Dufton
Lab
Dr Dufton's research centres on the adaptability and plasticity of blood vessels, and particularly the cells that line them, termed endothelial cells are fundamental to both vascular and tissue development, homeostasis and disease pathogenesis. He aims to understand the molecular mechanisms that give rise to disease-associated endothelial phenotypes, such as endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT), in models of inflammation and fibrosis.
Neil has a keen interest communicating his research through art and public engagement projects. These include an interactive game about cell specialisation, I Cell, working with animator (Genetic Moo) to involve participants in Battle of Blister (part of a Wellcome Large arts grant) and knitting blood vessels (Blood Lines). Neil also produces Sciart and has had his images displayed in the National Geographic, the cover of the Journal of Histopathology and has two of his illustrations curated by the Wellcome Image Collection.
Research
Projects
Investigating the diagnostic and drug-screening potential of endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition during liver fibrosis.
Proof-of-Concept Award Emulate-QM Organs-On-Chips Centre. January 2021.
Regulation of vascular patterning via endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) in the pathogenesis of cardiac fibrosis
BHF funded
Project with BHF Mres/PhD Studentship. September 2023-September 2026
Investigating the therapeutic potential of disease-associated endothelial cells in chronic liver disease
Funded by Bart's Charity
In collaboration with Dr William Alazawi (co-applicant), Reader & Consultant in Hepatology at the Blizard Institute, this project aims to assess the prevalence and role of endothelial-to-mesenchymal-transition (EndMT) in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). We hypothesis that EndMT is an early, reversible, hallmark of switching from healthy to disease-associated EC that arise during the development of liver disease.
The Dufton group has just been established and will be recruiting soon!
Members
Neil Dufton
Group Leader
Christina Gkantsinikoudi
PhD student
Publications
The transcription factor ERG regulates a low shear stress-induced anti-thrombotic pathway in the microvasculature
Nature Communications, 2019 (10; 5014)
Peghaire C, Dufton NP, Lang M, Salles-Crawley II, Ahnström J, Kalna V, Raimondi C, Pericleous C, Inuabasi L, Kiseleva R, Muzykantov VR, Mason JC, Birdsey GM and Randi AM
The endothelial transcription factor ERG mediates Angiopoietin-1-dependent control of Notch signalling and vascular stability
Nature Communications, 2017 (18; 16002)
Shah AV, Birdsey GM, Peghaire C, Pitulescu ME, Dufton NP, Yang Y, Weinberg I, Osuna Almagro L, Payne L, Mason JC, Gerhardt H, Adams RH and Randi AM
The endothelial transcription factor ERG promotes vascular stability and growth through Wnt/β-catenin signaling
Developmental Cell, 2015 (32; 82-96)
Birdsey GM, Shah AV, Dufton N, Reynolds LE, Osuna Almagro L, Yang Y, Aspalter IM, Khan ST, Mason JC, Dejana E, Göttgens B, Hodivala-Dilke K, Gerhardt H, Adams RH and Randi AM
Anti-inflammatory role of the murine formyl-peptide receptor 2: ligand-specific effects on leukocyte responses and experimental inflammation
The Journal of Immunology, 2010 (184; 2611-2619)
Dufton N, Hannon R, Brancaleone V, Dalli J, Patel HB, Gray M, D'Acquisto F, Buckingham JC, Perretti M and Flower RJ