Allotment maths is making chutney with two courgettes, then visiting the plot. Now you have three more courgettes 😂 🌱

The courgettes have gone absolutely mad this year at the allotment. Must have picked 50+ in the last month. I’ve had 12 in the last 48h. 😂

And here it is, new paper on the role of non-coding RNAs in regulating neutrophil gene expression and function in systemic lupus erythematosus academic.oup.com/jleukbio/art... #immunosky 🧪

A role for noncoding RNAs and alternative splicing in the regulation of neutrophil activation and gene expression in systemic lupus erythematosus

SLE neutrophil transcriptome and activated phenotype is regulated by small noncoding RNAs and alternative splicing of genes.

academic.oup.com

Dr Helen Wright@drhelenwright.bsky.social · last mo.

Absolutely thrilled my last academic paper has been accepted for publication today. It was a fun and interesting project with Dr Grace Filbertine, and some fab new collaborations. Watch this space! #neutrophils #SLE #snoRNA #immunosky 🧪

Absolutely thrilled my last academic paper has been accepted for publication today. It was a fun and interesting project with Dr Grace Filbertine, and some fab new collaborations. Watch this space! #neutrophils #SLE #snoRNA #immunosky 🧪

Beautiful elephant hawk moth trapped under netting on my allotment this morning. What a treasure 🧡 🌱

My cactus flowered and I’m ridiculously excited about it 🌵 🌺 🌱

Proud to share the 2nd PhD paper from @gnna.bsky.social We performed RNAseq & assays (ROS,NETs, chemotaxis, killing) to describe inflammatory #neutrophils in people with #frailty academic.oup.com/cei/article/...

Altered neutrophil signalling linked to impaired chemotaxis and increased ROS and NET production in older people with frailty

In this study we have combined RNAseq with functional experiments to describe the phenotype of neutrophils from people with frailty. We found that frailty

academic.oup.com

New paper from @gnna.bsky.social investigating altered neutrophil metabolism in healthy ageing & frailty. We found signatures of neutrophil activation, lipid metabolism & oxidative stress. #immunosky @vivensa.bsky.social @livuni-ilcams.bsky.social febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

FEBS Press

Using 1H NMR metabolomics, we measured polar and lipid metabolites from human blood neutrophils from people with frailty (n = 31, mean age 84Y), people with rheumatoid arthritis (n = 16, mean age 55Y...

febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

New paper from PhD student Sarah Shirley & @jmadine.bsky.social on the role of neutrophils in aortic amyloid disease www.frontiersin.org/journals/imm...

Frontiers | Neutrophils and aortic medial amyloid: mutually beneficial or a dangerous combination?

IntroductionAmyloid deposition and inflammation are associated with many human diseases, with inflammatory cells found co-localised with amyloid in a range o...

frontiersin.org

Delighted that the 2nd paper from Dr Grace Filbertine is now online, we performed multiomics analysis of #neutrophils from adult and pediatric #SLE patients - similarities & differences reported @livuni-ilcams.bsky.social academic.oup.com/cei/article/...

Multiomics analysis of neutrophils in SLE: insights from adult and paediatric disease

In this study we have taken a multiomics approach to study metabolism (NMR Metabolomics) and gene expression (RNA sequencing) in blood neutrophils from adu

academic.oup.com

Congratulations to Dr Genna Abdullah @gnna.bsky.social who successfully defended her PhD thesis today. Thanks to examiners Dr Amy Chadwick & Dr Sonja Vermeren. Supervised by Dr Marie Phelan, Dr Asan Akpan & me. @livuni-ilcams.bsky.social

Thrilled to share this pre-print from @gnna.bsky.social PhD. We combine RNAseq with functional experiments to describe #neutrophil phenotype in older people with #frailty @vivensa.bsky.social @livuni-ilcams.bsky.social www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...

Altered neutrophil G-protein receptor signalling linked to impaired chemotaxis and increased ROS and NET production in older people with frailty

Background: Immune function alters with age, and is often accompanied by chronic, low-grade inflammation (inflammageing). In individuals with frailty, inflammageing is increased, reducing immune funct...

medrxiv.org

Yesterday (19 November) we hosted our Early Career Researcher event at the Building Centre, London. Posters, peer networking, research showcases and a lively panel discussion made for an inspiring day. Read more here: vivensafoundation.org.uk/news/2025-ea... #FundingForAgeingWell #ECREvent2025

2025 Early Career Researcher Event - Vivensa Foundation

All the highlights from our Early Career Researcher event in central London on 19 November 2025, including the speakers and panel.

vivensafoundation.org.uk

Congratulations to @gnna.bsky.social who has been named Vivensa Foundation academy member of the month for her fantastic patient involvement activities during her research project in frailty & ageing of the immune system. Read more about her #PPI work here vivensafoundation.org.uk/award-holder...

Fab new pre-print from @gnna.bsky.social which identified biomarkers of oxidative stress & ageing in #neutrophils #frailty ⬇️

medRxivpreprint@medrxivpreprint.bsky.social · 10mo ago

1H NMR metabolomics and lipidomics analysis of neutrophils reveals biomarkers of ageing, inflammageing and frailty https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.29.25339069v1

Find out how @gnna.bsky.social @drhelenwright.bsky.social and Professor Chrissy Hammond are using PPIE. They share practical tips for tailoring PPIE activities to older participants and funding models that help PPIE to flourish: vivensafoundation.org.uk/award-holder... #PPIE #FundingForAgeingWell

Shaping science together: Patient, carer and public involvement and engagement in ageing research - Vivensa Foundation

We spoke to three Vivensa-funded researchers about the power of patient, carer and public involvement and engagement (PPIE).

vivensafoundation.org.uk

Delighted to share our latest review article written by @gnna.bsky.social on #neutrophil #ageing #inflammageing #frailty #immunosky 🧪 @livuni-ilcams.bsky.social @vivensa.bsky.social academic.oup.com/jleukbio/adv...

Tried my hand at foraging today. Lovely ripe elderberries from the local park. Added fresh ginger, cinnamon and honey. Made just under 500ml. Yummy. 🌱

New paper identifying the role of autophagy in the production of #neutrophil #NETs A potential novel therapeutic target in #SLE #rheumatoidarthritis ? Congratulations to Dr Andy Nolan & colleagues in @pseudoenzyme.bsky.social lab @livuni-ilcams.bsky.social academic.oup.com/rheumatology...

Autophagy inhibitors block pathogenic NET release in immune-mediated inflammatory disease without impairing host defence

AbstractObjectives. Activation of neutrophils and release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), proteases and reactive oxygen species (ROS) is pathogen

academic.oup.com

New paper on the application of NMR and IR metabolomics to identify responders to TNF inhibitors #rheumatoidarthritis #livuni @micfresneda.bsky.social @roygoodacre.bsky.social @versusarthritis.bsky.social @liverpooluni.bsky.social link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Serum metabolomics identifies unique inflammatory signatures to distinguish rheumatoid arthritis responders and non-responders to TNF inhibitor therapy - Metabolomics

Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an auto-immune disease which causes irreversible damage to tissue and cartilage within synovial joints. Rapid diagnosis and treatment with disease-modifying t...

link.springer.com

Super excited for the tomato harvest that’s just starting. We’ve got Lizzano cherry toms in hanging baskets and gardeners delight, crimson crush and marmande in the polytunnel 🍅 🌱

First cabbage of 2025! 🌱

Yesterday was my last day at the University of Liverpool after 20 incredible years. We’ve still got some papers to finish so watch this space for updates. Now, to the allotment!

Nice haul for a Friday at the allotment - new potatoes, blackberries, lettuce, runner beans, tomatoes, courgettes, cucumber, sweet peas 🌱

Thrilled to receive the ‘Mentor’ award at @livuni-ilcams.bsky.social away day. Supporting the next generation of scientists has always been incredibly important to me, and it’s lovely to be nominated so THANK YOU if you were one of the people who put me forward for this award.

The allotment is bountiful this year. Lunch today was courgette and kale soup. Absolutely delicious. 🌱

Was called a “c*nt in a mask” this morning at my local Sainsbury’s 😷 Have a lovely day mate and good luck with your “summer flu” (BTW it’s not flu) 🦠

First courgette of the year, so had to make this absolute banger of a salad - courgette, rocket, feta, pine nuts, garlic and lemon juice 😘 👌🏼

New paper on #neutrophil #transcriptomics in #rheumatoidarthritis now online, congrats @micfresneda.bsky.social @gnna.bsky.social #immunosky academic.oup.com/jleukbio/adv...

Complexity of the neutrophil transcriptome in early and severe rheumatoid arthritis: a role for microRNAs?

Rheumatoid arthritis neutrophils have heterogeneous gene expression profiles associated with neutrophil polarization and activation states, which we propos

academic.oup.com

Nature is beautiful. This gorgeous poppy is growing in a tiny patch of soil in a messy corner of the allotment, on top of old bits of plastic and stones. Self seeded. Absolutely stunning. 🌺🌱