Established 1995 | Director Karl Kadler | |
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Affiliations Wellcome TrustUniversity of Manchester Website www.wellcome-matrix.org | ||
The Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research at the University of Manchester pursues research into extracellular matrix (ECM) biology and its contribution to human diseases. The Centre was established in 1995 by Charles Streuli and is funded by the Wellcome Trust.
A key aim for the Centre is to clarify the roles of cell adhesion molecules, found on the exterior of cells and how they bind to and organise the ECM. These interactions ultimately affect cell behaviour and are of importance medically: defects in cell-ECM interactions underpin many diseases, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, osteoarthritis, inflammatory disorders, some forms of blindness, and many genetically inherited conditions.
Research
The Centre focuses on cellular matrix microenvironment, matrix immunobiology, and mechanobiology of the matrix.
As of 2016 principal investigators in the centre include Judi Allen, Clair Baldock, Christoph Ballestrem, Ray Boot-Handford, Pat Caswell, Tony Day, Andrew Gilmore, Richard Grencis, Tim Hardingham, Martin Humphries, Karl Kadler, Rachel Lennon, Qing-Jun Meng, Chris Miller, Martin Schwartz, Charles Streuli, Joe Swift, Dave Thornton, Mark Travis, Sarah Woolner, Ceri Harrop, Thomas Jowitt, David Knight, Toby Starborg and Egor Zindy.