Dr Lorraine Work
- Reader (Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health)
telephone:
01413305869/4962
email:
Lorraine.Work@glasgow.ac.uk
pronouns:
She/her/hers
C443, SCMH, BHF GCRC, Glasgow G12 8TA
Biography
Lorraine Work graduated from the University of Strathclyde with a 1st class BSc (Hons) in Immunology & Pharmacology in 1995 and went on to study for a PhD investigating anti-proliferative agents for therapy in in vitro and in vivo models of vascular injury, graduating in 1999. Following a brief period spent at the University of Washington, Seattle, Dr Lorraine Work joined the Division of Cardiovascular and Medical Science, University of Glasgow in 2000 as a post-doctoral researcher in Professor A. Baker’s research group. In so doing she moved from pharmacological interventions to gene-based approaches - specifically, identifying novel targets which could be used to direct therapy to the vasculature (smooth muscle cells and organ specific endothelial beds). Lorraine was awarded a BHF Intermediate Research Fellowship in 2006 to study a combination of pharmacological and gene-based therapies in stroke. In 2007, Dr Work was appointed lecturer through the BBSRC Capacity Building awards in Integrative Mammalian Biology and so central to her research is the translation of knowledge gained from single molecules back to the whole organism, including in vivo studies. In 2015 Lorraine was promoted to Senior Lecturer and then to Reader in 2019.
Lorraine is Athena Swan Champion for SCMH and represents the school on the College EDI committee. She served on the Athena Swan self-assessment team for several years before becoming chair in 2021. Her support for early career researchers and women in science was recognised by a research culture award (2021)
Dr Lorraine Work - Good Practice in Research Culture
Lorraine also dedicates much of her time to public engagement and outreach activities to communicate the ongoing research interests of her group to the general public and to promote science in schools. Through a collaboration with Dr Lizzie Burns and Professor Stuart Allan (University of Manchester) a series of “build-a-brain” workshops were held in schools across Glasgow. This, alongside a “Brain Health Awareness Day” led to the team being awarded an ICCA Incredible Impacts Award.
ICCA Incredible Impacts Award - 2022 Winners
Working alongside Professors Jason Gill and Godfrey Smith, a new “Have a Heart” workshop has been developed in SCMH and will be delivered to schools as part of an ongoing program of science promotion. In addition, Lorraine has spoken at Pint of Science (2022) and often takes part in tours of supporters of charities which fund her work, such as the British Heart Foundation. Her commitment to engagement activities was recognised in Lorraine being “Highly Commended” researcher in the MVLS Engagement Awards (2022)
Research interests
Research Theme: Vascular Diseases and Comorbidities
Lorraine’s research interest lies in targeting multiple pathways through both combining gene and drug intervention strategies or using microRNAs in an attempt to reduce infarct volume and improve neurological recovery following experimental stroke. She collaborates closely with clinical colleagues to ensure a good bench to bedside to bench iterative research program.
Increasingly, Dr Work is interested in exploiting endogenous signalling particles, extracellular vesicles as a means of delivery. These small particles carry cargo around the body in health and disease and determining their contents serve both as a potential biomarker but also as a novel therapeutic. Other interests include determining the effect of stabilisation of mitochondrial function on outcome following stroke and how endogenous mitochondrial turnover processes are altered with ischaemic injury and targeting mitochondria therapeutically. Oedema is a contributory pathological mechanism early after ischaemic stroke and collaborative studies are determining if targeting oedema while promoting neuronal plasticity will be more beneficial that targeting each pathway alone. She also has ongoing projects determining the peripheral effects of cerebral ischaemic injury. Her experimental stroke studies consider the impact of intervention on measures of cognition given the key link between stroke and dementia.
Although stroke is the 3rd leading cause of death and the leading cause of long-term disability worldwide there is, currently, only two clinically approved interventions both of which promote reperfusion. In determining the relative contribution of the underlying signalling pathways to infarct size and consequent neurological recovery the Work group hope to identify novel therapeutic approaches. Furthermore, many target microRNAs may be involved in promoting endogenous repair allowing delayed delivery thus promoting clinical translation. The research group use in vitro methods to determine efficacy prior to in vivo application in a model of transient cerebral ischaemia.
Research groups
Grants
Grants and Awards listed are those received whilst working with the University of Glasgow.
- Combined targeting of oedema and neuronal plasticity as a therapeutic for ischaemic stroke
Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser
2023 - 2025
- Cross disciplinary capacity building in ultra-high frequency preclinical cardiovascular ultrasound
British Heart Foundation
2022 - 2025
- Cardiac-targeted exosome-mediated delivery of angiotensin-(1-7) to treat cardiac disease
British Heart Foundation
2021 - 2024
- Extracellular vesicle mediated microRNA delivery as a therapeutic for ischaemic stroke
Chief Scientist Office
2018 - 2021
- Improving consistency and application of outcome measures in preclinical models of vascular cognitive impairment
Alzheimer`s Research UK
2018 - 2018
- Pharmacological investigations on neuroinflammatory and excitotoxic mechanisms in animal model of stroke
British Council
2018 - 2018
- Refinement in pre-clinical stroke research: investigation of morbidity and mortality and development of improved post-stroke care in rodents
American College of Laboratory
2015 - 2016
- Angiotensin-(1-7): a novel treatment for acute and long term recovery from stroke?
The Henry Smith Charity
2014 - 2016
- Modulation of the kynurenic pathway following stroke (ISSF STS)
Wellcome Trust
2013 - 2014
- Modulation of miRNA as a therapeutic strategy for stroke
Medical Research Council
2012 - 2016
- Supporting the ischaemic brain with oxygen-carrying perfluorocarbons.
Chief Scientist Office
2012 - 2015
- A combined approach targeting oxidative stress and apoptosis in stroke
British Heart Foundation
2008 - 2012
- A combined approach to target reactive oxygen species and neuronal death in stroke
British Heart Foundation
2007 - 2010
Supervision
- Blaikie, Zachariel
Determining the role of vascular smooth muscle cell-specific NADPH oxidase 5 in the context of cerebral small vessel disease, stroke, and vascular dementia. - Cosgrove, Caitlin
Novel Genetic Biomarkers and Treatment Approaches for Ischaemic Stroke - Donald, Marianne
Teaching
Lorraine successfully completed her PG Cert in Academic Practice becoming a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2009. Currently, she lectures for the MSc Cardiovascular Sciences, MRes/MSc in Biomedical Sciences and to levels 3 and 4 for the Pharmacology, Neuroscience and Human Biology degrees. Dr Work leads the Clinical Neuroscience specialisation of the BMed Sci intercalated degree for medical students. Lorraine is an advisor of studies for undergraduate and postgraduate students. She has previously facilitated PBL sessions for undergraduate medical students (years 1 and/or year 2) as well as being a tutor for L3 Pharmacology for many years.
A significant portion of Lorraine’s teaching time is spent on project supervision and assessment for wet laboratory-based projects for L4 students (Pharmacology, Neuroscience), intercalating BMed Sci students and MRes/MSc students (IMB/Systems Biology and Clinical Pharmacology). Further in assessment of the research project write up/students laboratory performance, the oral "viva" style exam and assessing the oral presentations.
Dr Work is co-director of the flagship BHF 4 year PhD program (since 2021). In the MRes year, this includes feedback meetings to discuss project selection and progress; assessment of journal club presentations, review articles and the grant proposal; assessment of project report write up, oral presentations (start and end of each rotation project).
Professional activities & recognition
Prizes, awards & distinctions
- 2021: Research Culture Award (University of Glasgow)
- 2022: Highly Commended MVLS Engaged Researcher of the Year (University of Glasgow)
- 2022: Incredible Impact Award (ICCA/BestCities)
Research fellowships
- 2007 - 2008: Intermediate Fellowship, British Heart Foundation
Editorial boards
- 2018 - Present: Cardiovascular Research
Professional & learned societies
- 2020 - Present: Board Member, UK Society of Extracellular Vesicles
- 2019 - 2023: Board Member, ARUK Scotland Network
- 2019 - 2022: Co-chair Local Organising Committee, BRAIN & BRAIN PET 2022, International Society for Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism
Supplementary
- SCMH/MVLS Responsibilities: Athena Swan Champion; MVLS EDI committee member