缅北禁地

I am a member of the Biosciences Institute and Lead for the Reproduction Development and Child Health research theme. I am also affiliated with the Vascular Biology and Medicine research theme.

Career to date:

2022 - Senior Lecturer

2014 – 2022         Lecturer

Biosciences Institute, 缅北禁地, UK

My current research is focusing on the roles of transcription factors during cardiovascular development as well as investigating the morphological process underlying heart and great vessel development. Combining these two elements of research will give us a deeper understanding of the molecular control of normal heart development as well as an understanding of the embryological etiology of congenital heart defects. We are currently using single cell RNA-sequencing and spatial transcriptomics of embryonic tissue to unravel the complex genetic regulatory networks that control arch artery development.

Areas of expertise

• Genetics of cardiovascular development
• Cardiovascular anatomy

Google scholar:

SCOPUS:

2008 – 2013 British Heart Foundation Intermediate Basic Science Research Fellow

Biosciences Institute, 缅北禁地, UK

1998 - 2008  Senior Post-Doctoral Research Fellow

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Oxford, UK

During my second post-doctoral position I developed a knockout mouse of the gene Cited2. This gene was predicted to play a vital role in development as it was linked to the function of the ubiquitously expressed transcriptional co-activators and histone acetyl transferases p300 and CBP, which are involved in heart and neural development. Cited2 was also shown to be upregulated in hypoxia, suggesting it may also play a role in disease. I generated the Cited2 knockout mouse and described its phenotype which comprised of complex cardiovascular, neural tube, adrenal and left-right patterning defects. I also contributed to the development and optimization of the MRI protocol to rapidly and non-destructively phenotype mouse fetuses by MRI.  

1996-1998    Post-Doctoral Research Fellow

Max Planck Institute for Clinical and Physiological Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany

My first post-doctoral position extended my research on the blood-CNS barriers by focusing on the molecules that form the boundaries between cells – the tight junctions. Gaining knowledge as to how the cells control permeability across a selective interface, and how they prevent leakage from the blood to the neural parenchyma, was necessary to gain a fundamental understanding as to how this mechanism functions. This understanding could then be applied to preventing breakdown of these tight junctions during disease. My research focused on the role of a newly discovered tight junction molecule called occludin. I demonstrated that a mutated form of this protein when over-expressed in epithelial cells, caused the tight junctions to fail.

1996              PhD, University College London

Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK

My PhD research investigated the structure and susceptibility of the blood-retinal barrier to immunological insult. This work was related to the clinical condition of uveitis, as well as being a model for the blood-brain barrier, which is vital for protecting the central nervous system from infection or blood borne molecules. My research demonstrated that an infiltration of leukocytes to the retina causes the blood-retinal barrier to break down, and it is the leukocytes themselves that cause this to occur.

Genetics of cardiovascular development

Congenital cardiovascular malformations are among the most common birth defects, occurring in up to 1% of live births, and affect the outflow tract of the heart and the great vessels that arise from it. The aorta and pulmonary trunk emerge from the left and right ventricles respectively and connect to the pulmonary, carotid and subclavian arteries that supply blood to the lungs and the rest of the body. These blood vessels are derived from the pharyngeal arch arteries and develop during embryogenesis from a bilaterally symmetrical structure to a highly asymmetrical one through a complex remodelling process involving apoptosis and blood flow. When this developmental process fails, patients suffer from cardiovascular conditions such as Tetralogy of Fallot, common arterial trunk, transposition of the great arteries, interrupted aortic arch and anomalous right subclavian artery. In patients, some of these defects can be attributed to syndromes or chromosomal abnormalities (for example, DiGeorge Syndrome), but the majority occur through an unknown genetic component. My research group is investigating how certain genes, expressed within the developing pharyngeal arches, can control the correct development of the heart and its associated great vessels using transgenic models, imaging methodologies,  gene expression patterns and next generation sequencing techniques. Gene mutations in transgenic models can be very informative in understanding how a gene controls certain developmental processes. We hope that our studies will result in mechanistic insight into how cardiovascular developmental disorders in humans may occur.

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Deputy Degree Programme Director and Lead for MRes Projects (MMB8098)

Deputy Module Lead and Lecturer: Cardiovascular Science in Health and Disease (MMB8037)

Lecturer: Genetics of Human Development (MMB8031) (Former Module Lead, 2017-2024)

Lecturer: Cardiovascular System Physiology (PSC2020)

Lecturer: Medical Genomics: from DNA to disease (BGM2057)

Seminar Leader: Genetics (BGM1004)

• Articles

  • Leshem R, Baker SM, Mallen J, Wang L, Dark J, Sharrocks AD, Piper Hanley K, Hanley NA, Rattray M, Bamforth SD, Bobola N. . eLife 2025.
  • Jensen B, Chang YH, Bamforth SD, Mohun T, Sedmera D, Bartos M, Anderson RH. . Journal of Anatomy 2024, 244(6), 1040-1053.
  • Sedmera D, Olejnickova V, Sankova B, Kolesova H, Bartos M, Kvasilova A, Phillips LC, Bamforth SD, Phillips HM. . Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 2024, 12, 1471751.
  • Anderson RH, Lamers WH, Hikspoors JPJM, Mohun TJ, Bamforth SD, Chaudhry B, Eley L, Kerwin J, Crosier M, Henderson DJ. . Journal of Anatomy 2024, 244(3), 497-513.
  • Anderson RH, Bamforth SD. . Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 2022, 10, 892900.
  • Lin L, Pinto A, Wang L, Fukatsu K, Yin Y, Bamforth SD, Bronner ME, Evans SM, Nie S, Anderson RH, Terskikh AV, Grossfeld PD. . Human Molecular Genetics 2022, 31(24), 4217-4227.
  • Khasawneh RR, Kist R, Queen R, Hussain R, Coxhead J, Schneider JE, Mohun TJ, Zaffran S, Peters H, Phillips HM, Bamforth SD. . BMC Developmental Biology 2021, 21, 14.
  • Stothard CA, Mazzotta S, Vyas A, Schneider JE, Mohun TJ, Henderson DJ, Phillips HM, Bamforth SD. . Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease 2020, 7(2), E20.
  • Johnson A-L, Schneider JE, Mohun TJ, Williams T, Bhattacharya S, Henderson DJ, Phillips HM, Bamforth SD. . Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease 2020, 7(3), 27.
  • Phillips HM, Stothard CA, Shaikh Qureshi WM, Kousa AI, BrionesLeon JA, Khasawneh RR, Sanders R, O'Loughlin C, Mazzotta S, Dodds R, Seidel K, Bates T, Nakatomi M, Cockell SJ, Schneider JE, Mohun TJ, Maehr R, Kist R, Peters H, Bamforth SD. . Development 2019, 146, dev177618.
  • Bamforth SD, Anderson RH. . Cardiology in the Young 2017, 27(2), 369-372.
  • Anderson RH, Bamforth SD, Gupta SK. . Cardiology in the Young 2017, 28(2), 182-184.
  • Suntratonpipat S, Bamforth SD, Johnson AL, Noga M, Anderson RH, Smallhorn J, Tham E. . World Journal for Pediatric Congenital Heart Surgery 2015, 6(2), 335-338.
  • Hernandez LE, Shepard CW, Bamforth SD, Anderson RH. . World Journal for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery 2014, 5(3), 456-459.
  • Anderson RH, Mohun TJ, Spicer DE, Bamforth SD, Brown NA, Chaudhry B, Henderson DJ. . Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease 2014, 1(3), 177-200.
  • Bamforth SD, Chaudhry B, Bennett M, Wilson R, Mohun TJ, van Mierop LHS, Henderson DJ, Anderson RH. . Clinical Anatomy 2013, 26(2), 173-182.
  • MacDonald ST, Bamforth SD, Bragança J, Chen C-M, Broadbent C, Schneider JE, Schwartz R, Bhattacharya S. . European Heart Journal 2013, 34(32), 2557-2565.
  • Anderson RH, Chaudhry B, Mohun TJ, Bamforth SD, Hoyland D, Phillips HM, Webb S, Moorman AF, Brown NA, Henderson DJ. . Cardiovascular Research 2012, 95(1), 108-115.
  • Bamforth SD, Schneider JE, Bhattacharya S. . Cold Spring Harbor Protocols 2012, 2012(1), 93-101.
  • Chen CM, Bentham J, Cosgrove C, Braganca J, Cuenda A, Bamforth SD, Schneider JE, Watkins H, Keavney B, Davies B, Bhattacharya S. . PLoS One 2012, 7(10), e46256.
  • Michell A, Braganca J, Broadbent C, Joyce B, Franklyn A, Schneider JE, Bhattacharya S, Bamforth SD. . Developmental Dynamics 2010, 239(7), 1988-1994.
  • Kranc KR, Schepers H, Rodrigues N, Bamforth S, Villadsen E, Ferry H, Bouriez-Jones T, Sigvardsson M, Jacobsen SE, Enver T. . Cell Stem Cell 2009, 5(6), 659-665.
  • MacDonald ST, Bamforth SD, Chen CM, Farthing CR, Franklyn A, Broadbent C, Schneider JE, Saga Y, Lewandoski M, Bhattacharya S. . Cardiovascular Research 2008, 79(3), 448-457.
  • McBratney-Owen B, Iseki S, Bamforth SD, Olsen BR, Morriss-Kay GM. . Developmental Biology 2008, 322(1), 121-132.
  • Rodriguez Gonzalez Y, Zhang Y, Behzadpoor D, Cregan S, Bamforth S, Slack RS, Park DS. . Journal of Neuroscience 2008, 28(21), 5559-5569.
  • Schneider JE, Bose J, Bamforth SD, Gruber AD, Broadbent C, Clarke K, Neubauer S, Lengeling A, Bhattacharya S. . BMC Developmental Biology 2004, 4(1), 16.
  • Bamforth SD, Braganca J, Farthing CR, Schneider JE, Broadbent C, Michell AC, Clarke K, Neubauer S, Norris D, Brown NA, Anderson RH, Bhattacharya S. . Nature Genetics 2004, 36(11), 1189-1196.
  • Kranc KR, Bamforth SD, Braganca J, Norbury C, van Lohuizen M, Bhattacharya S. . Molecular and Cellular Biology 2003, 23(21), 7658-7666.
  • Schneider JE, Bamforth SD, Farthing CR, Clarke K, Neubauer S, Bhattacharya S. . Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology 2003, 35(2), 217-222.
  • Braganca J, Eloranta JJ, Bamforth SD, Ibbitt JC, Hurst HC, Bhattacharya S. . Journal of Biological Chemistry 2003, 278(18), 16021-16029.
  • Schneider JE, Bamforth SD, Grieve SM, Clarke K, Bhattacharya S, Neubauer S. . Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine 2003, 16(1), 43-51.
  • Schneider JE, Bamforth SD, Farthing CR, Clarke K, Neubauer S, Bhattacharya S. . Journal of Anatomy 2003, 202(2), 239-247.
  • Klingler C, Kniesel U, Bamforth SD, Wolburg H, Engelhardt B, Risau W. . Histochemistry and Cell Biology 2000, 113(5), 349-361.
  • Bamforth SD, Kniesel U, Wolburg H, Engelhardt B, Risau W. . Journal of Cell Science 1999, 112(12), 1879-1888.
  • S. D. Bamforth,S. L. Lightman,J. Greenwood. Ultrastructural analysis of interleukin-1 beta-induced leukocyte recruitment to the rat retina. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 1997, 38(1), 25-35.
  • S. D. Bamforth,S. L. Lightman,J. Greenwood. Interleukin-1 beta-induced disruption of the retinal vascular barrier of the central nervous system is mediated through leukocyte recruitment and histamine. Am J Pathol 1997, 150(1), 329-40.
  • S. D. Bamforth,S. Lightman,J. Greenwood. The effect of TNF-alpha and IL-6 on the permeability of the rat blood-retinal barrier in vivo. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 1996, 91(6), 624-32.

• Book Chapters

  • Gill E, Bamforth SD. . In: Congenital Heart Diseases: The Broken Heart. Clinical Features, Human Genetics and Molecular Pathways. Cham: Springer, 2024, pp.853-865.
  • Gill E, Bamforth SD. . In: Silke Rickert-Sperling, Robert G. Kelly, Nikolaus Haas, ed. Congenital Heart Diseases: The Broken Heart. Clinical Features, Human Genetics and Molecular Pathways. Cham: Springer, 2024, pp.777-796.
  • Gill E, Bamforth SD. . In: Silke Rickert-Sperling, Robert G. Kelly, Nikolaus Haas, ed. Congenital Heart Diseases: The Broken Heart. Clinical Features, Human Genetics and Molecular Pathways. Cham: Springer, 2024, pp.683-696.
  • Anderson RH, Bamforth SD, Spicer DE, Henderson DJ, Chaudhry B, Brown NA, Mohun TJ. . In: Lacour-Gayet F; Bove EL; Hraška V; Morell V; Spray T, ed. Surgery of Conotruncal Anomalies. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2016, pp.27-59.
  • Johnson A-L, Bamforth SD. . In: Congenital Heart Diseases: The Broken Heart: Clinical Features, Human Genetics and Molecular Pathways. Springer-Verlag Wien, 2015, pp.569-578.
  • Johnson A-L, Bamforth SD. . In: Congenital Heart Diseases: The Broken Heart: Clinical Features, Human Genetics and Molecular Pathways. Springer-Verlag Wien, 2015, pp.513-526.
  • Johnson A-L, Bamforth SD. . In: Congenital Heart Diseases: The Broken Heart: Clinical Features, Human Genetics and Molecular Pathways. Springer-Verlag Wien, 2015, pp.449-458.
  • Anderson RH, Moorman AFM, Brown NA, Bamforth SD, Chaudhry B, Henderson DJ, Mohun TJ. . In: Pediatric and Congenital Cardiology, Cardiac Surgery and Intensive Care. London: Springer-Verlag, 2014, pp.151-177.
  • Bamforth SD, Burn J. . In: Stanley Maloy and Kelly Hughes, ed. Brenner's Encyclopedia of Genetics. Academic Press, 2013, pp.319-321.

• Editorial

  • Bamforth SD, Anderson RH. . Cardiology in the Young 2016, 26(1), 143-144.

• Letter

  • Bamforth SD, Braganca J, Eloranta JJ, Murdoch JN, Marques FIR, Kranc KR, Farza H, Henderson DJ, Hurst HC, Bhattacharya S. . Nature Genetics 2001, 29, 469-474.

• Reviews

  • Anderson RH, Graham A, Hikspoors JPJM, Lamers WH, Bamforth SD. . Cardiology in the Young 2023, 33(11), 2139–2147.
  • Graham A, Hikspoors JPJM, Lamers WH, Anderson RH, Bamforth SD. . Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 2023, 11, 1259175.
  • Graham A, Hikspoors JPJM, Anderson RH, Lamers WH, Bamforth SD. . Journal of Anatomy 2023, 243(4), 564-569.
  • Steele RE, Sanders R, Phillips HM, Bamforth SD. . International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2022, 23(14), 7713.
  • Gupta SK, Bamforth SD, Anderson RH. . Cardiology in the Young 2015, 25(4), 628-646.
  • Arthur HM, Bamforth SD. . Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology 2011, 91(6), 423-434.