Lung function and damage over the life course and the effects of chemical agents

生命过程中的肺功能和损伤以及化学制剂的影响

• 批准号: 2115207
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Liverpool
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2017 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2115207
• 关键词: Lung; function; damage; over; life

Lungs are an essential component of humans and are responsible for the gaseous exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. The lung itself is complex and is composed of many different regions, depending on function, and cell types. Over the life course of a person, their lungs are subjected to a range of infections and environmental pollutants, and during conflict the potential use of chemical agents such as ricin and chlorine gas. Special cells in the lung are present that can provide a first defence against infectious and chemical agents. However, such traumas can result in the phenomenon of airway remodelling and result in extreme cases in death or present as lifelong breathing difficulties. Using specialist facilities at the Defence Science Technology Laboratory we have extensive transcriptomic (mRNAs) and proteomic analysis (proteins) of lung tissue subjected to chemical damage. Many thousands of molecules were identified and quantified, as well as detailed clinical information. These datasets were gathered over time and represent an unprecedented window into the effects and consequences of lung damage. The PhD project will use informatics to integrate this data (transcriptomics/proteomics/clinical parameters) to provide an in-silico model of lung damage. This will focus on differential gene expression analysis to identify modified signalling pathways and potential pathways that can be therapeutically targeted. Specific highlighted pathways will be further investigated using ex vivo models of the lung. Thus, the project will involve both computational and wet biology. The project will be based at the University of Liverpool and involve short term research visits to the Defence Science Technology Laboratory located at Porton Down.

肺是人类的重要组成部分，负责氧气和二氧化碳的气体交换。肺本身是复杂的，由许多不同的区域组成，取决于功能和细胞类型。在人的一生中，他们的肺部受到一系列感染和环境污染物的影响，在冲突期间可能使用化学制剂，如蓖麻毒素和氯气。肺中存在特殊的细胞，可以第一次防御感染性和化学性病原体。然而，这种创伤可能导致呼吸道重塑现象，并导致极端情况下死亡或出现终生呼吸困难。利用国防科学技术实验室的专业设施，我们对遭受化学损害的肺组织进行了广泛的转录(MRNAs)和蛋白质组分析(蛋白质)。数以千计的分子被识别和量化，以及详细的临床信息。这些数据集是随着时间的推移收集的，代表了了解肺损伤的影响和后果的前所未有的窗口。博士项目将使用信息学来整合这些数据(转录组学/蛋白质组学/临床参数)，以提供肺损伤的电子计算机模型。这将侧重于差异基因表达分析，以确定修饰的信号通路和可以作为治疗靶点的潜在通路。将使用肺的体外模型进一步研究特定的突出途径。因此，该项目将同时涉及计算生物学和湿生物学。该项目将以利物浦大学为基地，包括对位于波顿唐恩的国防科学技术实验室进行短期研究访问。