Geissmann:Woollard, Kevin

Education 2000 Aston Universitylink title, Birmingham, UK. BSc (Hons) Applied & Human Biology 2003 Aston University. PhD. Title: 'Mediators of monocyte activity in inflammation'

Postdoctoral project

British Heart Foundationlink title Research Fellow 2009-2012 Title: 'Role of monocyte subsets in atherogenesis and the mechanisms of monocyte recruitment and migration in atherothrombosis' This fellowship plans to examine 1) the contribution of distinct subsets of blood monocytes to the initiation of inflammation and atherogenesis in the vessel wall, and 2) to the development of unstable atherosclerosis. This will be achieved using an in vivo transgenic reporter mice approach, in order to image leukocyte recruitment and activation into early and late lesions, and to analyse the molecular mechanisms that controls their accumulation and their role in inflammation.

My overall research objective is to develop imaging modalities to identify new mechanisms of monocyte recruitment and migration leading to accelerated atherogenesis and to apply these mechanisms with the aim of identifying novel targets in unstable cardiovascular disease. Aims: 1) Identify new mechanisms involved in monocyte recruitment in mouse models of inflammation-induced atherogenesis, and, 2) to characterise the role of monocyte subsets in atherosclerosis

Interests My research interest is the biology of vascular inflammation associated with atherogenesis, unstable plaque development and atherothrombosis. I am interested in the contribution of leukocyte recruitment in plaque progression and phenotype. My previous work has focused on the mechanisms of leukocyte-endothelial recruitment involving P-selectin and the novel role of soluble P-selectin. This work has developed by understanding the contribution of lipids and novel inflammatory antigens on cellular signalling and oxidation in leukocyte and platelet activation, leading to many pathological inflammatory responses. My main focus is continuing to understand these cellular and molecular signals associated with monocyte heterogeneity and the contribution of monocyte phenotype under specific inflammatory signals, with the goal of identifying novel targets in inflammatory vascular disease. These discoveries will be made possible by continuing to focus on new imaging modalities to understand the complex molecular machinery associated with monocyte biology. Novel 'real-time' ex-vivo aortic imaging model to examine arterial leukocyte interactions using confocal, florescence and SEM imaging. Intravtial 'real-time' DIC imaging of cremaster microcirculation. Previous appointments 2003 F-Hoffman la Roche International Research Fellow - Baker Heart Research Institute (Melbourne, Australia) and Rochelink title (Basel, Switzerland) 2006 National Heart Foundationlink title Postdoctoral Fellow - Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institutelink title (Melbourne, Australia) Publications
 * 1) 1paper pmid=19520972
 * 2) 2paper pmid=19276082
 * 3) 3paper pmid=19199930
 * 4) 4paper pmid=18818407
 * 5) 5paper pmid=18832751
 * 6) 6paper pmid=18617650
 * 7) 7paper pmid=18093596
 * 8) 8paper pmid=17548580
 * 9) 9paper pmid=17352691
 * 10) 10paper pmid=17132270
 * 11) 11paper Woollard KJ, Nesbitt W, Stugeon S, Harper I & Jackson S. Visualizing thrombus formation in vivo: Current limitations and future prospects Int. Rev. Thromb. 2006. 1; 34-42
 * 12) 12paper pmid=16499441
 * 13) 13paper pmid=16339486
 * 14) 14paper pmid=16389569
 * 15) 15paper pmid=15810985
 * 16) 16paper pmid=12901874
 * 17) 17paper pmid=12569075
 * 18) 18paper pmid=12390313
 * 19) 19paper pmid=12074599
 * Corresponding Author ^Joint 1st Author $With Editorial "With Front cover