Research Grants

Staff within the Centre for Predictive in vitro Models (CPM) currently hold a large portfolio of grants directly related to the development and use of predictive in vitro models.

The following are examples of current funded research projects, specifically related to predictive in vitro models and led by members of the CPM:

Organ-chip Facility: A world-class in vitro models facility for the UK community, reducing the barriers to adoption to drive animal replacement
Hazel Screen, Stefaan Verbruggen, Martin Knight, Julia Shelton, Timothy Hopkins and John Connelly
£573,536 NC3Rs National Center for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (07-10-2024 - 14-03-2025)
The role of novel mechanosensitive complex in cardiomyocyte pathophysiology
Thomas Iskratsch and Andrew Tinker
£254,588 BHF British Heart Foundation (01-10-2024 - 30-09-2027)
Unravelling mechanisms of drug-induced myocarditis using immune-responsive human cardiovascular chip
Yung-Yao Lin and Julien Gautrot
£121,420 MRC Medical Research Council (01-10-2024 - 30-09-2028)
(EPSRC CDT 2023) Next Generation Organ-on-a-Chip Technologies
Hazel Screen, Martin Knight, Thomas Iskratsch, Caroline Roney, Yi Sui, David Lee, Julia Shelton, Tsz Ho Tse, John Connelly, Adrian Biddle and Lucy Norling
£7,066,811 EPSRC Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (01-07-2024 - 30-09-2032)
APP13387: Micro-manufacturing of tissue patterned organ-chips for accelerated deployment of new medicines
Martin Knight, Hazel Screen, Julien Gautrot, Timothy Hopkins, John Connelly, Liisa Blowes and Xavier Griffin
£1,787,725 EPSRC Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (01-07-2024 - 30-06-2027)
Microbiome-Bone Chip
Stefaan Verbruggen and Ravinash Krishna Kumar
£117,511 EPSRC Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (01-04-2024 - 31-03-2025)
Artery-on-a-Chip (S&E flexible match-funded PhD studentship)
Thomas Iskratsch
£103,372 Novo Nordisk Foundation (Denmark) (01-01-2024 - 31-12-2026)
Development of an Organ-on-a-chip model of polycystic kidney disease using CRISPR modified human kid
Martin Knight and Cleo Bishop
£39,986 Kidney Research UK (01-12-2023 - 30-11-2025)
Epithelial Exchange Surfaces – From organizing principles to novel culture models of the gatekeepers of the body - MSCA-2022-DN Martin Knight
Martin Knight, Hazel Screen, Wen Wang, Clare Thompson and Cleo Bishop
£260,676 EPSRC - EU Scheme (01-12-2023 - 30-11-2027)
Melancortins to control cystic fibrosis airway inflammation
Mauro Perretti, Charles Mein and Lucy Norling
£21,271 Italian Cystic Fibrosis Research Foundation Fondazione Italiana per la ricerca sulla Fibrosi Cistica (01-12-2023 - 30-11-2025)
Investigating the mechanism of adrenal insufficiency in individuals with porphyria
Louise Metherell and Li Chan
£331,824 MRC Medical Research Council (14-02-2023 - 13-02-2026)
Adrenal insufficiency in association with mutations in genes causing porphyria
Louise Metherell and Li Chan
£248,292 Barts and the London Charity (01-10-2022 - 31-03-2025)
Incorporating physical cues in organ-chip models
Hazel Screen and Martin Knight
£20,000 Emulate Inc. (01-10-2022 - 30-09-2026)
PhD Study 2022 – Modelling the tumour-induced changes to the tumour microenvironment (TME) and extracellular matrix (ECM) within a defined minimal 3D in vitro environment.
Adrian Biddle
£50,000 Animal Free Research UK (06-06-2022 - 05-06-2025)
Human synovium-cartilage organ-chip for personalised surgical screening - Tim Hopkins - fellowship
Martin Knight
£311,202 AR-UK Versus Arthritis (01-04-2022 - 30-06-2026)
The role of MYLK3 in cardiac signalling and development
Louise Metherell, Jack Williams, Andrew Tinker and Pedro Rodriguez Cutillas
£304,103 BHF British Heart Foundation (01-02-2022 - 30-07-2025)
Multi-User Equipment Grant,‘Cell DIVE Imager for automated, single cell, multiplexed immunofluorescence microscopy
Cleo Bishop
£340,339 Wellcome Trust (01-01-2022 - 31-12-2026)
Investigating the utility and exploring biological targets of enhanced wound healing compounds in 2D
Cleo Bishop and John Connelly
£118,835 BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (01-10-2021 - 30-09-2025)
Investigating the utility and exploring biological targets of enhanced wound healing compounds in 2D
Cleo Bishop and John Connelly
£76,000 Unilever UK Ltd (01-10-2021 - 30-09-2025)
Identifying and manipulating molecular mechanisms controlling cancer stem cell metastatic potential in a human oral cancer model.

£552,480 MRC Medical Research Council (01-09-2021 - 30-06-2025)
The molecular mechanisms underlying the tumour-determined immune cell infiltrate in oral squamous cell carcinoma
Adrian Biddle and Muy-Teck Teh
£272,996 MCSBHT Medical College of St Bartholomew's Hospital Trust (01-09-2021 - 31-12-2025)
Reprogramming resolution in the arthritic joint

£720,853 AR-UK Versus Arthritis (01-09-2019 - 30-09-2025)
Organ-on-a-chip Centre of Excellence
and
£420,793 Emulate Inc. (20-08-2019 - 01-10-2029)