Contact Details

Telephone

work +44 (0)1224 437290

work +44 (0)1224 437518

Email

w.huang@abdn.ac.uk

Address

The University of Aberdeen Room 5.15.1A
Institute of Medical Sciences
University of Aberdeen
Foresterhill, Aberdeen
Scotland, AB25 2ZD. 

Biography

Current post:
Lecturer
Institute of Medical Sciences
University of Aberdeen

Previous posts:
Senior Research Scientist
Imperial College London

Research Interests

The World Health Organization states that every year between 250,000 and 500,000 people around the world suffer a spinal cord injury. In the UK, about 50,000 people live with spinal cord injury, with about 1,000 new cases each year. Spinal cord injury can cause permanent loss of nerve function below the level of injury. There is no cure. The estimated annual cost to the NHS is around £1 billion. Current treatments focus on limiting the extent of damage and helping patients manage the injury and subsequent dramatic lifestyle changes. The lack of therapies for spinal cord injury creates a substantial, unmet, clinical need for millions of patients. Our group aims to develop novel approaches to improve function recovery after spinal cord injury, and we are pursuing the following two research areas:

A Combinatorial Approach For Spinal Cord Repair
Based on our previous experience using novel biomaterials for peripheral nerve repair, my group is focusing on the development of a biomaterial-based combinatorial approach to promote axon regeneration and function recovery after spinal cord injury using relevant in vitro, ex vivo and animal models. In collaboration with colleagues here at Aberdeen and elsewhere, we are developing novel combinatorial strategies including the use of suitable novel biomaterials, novel growth-promoting biomolecules, and electric stimulation for spinal cord repair.

Central Neuropathic Pain After Spinal Cord Injury
My group has a strong interest in the role of neuroinflammation in the development and maintenance of central neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury. We aim to develop novel strategies to target this neuroinflammation in order to prevent and/or treat this common complication that significantly impacts on the quality of life of millions spinal injured patients. We are world leaders in using ethologically relevant and pain-related complex rodent behaviours and outcome measures to facilitate the development of novel analgesics for central neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury.

Collaborations

In Aberdeen:
•   Dr Huang is part of the Aberdeen Spinal Injury Research Team and actively collaborates with other Team members to develop novel strategies for spinal cord repair.
•   Collaboration with Profs Peter Mccaffery, Roger Pertwee, Iain Gibson, and Helen Galley on various projects.

Outside Aberdeen: Dr Huang actively collaborate with national and international leading experts.

Industrial collaboration:

•  Oxford Biomaterials Ltd., Oxford, England

•  Biogelx Ltd., Scotland

Research Grants

Current Research Income:

Research Grants (total £563K since 2017):

• Scottish Rugby Union/private donation, 2019-22
• Aberdeen University Development Trust, 2016-22
• BJA/RCoA PhD studentship, 2020-2023
• Medical Research Scotland(MRS)/Biogelx Ltd. PhD studentship, 2019-2023
• Two Elphinstone PhD Scholarships, 2020-2023
• International PhD studentship, 2016-20

Our research is kindly supported by:

Previous Grants:

• Institute of Medical Sciences PhD Studentship, 2014-19
• International Spinal Research Trust PhD Studentship, 2015-19
• Aberdeen University Development Trust PhD Studentship, 2014-18
• Aberdeen University Development Trust, 2016-19
• Tenovus Scotland, 2016-17
• RS McDonald Trust, 2014-17
• Scottish Rugby Union, Research Grant, 2013-16
• Development Trust, Equipment Grant, 2013-16
• Medical Research Scotland Vacation Scholarship, 06-08/2015
• Medical Research Scotland Vacation Scholarship, 06-08/2016
• Wellcome Trust Vacation Scholarship, 06-08/2016
• Aberdeen University Start-up, 2013-2016
• National Institute of Academic Anaesthesia, 2013-14
• Chelsea & Westminster NHS Trust; 2010-11
• Neurotex Ltd., 2008-9
• Wellcome Trust, International Travelling Research Fellowship, 2001-2

Teaching Responsibilities

For the Institute of Medical Sciences:

PGT: MSc IMS Project Course: course coordinator

Level 2
• SM2001: Foundation Skills for Medical Sciences
• SM2501: Research Skills for Medical Sciences

Level 3
• SM3002: Frontiers of Medical Sciences: course coordinator
• SR3508: Clinical Exercise Physiology
• BM3804: Neuroscience Research Topics
• DB3804: Development of Organ Systems

Level 4
• BM4004: Advanced Molecules, Membranes & Cells
• PY4302/AN4302: Developmental Neuroscience

For the Institute of Dentistry:

• BDS 2: Pain Physiology
• BDS 3: Wound Healing

For the Medical School:

• Yr1: tutors on various topics
• Yr1: SSC "Brainstorming": theme leader
• Yr2: tutors on various topics

Supervision of BSc and postgraduate students:

• BSc Honours
• MSc/MRes students
• Principal supervisor of 4 PhD students

External Responsibilities

Dr Huang is the Treasurer of Non Human Pain Special Interest Group (SIG) at the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP).

Dr Huang is an Associate Editor of BMJ Open Science.

Dr Huang is an Editor of Current Trends In Medical & Biological Engineering.

Admin Responsibilities

Dr Huang involves in the following Administration duties:

•   Invitation of seminar speakers and organisation of seminars
•   Provide scientific and career advice to BSc Honours, Master and PhD students
•   Provide pastoral care to more than 10 personal tutees at UoA
•   Act as academic advisors/examiners for PhD students of other academic staff
•   Act as a mentor to post-doctoral staff in university’s mentoring scheme
•   Manage the social media accounts for the Aberdeen Spinal Injury Research Team  (ASIRT)
•   Organise and participate in various fundraising activities on behalf of the ASIRT

Publica Engagement

     1. Engage with clinicians with a view of potential translation of our spinal repair research in the future

•   Present our work at the annual conference of the International Spinal Research Trust (ISRT) that is attended by UK and international leading scientists and prominent clinicians in the field.
•   Engage with clinicians at the National Spinal Injury Unit in Glasgow. Dr Huang has participated in collaborative network meetings organised by the Unit.

     2. Use public engagement activities to promote greater public understanding of science and research in the field of spinal cord repair

•   We promote our research on the university webpage of Aberdeen Spinal Injury Research Team and using social media such as Facebook and Twitter.
•   Work with University’s Press Office to disseminate our research as widely as possible to the public as we have done in the past.
•   Dr Huang was interviewed by BBC Radio Scotland on 20 Oct. 2014 regarding a clinical case of spinal injury and the potential of our strategies for spinal cord repair.
•   Dr Huang’s group is proactive at communicating our work to a wider audience, including at University’s Doors Open Days and May Festivals, and other public outreach events.
•   Regular bake sales to fundraise for the ISRT, and through sponsored participation in running events to fundraise for the ISRT.
•   Continue to engage with relevant charities such as the ISRT and Scottish Rugby Union (SRU).
•   Continue to engage with spinal injured patients and their families through the University’s Development Trust.

     3. The Champion of public engagement is our ISRT Nathalie Rose Barr PhD student Alba Guijarro-Belmar:

Group member

Current PhD students:
• Ms Aya Abddallah: first year
• Mr William Macintosh-Smith: first year
• Mr Mindaugas Viskontas: first year
• Ms Yuting Wei: final year

Current postdoctoral research fellow:

Dr Catriona Cunningham

Past Group Members:

1. PhD students:
• Anna Varone: passed viva on 17/06/2019
• Alba Guijarro-Belmar: passed viva on 13/06/2019; now working at Eli Lilly as a senior researcher
• Marieta Georgieva, passed viva on 31/08/18; now working as a research assistant at 4D Pharma

2. BSc Honours students:

Year 2019
• Ms Emma Kathleen Green
• Ms Niss Larossi
• Ms Paula Rebecca Hippen
• Ms Elena Moratal Torres

Year 2018
• Ms Gazal Neb
• Mr Sam Gillespie
• Ms Viviane Ida Schulz
• Mr Mindaugas Viskontas

Year 2017
• Ms Giulia Capuzzo
• Ms Jessica Mcclure
• Mr Martin Rugema
• Mr Peter Pearson
• Mr Saurav Kataria
• Ms Veronika Petrova

Year 2016
• Mr Pascal Michael
• Ms Magdalena Jablonska
• Ms Lina Huiying Lau
• Ms Alice Ward

Year 2015
• Mr Alasdair Thomas Leeson-Payne
• Ms Maria Dumitrascuta
• Ms Megan Katriona Smith

3. Master students:

Year 2019
• Ms Yinghui Leng
• Mr Haoang Liu

Year 2018
• Ms Nur Zafirah Muhamat

Year 2016
• Mr Ruben Machado
• Mr Mihnea Vlad Turcanu
• Ms Maria Dumitrascuta
• Ms Yuting Wei

Year 2015
• Ms Leilani Robles Barry
• Ms Michelle Gniss

4. Summer Vacation students:

Year 2019
• Mr Dominik Mateusz Domanski (Hot Start Scholarship winner)
• Mr Adam Digby Daniell

Year 2018
• Mr Adam Digby Daniell
• Ms Laura Pecesbarda Castano (Wellcome Trust Vacation Scholarship winner)

Year 2017
• Mr Mindaugas Viskontas (MRS Vacation Scholarship winner)
• Ms Kira Beneke

Year 2016
• Ms Alice Ross
• Mr Peter Pearson (MRS Vacation Scholarship winner)
• Mr Mindaugas Viskontas (Wellcome Trust Vacation Scholarship winner)
• Mr Lion Wenzel Budrass
• Ms Nur Zafirah Muhamat
• Ms Flavia Troiani (visiting medical student, Brazil)

Year 2015
• Mr Jonathan Forbes Lappin
• Ms Raisa Dourado (Science without borders, Brazil)
• Ms Nadine Godsman
• Ms Rona Middlemiss
• Ms Mina Khezrian

Publications 

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