Andrew Smith

Currently Working On

A. Macrophage immune response in health and disease

Our primary research focus lies in unraveling the intricate processes governing cytokine induction, sorting, packaging, and trafficking within immune cells. The association of abnormalities in cytokine secretion with various human diseases is well-established, yet the specific underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Additionally, we explore the regulatory role of autophagy in innate immune responses, with a particular emphasis on ATG16L1—a genetic risk factor for Crohn’s disease.

To address these inquiries, our current research employs a diverse approach encompassing genetic analysis, whole-genome transcriptomic profiling, in vivo and in vitro modelling of human disease, and mass spectrometry-based shotgun proteomics. The complexity of cytokine secretion, autophagy regulation, and their involvement in inflammatory diseases is being unraveled through extensive collaborations with leading experts in cell biology, proteomics, genomics, and bioinformatics. This collaborative effort aims to deepen our understanding of these intricate processes and their implications in the realm of immune system function and disease pathology.

B. Examining the impact of sarcopenia on inflammatory bowel disease

Our current focus is on elucidating how individuals with inflammatory bowel disease respond to conventional therapy and how sarcopenia influences treatment outcomes. This involves an ongoing clinical observational study conducted at both University College Hospital and The Royal Free Hospital.

C. The role of the microbiome in mucosal inflammation

We have recently demonstrated that the oral microbiome is shaped by a persons environment and their genetic background plays only a minor role. These findings have now also been shown to be applicable the lower gastrointestinal tract as well. It is therefore theoretically possible to manipulate a persons microbiome by altering their environment in order to change their health. Our current research is focused on understanding how changes in the microbiome influence the gastrointestinal tract and human diseases. We are currently investigating the role of the microbiome in the oral-gut axis and gut-liver axis.

For more information on our groups research please take a look at our website https://andrewmsmith40.wixsite.com/smithrahman-group