Judith Hoyland

Overview

• Head of Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, FBMH) 
• Deputy Academic lead for Student Welfare and Professionalism  (MB ChB programme, School of Medical Sciences,FBMH)
• Programme Committee member for Intercalated BSc (Hons) Degree in Pathology School of Medicine
• Programme Committee member  for MRes in Tissue Engineering for Regenerative Medicine
• Person Designate for HTA
• Chair Elect for USA ORS Spine section 2015 -

Biography

General Background:

I graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Medical Sciences from Bradford University in 1985 and was awarded a PhD from the University of Manchester in 1988 for research into disc degeneration and nerve root compression as a cause of low back pain. From this work arose papers describing the absence of classical inflammation when there was intervertebral disc prolapse, but highlighting a role for ischaemia and fibrosis resulting from local blood vessel compression. After gaining my PhD in 1988 I was then involved in developing new molecular techniques (in situ hybridisation and in situ PCR) that could be applied to tissues, predominantly bone and cartilage to investigate gene expression and disease pathogenesis in a variety of musculoskeletal disorders. Subsequently I was appointed lecturer in Molecular Pathology, senior lecturer in 1998 and Professor in 2007.

Research:

My past research has focused on the development of modern molecular technologies for application to the pathological study of disease mechanisms in human “hard” tissues (cartilage,  IVD, bone etc.). Currently my research group is applying these techniques to:

i) Investigate the cell  and matrix biology of normal (foetal , young and adult) and diseased  (degenerate) cervical  and lumbar intervertebral discs  (IVD) in order to develop  clinically  viable novel  cell based (adult  stem cells) tissue engineering/ regenerative medicine therapies for the degenerate IVD (a major cause of low back pain);

ii) Study adult mesenchymal stem cells  (derived from bone marrow, adipose tissue and umbilical cord), their differentiation and regulation, and their interactions with  novel biomaterials (including graphene based materials)  for musculoskeletal  tissue engineering  strategies;

iii) Define the molecular pathology of the regenerate  "niche" in which tissue regeneration will occur;

iv) Design and utilise ex-vivo models for exploration of cell function in normal, degenerate and tissue engineered tissues

Through collaboration with several academics and colleagues  with skills in biomaterial design  ((both in Manchester and external national and international insitutions), clinicians and industrial partners  members of my group are applying new knowledge gained from this research to develop unique strategies for regenerating the degenerate intervertebral disc and other musculoskeletal tissues ( including  bone  and cartilage).  Funding is gained from many sources including  Arthritis Research UK, The Wellcome Trust, Research into Ageing, DISCS,  Orthopaedic research UK and the AO Foundation.