Extracellular vesicles and cancer research
Description:
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid-membrane particles that are shed or secreted by many different cell types. EVs are composed of complex molecular signatures of lipids, small molecules, nucleic acids and proteins that can sometimes elicit physiologically relevant changes in either local or distant cells, tissues and organs. Since exosomes, bacterial outer membrane vesicles, and other types of EVs are emerging as powerful disease biomarkers and as therapeutics they have an enormous potential to transform biomedicine.
Selected Publications:
Welsh JA, Goberdhan DCI, O’Driscoll L, ...MISEV Consortium (…Richard JR Kelwick…),... Théry C, and Witwer KW. Minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles (MISEV2023): From basic to advanced approaches. J Extracell Vesicles 2024;13. [DOI: 10.1002/jev2.12404].
Kelwick RJR, Webb AJ, Freemont PS. Opportunities for engineering outer membrane vesicles using synthetic biology approaches. Extracell Vesicles Circ Nucleic Acids 2023;4:255–61. [DOI: 10.20517/evcna.2023.21].
Kelwick RJR, Webb AJ, Heliot A, Segura CT, Freemont PS. Opportunities to accelerate extracellular vesicle research with cell‐free synthetic biology. J Extracell Biol 2023;2. [DOI: 10.1002/jex2.90].
Kelwick, R. J. R., Webb, A. J., Wang, Y., Heliot, A., Allan, F., Emery, A. M., et al. (2021). AL-PHA beads: Bioplastic-based protease biosensors for global health applications. Mater. Today. doi:10.1016/j.mattod.2021.02.018.
Kelwick, R., Heliot, A., and Freemont, P. (2020) ISEV2020 Abstract Book, Poster LBS02.07: Heterogeneity and batch variation of HEK293 extracellular vesicles. J. Extracell. Vesicles, 9:sup1, DOI: 10.1080/20013078.2020.1784511
Kelwick, R., Desanlis, I., Wheeler, G. N., & Edwards, D. R., (2015). The ADAMTS (A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase with Thrombospondin motifs) family. Genome Biol. 16, 113.
Kelwick, R., et al. (2015). Metalloproteinase-dependent and -independent processes contribute to inhibition of breast cancer cell migration, angiogenesis and liver metastasis by a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs-15. Int. J. cancer 136, E14-26.
Cell-free systems and synthetic biology
Description:
Cell-free systems that are based on cellular extracts were originally developed as experimental systems to understand fundamental aspects of molecular biology, cellular biochemistry and for in vitro protein production. Synthetic biology approaches are enabling the re-purposing of cell-free systems as coupled in vitro transcription–translation characterisation platforms for the prototyping of DNA based parts, devices and systems. Cell-free transcription-translation systems have been employed to rapidly prototype DNA regulatory elements, logic systems, medical biosensor devices and biomaterials.
Selected Publications:
Kelwick RJR, Webb AJ, Heliot A, Segura CT, Freemont PS. Opportunities to accelerate extracellular vesicle research with cell‐free synthetic biology. J Extracell Biol 2023;2. [DOI: 10.1002/jex2.90].
Kelwick, R. J. R., Webb, A. J., Freemont, P., (2020). Biological materials: the next frontier for cell-free synthetic biology. Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol. doi:10.3389/fbioe.2020.00399
Kelwick, R., Ricci, L., Chee, S. M., Bell, D., Webb, A. J., and Freemont, P. S. (2018). Cell-free prototyping strategies for enhancing the sustainable production of polyhydroxyalkanoates bioplastics. Synth. Biol. 3. doi:10.1093/synbio/ysy016.
Kelwick, R., Webb, A. J., MacDonald, J. T., & Freemont, P. S., (2016). Development of a Bacillus subtilis cell-free transcription-translation system for prototyping regulatory elements. Metab. Eng. 38, 370–381.
Kelwick, R., MacDonald, J. T., Webb, A. J., & Freemont, P., (2014). Developments in the tools and methodologies of synthetic biology. Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol. 2, 60.