Our
people
Professor Dennis McGonagle
Title
Professor of Regenerative MedicineLMBRU Role
Group Leader: Regenerative Medicine
Research Interests
1) Defining the biology of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in vivo. With co-worker Elena Jones, we were the first to purify MSCs from the marrow and discovered MSCs in synovial fluid. We have shown that MSC in synovial fluid are elevated in early Osteoarthritis. Our CD271 MSC selection strategy has been adopted by industry for research applications. This is now being refined for direct application to the clinic with a view to exploiting our IPR on novel methods for MSC purification. (LIMM page link here)
2) Imaging to define the anatomical basis for the rheumatic Diseases or imaging and pathogenesis studies. These are correlated with tissue microanatomy with Prof Michael Benjamin in Cardiff. To date have defined the anatomical basis for erosion in Rheumatoid Arthritis, the entheseal basis for the seronegative arthropathies and the role of ligaments in early generalised osteoarthritis. Ongoing studies including the development of new MRI techniques to explore musculoskeletal disease including enthesitis imaging (Dr Sasha Radjenovic & Dr Richard Hodgson and LMBRU related radiology colleagues). Ongoing assessment of the role of enthesitis in axial disease evaluation (Dr’s Marzo-Ortega & Emery).
3) The classification of immune diseases- ongoing work based on above Rheumatology Research. The immunological Disease Continuum is published in PLoS Med in 2006 and is now being adopted by the USA Food and Drug Administration for the monitoring of immune reactions following vaccination. Ongoing collaboration with Haematological Malignancy Diagnostic Service (HMDS) in Leeds looking at the cellular basis for autoimmunity and link between autoimmunity and lymphoma (Dr Andrew Jack, Adrew Rawstron and Steve Richards).
About
Professor of Regenerative Medicine, McGonagle is internationally recognised for his work in imaging to elucidate the pathogenesis of MSK diseases and for his work in the biology of Mesenchymal stem cells in arthritis and their role in pathogenesis/repair in rheumatic diseases. McGonagle has published in 170 journal articles, career citations 2,000 and H-index of 23.
