Geissmann:Woollard, Kevin

Home	Lab Members	Research	Publications	Contact

Kevin Woollard Geissmann lab New Hunt's House, 1st floor Centre for Molecular & Cellular Biology of Inflammation (CMCBI) Guy's Campus London, SE1 1UL UK kevin.woollard#kcl,ac,uk (antispam: #→@ ,→.) Tel: +44(0) 207 848 6901 (lab)

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. Eisenhardt SU, Habersberger J, Murphy A, Chen YC, Woollard KJ, Bassler N, Qian H, von Zur Muhlen C, Hagemeyer CE, Ahrens I, Chin-Dusting J, Bobik A, and Peter K. Dissociation of pentameric to monomeric C-reactive protein on activated platelets localizes inflammation to atherosclerotic plaques. Circ Res. 2009 Jul 17;105(2):128-37. DOI:10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.108.190611 |
2. Woollard KJ, Sturgeon S, Chin-Dusting JP, Salem HH, and Jackson SP. Erythrocyte hemolysis and hemoglobin oxidation promote ferric chloride-induced vascular injury. J Biol Chem. 2009 May 8;284(19):13110-8. DOI:10.1074/jbc.M809095200 |
3. Murphy AJ, Chin-Dusting JP, Sviridov D, and Woollard KJ. The anti inflammatory effects of high density lipoproteins. Curr Med Chem. 2009;16(6):667-75. DOI:10.2174/092986709787458425 |
4. Woollard KJ, Suhartoyo A, Harris EE, Eisenhardt SU, Jackson SP, Peter K, Dart AM, Hickey MJ, and Chin-Dusting JP. Pathophysiological levels of soluble P-selectin mediate adhesion of leukocytes to the endothelium through Mac-1 activation. Circ Res. 2008 Nov 7;103(10):1128-38. DOI:10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.108.180273 |
5. Shaw JA, Bobik A, Murphy A, Kanellakis P, Blombery P, Mukhamedova N, Woollard K, Lyon S, Sviridov D, and Dart AM. Infusion of reconstituted high-density lipoprotein leads to acute changes in human atherosclerotic plaque. Circ Res. 2008 Nov 7;103(10):1084-91. DOI:10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.108.182063 |
6. Murphy AJ, Woollard KJ, Hoang A, Mukhamedova N, Stirzaker RA, McCormick SP, Remaley AT, Sviridov D, and Chin-Dusting J. High-density lipoprotein reduces the human monocyte inflammatory response. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2008 Nov;28(11):2071-7. DOI:10.1161/ATVBAHA.108.168690 |
7. Tikellis C, Jandeleit-Dahm KA, Sheehy K, Murphy A, Chin-Dusting J, Kling D, Sebokova E, Cooper ME, Mizrahi J, and Woollard KJ. Reduced plaque formation induced by rosiglitazone in an STZ-diabetes mouse model of atherosclerosis is associated with downregulation of adhesion molecules. Atherosclerosis. 2008 Jul;199(1):55-64. DOI:10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2007.10.038 |
8. Kulkarni S, Woollard KJ, Thomas S, Oxley D, and Jackson SP. Conversion of platelets from a proaggregatory to a proinflammatory adhesive phenotype: role of PAF in spatially regulating neutrophil adhesion and spreading. Blood. 2007 Sep 15;110(6):1879-86. DOI:10.1182/blood-2006-08-040980 |
9. Woollard KJ and Chin-Dusting J. Therapeutic targeting of p-selectin in atherosclerosis. Inflamm Allergy Drug Targets. 2007 Mar;6(1):69-74. DOI:10.2174/187152807780077345 |
10. Woollard KJ, Rayment SJ, Bevan R, Shaw JA, Lunec J, and Griffiths HR. Alpha-tocopherol supplementation does not affect monocyte endothelial adhesion or C-reactive protein levels but reduces soluble vascular adhesion molecule-1 in the plasma of healthy subjects. Redox Rep. 2006;11(5):214-22. DOI:10.1179/135100006X116727 |

11. 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. Williamson MR, Woollard KJ, Griffiths HR, and Coombes AG. Gravity spun polycaprolactone fibers for applications in vascular tissue engineering: proliferation and function of human vascular endothelial cells. Tissue Eng. 2006 Jan;12(1):45-51. DOI:10.1089/ten.2006.12.45 |
13. Woollard KJ, Kling D, Kulkarni S, Dart AM, Jackson S, and Chin-Dusting J. Raised plasma soluble P-selectin in peripheral arterial occlusive disease enhances leukocyte adhesion. Circ Res. 2006 Jan 6;98(1):149-56. DOI:10.1161/01.RES.0000199295.14073.69 |
14. Woollard KJ, Fisch C, Newby R, and Griffiths HR. C-reactive protein mediates CD11b expression in monocytes through the non-receptor tyrosine kinase, Syk, and calcium mobilization but not through cytosolic peroxides. Inflamm Res. 2005 Dec;54(12):485-92. DOI:10.1007/s00011-005-1382-5 |
15. Woollard KJ. Soluble bio-markers in vascular disease: much more than gauges of disease?. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2005 Apr;32(4):233-40. DOI:10.1111/j.1440-1681.2005.04178.x |
16. Rayment SJ, Shaw J, Woollard KJ, Lunec J, and Griffiths HR. Vitamin C supplementation in normal subjects reduces constitutive ICAM-1 expression. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2003 Aug 22;308(2):339-45. DOI:10.1016/s0006-291x(03)01383-4 |
17. Phillips DC, Woollard KJ, and Griffiths HR. The anti-inflammatory actions of methotrexate are critically dependent upon the production of reactive oxygen species. Br J Pharmacol. 2003 Feb;138(3):501-11. DOI:10.1038/sj.bjp.0705054 |
18. Woollard KJ, Phillips DC, and Griffiths HR. Direct modulatory effect of C-reactive protein on primary human monocyte adhesion to human endothelial cells. Clin Exp Immunol. 2002 Nov;130(2):256-62. DOI:10.1046/j.1365-2249.2002.01978.x |
19. Woollard KJ, Loryman CJ, Meredith E, Bevan R, Shaw JA, Lunec J, and Griffiths HR. Effects of oral vitamin C on monocyte: endothelial cell adhesion in healthy subjects. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2002 Jun 28;294(5):1161-8. DOI:10.1016/S0006-291X(02)00603-4 |

• Corresponding Author ^Joint 1st Author $With Editorial "With Front cover