ALL ARE INVITED
**Synopsis**
The research on the bioactive lipid sphingosine 1-phosphate has focussed specifically on the role of sphingosine kinase 1 and 2 (the enzymes that catalyse formation of sphingosine 1-phosphate) and
sphingosine 1-phosphate receptors in the control of cell biology in health and disease. Specific investigation has been on the functional interaction of S1P receptors with oncogenes in cancer and
the role of receptors in micro-environmental niche interaction between cancer cells and fibroblasts. The research has also investigated the role of sphingosine kinase in regulating cell survival, migration and growth of cancer cells. Sphingosine kinases and S1P receptors represent targets for a potential therapeutic intervention in the treatment of cancer, inflammation, cardiovascular diseases and infection. Their role in disease and opportunities for novel drug discovery in this area will be discussed.
**Speaker Biography**
Professor Nigel Pyne obtained his BSc in Biochemistry in 1982 from the University of Birmingham (UK) and his PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Manchester (UK) in 1985. He undertook his
post-doctoral work at the University of Glasgow with Professor Miles Houslay on insulin signalling. Since, 1989, he has worked within the Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences
(SIPBS) at the University of Strathclyde, where he was head of research (2006-2009). With Professor Susan Pyne he has studied the bioactive lipid, sphingosine-1 phosphate since 1994 and has published approx. 100 papers in this area (178 papers in total) and as an H index of 52 with ~ 8300 citations. Professor Nigel Pyne is a recipient of the Sandoz Prize (awarded by the British Pharmacological Society) for contributions to Pharmacology. He is an elected member of the Academy of Science of the Institute of Bologna (founded in 1690) and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology. He served as Editor in Chief of the international scientific journal, Cellular Signalling and is a co-founder of Mironid Ltd. He has trained over 30 PhD students and 15 post-doctoral researchers.
