always improve.

Nan Zhang said: “The process of parental migration is complex and the reasons for problems in boys’ nutrition are not straightforward, however we can see that both parents and grandparents in rural areas need to be educated about good diet. 

“Because raising children can fall on all members of the family, good care-giving practice needs to become more widespread.”

The paper, ‘ was published in the journal, Public Health Nutrition.

Funding came from an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Postgraduate Scholarship

Nine hundred people have set a new Guinness World Record today (16 October) at a University of 51福利社-organised CPR relay, in aid of European Restart a Heart Day.

One person suffers a cardiac arrest every six minutes in the UK and 12 young people die every week from undiagnosed cardiac conditions, so the attempt, which is in support of , sought to train a minimum of 701 people in this vital technique – breaking a previous record of 700 set by the American Heart Association.

Training to save a life only takes 15 minutes and each volunteer who took part performed chest compressions for one minute before the next person took over.  Even a five second delay between the transfer between people would have resulted in the record being invalid, so organisation was key to the success of the attempt.

The record attempt was the brainchild of senior lecturer, Patricia Conaghan and Professor Christopher Cutts, Associate Dean for Social Responsibility, .

Patricia said: “A huge thanks to our volunteers and the people of 51福利社 who took part in the attempt today. Mainly though this is about getting the message out that learning this skill only takes a few minutes and thanks to this event we’ve now got over 700 people who can perform CPR in an emergency.”

The event was supported by 51福利社 , ; , , , , ,Greater 51福利社 Fire and Rescue Service and . The event was also supported by from University alumni and friends.

Dr Andy Lockey, Honorary President of Resuscitation Council (UK), was at the event.  He said: “We want as many people to know CPR as possible, so 51福利社 is now a fantastic place to be because if you collapse there are an extra 700 people who know what to do.”

51福利社 has a strong commitment to supporting resuscitation through the deployment of defibrillators across campus and training initiatives including a student volunteering project.

Student, Rob Turton took part.  He said: “I really wanted to take part in the world record attempt but it’s really important that people know CPR – it’s such a good thing to know.”

51福利社 will attempt to break a Guinness World Record next Friday with more than 700 people performing CPR on campus.

One person suffers a cardiac arrest every six minutes in the UK and 12 young people die every week from undiagnosed cardiac conditions, so the attempt, which is in support of European Restart a Heart Day, is seeking to train a minimum of 701 people in this vital technique.

Training to save a life only takes 15 minutes and each volunteer taking part will be required to perform chest compressions for one minute before the next person takes over.  The current record is held by the American Heart Association who managed to get 700 people to take part in New York in June 2015.

The record attempt is the brainchild of senior nursing lecturer, Patricia Conaghan and Professor Christopher, Cutts Associate Dean for Social Responsibility, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences. Patricia said: “This really is a chance to do something amazing – setting an official World Record and learning a skill which might help you save someone’s life one day. There’s not many people who can say they’ve done that on a Friday in 51福利社!”

The event is being supported by 51福利社 Students’ Union, Resuscitation Council (UK); Laerdal, CityCo, Cardiac Smart, Hand on Heart, and the European Resuscitation Council.

Volunteers can be of any age and previous experience. Refreshments are being provided on the day as well as a DJ playing music specially selected to help people keep the rhythm.

A Guinness representative will be on hand and independent judges will be keeping an eye out to make sure everything goes well.  People can turn up to University Place on Oxford Road at any point during the attempt which runs between 7am and 7pm on Friday 16 October or they can book on using the Eventbrite page.

51福利社 has a strong commitment to supporting resuscitation through the deployment of defibrillators across campus and training initiatives including a student volunteering project. This record attempt will enable the training of even more people.

Patricia added: “We’ve got a huge range of people taking part including the student rowing team, NHS staff and even people attending a gig at the 51福利社 Academy straight after, so it’s a really inclusive event.

“Most importantly, this skill could be needed by anyone at any time, so for the sake of 15 minutes of training it’s an invaluable technique to know.”