Research Biographies

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DR JULIA DORIN

Medical and Developmental Genetics

Programme Leader


Julia Dorin

Contact Details

E-mail address: j.dorin@hgu.mrc.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)131 332 2471 (extension 3305)
Fax: +44 (0)131 467 8456
Address: Medical Research Council
Human Genetics Unit
Western General Hospital
Crewe Road
Edinburgh EH4 2XU
Research Programme: Host Defence Peptides:
Their Role in Immunity and Inflammatory Disease

Research Areas

Diseases of the airway are now killing more people in the U.K. than coronary heart disease. Airway disease is exacerbated by the rise of respiratory pathogens with a multi antibiotic resistant phenotype- so called “super bugs”. My research interests are centred around inflammatory respiratory disease with particular emphasis on cystic fibrosis (CF). In CF individuals, chronic bacterial infection, inflammation and lung damage is the reason why this disease results in death in young adulthood. Super bugs complicate the phenotype and reduce life expectancy.

My main area of interest is to investigate the in vivo function of the ß-defensin gene family of Host-Defence peptides, their role in innate immunity and inflammatory disease and their potential as therapeutics.


Recent Publications

  • Kang, J.; Reynolds, N.L.; Tyrrell, C.; Dorin, J.R. and MacMillan, D. Peptide thioester synthesis through N-->S acyl-transfer: application to the synthesis of a beta-defensin. Org.Biomol.Chem. 7(23):4918-4923, 2009 PubMed Abstract
  • Taylor, K.; Rolfe, M.; Reynolds, N.; Kilanowski, F.; Pathania, U.; Clarke, D.; Yang, D.; Oppenheim, J.; Samuel, K.; Howie, S.; Barran, P.; MacMillan, D.; Campopiano, D. and Dorin, J. Defensin-related peptide 1 (Defr1) is allelic to Defb8 and chemoattracts immature DC and CD4+ T cells independently of CCR6. Eur.J.Immunol. 39(5):1353-1360, 2009 PubMed Abstract
  • Tyrrell, C.; De Cecco, M.; Reynolds, N.L.; Kilanowski, F.; Campopiano, D.; Barran, P.; MacMillan, D. and Dorin, J.R. Isoleucine/leucine(2) is essential for chemoattractant activity of beta-defensin Defb14 through chemokine receptor. Mol.Immunol. e-pub Dec 16, 2009 PubMed Abstract
  • Vargues, T.; Morrison, G.J.; Seo, E.S.; Clarke, D.J.; Fielder, H.L.; Bennani, J.; Pathania, U.; Kilanowski, F.; Dorin, J.R.; Govan, J.R.; Mackay, C.L.; Uhrin, D. and Campopiano, D.J. Efficient production of human beta-defensin 2 (HBD2) in Escherichia coli.
    Protein Pept.Lett.     16(6):668-676, 2009 PubMed Abstract
  • McCullough, B.J.; Kalapothakis, J.; Eastwood, H.; Kemper, P.; MacMillan, D.; Taylor, K.; Dorin, J. and Barran, P.E. Development of an Ion Mobility Quadrupole Time of Flight Mass Spectrometer. Anal Chem 80(16):6336-6344, 2008 PubMed Abstract
  • Taylor, K.; Barran, P.E. and Dorin, J.R. Structure-activity relationships in beta-defensin peptides. Biopolymers 90(1):1-7, 2008 PubMed Abstract
  • Taylor, K.; Clarke, D.J.; McCullough, B.; Chin, W.; Seo, E.; Yang, D.; Oppenheim, J.; Uhrin, D.; Govan, J.R.W.; Campopiano, D.J.; MacMillan, D.; Barran, P. and Dorin, J.R. Analysis and Separation of Residues Important for the Chemoattractant and Antimicrobial Activities. Journal of Biological Chemistry 283(11):6631-6639, 2008 PubMed Abstract
  • Dorin, J.R. and Jackson, I.J. Genetics. Beta-defensin repertoire expands. Science 318(5855):1395, 2007 PubMed Abstract
  • Taylor, K.; McCullough, B.; Clarke, D.J.; Langley, R.J.; Pechenick, T.; Hill, A.; Campopiano, D.J.; Barran, P.E.; Dorin, J.R. and Govan, J.R. Covalent dimer species of beta-defensin Defr1 display potent antimicrobial activity against multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 51(5):1719-1724, 2007 PubMed Abstract