Dr Neil Dufton

Profile

Neil Dufton graduated from the University of Bath with a BSc (Hon) Pharmacology in 2006. He went on to undertake a PhD at the William Harvey Research Institute at Queen Mary University of London with Professors Mauro Perretti and Rod Flower. The project focused on the interaction of the anti-inflammatory protein Annexin 1 with its receptor FPR2/ALX in regulating innate immunology and the resolution of inflammation. 

In 2010 he moved to Canada for two years to work with Professor John Wallace at the Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute, McMaster University investigating the role of hydrogen sulfide gas in regulating inflammation. This was followed by a second post-doctoral position at the National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI) at Imperial College London between 2012-2019 with Prof. Anna Randi. Neil returned to QMUL in 2019 as a Lecturer in Inflammatory Sciences in the Centre for Microvascular Research.

Neil is a passionate science communicator and has developed a number of public engagement activities. He also produces science/microscopy inspired images which have been selected by national competitions including BHF Reflections in Research and Wellcome Trust Image awards as well as being published in Journal of Hepatology and National Geographic.

Research

Group members

Researcher/Staff: Ms Christina Gkantsinikoudi (PhD student)

Summary

The adaptability and plasticity of blood vessels, and particularly the cells that line them, termed endothelial cells (EC) are fundamental to both vascular and tissue development, homeostasis and disease pathogenesis. I focus on visualising pathways that result in disease-associated endothelial phenotypes, such as endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT), in models of inflammation and fibrosis.

Publications

• Schafer CM, Martin-Almedina S, Kurylowicz K et al. (2023). Cytokine-Mediated Degradation of the Transcription Factor ERG Impacts the Pulmonary Vascular Response to Systemic Inflammatory Challenge. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.123.318926

  
  

  QMRO: qmroHref
• Gkantsinikoudi C, Rot A, Alazawi W et al. (2023). OS-043 Atypical Chemokine receptors regulate the induction of ‘disease-associated’ LSEC by modulating Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal transition (EndMT) during liver fibrosis. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1016/s0168-8278(23)00499-3

  
  

  QMRO: qmroHref
• Ward EJ, Bert S, Fanti S et al. (2023). Placental Inflammation Leads to Abnormal Embryonic Heart Development. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.122.061934

  
  

  QMRO: https://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/83242
• Gomez-Salinero JM, Itkin T, Houghton S et al. (2022). Cooperative ETS transcription factors enforce adult endothelial cell fate and cardiovascular homeostasis. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1038/s44161-022-00128-3

  
  

  QMRO: qmroHref
• Whiteford J, Arokiasamy S, Thompson CL et al. (2022). Novel application of live imaging to determine the functional cell biology of endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) within a liver-on-a-chip platform. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1007/s44164-022-00034-9

  
  

  QMRO: qmroHref
• Whiteford J, Arokiasamy S, Thompson C et al. (2022). FRI198 Investigating the function of Endothelial-To-Mesenchymal transition during liver fibrogenesis using a Liver-On-A-Chip platform. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1016/s0168-8278(22)01308-3

  
  

  QMRO: qmroHref
• Dufton NP, Peghaire CR, Osuna-Almagro L et al. (2020). Author Correction: Dynamic regulation of canonical TGFβ signalling by endothelial transcription factor ERG protects from liver fibrogenesis (Nature Communications, (2017), 8, 1, (895), 10.1038/s41467-017-01169-0). nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01169-0

  
  

  QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/65258
• Peghaire C, Dufton NP, Lang M et al. (publicationYear). The transcription factor ERG regulates a low shear stress-induced anti-thrombotic pathway in the microvasculature. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12897-w

  
  

  QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/67650
• Issitt T, Bosseboeuf E, De Winter N et al. (2019). Neuropilin-1 Controls Endothelial Homeostasis by Regulating Mitochondrial Function and Iron-Dependent Oxidative Stress. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2018.12.005

  
  

  QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/56399
• Nowak-Sliwinska P, Alitalo K, Allen E et al. (2018). Consensus guidelines for the use and interpretation of angiogenesis assays. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1007/s10456-018-9613-x

  
  

  QMRO: qmroHref
• Dufton NP, Peghaire CR, Osuna-Almagro L et al. (publicationYear). Dynamic regulation of canonical TGFβ signalling by endothelial transcription factor ERG protects from liver fibrogenesis. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01169-0

  
  

  QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/64570
• Perbellini F, Watson SA, Scigliano M et al. (2018). Investigation of cardiac fibroblasts using myocardial slices. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvx152

  
  

  QMRO: qmroHref
• Shah AV, Birdsey GM, Peghaire C et al. (publicationYear). The endothelial transcription factor ERG mediates Angiopoietin-1-dependent control of Notch signalling and vascular stability. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1038/ncomms16002

  
  

  QMRO: qmroHref
• Beuerle MG, Dufton NP, Randi AM et al. (2016). Molecular dynamics studies on the DNA-binding process of ERG. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1039/c6mb00506c

  
  

  QMRO: qmroHref
• Birdsey GM, Shah AV, Dufton N et al. (2015). The Endothelial Transcription Factor ERG Promotes Vascular Stability and Growth through Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2014.11.016

  
  

  QMRO: qmroHref
• Dufton NP, Hannon R, Perretti M et al. (2009). Quantitative Analysis of Promoter Activity by Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) Target/Reporter Strategy in a Novel Transgenic alx/fpr-rs2 Null Mouse. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1007/bf03354231

  
  

  QMRO: qmroHref
• Vong L, Ferraz JGP, Dufton N et al. (2012). Up-Regulation of Annexin-A1 and Lipoxin A4 in Individuals with Ulcerative Colitis May Promote Mucosal Homeostasis. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0039244

  
  

  QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/5320
• Dufton N, Hannon R, Brancaleone V et al. (2011). Corrections: Anti-Inflammatory Role of the Murine Formyl-Peptide Receptor 2: Ligand-Specific Effects on Leukocyte Responses and Experimental Inflammation. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1090139

  
  

  QMRO: qmroHref
• Maderna P, Cottell DC, Toivonen T et al. (2010). FPR2/ALX receptor expression and internalization are critical for lipoxin A4 and annexin‐derived peptide‐stimulated phagocytosis. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1096/fj.10-159913

  
  

  QMRO: qmroHref
• Dufton N, Perretti M (2010). Therapeutic anti-inflammatory potential of formyl-peptide receptor agonists. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2010.04.010

  
  

  QMRO: qmroHref
• Yazid S, Ayoub SS, Vo P et al. (2010). Anti-allergic drugs and the Annexin-A1 system. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1016/s1734-1140(10)70307-8

  
  

  QMRO: qmroHref
• Dufton N, Hannon R, Brancaleone V et al. (2010). Anti-Inflammatory Role of the Murine Formyl-Peptide Receptor 2: Ligand-Specific Effects on Leukocyte Responses and Experimental Inflammation. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.0903526

  
  

  QMRO: qmroHref
• Maione F, Paschalidis N, Mascolo N et al. (2009). Interleukin 17 sustains rather than induces inflammation. nameOfConference

  
  

  DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2008.11.011

  
  

  QMRO: qmroHref