Manchester Academic Health Science Centre (MAHSC) is a partnership between The University of Manchester, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust (part of the Northern Care Alliance) and Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust to unite leading healthcare providers with world-class academics and researchers.

In April 2020, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre (MAHSC), part of Health Innovation Manchester, was officially designated by National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), NHS England and NHS Improvement up to 2025. The MAHSC Seminar Series showcases the great discovery and clinical science being undertaken within Manchester and its impact on the health of the local population.

The series gives a local platform to the nationally and internationally renowned scientists of MAHSC to share their work with clinical, non-clinical, university colleagues, but also crucially members of the wider community seeking insight into innovations in the delivery of healthcare.

This month’s seminar was about: ‘Biomedical Research at University of Salford – Cellular response to stress, Nanomaterials and Biomarkers in Human Cancers’

The seminar was chaired by Professor Marija Krstic-Demonacos and speakers included:

• Professor Marija Krstic-Demonacos, Professor of Molecular Medicine; Director of Biomedical Research Centre
• Dr Zeljka Krpetic, Lecturer in Physical Chemistry
• Dr Arijit Mukhopadhyay, Reader in Human Genetics

Professor Krstic-Demonacos discussed ‘Cellular response to stress’ and gave an overview of Biomedical research at the University of Salford as well as summarising her own personal research interests.

Dr Krpetic delivered a presentation on ‘Understanding the bio-nano interface: nanoparticle characterisation viewpoint towards safe implementation of nanomaterials in healthcare applications.’

Dr Krpetic, said: “Nano technology is at a really good point when it comes to implementing the objects at a nano scale between zero and one hundred nanometres in living systems” Dr Krpetic then further explained how there are still challenges in crossing biological barriers and overcoming biomolecular corona formations.

Dr Mukhopadhyay gave a talk on ‘RNA Biomarkers in Human Cancers’ discussing the exploration of microRNA clusters as cancer biomarkers and what makes that specific cluster so special.