Anna M. Randi, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine
National Heart and Lung Institute
Imperial College London, UK

Primary Research:

The focus of the group is to understand the basic mechanisms which regulate endothelial homeostasis. Endothelial cells regulate critical vascular functions, such as traffic of cells from blood to tissues, clotting, permeability and angiogenesis. Maintenance of endothelial homeostasis is essential for the prevention and control of vascular inflammatory diseases, thrombosis and atherosclerosis. Endothelial cells are also essential to maintain tissue homeostasis, making this area critical for a wide number of diseases and for regenerative medicine approaches.

The laboratory investigates the molecular pathways that regulate endothelial homeostasis, angiogenesis and vascular stability, with a view to identifying novel target and approaches for the prevention and treatment of diseases. Projects in the group focus on three main areas:

1. Transcriptional and epigenetic control of endothelial homeostasis and angiogenesis by the ETS transcription factor ERG
2. von Willebrand Factor regulation of angiogenesis
3. Circulating endothelial progenitors (Blood Outgrowth Endothelial Cells) in regenerative and precision medicine

Lab Web Site: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/a.randi ;  https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/a.randi/research.html

Members of the laboratory:

Dr. Graeme Birdsey, Lecturer and PI
Dr. Claudio Raimondi, BHF Research Fellow
Dr. Neil Dufton, Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr. Claire Peghaire, Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr. Koval Smith, Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr. Koralia Paschalaki, Clinical Fellow
Ms Viktoria Kalna, Graduate (PhD) Student
Ms Josefin Jansson Edqvist, Graduate (PhD) Student
Ms Oisin King, Graduate (PhD) Student
Ms Linda Inuabasi, Research Assistant

Recent Publications:

• Dufton NP, Peghaire CR, Osuna-Almagro L, Raimondi C, Kalna V, Chuahan A, Webb G, Yang Y, Birdsey GM, Lalor P, Mason JC, Adams D and Randi AM. Dynamic regulation of canonical TGFβ signaling by endothelial transcription factor ERG protects from liver fibrogenesis Nat Commun. 2017 in press
• K E Paschalaki, A Zampetaki, J R Baker, M A Birrell, R D. Starke, M G Belvisi, L Donnelly, M Mayr, A M Randi*, P J Barnes*. Downregulation of microRNA-126 augments DNA damage response in cigarette smokers and COPD patients. AJRCMM, 2017 in press
• Shah AV, Birdsey GM, Peghaire C, Pitulescu ME, Dufton NP, Yang Y, Weinberg I, Osuna Almagro L, Payne L, Mason JC, Gerhardt H, Adams RH, Randi AM. The endothelial transcription factor ERG mediates Angiopoietin-1-dependent control of Notch signalling and vascular stability. Nat Commun. 2017 Jul 11;8:16002.
• Randi AM. and Laffan MA. von Willebrand factor and angiogenesis: basic and applied issues. J Thromb Haemost. 2017 Jan;15(1):13-20
• Shah AV, Birdsey GM and Randi AM Regulation of endothelial homeostasis, vascular development and angiogenesis by the transcription factor ERG Vascular Pharmacology, 2016 Nov;86:3-13
• Birdsey GM, Shah A V, Reynolds LE, Dufton N, Osuna Almagro L, Yang Y, Aspalter IM, Khan ST, Mason JC, Dejana E, Göttgens B, Hodivala-Dilke K, Gerhardt H, Adams RH, and Randi AM. The endothelial transcription factor ERG promotes vascular stability and growth through Wnt/-catenin signalling. Developmental cell 2015; 32(1):82-96
• Starke R, Paschalaki K, Dyer C, Harrison-Lavoie K, Cutler J, McKinnon T, Millar C, Cutler D, Laffan M, Randi AM. Cellular and molecular basis of Von Willebrand Disease: studies on blood outgrowth endothelial cells. Blood;121:2773-84; 2013

Collaborative Relationships:

• Ralf Adams (Munster University, Germany)
• Shahin Rafii (Cornell, USA)
• Michael Simons (Yale, USA)
• David Adams (Birmingham, UK)
• Michael Laffan (London, UK)
• Justin Mason (London, UK)
• Elisabetta Dejana (Uppsala, Sweden; Milan, Italy)

Recent Presentations:

• 9th International BIC meeting, Rome, Italy – September 2017
• Angiogenesis Gordon Research Conference (GRC), Salve Regina, RI, USA – August 2017
• International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) Meeting, Berlin, Germany - July 2017
• 2nd Joint European Microcirculation Society - European Vascular Biology (EVBO) meeting, Geneva, Switzerland - May 2017
• Vulnerable Plaque Meeting, Crete, Greece – May 2017
• Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis Research (Plenary Lecture), Basel, February 2017