About the BHF Research Group

Director: Dr Anthony P. Davenport, Reader in Cardiovascular Pharmacology
Email: apd10@medschl.cam.ac.uk

Current research: Molecular pharmacology of the human cardiovascular system in health and disease

The aim of our research is to understand the role of vasoactive peptides and their receptor sub-types in the human cardiovascular system and to systematically quantify changes associated with disease, to identify new targets for novel drugs. We use a multidisciplinary approach combining techniques in in vitro pharmacology, immunochemistry, positron emission tomography, radiochemistry, quantitative autoradiography and image analysis. We have concentrated on the endothelins, a family of peptides that are the most potent constrictors of human blood vessels discovered to date, with an unusual if not unique, long lasting action. Two different strategies are currently being pursued to prevent the vasoconstrictor actions of endothelin: selective receptor antagonists or blocking synthesis of the peptide by inhibition of the endothelin converting enzyme.

For an up to date reference source on working with the endothelins or for more insight into receptor binding techniques, visit http//www.humanapress.com  

"A panel of multidisciplinary experts describes in detail readily reproducible methods to investigate all aspects of the endothelin system from its synthesis and metabolism, to its function in health and disease. Theses methods use state-of-the-art molecular techniques to quantify the expression of mRNA for both endothelin receptors and the endothelin converting enzymes. They show how peptides, precursors, receptors, and synthetic enzymes can be localized and quantified in plasma, culture supernatants, tissue homogenate, and tissue sections using antibodies. Several in vivo protocols illustrate the role of the endothelin peptides in healthy human individuals and describe animal models that can be used to predict the therapeutic potential of cardiovascular drugs   that manipulate endothelin synthesis or function."

Also available from Humana Press in the Methods in Molecular Biology series: Anthony Davenport has edited a second edition of the popular volume, Receptor Binding Techniques

"A comprehensive collection of readily reproducible methods for studying receptors in silico, in vitro, and in vivo. These cutting-edge techniques cover mining from curated databases, identifying novel receptors by high throughput screening, molecular methods to identify mRNA encoding receptors, radioligand binding assays and their analysis, quantitative autoradiography, and imaging receptors by positron emission tomography (PET). Highlights include phenotypic characterization of receptors in knockout mice, imaging receptors using green fluorescent protein and fluorescent resonance energy transfer, and quantitative analysis of receptor mRNA by TaqMan PCR. These book equips the researcher with techniques for exploring the unprecedented number of new receptor systems now emerging and the so-called “orphan” receptors whose activating ligand has not been identified."

The Clinical Pharmacology Unit is a division of the Department of Medicine in the University of Cambridge. 

We are now located in the ACCI (Addenbrooke's Center for Clinical Investigation): on level 3 (the BHF-funded Vascular Research Clinics) and Level 6 (Offices and lab space; shared jointly with the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine).

Other Principal Investigators in the CPU:

• Professor Morris J Brown (Professor of Clinical Pharmacology & Head of Division)
• Dr Kevin O'Shaughnessy (University Senior Lecturer)
• Dr Ian Wilkinson (University Lecturer)