Research Group Summary
The Free Radical Biochemistry Laboratory was established in 1997 on the 6th floor of what was originally the Zoology Building. Under the supervision of Dr Steven Gieseg, a variety of students have researched the biological changes occurring in cells when they are exposed to damaging free radicals. Free radical damage has been implicated in many disease processes, from heart disease to cancer.
The laboratory research is focused on three major areas, free radical damage to cellular proteins, the role of the antioxidant 7,8 dihydroneopterin in inflammation, and the role of free radical damage in the development of vascular disease (heart disease and complications of diabetes). Using a range of biochemical and cell culture techniques the laboratory has made significant contributions to the understanding of free radical driven processes.