loCATIONS
Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism (OCDEM), Churchill Hospital, Oxford OX3 7LE
Heide Brandhorst
Dr.oec.troph., Ph.D.
Senior Postdoctoral Scientist
The success of human islet transplantation strongly depends on the outcome of the enzymatic islet isolation process. My research activity aims at optimisation and standarisation of protease blends to maximise islet release from within the acinar tissue of the human pancreas and to prevent enzymatic destruction of these fragile micro-organs.
As an initial step toward enzyme standardisation we previously provided the prove of principal that successful human islet isolation is possible by utilisation of a recombinant collagenase blend.
Further optimsation was obtained by identifying the ideal ratio between collagenase class I and class II which was an important step to reduce islet-toxic proteolytic activities.
Currently we are working to identify alternative enzymes that can replace neutral protease activities which are characterised by islet-toxicity.
Recent publications
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Basement membrane proteins improve human islet survival in hypoxia: Implications for islet inflammation.
Journal article
Brandhorst D. et al, (2022), Acta Biomater, 137, 92 - 102
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High Concentrations of Etanercept Reduce Human Islet Function and Integrity.
Journal article
Brandhorst D. et al, (2021), J Inflamm Res, 14, 599 - 610
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HYPOXIC PRECONDITIONING AMELIORATES ISCHEMIA-INDUCED DAMAGE OF ISOLATED RAT ISLETS
Conference paper
Brandhorst H. et al, (2020), TRANSPLANTATION, 104, S563 - S563
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RECOMBINANT NIDOGEN-1 SIGNIFICANTLY PROTECTS HUMAN ISLETS FROM HYPOXIA-INDUCED DAMAGE
Conference paper
Brandhorst D. et al, (2020), TRANSPLANTATION, 104, S563 - S563
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WHOLE PORCINE PANCREATIC EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX-BASED HYDROGEL INCREASES SURVIVAL OF HUMAN ISLETS EXPOSED TO HYPOXIA
Conference paper
Brandhorst D. et al, (2020), TRANSPLANTATION, 104, S560 - S560