My major interest is the immune response in cardiovascular diseases. Current research activities address the study and imaging of cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis, neointimal formation and hypertension.

Immune responses play a key role in cardiovascular diseases. We have developed techniques to track antigen presenting cells and antigen presentation in the development of vascular immune response (ATVB 2012; Circulation 2014). We have been amongst the first to apply multiphoton microscopy in experimental atherosclerosis (Circulation 2007) and stroke (Stroke 2011) with the aim to define the kinetics and anatomical location of the T cell-antigen presenting cell interactions which underlie vascular immune response in real-time in vivo (Immunity 2015). We are currently developing surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for multiplexing molecular imaging of vascular inflammation (Heart 2018). The overall hypothesis is that atherosclerosis is a vascular and not a systemic immune disease. As such, the ultimate goal is to develop new modalities for imaging vascular inflammation and deliver immuno-modulatory treatments directly to the vessel wall.

Collaborations are established with researchers locally (Guzik, Garside, Brewer, McInnes, Sattar), nationally (Graham, Strathclyde; Mallat, Cambridge; Monaco, Oxford) and internationally (Harrison, Vanderbilt; Habenicht, Munich; Caligiuri, Paris).