Research and Development

Laboratory Medicine Reseach and Development

Lab People

The directorate of laboratory medicine has active research intrests in all disciplines.

Current Laboratory Medicine R&D Committee

Ar Aarn Huisson (Chair)

 Consultant Immunologist, Biochemistry and Immunology
Dr Elizabeth Boxall Consultant Clinical Scientist, HPA
Dr Katie Hardy Clinical Scientist, HPA
Professor Peter Hawkey Consultant Microbiologist, HPA
Mrs Lesley Horton R&D Coordinator, Laboratory Medicine
Dr Gerald Langman Consultant Histopathologist, Cellular Pathology
Dr Guy Pratt Consutlant Haematologist, Haematology
Dr Neil Smith Consutlant Haematologist, Haematology
Mr Paul Smith Biomedical Scientist 4, Cellular Pathology, Chair of Training Committee
Dr Jane Starczynski Clinical Scientist, Cellular Pathology
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Consultant Clinical Scientist, Biochemistry and Immunology
Last Updated on Sunday, 02 August 2009 12:02
 
Services

The Directorate of Pathology medicine offers a wide variety of analytical, clinical and support services to support Research and Development both within the directorate and for external partners.

We offer a fully accredited laboratory service and all our laboratory tests and services are available for use in research projects. Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to discuss and arrange your requirements.

In addition the Directorate is fully equipped to develop and implement new tests. For example The Department of Biochemistry and Immunology has recently developed methods for the determination of Mevlonate and 8-Isoprostane to support research into Vitamin D metabolism and Oxidative stress. Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to discuss and arrange your requirements.
 
R&D Day 2009

The annual Directorate of Laboratory Medicine R&D day was held in the directorate on Monday the 5th of October.

Abstracts of material to be presented at this meeting were invited from all members of the Directorate.

This meeting is a bit different to other research meetings. The aim is not (necessarily) to show what excellent research we've done in the past. Rather its a forum for people to learn what is currently happening, and what is being planned, around the directorate. The aim is to stimulate discussions and collaborations that would otherwise not occur. We asked for abstracts of up to 200 words describing the work planned, in progress or completed. In addition to “conventional” research, we would also wanted to see descriptions of assays being developed or modified for routine use.

In addition to poster presentations, 2 Minute presentations of selected abstracts from 1pm to 2pm were given. Here you can find abstracts, the presentations and audio from the day so you can hear and see the work being done in the directorate.

R&D is a high priority for the directorate and as is illustrated in the presentations all disciplines are active participants in research. We have a wide array of skills and technology that is available for collaborative or commissioned research projects. In addition we are able to provide a wide range of analytical services. If you would like more information on our services on offer you can contact our dedicated research facilitator Lesley Horton at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Congratulations to the Winners Jenna Waldron (Best Oral Presentation) and Dr Jason Evans (Best Poster Presentation)

Click here to see all the abstracts and listen to oral presentations
Last Updated on Tuesday, 13 October 2009 21:42
 
Development of a HPLC/MS-MS method for the measurement of mevalonic acid in human plasma

Jenna Waldron and Craig Webster.

Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Immunology, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital.

Mevalonic acid (MVA) is synthesised at an early and rate-limiting step in the biosynthesis of cholesterol by the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, and is a useful measure of statin efficacy or treatment. We have developed a specific and sensitive high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the measurement of MVA. Following its conversion to mevalonic acid lactone (MVAL), MVA, and a deuterated internal standard, were extracted from human plasma samples using solid-phase extraction. Chromatographic separation was achieved using a Luna PFP column (Phenomenex), which enables enhanced selectivity and improved resolution for polar compounds. An isocratic system was used with a mobile phase consisting of 15% methanol and ammonium formate buffer (5mM, pH 2.5), and a flow rate of 0.5 ml/min. Analysis was performed using an API 5000 tandem mass spectrometer (Applied Biosystems) and using an electrospray ESI source in positive mode. The instrument was tuned for the mass transitions of m/z 131?113 and 131?69. The retention times achieved for each transition allows for a total run time of 5 minutes. In conclusion, we have developed a method that is analytically specific and sensitive, and could potentially be used to determine the endogenous levels of MVA in normal individuals, and in patients undergoing statin treatment to aid in their lipid management.
 
Application of the optimal 24 MIRU-VNTR loci set for Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains improves the correlation between strain typing and epidemiological data.

Authors: Jason T. Evans (1), Beck Taylor (2), Desmond Estephane (1), Sarah Gardiner (1), E. Grace Smith (1), Peter M. Hawkey (1).

Affiliations:
(1) HPA West Midlands Laboratory, Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, Bordesley Green East, Birmingham B9 5SS, UK.
(2)Heart of Birmingham Teaching Primary Care Trust, Bartholomew House, 142 Hagley Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B16 9PA.

Objectives: The utility of DNA fingerprinting of M. tuberculosis strains has been enhanced by MIRU-VNTR typing. An enhanced set of 24 loci that offers greater discrimination over the original 12 loci and aims to improve the concordance of strain typing data with epidemiological data has been published. The aim of this study was to evaluate the optimal MIRU-VNTR loci set in discriminating clusters defined by the original MIRU-VNTR loci that have varying levels of epidemiological links.
Last Updated on Tuesday, 13 October 2009 21:04
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