Vinoj George

Biography

I was appointed as Lecturer in Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine in March 2017. My research interest is in understanding and modulating mechanisms associated with genetic diseases. My areas of interest are in cardiac diseases and neuro-oncology, and my group works on genome engineering in human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (hiPSCs) for this.

As a bioscience graduate, originally from India, I did my Masters in Molecular Genetics in Leicester in 2000, when I started to apply my passion in understanding cardiovascular disease (ageing). This was followed by a PhD (2001-2005) with a scholarship, to understand cell cycle biology in cardiac hypertrophy, using fission yeast as a model system (MRC, Harwell, University of Oxford & University of Reading). I stayed at the MRC for a year as Visiting Fellow before I moved to do my first postdoc position (2006-9) in University of Surrey, researching into oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction.

I moved to Nottingham in 2009 to pursue a second postdoc term which led to an academic position as Assistant Professor (teaching) in Stem Cell Biology with a research interest in differentiation and maturation of human stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. During my time in Nottingham, I also served as Module Convenor of Embryonic Stem Cell Module for the MSc Stem Cell Technology course from 2013 till 2017.

For education, I am currently the Course Director for MSc Cell & Tissue Engineering in Keele University. A very important drive for me is to integrate research with education and as a result, we have focused a lot on translational skills in my role, redesigned the curriculum to be student-rewarding and improved the value of education, with promising opportunities for all our graduates. For research, my expertise extends from cell biology to genetics to regenerative medicine. My research covers cardiac disease biology to neuo-oncology. Please see my research profile for more details.

Key academic/citizenship credits:

• Course Director (since 2019) for MSc Cell & Tissue Engineering, Keele University
• BSCR (British Society for Cardiovascular Research) Ambassador for Keele University (since 2017)
• Grant Reviewer & in reviewer board for MDPI journals (various)
• Winner of the prestigious Clinical Science ‘Young Investigator Award’ at the national conference for BSCR, March, 2007.

Research and scholarship

Research theme: Regenerative medicine

Who we are?

Our research group focuses on Disease Modelling for Regenerative Medicine. For this, our group develops strategies to improve cellular models of disease to probe disease mechanisms and manipulate cell biology. A fundamental approach taken for this is the use of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and light-responsive genetics (optogenetic CRISPR).

What we do?

The two streams of research conducted in our lab include studying cardiac diseases and studying brain tumour. For the former, the group specialises in creating stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes to model cardiac diseases such as Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy (ACM). We use genome engineering to create patient-like disease models in a dish and optogenetics to influence disease behaviour. For the brain tumour study, we are modelling ependymoma and using stem cells to study and influence the cancer behaviour.

Our expertise

Our lab has expertise in: (a) producing relevant stem cell disease models using hiPSCs and CRISPR genome engineering, (b) developing technologies for high efficiency in situ cardiomyocyte differentiation and maturation from human stem cells, (c) studying cell signal mechanisms through transcription factor networks in context of biology or disease, (c) developing genetic strategies (CRISPR and dCas9 CRISPR optogenetics) for modelling and modulating mechanisms at the cellular level in high throughput using custom-designed optogenetic platform, and, (d) integrating bioengineering approaches (based on nanofiber composites) with genetics to produce translational 3D models. We study cellular behaviour using established or adapted assays unique to our challenge, understand mechanisms by genome engineering and assessing their gene expression using next generation sequencing and manipulate cell behaviour using our novel dCas9 CRISPR technology.

Our facility

Our lab is hosted in a state-of the-art GMP cell culture lab with access to current technologies and modern facilities within the Guy Hilton Research Centre. We have dedicated stem cell suites, antibiotic-free zones, self-sustained cell culture and molecular lab facilities, and access to advanced imaging (confocal, fluorescence, high throughput and calcium), bioprinting and biomaterial work.

Our purpose

All efforts in the lab are directed towards developing in vitro models from patient-derived human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) that would mimic in vivo phenotypes and with the potential of using genome engineering to reverse those phenotypes (supporting 3R’s). With 3D bioengineering approaches, we aim to produce true translational models of disease that can be suitable for drug screening (for clinical translation), understanding disease mechanisms (for disease stratification and therapeutic target identification) and for exploring translation of our models for clinical impact.

Our group

Current lab members and their projects:

• Akihiro Suto (BHF-funded studentship) - Creating 3D models of ARVC (Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy) disease with light-induced tuneable severity in stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes
• Zahra Jabbarpour (Postdoctoral Research Associate) - Manipulating Ependymoma Oncogenes Using Light-Inducible Genome Engineering

Multiple project students over the years from MSc Cell & Tissue Engineering, Intercalated Medical Students. MPharm, from Keele University and project students from RCSI Bahrain, have contributed to the projects in the lab.

Teaching

• Course Director for MSc Cell & Tissue Engineering (MSc CTE) https://www.keele.ac.uk/cellandtissue
• Module Lead for Stem Cells, MSc Cell & Tissue Engineering
• Module Lead for Disease Modelling & Therapy for RegenMed, MSc Cell & Tissue Engineering
• Module Lead for Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine, BSc Bioengineering (Regenerative Medicine)
• Contribute to other modules in MSc CTE, MSc in Pharmaceutical Development with Business Management, MSc Applied Clinical Anatomy

Previously:

• Module Lead (2017-20) for Developmental Biology Module for BSc Life Sciences, Keele University
• Academic Lead for Keele University - RSCI Bahrain Medical Studentship Short Programme (2019-20)
• External Examiner for MRes Regenerative Medicine & Stem Cells (2015-18), Newcastle

Funding

Current:

• Faculty Research Fund (~£4.5k), PI/Co-I – 2023, 2024
• Winner of international 2022 RNAscope Spatial Biology Grant Program (ACD Inc.) (~£12k)
• The Humane Research Trust Project grant (~£215k), PI – 3 years – 2023-2026
• British Council Transnational Education grant (Going Global Partnerships) with Egypt (~40k), Co-I - 2022
• BHF Non-clinical PhD studentship award (£110k), PI – 3 years – from September 2020-2023
• EPSRC CDT studentship (~£15k), PI –2019
• International student funding (~20k), PI – 3 years – from September 2019-2022
• North Staffordshire Medical Institute (NSMI) award (~£20k), PI – 2 years – from 2018-2020
• BTC New Ideas Grant, Co-I, Keele University and University of Nottingham (~£85k), PI – 2 years – from 2017-2019
• Acorn PhD studentship, PI/Co-I, Keele University (~£30k) - from 2017-2019

Previous:

• University of Nottingham Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells Research Priority Area, PI (value £4000 Research Award) (1^stprize in ‘Dragon’s Den’ pitch presentation) - 2016
• MRC DTP studentship, PI, University of Nottingham (value £71,906) – from 2015-2017
• International studentship, PI, University of Nottingham (value £116,000) – from 2015-2017
• Oxbridge CRM Pump Prime funding, Collaborator (Nottingham), (value £23,100) – 1 year - from 2015-2016
• Attune NeXT International flow cytometry grant runner up (value £1500 + payment towards flow cytometer) & ACEA Biosciences International grant runner up (for free loan of machine) (Nottingham) - 2016

Other information/news

Applications to do a self-funded PhD in the lab around the topics of interest to the research group are welcome.

If interested, please send your CV and statement describing how your experience and qualifications align to the research areas in this lab to v.george@keeele.ac.uk