Professor Maurice B. Hallett
Maurice
B. Hallett, Ph.D., FRMS is Professor of Experimental Cell Biology
and
Director
of Postgraduate Research Studies at
Cardiff University School of Medicine, UK.
After obtaining degrees in Pharmacology from
University College London,
Maurice joined the
Medical School in Cardiff, UK to establish a
research group that is focused on the mechanisms which underlie the
behaviour of human blood phagocytes, especially neutrophils.
The work of this group is aimed at establishing novel therapeutic
approaches to the treatment of inflammatory diseases by gaining insights
into the mechanisms by which phagocytes capture and kill infecting
microbes. This group, funded by the
Medical Research Council (UK), the Wellcome Trust,
the British Heart
Foundation and other organizations,
has
established a number of novel ways of studying the behaviour of human
phagocytes at the level of individual cells. These have involved the
development of new micro-manipulation and sub-cellular imaging
techniques.
Maurice has published over 150 full research papers in cell biological
and immunological journals, authored many invited book chapters, has
written two books on neutrophil cell biology and holds patents for
inventions relating to cell engineering.
His publications include
The Neutrophil: Cellular Biochemistry and Physiology,
The Molecular and Ionic Signaling of Neutrophils,
Localised
PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 or PtdIns(3,4)P2 at the phagocytic
cup is required for both phagosome closure and Ca2+ signalling
in HL60
neutrophils in Journal of Cell
Science,
The use of single image random dot stereograms for presenting 3D
microscopic confocal images in Journal
of Microscopy, and
Priming of human neutrophils by tumour necrosis factor-alpha and
substance P is associated with tyrosine phosphorylation in Immunology.
He also has an interest in the
emergence of unpredictability in small systems and the ways in which this
is overcome in living cells as he discussed in Is Life based on Clockwork Biology or the uncertainty of quantum
physics?
in
Perspectives in Biology and Medicine. Details of all recent
publications and patents can be found on the
Neutrophil Signalling Group web
site.
As well as membership of the Institute of Biology (UK) and the Biochemical
Society (UK), he is a fellow of the
Royal Microscopical Society, and serves on their Cell Biology Committee.