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Gibson Group: Robert Deller

Rob was part of the Gibson group as a PhD student (2010-2014) and Postdoctoral Researcher (2014). He then worked as a Posdoctoral Researcher in Adam Perriman's Group in the School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of Bristol. His current research is focusing on the areas of Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering. He is now a PDRA in the Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering at Liverpool University.

See below for details of Rob's work whilst a Gibson Group member.

Biography

Robert was born (1987) and raised in East Sussex in the South East of England, attending Beacon Community College. Since 2005 Robert has studied at the University of Warwick. In his time here he has attained a BSc (Biochemistry with intercalated year) in 2009 from the department of life sciences. This encompassed a 12 month placement with AstraZenca PLC focusing on drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics.

Following on in 2010 Robert was awarded a MSc (Mathematical biology & biophysical chemistry) as part of his time within the molecular organisation and assembly of cells doctoral training centre (MOAC DTC) funded by the EPSRC. Shortly afterwards Robert commenced study towards a Ph.D under the supervision of Dr M.I.Gibson (Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick), Dr D.Mitchell (Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick) and Dr M.Vatish (Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Oxford) (previously Coventry & Warwickshire NHS trust)). This has included a recent (Summer 2013) 3 month research visit to The Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, USA that was financed by a competitively awarded Warwick Transatlantic Fellowship.

Robert has recently defended his thesis (February 2014) and has been awarded his Ph.D (April 2014) and will graduate in the forthcoming summer (July 2104). At present Robert is undertaking a Postdoctoral role within Gibson Group. Outside of science Robert frequently enjoys mountaineering, canoe polo and whitewater kayaking.


Research Interests

The investigation and application of Ice Recrystallization Inhibitors as cryoprotectants.1,2


Publications

1: Saaka, Y., Deller, R.C., Rodger, A., Gibson, M.I.‡ Macromolecular Rapid Communications, 2012, 33, 779 - 784. "Exploiting Thermoresponsive Polymers to Modulate Lipophilicity: Interactions with Model Membranes". *Invited article for special issue "Polymer Science the Next Generation".

2: Deller, R.C., Congdon, T.C., Sahid, M.A., Morgan, M., Vatish, M., Mitchell, D.A., Notman, R. & Gibson, M.I.‡ Biomaterials Science, 2013, 1, 5, 478 - 485. "Ice recrystallization inhibition by Polyols: Comparison of Molecular and Macromolecular Inhibitors and role of Hydrophobic units."

3: Freese, C., Unger, R.E., Deller, R.C., Gibson, M.I., Brochhausen, C., Klok, H-A., Kirkpatrick C.J., Biomaterials Science, 2013, 1, 8, 824-833. "Uptake of poly(2-hydroxypropylmethacrylamide)-coated gold nanoparticles in microvascular endothelial cells and transport across the blood-brain barrier."

4: Deller, R.C., Mitchell, D.M., Vatish, M. & Gibson, M.I.‡ Nature Communications, 2014, 5 (3244), doi:10.1038/ncomms4244. "Synthetic polymers enable non-vitreous cellular cryopreservation by reducing ice crystal growth during thawing."

****Press Release****

Media Reports

BBC News TV Report

Nature Chemistry Research Highlight

5: Al-Zhrani, A., Yeo, B., Skelhon, T.S., Deller, R.C., Congdon, T.C., Gibson, M.I., Bon, SAF‡ Submitted

6: Deller, R.C., Mitchell, D.M., Vatish, M. & Gibson, M.I.‡ Under Preparation.


Competitively Awarded Fellowships

Competitively awarded a Warwick Transatlantic Fellowship in January 2013 in order to undertake a 3-month (June 2013 - August 2013) secondment at The Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY, USA in the laboratory of Prof. Jeffery Pessin with further finanical support provided by The Warwickshire Private Hospital Charitable Trust.


Awards

1: Best Academic Poster - RSC Young Members Symposium 2012, Nottingham, UK.

2: Best Academic Poster - SCRA Workshop: Novel Technologies for Live Cell Imaging, Coventry, UK.

3: Best Academic Poster - Recent Appointees in Polymer Science 2014, Reading, UK

img_9742.jpgRAPS Poster Prize


Presentations

Attendance at 20+ UK conferences covering diverse topics from organic synthesis to regenerative medicine. At these I have delivered 10+ poster presentations and 4 oral presentations

Oral Presentations:

- Recent Appointees in Polymer Science (RAPS) 2014, University of Reading, Reading, UK (03/09/14 - 05/09/14)

- London RSC Carbohydrate Group Young Members Meeting 2013, Burlington House, London, UK (11/03/13)

- Nanopeptide 2012, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK (12/11/12-14/11/12)

- RSC Carbohydrate Group Autumn Meeting, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK (27/09/12-28/09/12)

Poster Presentations:

- Recent Appointees in Polymer Science (RAPS) 2014, University of Reading, Reading, UK (03/09/14 - 05/09/14)

- Biochemical Society Annual Symposium (Biochemical Determinants of Tissue Regeneration), Shrigley Hall Hotel, Macclesfield, UK (11/12/13 - 13/12/13)

- London RSC Carbohydrate Group Young Members Meeting 2013, Burlington House, London, UK (11/03/13)

- Spinks Symposium 2013:Regenerative Medicine, Burlington House, London, UK (28/01/13)

- RSC Biomaterials Chemistry Group 7th Annual Meeting, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK (08/01/13 - 09/01/13)

- RSC Postgraduate Symposium on Nanotechnology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK (14/12/12)

- Nanopeptide 2012, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK (12/11/12-14/12/12)

- RSC Carbohydrate Group Autumn Meeting, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK (27/09/12-28/09/12)

- SCRA workshop: Novel Technologies for Live Cell Imaging, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK (21/09/12)

- Warwick Polymer 2012, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK (09/07/12 - 12/07/12)

- RSC Young Members Symposium 2012, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK (13/06/12)

- RSC Bio-organic Group Postgraduate Symposium 2012, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK (19/04/12)

- RSC Protein and Peptide Science Group (PPSG) Early Stage Researcher Meeting 2011, Royal Society of Chemistry, London, UK (08/11/11)


Additional Attributes

- Warwick Postgraduate Research Ambassador (Oct 2012 – Jan 2014).

- Chemistry Postgraduate Student Staff Liaison Committee, Doctoral training centre representative (Jun 2012 – Jul 2013).

- Co-organisation of Warwick-China Polymer Chemistry Symposium. (Jul 2012).

- Undergraduate research scholarship scheme. Department of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK. (Jul 2007 – Aug 2007).



Robert Deller


Education

University of Warwick

- Ph.D (MOAC), Pass, 2010-2014.

- BSc (Biochemistry with intercalated year), 2nd Class honours, Upper Division, 2005 - 2009.

- MSc (Mathematical biology & biophysical chemistry), Distinction, 2009 - 2010.