Dr Russ Morphew

PhD

Dr Russ Morphew

Reader

Department of Life Sciences

Contact Details

Teaching

Module Coordinator
Tutor
Coordinator
Lecturer
Grader
Moderator

Research

Current research is aimed at utilising modern high resolution proteomic technologies and mass spectrometry to investigate protein function and interactions. This work has focussed upon microbial-host interactions and the proteins that act upon this interface. In particular, how proteins can facilitate the invasion, establishment or colonisation of an organism within a host. Present research focuses upon the interaction of of extracellular vesicles released from parasitic helminths on the microbiome. Of interest are the parasitic helminths of economic importance including the liver flukes Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica, nematodes Haemonchus contortus and Teladorsagia circumcincta as well as neglected veterinary parasites such as the rumen fluke, Calicophoron daubneyi, and the equine tapeworm, Anoplocephala perfoliata. Recent research using high resolution proteomics has focussed upon vaccine discovery and the development and response to anthelmintic stress and metabolism. The main driver of future research is to increase our understanding of how proteins interact with other proteins within the same organism, between organisms or within a host. How proteins interact with ligands such as anthelmintics and metabolites are also of interest, including how proteins function in the metabolism and action of anthelmintics and ultimately anthelmintic resistance.

Publications

Northcote, HM, Wititkornkul, B, Cutress, D, Allen, N, Brophy, P, Wonfor, R & Morphew, RM 2024, 'A dominance of Mu class glutathione transferases within the equine tapeworm Anoplocephala perfoliata', Parasitology, vol. 151, no. 3, pp. 282-294. 10.1017/S0031182024000015
McVeigh, P, McCammick, E, Robb, E, Brophy, P, Morphew, RM, Marks, NJ & Maule, AG 2023, 'Discovery of long non-coding RNAs in the liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica', PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, vol. 17, no. 9, e0011663. 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011663, 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011663
Chow, F & Morphew, RM 2023, 'Extracellular Vesicles in Microbes, Pathogens, and Infectious Diseases', International Journal of Molecular Sciences, vol. 24, no. 13, 10686. 10.3390/ijms241310686
White, R, Sotillo, J, Ancarola, ME, Borup, A, Boysen, AT, Brindley, PJ, Buzás, EI, Cavallero, S, Chaiyadet, S, Chalmers, IW, Cucher, MA, Dagenais, M, Davis, CN, Devaney, E, Duque-Correa, MA, Eichenberger, RM, Fontenla, S, Gasan, TA, Hokke, CH, Kosanovic, M, Kuipers, ME, Laha, T, Loukas, A, Maizels, RM, Marcilla, A, Mazanec, H, Morphew, RM, Neophytou, K, Nguyen, LT, Nolte-'t Hoen, E, Povelones, M, Robinson, MW, Rojas, A, Schabussova, I, Smits, HH, Sungpradit, S, Tritten, L, Whitehead, B, Zakeri, A, Nejsum, P, Buck, AH & Hoffmann, KF 2023, 'Special considerations for studies of extracellular vesicles from parasitic helminths: A community-led roadmap to increase rigour and reproducibility', Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, vol. 12, no. 1, 12298. 10.1002/jev2.12298
Davies, ES, Morphew, RM, Cutress, D, Morton, AJ & McBride, S 2022, 'Characterization of microtubule-associated protein tau isoforms and Alzheimer’s disease-like pathology in normal sheep (Ovis aries): Relevance to their potential as a model of Alzheimer’s disease', Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, vol. 79, no. 11, 560. 10.1007/s00018-022-04572-z
More publications on the Research Portal