Researcher awarded funding to investigate immunological interactions of complex medicines
Dr Danielle Brain from the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics has been awarded funding from the Innovation Launchpad Network+ Researcher in Residence (RiR) scheme to develop a 3D subcutaneous skin model to investigate immunological interactions of medicines.
It is important to understand the immunological interactions of complex medicines as they may impact the drug’s safety and biodistribution. A subcutaneous skin model could help to determine potential immune reactions at the site of insertion or injection. These immune reactions could then help predict whether lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) would be compatible with subcutaneous delivery of medicines and their efficacy.
Dr Brain is a postdoctoral researcher within the department’s Immunocompatibility Group, led by Professor Neill Liptrott, as part of the Intracellular Drug Delivery Centre (IDDC). The group has been working on the immunocompatibility of complex medicines, such as lipidic nanoparticles and long-acting therapeutics. It has ensured that these advances in therapies are safe and identified valuable properties that can be built into future iterations of nucleic acid vaccines and drug depots, and through the IDDC is leading the development of national infrastructures considering the safety of complex medicines such as lipidic RNA vaccines and therapies.
As part of the scheme, Dr Brain will spend time at Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC), leveraging its advanced microscopy capability to provide an in-depth understanding of the 3D model system and how it can be used to confirm the relationship between medicines and potential immune reactions; strengthening ongoing UoL-MDC collaborations.
MDC is an independent, not-for-profit innovation centre for drug discovery, reshaping drug discovery for patient benefit. It supports drug discovery innovators by making world-class expertise, facilities, complex technologies and advanced analytics accessible to enable successful medicines discovery.
Dr Brain said: “This project builds upon research that I conducted during my PhD, and the funding will allow me to develop this subcutaneous model further whilst providing me with invaluable experience using the equipment at Medicines Discovery Catapult and gaining knowledge from their imaging team.”
Professor Liptrott said: “I am incredibly proud of Danielle for securing this funding. The model being developed here will not only support stakeholders in complex medicines but also significantly impact the development and delivery of RNA vaccines and long-acting therapeutics. The knowledge exchange from this project, between MDC, University of Strathclyde, and CPI, will not only strengthen their partnership but also further enhance UK capabilities in the complex medicines space, a crucial area of research.”
Sarah Brockbank, Strategy Leader for Complex Medicines at Medicines Discovery Catapult, said: “We are delighted to be working with Dr Brain on this project. It will enable us to build on our advanced microscopy capabilities to understand the distribution of complex drug modalities and cellular responses in 3D culture, providing an invaluable capability for the development of new vaccines and therapeutics. This is a great opportunity to apply MDC’s complementary expertise and build on our relationship with the Immunocompatibility Group at Liverpool.”
Professor Sonia Rocha, Executive Dean for the Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, said: “We are extremely proud of Danielle; this award is a testament to her drive and excellence. Furthermore, the award will allow Danielle to really conduct impactful research.”