Biography
Dr Heidi Fuller is a Senior Lecturer at Keele University and research group leader within the Wolfson Centre for Inherited Neuromuscular Disease, based at Keele’s partner site, the RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital.
Heidi received her first degree in Biomolecular Science at the University of Wales, Bangor, and during her second year was awarded a North West Wales NHS-funded research scholarship under the supervision of Professor Michael Doenhoff. She then completed an industry-sponsored PhD studentship at the University of Wales, North East Wales Institute, where she developed expertise in proteomics technology, under the supervision of Professor Glenn Morris. Following a period of postdoctoral research within the NHS focused mainly on neuromuscular disorders and proteomics technology, Heidi joined Keele as an independent Research Fellow in 2013 and as a part-time Teaching Fellow in the School of Medicine in 2014. In 2016, she was appointed as a Lecturer in the School of Medicine and was subsequently promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2019. From 2016 – April 2021, Heidi was the Course Director for the Masters in Medical Sciences programmes within Postgraduate Medicine.
In April 2021, Heidi was appointed as Dean of Education for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and looks forward to supporting the Faculty to achieve its education-related goals.
Research and scholarship
Research theme: Cardio-Respiratory, Neuroscience & Neurology
Dr Fuller’s research group is based at the Wolfson Centre for Inherited Neuromuscular Disease (RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital), where they focus on several of the most severe muscle-wasting diseases, including muscular dystrophy, and the childhood form of motor neuron disease, spinal muscular atrophy. By combining the use of cutting edge proteomics and bioinformatics tools with biochemical approaches their aim is to understand disease mechanisms and to identify novel proteins and pathways that can be modulated by drug treatment.
External collaborators include:
- Prof Tom Gillingwater (Edinburgh University, UK)
- Prof Kevin Talbot (Oxford University, UK)
- Dr Gillian Hunter (Glasgow Caledonian University)
- Dr Tom Wishart (The Roslin Institute, Edinburgh)
- Dr Dhruv Sareen (Ceders Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles)
- Prof Goran Simic (University of Zagreb, Croatia)
Funded projects (current):
Joint Sparks and GOSH Charity National Funding (UK)
Therapy development for childhood motor neuron disease
Awarded to Heidi Fuller (Principal Applicant)
Keele University
Funding for 3-year PhD studentship
Awarded to Heidi Fuller (Principal Applicant)
Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children, UK
Omics-assisted drug discovery for childhood motor neuron disease
Awarded to Heidi Fuller (Principal Applicant)
Spinal Injuries Fund, RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital (UK)
A Systems Biology Approach to Identify Prognostic Indicators and New Targets for the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury
Awarded to Karina Wright (Principal Applicant) and Heidi Fuller (Co-applicant)
Keele University
Funding for 3-year PhD studentship
Awarded to Monte Gates (Principal Applicant) and Heidi Fuller (Co-applicant)
Arthritis Research (UK)
Individualisation of biological therapies for osteoarthritis – understanding and reducing failures. Awarded to Karina Wright (Principal Applicant), and co-applicants Sally Roberts, Heidi Fuller and James Richardson.
Funded projects (completed):
The SMA Trust (UK)
Two-year Career Development Fellowship: The molecular consequences of reduced SMN in iPS-derived human motor neurons
Awarded to Heidi Fuller (Principal Applicant)
Henry Smith Charity (UK)
Identifying and Quantifying Growth Promoting Signals in the Developing Spinal Cord
Awarded to Monte Gates (Principal Applicant) and Heidi Fuller (Co-applicant)
RJAH Charitable Funds (UK)
Anti-epileptic drugs and bone loss
Awarded to Heidi Fuller (Principal Applicant), and co-applicants Mark Garton & Glenn Morris
Henry Smith Charity (UK)
Identifying and Quantifying Growth Promoting Signals in the Developing Spinal Cord
Awarded to Monte Gates (Principal Applicant) and Heidi Fuller (Co-applicant)
RJAH Institute of Orthopaedics (UK)
Human stem-cell-derived motor neurons for testing potential therapeutic pathways in Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), using both targeted and proteomic approaches
Awarded to Heidi Fuller (Principal Applicant).
RJAH Institute of Orthopaedics (UK), Childwick Trust, and Lord Leverhulme’s Charitable Trust(UK)
Nutritional protection against neurodegenerative disease
Awarded to Heidi Fuller (Principal Applicant).
North Staffordshire Medical Institute (UK)
Identification of biomarkers using mass spectrometry
Awarded to Paul Roach (Principal Applicant), Heidi Fuller (co-applicant), et al.
RJAH Institute of Orthopaedics (UK)
Funding awarded to support the service contract of the 4800 MALDI TOF/TOF mass spectrometer. Awarded to Glenn Morris (Principal Applicant) and Heidi Fuller (co-applicant).
Teaching
Dr Fuller regularly supervises research students from the School of Medicine and the School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering.
Previous teaching roles include:
Director for the Masters in Medical Science (MMedSci), School of Medicine (2016 – 2021)
MMedSci dissertation module lead (2013 – 2019)
Selected Publications
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Lamin A/C dysregulation contributes to cardiac pathology in a mouse model of severe spinal muscular atrophy. Hum Mol Genet, 3515-3527, vol. 28(21). link> doi> full text>2019.
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Proteomic mapping of differentially vulnerable pre-synaptic populations identifies regulators of neuronal stability in vivo. Sci Rep, 12412, vol. 7(1). link> doi> full text>2017.
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Spinal Muscular Atrophy Patient iPSC-Derived Motor Neurons Have Reduced Expression of Proteins Important in Neuronal Development. Front Cell Neurosci, 506, vol. 9. link> doi> full text>2015.
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Dysregulation of ubiquitin homeostasis and β-catenin signaling promote spinal muscular atrophy. J Clin Invest, 1821-1834, vol. 124(4). link> doi> full text>2014.
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Enhanced expression of the human Survival motor neuron 1 gene from a sequence-optimised cDNA transgene in vitro and in vivo. Gene Therapy (Basingstoke). full text>
Full Publications Listshow
Books
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Fuller HR and Gates MA (Eds.). 2016. Recovery of Motor Function Following Spinal Cord Injury. (12 vols.). Intech. link>
Journal Articles
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Enhanced expression of the human Survival motor neuron 1 gene from a sequence-optimised cDNA transgene in vitro and in vivo. Gene Therapy (Basingstoke). full text>
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Genotype-Phenotype Correlations in Human Diseases Caused by Mutations of LINC Complex-Associated Genes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Summary. Cells, vol. 11(24). link> doi> full text>2022.
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A meta-summary and bioinformatic analysis identified interleukin 6 as a master regulator of COVID-19 severity biomarkers. Cytokine, 156011, vol. 159. link> doi> full text>2022.
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The Proteome Signatures of Fibroblasts from Patients with Severe, Intermediate and Mild Spinal Muscular Atrophy Show Limited Overlap. Cells, vol. 11(17). link> doi> full text>2022.
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Investigation of the blood proteome in response to spinal cord injury in rodent models. Spinal Cord, 320-325, vol. 60(4). link> doi> full text>2022.
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An Anatomy of the Blood Eagle: The Practicalities of Viking Torture. Speculum. full text>2021.
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An interaction of heart disease-associated proteins POPDC1/2 with XIRP1 in transverse tubules and intercalated discs. BMC Mol Cell Biol, 88, vol. 21(1). link> doi> full text>2020.
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Muscle cell differentiation and development pathway defects in Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy. Neuromuscul Disord, 443-456, vol. 30(6). link> doi> full text>2020.
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Quantitative proteomic profiling of the rat substantia nigra places glial fibrillary acidic protein at the hub of proteins dysregulated during aging: Implications for idiopathic Parkinson's disease. J Neurosci Res, 1417-1432, vol. 98(7). link> doi> full text>2020.
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Molecular crosstalk between non-SMN-related and SMN-related spinal muscular atrophy. Neuroscience Insights. link> doi> link> full text>2020.
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Nesprin-1-alpha2 associates with kinesin at myotube outer nuclear membranes, but is restricted to neuromuscular junction nuclei in adult muscle. Sci Rep, 14202, vol. 9(1). link> doi> full text>2019.
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Lamin A/C dysregulation contributes to cardiac pathology in a mouse model of severe spinal muscular atrophy. Hum Mol Genet, 3515-3527, vol. 28(21). link> doi> full text>2019.
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Multi-Study Proteomic and Bioinformatic Identification of Molecular Overlap between Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Brain Sci, vol. 8(12). link> doi> full text>2018.
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A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness of Surgical Decompression in Treating Patients with Malignant Middle Cerebral Artery Infarction. World Neurosurg, e902-e920, vol. 120. link> doi> full text>2018.
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Proteomic analysis of age-related changes in ovine cerebrospinal fluid. Exp Gerontol, 181-188, vol. 108. link> doi> full text>2018.
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Two independent proteomic approaches provide a comprehensive analysis of the synovial fluid proteome response to Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation. Arthritis Res Ther, 87, vol. 20(1). link> doi> full text>2018.
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Breast Reconstruction Affects Coping Mechanisms in Breast Cancer Survivors. INDIAN JOURNAL OF SURGERY, 43-50, vol. 81(1). link> doi> full text>2019.
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Two cases of spinal muscular atrophy type II with eosinophilic oesophagitis. Journal of Neuromuscular Diseases, Article 4, vol. 4. doi> link> full text>2017.
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Proteomic mapping of differentially vulnerable pre-synaptic populations identifies regulators of neuronal stability in vivo. Sci Rep, 12412, vol. 7(1). link> doi> full text>2017.
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Reflections on an issue of student diversity: unintentional plagiarism among international students. The Journal of Academic Development and Education. full text>
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Contaminants in commercial preparations of 'purified' small leucine-rich proteoglycans may distort mechanistic studies. Biosci Rep, vol. 37(1). link> doi> full text>2017.
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The developing landscape of diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for spinal cord injury in cerebrospinal fluid and blood. Spinal Cord, 114-125, vol. 55(2). link> doi> full text>2017.
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Gene expression profiling of the dorsolateral and medial orbitofrontal cortex in schizophrenia. Transl Neurosci, 139-150, vol. 7(1). link> doi> full text>2016.
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Commonality amid diversity: Multi-study proteomic identification of conserved disease mechanisms in spinal muscular atrophy. Neuromuscul Disord, 560-569, vol. 26(9). link> doi> full text>2016.
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Cross-Reactivity between Schistosoma mansoni Antigens and the Latex Allergen Hev b 7: Putative Implication of Cross-Reactive Carbohydrate Determinants (CCDs). PLoS One, e0159542, vol. 11(7). link> doi> full text>2016.
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Antigenic cross-reactivity between Schistosoma mansoni and allergens: invesigations centered on a 43kDa rubber latex allergen (Hev b 7) and implication of cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants (CCDs). PLoS One.
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Understanding the molecular consequences of inherited muscular dystrophies: advancements through proteomic experimentation. Expert Rev Proteomics, 659-671, vol. 13(7). link> doi> full text>2016.
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Monoclonal antibody Py recognizes neurofilament heavy chain and is a selective marker for large diameter neurons in the brain. Brain Struct Funct, 867-879, vol. 222(2). link> doi> full text>2017.
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Anti-epileptic drugs and bone loss: Phenytoin reduces pro-collagen I and alters the electrophoretic mobility of osteonectin in cultured bone cells. Epilepsy Res, 97-101, vol. 122. link> doi> full text>2016.
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Spinal Muscular Atrophy Patient iPSC-Derived Motor Neurons Have Reduced Expression of Proteins Important in Neuronal Development. Front Cell Neurosci, 506, vol. 9. link> doi> full text>2015.
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Stathmin is enriched in the developing corticospinal tract. Mol Cell Neurosci, 12-21, vol. 69. link> doi> full text>2015.
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Human mesenchymal stem cells stimulate EaHy926 endothelial cell migration: combined proteomic and in vitro analysis of the influence of donor-donor variability. J Stem Cells Regen Med, 18-24, vol. 11(1). link> doi> full text>2015.
- 2014.
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The rat striatum responds to nigro-striatal degeneration via the increased expression of proteins associated with growth and regeneration of neuronal circuitry. Proteome Sci, 20, vol. 12. link> doi> full text>2014.
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Dysregulation of ubiquitin homeostasis and β-catenin signaling promote spinal muscular atrophy. J Clin Invest, 1821-1834, vol. 124(4). link> doi> full text>2014.
- 2013.
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An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the major crustacean allergen, tropomyosin, in food. Food and Agricultural Immunology, 43-52.2006.
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Shellfish allergen testing kit for food manufacturers. Advances Wales, 12.2004.
Chapters
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Quantitative proteomics using iTRAQ labeling and mass spectrometry” in Integrative Proteomics. Eastwood Leung HC (Ed.). InTech. doi>2012.
Other
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Differential expression of intermediate filament proteins: lamins A/C and desmin within and between adult skeletal muscles. NEUROMUSCULAR DISORDERS (p. S109, vol. 32). link> doi> full text>2022.
- 2022.
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Genotype-phenotype correlations in human diseases caused by mutations of LINC complex-associated genes: a systematic review and meta-summary. Neuromuscular Disorders (vol. 32). Elsevier. link> doi> link> full text>
- 2021.
- 2021.
- 2021.
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Identification of synovial fluid proteins that are associated with early osteoarthritis treatment failure: the search for novel markers leads us back to matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY (p. A2, vol. 99). link>2018.
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ACUTE PHASE RESPONSE SIGNALLING IS ALTERED FOLLOWING CARTILAGE HARVEST IN NON-RESPONDERS TO AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION. OSTEOARTHRITIS AND CARTILAGE (p. S167, vol. 26). link> doi> full text>2018.
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Can we identify altered biological pathways and novel candidate biomarkers in individuals who do respond clinically following Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation?. European Cells and Materials.
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We may not be buying what the label says on the tin: a cautionary tale from a study of the influence of proteoglycans on nerve growth. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY (p. A4, vol. 98). link>2017.
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Poor clinical response to Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is associated with a unique synovial fluid proteome profile. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage. W. B. Saunders Co., Ltd.. doi> full text>
- 2016.
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Biomarker discovery for autologous chondrocyte implantation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY (p. A46, vol. 94). link>2013.
- 2007.
School address:
School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering
Hornbeam Building
Keele University
Staffordshire
ST5 5BG
Research centre address:
School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering
Guy Hilton Research Centre
Thornburrow Drive
Stoke-on-Trent
ST4 7QB
Tel: +44 (0) 1782 674988
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Keele Centre for Medicines Optimisation (KCMO)
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