Dr Ruoli Chen
- Title
- Senior Lecturer in Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology
- Location
- Hornbeam 2.28
- Contact me
- Office or via email
- Phone
- +44 (0) 1782 733849
- r.chen@keele.ac.uk
Biography
Biography
Ruoli joined the School of Pharmacy as a Lecturer in Clinical Pharmacology in 2011. His background is in medicine and he completed his PhD in clinical physiology at National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London in 2002. Ruoli then worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at King’s College London and University of Oxford. His research interests focus on stroke medicine, blood-brain barrier, CSF proteomics and hypoxia-inducible factors.
Research and scholarship
Research and scholarship
Research theme: Regenerative Medicine
My current research focuses on three main themes:
- Stroke medicine
- Hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) pathway
- blood brain barrier (BBB)
Current research projects are:
1. Pharmacological accumulation of HIF for neuroprotection in cerebral ischaemia
Ischaemic stroke is the leading cause of adult disability and the third biggest killer in the UK after heart attacks and cancer. Fundamental treatment for ischaemic strokes are reperfusion and neuroprotection. An approach to target entire physiological networks has been proposed to influence a number of targets at one time and thereby simultaneously supressed both ischaemic and reperfusion damage. HIF is a transcription factor that mediates essential homeostatic responses to reduced O2 availability in mammals. HIF1 has been implicated in the neuroprotection induced by hypoxia/ischaemia preconditioning in brains. A number of chemicals inhibiting prolyl hydroxylases (PHDs) can accumulate HIF in cells and could protect tissues/organs from ischaemic injury. We are going to study a number of clinical compounds that inhibit HIF PHDs for their potential neuroprotective properties in both in vitro and in vivo, collaborating with two Oxford groups (with Profs. Alastair Buchan and Chris Schofield, University of Oxford).
2. Stem cell culture in hypoxia
The process of expanding adult stem cells has been proven to be challenging not only from the bioengineering standpoint, but also from the perspective of maintaining stem cell characteristics while avoiding or delaying senescence and genetic instability. It is difficult to recapture the in vivo hypoxia environment in culture, unless maintaining the culture under a hypoxic laminar flow hood combined with a hypoxic incubator. It has been proposed that hypoxia-mimetic agents could provide a useful tool to precisely control oxygen levels in stem cell culture to maintain their native characteristics. Hypoxia-mimetic agents “artificially” induce hypoxia through blocking the degradation of HIF-1a via prolyl hydroxylase (PHD) inhibition. We are going to study some novel, selective, small molecule inhibitors of PHDs on stem cell culture to identify key gene expression and signal pathways for optimal stem cell expanding in vitro. The outcome will be informed to chemists to synthesize highly potent, more specific PHD inhibitors (with Dr Nicholas Forsyth, Keele University and Prof. Chris Schofield, University of Oxford).
3. Blood brain barrier integrity and function in ageing and in neurodegenerative diseases
Hypoxia/ischemic preconditioning is considered the next most powerful experimental neuroprotective strategy after hypothermia. HIF is of central importance in the response to hypoxia/ischaemia, and is essential for cerebral ischaemia tolerance induced by hypoxic preconditioning. Ischaemic stroke firstly affects brain endothelial cells, which form the BBB. BBB function and integrity during ischaemic stroke contribute substantially to neuropreotection and the outcomes of stroke patients. We shall investigate effects of brief exposure of BBB to hypoxia / PHD inhibition on BBB integrity and function during subsequent prolonged ischaemia (OGD). This study will identify novel therapeutic targets to prevent and treat ischaemic stroke (with Prof. Christine Roffe, Keele University and Dr Jane Preston, King’s College London).
Teaching
Teaching
I teach elements of the undergraduate curriculum for the Keele University MPharm in the School of Pharmacy.
Publications
Publications
Journal Articles
- Kawa, Hala; Ahmed, Zubair; Majid, Arshad; Chen, Ruoli. . 'Inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases to reduce blood brain barrier disruption and haemorrhagic transformation in ischaemic stroke: Go broad or go narrow?'. Neuropharmacology. DOI > view in repository >
- Lan, Yu-Long; Zou, Shuang; Chen, Ruoli. 31-12-2024. 'Update on the intriguing roles of AQP4 expression and redistribution in the progression and treatment of glioma'. Annals of Medicine. DOI > view in repository >
- Chen, Qi; Brüning‐Richardson, Anke; Chen, Ruoli; Zou, Shuang; Lan, Yu‐Long. 01-09-2024. 'A novel neuronal circuit: Tanycytes mediate defensive metabolic responses following acute high‐temperature exposure'. Brain‐X. DOI > view in repository >
- Singh, Ayesha; Wilson, James W.; Schofield, Christopher J.; Chen, Ruoli. . 'Author Correction: Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors induce autophagy and have a protective effect in an in-vitro ischaemia model'. Scientific Reports. DOI > view in repository >
- Chen, Ruoli; Singh, Ayesha. 12-04-2023. 'The Duration of Oxygen and Glucose Deprivation (OGD) Determines the Effects of Subsequent Reperfusion on Rat Pheochromocytoma (PC12) Cells and Primary Cortical Neurons'. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. DOI > view in repository >
- Patabendige, Adjanie; Chen, Ruoli. 01-12-2022. 'Astrocytic aquaporin 4 subcellular translocation as a therapeutic target for cytotoxic edema in ischemic stroke.'. Neural Regeneration Research. DOI > view in repository >
- Jenkins, S; Zhu, L; Dallas, M; Chen, R. 07-11-2022. 'Editorial: Neuroinflammation in hypoxia and ischaemia'. Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences. DOI > view in repository >
- Chen, Ruoli; Ahmed, Mohammad Alkataan; Forsyth, Nicholas Robert. 03-04-2022. 'Dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG), a Hypoxia Mimetic Agent, Does Not Replicate a Rat Pheochromocytoma (PC12) Cell Biological Response to Reduced Oxygen Culture'. Biomolecules. DOI > view in repository >
- Chen. 29-11-2021. 'Intermittent hypoxia treatment alleviates memory impairment in the 6-month-old APPswe/PS1dE9 mice and reduces amyloid beta accumulation and inflammation in the brain.'. Alzheimer's Research & Therapy. DOI > view in repository >
- Chen. 09-10-2021. 'Increasing awareness of degenerative cervical myelopathy: a preventative cause of non-traumatic spinal cord injury'. Spinal Cord. DOI > view in repository >
- Patabendige, A; Singh, A; Jenkins, S; Sen, J; Chen, R. 20-04-2021. 'Astrocyte Activation in Neurovascular Damage and Repair Following Ischaemic Stroke'. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. DOI > view in repository >
- Chen. 01-02-2021. 'Hypoxia in Alzheimer’s disease: effects of hypoxia inducible factors'. Neural Regeneration Research. DOI > view in repository >
- Singh, A; Chow, O; Jenkins, S; Zhu, L; Rose, E; Astbury, K; Chen, R. 15-01-2021. 'characterizing ischaemic tolerance in rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells and primary rat neurons'. Neuroscience. DOI > view in repository >
- Chen, Ruoli; Hassan, Halimatu; Rawlinson, Charlotte; Morgan, David. 08-04-2020. 'Pharmacological properties of rutin and its potential uses for Alzheimer’s disease.'. Journal of Experimental Stroke and Translational Medicine. view in repository >
- Rawlinson, C; Jenkins, S; Thei, L; Dallas, ML; Chen, R. 11-03-2020. 'Post-Ischaemic Immunological Response in the Brain: Targeting Microglia in Ischaemic Stroke Therapy.'. Brain Sciences. DOI > view in repository >
- Chen. 31-01-2020. 'Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors induce autophagy and have a protective effect in an in-vitro ischaemia model'. Scientific Reports. DOI > view in repository >
- Chen, Ruoli; Forsyth, Nick. 26-06-2019. 'Editorial: The Development of New Classes of Hypoxia Mimetic Agents for Clinical Use.'. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology. DOI > view in repository >
- Chen. 10-10-2018. 'Reactive Oxygen Species Formation in the Brain at Different Oxygen Levels: The Role of Hypoxia Inducible Factors.'. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology. DOI > view in repository >
- Chen, C; Preston, J; Zhou, S; Fuller, H; Morgan, D; Chen, R. 15-07-2018. 'Proteomic analysis of age-related changes in ovine cerebrospinal fluid'. Experimental Gerontology. DOI > view in repository >
- Chen. 20-04-2017. 'Hypoxia augments LPS-induced inflammation and triggers high altitude cerebral edema in mice'. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. DOI > view in repository >
- Chen, Ruoli; Chen, Carl P; Preston, Jane E. 24-05-2016. 'Effects of transthyretin on thyroxine and ß-amyloid removal from cerebrospinal fluid in mice.'. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. DOI > view in repository >
- Chen, Ruoling; Hu, Zhi; Chen, Ruoli; Zhang, Dongmei; Xu, Long; Wang, Jingjing; Wei, Li. 30-01-2015. 'Socioeconomic deprivation and survival after stroke in China: a systematic literature review and a new population-based cohort study'. BMJ Open. DOI > view in repository >
- Chen, Ruoli L.; Ogunshola, O. O.; Yeoh, Karkheng K.; Jani, Anant; Papadakis, Michalis; Nagel, Simon; Schofield, Christopher J.; Buchan, Alastair M.. 01-10-2014. 'HIF prolyl hydroxylase inhibition prior to transient focal cerebral ischaemia is neuroprotective in mice'. Journal of Neurochemistry. DOI > view in repository >
- Chen, Carl P.C.; Hsu, Chih Chin; Pei, Yu-Cheng; Chen, Ruo Li; Zhou, Shaobo; Shen, Hsuan-Chen; Lin, Shih-Cherng; Tsai, Wen Chung. 01-04-2014. 'Changes of synovial fluid protein concentrations in supra-patellar bursitis patients after the injection of different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid'. Experimental Gerontology. DOI > view in repository >
- Chen, Ruoling; Hu, Zhi; Chen, Ruo-Li; Ma, Ying; Zhang, Dongmei; Wilson, Kenneth. 01-09-2013. 'Determinants for undetected dementia and late-life depression'. British Journal of Psychiatry. DOI > view in repository >
- Balami, J. S.; Chen, R. L.; Buchan, A. M.. 01-07-2013. 'Stroke syndromes and clinical management'. QJM. DOI > view in repository >
- Chen, Ruoli. 01-04-2013. 'Editorial (Current and Emerging Pharmacological Therapies of Ischaemic Stroke)'. CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets. DOI > view in repository >
- Papadakis, Michalis; Hadley, Gina; Xilouri, Maria; Hoyte, Lisa C; Nagel, Simon; McMenamin, M Mary; Tsaknakis, Grigorios; Watt, Suzanne M; Drakesmith, Cynthia Wright; Chen, Ruoli; Wood, Matthew J A; Zhao, Zonghang; Kessler, Benedikt; Vekrellis, Kostas; Buchan, Alastair M. 01-03-2013. 'Tsc1 (hamartin) confers neuroprotection against ischemia by inducing autophagy'. Nature Medicine. DOI > view in repository >
- Balami, Joyce S.; Fricker, Rosemary A.; Chen, Ruoli. 01-03-2013. 'Stem cell therapy for ischaemic stroke: translation from preclinical studies to clinical treatment'. CNS & Neurological Disorders Drug Targets. DOI > view in repository >
- Hollingworth, Bethany Y. A.; Pallier, Patrick N.; Jenkins, Stuart I.; Chen, Ruoli. . 'Hypoxic Neuroinflammation in the Pathogenesis of Multiple Sclerosis'. Brain Sciences. DOI > view in repository >
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PhD Students
PhD Students
I welcome applications from students who wish to undertake PhD or MPhil postgraduate studies in my team. Interested students can contact me directly on r.chen@keele.ac.uk to discuss potential projects as well as searching the Keele studentship webpage for available degrees.
My current research interests are as indicated on the "Research and Scholarship" tab. Currently, we are studying a novel class of small molecule HIF prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors for neuroprotection in ischaemic stroke both in vitro and in vivo.
My team works closely with those of other investigators interested in neuroscience as part of Molecular Medicine providing a stimulating collegiate environment for postgraduate research students, regular contact with your supervisory team and access to modern research facilities.
School address:
School of Allied Health Professions and Pharmacy
MacKay Building
Hornbeam Building
Keele University
Staffordshire
ST5 5BG
Enquiries:
Placements team: sahp.practiceplacements@keele.ac.uk
Postgraduate course admin team: sahp.postgraduate-admin@keele.ac.uk
Undergraduate course admin team: sahp.admin@keele.ac.uk
Undergraduate enquiries:
Email: enquiries@keele.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1782 734010
Pharmacy postgraduate enquiries:
Please contact the CPD4ALL team: cpd4all@keele.ac.uk
Pharmacy email: phab.postgraduate@keele.ac.uk
Keele Centre for Medicines Optimisation (KCMO)
Tel: +44 (0)1782 733831 / 734131
The Virtual Patient project enquiries:
Contact our Digital Development team:
Email: pharmacy.digital@keele.ac.uk