argonaute rna
OUR SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD
The Argonaute SAB brings together world-leading expertise in developing strategies to prevent the deleterious cardiometabolic effects of lipids.
Understanding the pathophysiology of cardiovascular risk factors and experience of the treatment journey for dyslipidaemic patients lies at the heart of successful drug development.
Prof Vidal-Puig is: Professor of Molecular Nutrition and Metabolism at Cambridge University; Honorary Consultant in Metabolic Medicine at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge; Director of Cardiometabolic Programme at the Heart and Lung Research Institute; Deputy Director of the MRC Institute of Metabolic Science; member of the Cambridge University Nanjing Centre for Technology and Innovation; Honorary Professor at Nanjing University & Soochow University in China and Chiba University in Japan; Faculty at Centro de Investigacion Principe Felipe in Valencia; the Toh Chin Chye Visiting Professor at the National University of Singapore; Chair of the Life Sciences Panel; recipient of a Principal Investigator award of the European Research Council.
Prof Vidal-Puig has an MBA from the Judge Business School of the University of Cambridge.
His research programme focuses on the molecular mechanisms of lipid-induced insulin resistance and on developing strategies to prevent the deleterious cardiometabolic effects of lipids, specifically by modulating fatty acid oxidation and thermogenic mechanisms.
Prof Vidal-Puig’s research investigates the link between obesity and cardiometabolic complications. Current projects include identifying the metabolic determinants of heart failure. This involves elucidating the link between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and heart failure.
Prof Randeva is Professor of Clinical Endocrinology at Warwick Medical School, Consultant Endocrinologist and Director of Research & Development at the University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust. He is the Clinical Lead for Diabetes & Endocrinology at UHCW NHS Trust.
Prof Randeva’s research interests include the dysregulation of energy homeostasis and the adipose tissue secretome in relation to cardiometabolic disease, particularly the implications of novel biomarkers/factors and orexigenic molecules. He runs an established adipose tissue biology group studying both white and brown adipose tissue and the role of new adipokines and relevant intra-cellular signalling cascades. His group explores traditional and non-traditional cardiovascular risk factors, aiming to further elucidate the related pathophysiology.
The multidisciplinary research team under Harpal’s leadership includes diabetologists, endocrinologists, gynaecologists, cardiologists, basic scientists and research nurses with significant experience in clinical trials and translational research. Importantly, his group has identified through clinical studies the dysregulation of key adipokines involved in human atherogenesis and cardiac disease.
Prof Datta is a dyslipidaemia specialist whose research interests are in Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH) and vascular biology. He is: Medical Lead for FH Wales, the Welsh Familial Hypercholesterolaemia cascade testing service; Clinical Lead for the lipoprotein apheresis service in Cardiff, one of the largest of its kind in the UK; Clinical Lead for the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board NHS Weight Management Service at University Hospital Wales.
Prof Datta runs a clinical nutrition service addressing medical complications of eating disorders and is the clinical lead for the specialist weight management service in Cardiff. He is a trustee of HEART UK and is Programme Leader for the MSc in Preventative Cardiovascular Medicine at University of South Wales. Chair of HEART UK lipoprotein apheresis sub-group. Deputy chair of the HEART UK medical, scientific and research committee.
The broad Argonaute team has deep industry experience. We have the leaders of RNAi projects at GSK and AstraZeneca. We have entrepreneurs who have built businesses in novel chemistry and process chemistry. We have experience in taking early stage ideas from academia into commercial exits. We have professors at the forefront of their fields. We have a shared sense of mission and we work exceptionally well together.Our team ↗
