Summary
Dr Beata Wojciak-Stothard leads a basic science research group studying molecular processes influencing pulmonary endothelial homeostasis. Her group utilises data from proteomic, genomic and metabolomic screening of patient samples to identify signalling mediators linked to endothelial dysfunction in pulmonary hypertension (PH). Employing novel experimental approaches including organ-on-a-chip platforms, Dr Wojciak-Stothard aims to develop new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of this disease.
Projects within the group focus on three main areas:
- Rho and Arf GTPases in pulmonary vascular remodelling
- endothelium-protective effects of flow
- modelling disease in the organ-on-a-chip platform
Read more about Beata's research
Dr Beata Wojciak-Stothard is a Reader in Vascular Biology. Following completion of her PhD in 1992 at the Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland, Dr Wojciak-Stothard held post-doctoral positions at both Glasgow University and University College London. Between 2000 and 2009, she carried out independent research at University College London funded by the British Heart Foundation, holding the positions of British Heart Foundation Intermediate Research Fellow, Senior Research Fellow, and Honorary Lecturer. In September 2009, Dr Wojciak-Stothard joined the Department of Experimental Medicine and Toxicology, Imperial College London and is now based in the state-of-the-art laboratories of the ICTEM Building on Imperial College’s Hammersmith Hospital Campus.
Her scientific contributions include characterization of the role of Rho GTPases in endothelial responses to hypoxia, inflammatory mediators and shear stress. She was first to identify RhoB as a regulator of hypoxia-induced vasoconstriction in PH and show that farnesyltransferase inhibitors can target RhoB and are effective in treatment of PH. In addition, she is exploring the role of intracellular chloride channel proteins (CLIC) and Arf GTPases in the activation of HIF and NFkB in pulmonary vascular endothelium in PH lung. Her team identified novel therapeutic strategy in PAH employing inhibitors of cytohesins.
Dr Wojciak-Stothard is an author of 68 publications including 5 book chapters and 7 review articles. Her work has been highly influential in the field: for example, the mean number of citations for her top ten papers is nearly 400. She is a Fellow of the Pulmonary Vascular Research Institute, a member of European Vascular Biology Organization (EVBO) and of the London Vascular Biology Forum Committee. Her current studies are funded by the British Heart Foundation and Organ-On-a-Chip UK Network.
Selected Publications
Journal Articles
Russomanno G, Jo KB, Abdul-Salam V, et al., 2021, miR-150-PTPMT1-cardiolipin signaling in pulmonary arterial hypertension, Molecular Therapy, Vol:23, ISSN:2162-2531, Pages:142-153
Sindi H, Russomanno G, Satta S, et al., 2020, Therapeutic potential of KLF2 induced exosomal microRNAs in pulmonary hypertension, Nature Communications, Vol:11, ISSN:2041-1723
Storck Saha E, Morales Sanfrutos J, Serwa R, et al., 2019, Dual chemical probes enable quantitative system-wide analysis of protein prenylation and prenylation dynamics, Nature Chemistry, Vol:11, ISSN:1755-4330, Pages:552-561
Abdul-Salam V, Russomanno G, Chien-Nien C, et al., 2019, CLIC4/Arf6 pathway – a new lead in BMPRII inhibition in pulmonary hypertension, Circulation Research, Vol:124, ISSN:0009-7330, Pages:52-65
Paulose Nadappuram B, Cadinu P, Barik A, et al., 2019, Nanoscale tweezers for single-cell biopsies, Nature Nanotechnology, Vol:14, ISSN:1748-3387, Pages:80-88
Duluc L, Ahmetaj-Shala B, Mitchell J, et al., 2017, Tipifarnib prevents development of hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension, Cardiovascular Research, Vol:113, ISSN:1755-3245, Pages:276-287
Aldabbous L, Abdul-Salam V, McKinnon T, et al., 2016, Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Promote Angiogenesis: Evidence From Vascular Pathology in Pulmonary Hypertension., Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, Vol:36, ISSN:1079-5642, Pages:2078-2087
Belik D, Tsang H, Wharton J, et al., 2016, Endothelium-derived microparticles from chronically thromboembolic pulmonary hypertensive patients facilitate endothelial angiogenesis., Journal of Biomedical Science, Vol:23, ISSN:1423-0127
Wojciak-Stothard B, Abdul-Salam VB, Lao KH, et al., 2014, Aberrant chloride intracellular channel 4 expression contributes to endothelial dysfunction in pulmonary arterial hypertension, Circulation, Vol:129, ISSN:0009-7322, Pages:1770-1780
Wojciak-Stothard B, Zhao L, Oliver E, et al., 2012, Role of RhoB in the Regulation of Pulmonary Endothelial and Smooth Muscle Cell Responses to Hypoxia, Circulation Research, Vol:110, ISSN:0009-7330, Pages:1423-+