Nexxus Scotland

Institute of Biomedical & Life Sciences

The Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences (IBLS) is one of the largest centres for biological research in Europe, with 140 full-time academic staff and over 200 contract researchers. The Undergraduate School is involved in teaching over 4,000 students from Science and Medicine, and the Graduate School co-ordinates the training of 300 postgraduate students. Commercialisation of IBLS research involves collaborations with many major international companies as well as with many small and medium sized enterprises.

Research in IBLS is based primarily on themes which often span Divisions and frequently involve colleagues from other faculties such as Medicine, Chemistry, Veterinary Medicine, Computing Science and Engineering as well as the Wellcome Centre for Molecular Parasitology and research institutes such as the Beatson Institute for Cancer Research. There are five Divisions whose research focuses on a wide range of topics in modern biology:

• Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
• Environmental & Evolutionary Biology
• Infection & Immunity
• Molecular Genetics
• Neuroscience & Biomedical Systems

Division of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

The Division provides a stimulating environment for internationally recognised research in many crucial areas of fundamental science that underpin medicine and biotechnology. There are four main research themes:

• Cell and molecular biology
• Molecular pharmacology
• Structural biology
• Plant molecular science

Each of these themes is built around a core of active research groups and there is considerable overlap of approach and cross-fertilisation of ideas between groups.   The main interests in cell and molecular biology concern membrane traffic, cytokinesis, the cell cycle and compartmentalised cell signalling.   The targets of the molecular pharmacology group are phosphodiesterases, G protein-coupled receptors and adenosine receptors.   The structural biology group uses high-field NMR and X-ray crystallography, along with a wide array of biochemical approaches, to understand the function of light-harvesting complexes, G protein coupled receptors and multienzyme complexes.   Members of the plant group work on light perception, stress signalling and resistance, ion channels and mineral nutrition.

Division of Environmental & Evolutionary Biology

This Division has internationally-recognised research strengths in what can be broadly defined as functional ecology. There are six research groups:

• Aquatic Ecosystems
• Fish Biology
• Molecular Ecology and Evolution
• Ornithology
• Physiological Ecology
• Theoretical Ecology

All six groups interact closely and researchers are often involved with more than one group in inter-linking projects. The first four groups focus on aspects of life history strategies and the functional significance of, and proximate mechanisms underlying, the responses of individuals to changes in key environmental parameters. The molecular ecology and evolution group is involved in both empirical and theoretical aspects of evolution in plants and animals and in the application of bioinformatic techniques to the classification of organisms. The theoretical ecology group works on the social behaviour of animals and the dynamics of populations, and addresses applied issues (e.g. disease control, conservation biology) as well as fundamental studies of communities and ecosystems. The Division has excellent research facilities for both field and laboratory research, including the University's new Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment at Rowardennan on Loch Lomond.

Division of Infection & Immunity

The research interests of this Division are divided into four research themes, with numerous interactions with colleagues in other Divisions and Departments, particularly in the Veterinary Medicine and Engineering Faculties. A wide range of disease-causing organisms of both medical and veterinary importance are under investigation. Pneumonia, whooping cough, malaria, trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis are among the major diseases whose causative agents are currently being studied. The four research themes are:

• Microbiology which focuses predominately on bacteria and includes work on bacterial toxins, bacterial virulence factors, host responses and vaccine development.
• Parasitology research interests include parasite biochemistry targeted towards rational drug design, understanding drug resistance, analysis of parasite antigens and vaccination;
• Virology interests are focussed on DNA repair and RNA metabolism in papilloma and herpes viruses
• Cell engineering is an innovative marriage of biology and engineering and is concerned with the use of cells, and inorganic matrices, to build systems useful both for biomedical purposes and fundamental research.

Division of Molecular Genetics

The Division maintains the University's longstanding reputation as a centre for research in Genetics. We aim to understand how genes and their regulation determine the attributes and functions of living organisms.

The subjects of our research range from molecules to cells, whole organisms and populations. Some of our work focuses on the genetic material itself, DNA, and how it can be 'cut and pasted' by enzymes to create new arrangements of genes. DNA sequence information is being used to reveal the evolutionary relationships of groups of organisms. A number of our research groups are using 'model organisms' to elucidate the genetic basis of cellular processes. Baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans provide models for studies of the genetic mechanisms that regulate cell division, proliferation, and development. A notable strength of the Division is in the use of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster for studies on the genetics of behaviour, the molecular physiology of ion transport, cell signalling mechanisms, and human genetic diseases. Other groups focus more directly on the genetic basis of human physiology and disease, with studies on cancer, viruses, neural diseases, and on general health and fitness.

Division of Neuroscience & Biomedical Systems

A common central theme of the Division is the integration of findings at the molecular, cellular and tissue levels to provide a better understanding of the workings of the whole body. Many of the current projects involve collaborations with clinical departments, address overtly clinical themes or involve collaborations with the Pharmaceutical Industry as well as with other Divisions of IBLS and other university departments. Research is focused under four broad research themes:

• Cardiovascular research relates to the role of endothelial and autonomic mechanisms in the regulation of vascular tone, the mechanisms regulating excitation-contraction coupling in cardiac and vascular smooth muscle, the aetiology of hypertension, pulmonary hypertension and heart failure.
• Neuroscience research is concerned with the actions and interactions of neurotransmitters and other neuroactive substances in the brain and spinal cord and their relevance to synaptic plasticity, sensorimotor control, neurodegeneration and a wide range of neural disorders.
• Exercise and Sports Science research lies in the fields of Exercise Physiology, Exercise & Sports Medicine, and Physical Activity & Health Promotion. The Division has recently established the Initiative for Diet, Exercise & Lifestyle (IDEAL), aimed at addressing the issues of inactivity, obesity and poor diet in relation to health status
• Cellular development, function and toxicology research focuses on mammalian cells, studying their development, differentiation, function, pathophysiology and toxicology, with an emphasis on reproductive and nervous tissue.

Further information  

Further information about the work and research of IBLS can be found at www.gla.ac.uk/Acad/IBLS.

IBLS staff collaborate with a large number of companies and research institutes involved in medicine, therapeutics, diagnostics, biotechnology, food science, medical devices, and related interests, and further opportunities for such collaboration are sought and welcomed.