Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge

Welcoming the next generation of scientists to Cambridge!  This July, our labs at the Department of Pharmacology are thrilled to host students participating in the Aspiring Scientists Training Programme (ASTP).  As a fully-funded initiative for A-level biology students from UK state schools, ASTP offers:   🔬 Hands-on lab experiences that ignite curiosity   🎓 Skills training tailored to kick-start scientific careers   🌟 Opportunities to connect with peers and mentors in STEM  We’re excited to open our doors, share cutting-edge research, and inspire students to explore the incredible possibilities of a career in biology. This programme is not just about education; it’s about widening participation, fostering talent, and empowering the scientists of tomorrow. If you’d like to learn more about the programme or to apply, visit bit.ly/ASTP_Apply #ScienceForAll #STEMOutreach #WideningParticipation #ASTP2025 #FutureScientists 

The Department of Pharmacology’s Seminar Series next talk is on Friday 28 February, 16:00, at the Department of Pharmacology Seminar Room.  This is our Postdoctoral Researcher Talks. The speakers are Dr Lay Ping Ong (Wilson Group) and Dr Federico Bosetto (Mela Group).   Dr Lay Ping Ong   Talk title: Cellular therapy for the failing heart - benefits of multicellularity?   Biography:   Chronic heart failure is a clinically unmet need. Stem cells are cells that can turn into any cell type in the body, and so adding new heart muscle using a stem cell-based approach holds great promise to reinstate the pumping ability of the heart.   Dr Lay Ping Ong is a clinical academic (Internal Medicine/Cardiology, Cambridge) interested in advanced heart failure and heart transplantation. Her prior experience as a UK cardiothoracic surgical resident led to her PhD in cardiac regeneration. During her PhD, Dr Ong discovered that human embryonic stem cells (hESCs)-derived cardiomyocytes carry a huge potential as a cellular therapy to cure heart failure. Then, she pivoted into physician-scientist training to advance this work toward clinics.   Currently, Dr Ong is funded by a joint MRC-Astra Zeneca fellowship, which uses a combinatorial approach to data-driven target discovery with downstream validation in complex human heart 3D assays. The ultimate aim is to develop novel therapies (stem cell-based and/or gene therapy) to treat chronic heart failure in collaboration with academics, clinicians, and industry scientists.   Dr Federico Bosetto   Talk title: Aptamers as therapeutic tools against resistant bacteria   Biography: Federico Bosetto graduated in Biological Sciences and in Molecular and Cellular Biology, both at the University of Bologna, Bologna (Italy). In 2021, he got his PhD degree in Agricultural Science and Biotechnology at the University of Udine, Udine(Italy), submitting a PhD thesis on “Development of synthetic methods, namely oligonucleotide aptamers, in order to stimulate the plant defense response in Arabidopsis thaliana”. In 2020, he performed a PhD visiting period at Istitut Pasteur of Paris (France) at Bioorganic chemistry of nucleic acids group. After the PhD, in 2021, he joint Pure Biologics (Wrocław, Poland) as R&D Scientist at Aptamers group, working on the development of chemically modified DNA aptamers for therapeutic purposes for human diseases. In 2023, he joint the University of Cambridge as Research Associate in Mela lab, working on the development of DNA aptamers in the field of the antibiotic resistance.   All talks for the lent term can be found here: https://lnkd.in/eMDPpfBq, and on talks.cam.

𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐋𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 - Dr Alecia-Jane Twigger The Department of Pharmacology’s next Seminar Series talk for Lent is on Friday 21 January at 16:00. It will be held in our Seminar Room. The speaker is Dr Alecia-Jane Twigger (Cambridge Lactation Lab, University of Cambridge).   Her talk is titled Milk it! The Cambridge Lactation Lab Vision - in person only!    Biography: Dr Twigger began her research career with a PhD in the Human Lactation Research Group at the University of Western Australia. Securing two prestigious postdoctoral fellowships back-to-back, she moved to Dr Christina Scheel’s laboratory at the Helmholtz Centre Munich, Germany to develop a milk cell derived mammary organoid model. In 2019, she was invited to join Walid Khaled’s laboratory at the Department of Pharmacology at UoC and Cambridge Stem Cell Institute. Here she focused on understanding differences in cell states of the mammary gland in normal (lactation) or abnormal (cancer) development using single cell protein and transcriptomic technologies. For the past 3 years, she has collaborated with a large interdisciplinary team lead by Prof Greg Hannon (CRUK-CI) and Jean Abraham (Breast Unit Addenbrookes) on a Wellcome LEAP funded project to determine the molecular mechanisms of triple negative breast cancer patient response to chemotherapy. Recently, she secured the prestigious UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship to start her own research group, the Cambridge Lactation Lab. The focus of the lab’s ongoing research programme is to develop models of human lactation to untangle the biosynthesis of milk to support breastfeeding and long-term health of mothers and infants.   All talks for the lent term can be found here: https://lnkd.in/eMDPpfBq, and on talks.cam. #Talks #Cambridge #Milk #Research

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 To mark this day, the Department has interviewed Dr Catherine Wilson as part of the Women in Pharmacology Series. Dr Catherine Wilson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and a Fellow, at Wolfson College. Cathy completed her PhD at the Institute of Medical Genetics at Cardiff University and then moved to The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute for her first post-doctoral stint. Next, Cathy moved to the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Cambridge before becoming a research group leader in the Department of Pharmacology in 2019. Read her interview here: bit.ly/3COpzjZ

𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐋𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 - Professor David Hughes The Department of Pharmacology’s next Seminar Series talk for Lent is on Friday 14 January at 16:00. It will be held in our Seminar Room. Our speaker is Professor David Hughes, School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Glasgow 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Developing More Effective Pharmacological Treatments for Chronic Pain Biography David is Professor of Neuroanatomy at the University of Glasgow, and one of six group leaders within the School of Psychology and Neuroscience’s Spinal Cord Group. He gained his BSc (Honours) in Anatomy at the University of Liverpool, and completed his PhD at the University of Wales, Cardiff, with his thesis on “Anatomical Evidence for Animo Acid Modulation of Cutaneous Sensory Afferents”. He then worked as a post-doctoral research assistant at University College London (Royal Free Hospital Campus) studying neuronal connectivity in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, before joining the University of Glasgow's Spinal Cord Group in 2000. David was appointed as a Lecturer of Anatomy in 2009, Senior Lecturer in 2014, and Professor in 2024. The Hughes Laboratory use a combination of anatomical and electrophysiological approaches in both human and rodent tissue to identify individual neuronal populations and determine how their activity influences our ability to perceive different sensations. Our multidisciplinary studies to dissect and define modality-specific spinal cord circuits employ the use of viral vector labelling in transgenic mice, chemogenetics, optogenetics, behavioural assessments, confocal microscopy, and electron microscopy. #Talk #Seminar #Pharmacology

A new pre-print from the Kumita lab is available to read - see below:

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭y: Research Laboratory Technician The Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, is currently looking to appoint a Research Laboratory Assistant to join the dedicated team of support staff providing general laboratory support to research groups in the department. This is a permanent part-time position for 18.25 hours per week. Due to the nature of this role, remote working is not possible, and the post holder will be required to work in the Department for the total of their working hours. The post holder will provide general laboratory support to the Department and research groups, ensuring adequate supplies of glassware and consumables, safely disposing of hazardous wastes and monitoring stocks of medical gases and cryogens. The Research Laboratory Assistant will carry out routine media/equipment preparation to support the effective delivery of teaching and research. They will also assist the Stores Technician to distribute deliveries of essential research items to laboratories as well as maintaining the correct storage conditions. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://bit.ly/3OX6aR7 #Pharmacology #Recruiting #Cambridge #Research

𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐋𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 - Professor Geoff Woods; Professor Pieter Cullis The Department of Pharmacology’s first Seminar Series talk for Lent is on Friday 31 January at 16:00. It will be held in our Seminar Room. Our speaker is Professor Geoff Woods, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research. 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Human Pain Genetics The next talk will be on Monday 3 Feburary. The speaker will be Professor Pieter Cullis, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia. 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Lipid Nanoparticles that Enable the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and Gene Therapies #Talks #Pharmacology #Cambridge #Seminars

𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: October to December Our Department has been busy publishing high-quality research across a wide range of journals. We have compiled all the publications released from October 2024 to December 2024 for your reading pleasure. Direct observation of small molecule activator binding to single PR65 protein - Itzhaki Group, https://lnkd.in/ep6cEZe6 Quantitative approaches for studying G protein-coupled receptor signalling and pharmacology - Cell Signaling Group, https://lnkd.in/e9KUXb4w Mechanistic Insights into the Adenosine A1 Receptor's Positive Allosteric Modulation for Non-Opioid Analgesics - Cell Signaling Group, https://lnkd.in/eHB3HvKS In Silico Modeling and Characterization of Epstein-Barr Virus Latent Membrane Protein 1 Protein - Rahman Group, https://lnkd.in/eKJRiG-D Activation of the proton-sensing GPCR, GPR65 on fibroblast-like synoviocytes contributes to inflammatory joint pain - Smith Group, https://lnkd.in/ekXvTtYB TRPV4 stimulates colonic afferents through mucosal release of ATP and glutamate - Bulmer Group, https://lnkd.in/ejSz8qZF 15th Annual ENBDC Meeting: How do Cellular Potency, Microenvironment and Natural Rhythms Influence Mammary Gland Biology and Breast Cancer? - Khaled Group, https://lnkd.in/ej8EchuK Post-transcriptional control drives Aurora kinase A expression in human cancers - Lindon Group, https://lnkd.in/eDRtkCJV How to target membrane proteins for degradation: Bringing GPCRs into the TPD fold - Itzhaki Group, https://lnkd.in/eUfQSgGk Virtual Screening Uncovers DspS Activators That Disperse Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms - Rahman Group, https://lnkd.in/eGXa6ANe #Pharmacology #Cambridge #Publications #Research #Journal

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬: Associate Professor / Professorship | Research Associate/ Assistant | Research Assistant 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 / 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩: Are you looking to start a Professorship? The School of Biological Sciences is pleased to invite applications for four new Grade 10 or Grade 11 (depending on experience) Professorship positions, available from October 2025: - Associate Professor / Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology - Associate Professor / Professor of Evolutionary Genomics - Associate Professor / Professor of Infection and/or Immunity - Associate Professor / Professor of Developmental Plasticity and Robustness The posts align with School's research strategy to foster innovative research across disciplinary boundaries. The focus of the Associate Professor / Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology will be to build a world-leading research programme, deliver excellent teaching, and to positively engage with academic leadership both in the home Department(s) and across the School of Biological Sciences. 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞/𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭: The Department has three Research Associate/Assistant roles open for applications. Please refer to our Jobs webpage for more information. 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭: Applications are invited for a Research Assistant position in the laboratory of Prof. Ewan St. John Smith at the Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge for an immediate start to work on The Helmsley Trust funded project: New insights into Crohn's disease from studying Naked Mole Rats. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects ~5 million individuals globally. For more information and to apply, please visit this site: https://bit.ly/3OX6aR7 #Pharmacology #Recruiting #Cambridge #Research