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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Solubilized Pancreatic Extracellular Matrix from Juvenile Pigs Protects Isolated Human Islets from Hypoxia-Induced Damage: A Viable Option for Clinical Islet Transplantation
Journal article
Brandhorst H. et al, (2023), Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, 2023
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The ischaemic preconditioning paradox and its implications for islet isolation from heart-beating and non heart-beating donors.
Journal article
Brandhorst D. et al, (2022), Sci Rep, 12
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A highly oxygenated hydrogel enhanced the survival of human islets encapsulated within macroencapsulation devices
Conference paper
Domingo-Lopez DA. et al, (2022), DIABETOLOGIA, 65, S92 - S92
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Comparison of different hyaluronic acid-based matrices to maintain human islet survival in macroencapsulation devices
Conference paper
Brandhorst D. et al, (2022), DIABETOLOGIA, 65, S198 - S199
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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