CENTRE FOR CARDIOVASCULAR BIOLOGY

Professor Ian Zachary heads the Cardiovascular Signalling Group within the Centre for Cardiovascular Biology and Medicine. The group is funded by the British Heart Foundation and by Ark Therapeutics Ltd., with additional support from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. The overarching research question we are addressing is how the essential angiogenic and vasculoprotective factor, VEGF, signals to stimulate an array of biological functions in endothelial cells, which mediate its vital roles in vertebrate organisms. Of particular interest to us are identification of the key signalling components and pathways involved in endothelial cell migration, and understanding the biological role of the VEGF co-receptor, Neuropilin-1. These questions are being addressed using diverse techniques in cell and molecular biology applied to cell culture and in vivo models, including zebrafish and genetically altered mutant mice. An important goal of our research is the translation of research findings into tangible advances in understanding and treating human diseases. As part of this effort, we are developing novel small molecule inhibitors targeted against Neuropilin-1, which have potential for treating diverse human diseases characterised by excessive angiogenesis, including cancer and eye disease.