Centre staff
Dr Nikki Jordan-Mahy
Senior lecturer in physiology and pathology
Research interests
Research is focused on the physiological role of mucins and MUC-gene expression in epithelial dysfunction and disease. The major areas of interest are the gastrointestinal, reproductive and hepatic tracts.
The role of MUC-gene expression in epithelial dysfunction and disease in the gastrointestinal and reproductive tracts
It is believed that MUC-gene expression and mucin production changes during epithelial dysfunction and disease. This is being study using cell culture models of pathology and in clinical samples obtained from a wide range of epithelial dysfunction and disease. This is currently being investigated in collaboration with Dr Susan Laird and Dr Caroline Dalton and Professor TC Li and Dr Mark Donnelly from the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust.
MUC-gene expression in metastasis liver cancer
The presence of mucus is common in metastastic liver cancer and is believed to be indicative of a poor prognosis. In order to test this hypothesis and determine whether MUC-gene expression and mucin production can be used as a prognostic marker, a retrospective study is being undertaken of MUC-gene expression and mucin production in paired primary colorectal adenocarcinomas and secondary liver cancer tumours.
Food additives and MUC-gene expression
An investigation of a selection of food additives on MUC-gene expression and mucin production is underway. Using primary and secondary cell culture models the therapeutic properties of specific additives are being assessed. This project is a collaborative study with Dr Gordon McDougall and Dr Derek Stewart of the Scottish Crop Research Institution, Dundee and Dr Karen Stanley and Dr Caroline Dalton.
Recent publications
Dahlawi H, Jordan-Mahy N. Clench M. Le Matire C. L. Pomegranate and its potential for treatment of leukaemia British Journal of Haematology submitted Nov 2010.
McDougall G.J., Dobson, P., Jordan-Mahy, N. (2009). Effect of different cooking regimes on rhubarb polyphenols. Food Chemistry, 119: 758-764. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2009.07.030
Sherwood PV, Wibawa JID, Atherton JC, Jordan N, Jenkins D, Barrett DA, Shaw N and Spiller RC (2002). Impact of Acid Secretion, Gastritis and Mucus Thickness on Gastric Transfer of Antibiotics in Rats. Gut 51(4):490-5.
PhD students
- Amani Mahbub - Dr N Jordan-Mahy, Dr S Haywood-Small and Dr N Cross.- Polyphenols and Leukaemia.
