Student Profile

Contact Email:   hari_klea@hotmail.com

Undergraduate Degree: MEng Biochemical Engineering (UCL)

PhD Summary

A translational project aimed at developing and implementing a non-invasive means of imaging and tracking stem cells in vivo within arthritic knee joints. This allows for the assessment of cell integration, tissue regeneration and cellular bio-distribution which are all fundamental in evaluating the risks and success of these therapies and therefore enabling clinical translation. This is achieved by the combined use of magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) and MRI. Humanmesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) and porcine chondrocytes were isolated, expanded and labelled with 4 commercially available MNP ranging in size (20nm, 50 nm; 300 nm; & 1000 nm) and particle concentration. Labelled cell populations were then implanted within various orthopaedic tissues and gels for minimal in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo MRI visibility threshold assessment. Labelling protocols were optimisedtowards current clinical MRI modalities commonly found in hospitals. Further to this, cell viability, differentiation and proliferation assays were implemented to assess the effect of particle labelling and dose on the biological function of these cell types. Finally, tracking studies were implemented in live murine models of rheumatoid arthritis and rat models of osteoarthritis.

 

Publications, Presentations and Awards

Publications

• Ian Wimpenny, Hareklea Markides. Orthopaedic applications of nanoparticle-based stem cell therapies, Stem cells research and therapy, 2012.
• Hareklea Markides, Michael Rotherham, Alicia J.El Haj.  Biocompatibility and Toxicity of Magnetic Nanoparticles in Regenerative Medicine. Journal of Nanomaterials, 2012.
• Michael  J Sawkins, William  Bowen, Paramjeet Dhadda, Hareklea Markides, Laura E Sidney, Adam J Taylor, Felicity R Rose, Stephen F Badylak, Kevin M Shakesheff, Lisa White. Hydrogels derived from demineralized and decellularized bone extracellular matrix. Acta Biomaterialia, 2012 (in press).
• Hareklea Markides, Oksana Kehoe, Robert Morris, Alicia El Haj. In vivo Tracking of SPION Labelled Cells – a Rheumatoid Arthritis mouse model

• M.J. Sawkins, W. Bowen, P. Dhadda, Hareklea Markides, L.E. Sidney, A.J. Taylor, F.R.A.J. Rose, S.F. Badylak, K.M. Shakesheff & L.J. White. 2013, Hydrogels Derived from Demineralized and Decellularized Bone Extracellular Matrix, Acta Biomaterialia, 9(8), 7865-73

Oral Presentations

• Investigating various magnetic nanoparticles for the tagging & imaging of stem cell therapies in orthopaedics TERMIS EU, Grenada, Spain June 2011          
• Ex Vivo imaging and tracking of SPION labelled mesenchymal stem cells and chondrocytes in orthopaedic cell based therapies TERMIS World Congress, Vienna, Austria September 2012
• Ex Vivo imaging and tracking of MNP - labelled MSCs in orthopaedic cell based therapies BSRT PhD Symposium, Berlin, Germany December 2012

Poster Presentations

• Development of magnetic nanoparticle strategies for use in tagging & imaging stem cell therapies for orthopaedics BIRAX, Israel, November 2011
• Development of magnetic nanoparticle strategies for use in tagging & imaging stem cell therapies for orthopaedics TCES, Leeds, July 2011
• Development of magnetic nanoparticle strategies for use in tagging & imaging stem cell therapies for orthopaedics ARUK, Launch, Newcastle, 2011
• Development of ex vivo and in vivo models for the tagging & imaging of stem cell therapies for orthopaedics. ARUK, Loughborough, 2012

Awards

• Travel bursary awarded by the British Council (BIRAX) to attend first Joint UK- Israel conference in regenerative medicine held at Ben Gurion University Israel, November 2011   
• Travel bursary awarded by TCES to attend an international conference, September 2012

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