Publications
A complete up-to-date list of publications of Robert can be found on Google Scholar and full-texts might be available from the Warwick Research Active Portal (WRAP).
Impact of assessment frequency of patient-reported outcomes: an observational study using an eHealth platform in cancer patients
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The evaluation of patient-reported outcomes (PRO) in cancer has proven relevant positive clinical impact on patients’ communication with healthcare professionals, decision-making for management, wellbeing and overall survival. However, the optimal frequency of PRO assessment has yet to be defined. Based on the assumption that more frequent sampling would enhance accuracy, we aimed at identifying the optimal sampling frequency that does not miss clinically relevant insight. Our analysis suggests that in patients receiving chemotherapy for advanced cancer, increasing the density of PRO collection enhances the accuracy of PRO assessment to a clinically meaningful extent. This is valid for both computation of averages symptom burden and for the recognition of episodes of severe symptom intensity. |
Adenosine integrates light and sleep signalling for the regulation of circadian timing in mice
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Sleep pressure and circadian rhythms influence one another. However, the regulatory mechanisms are unclear. Here, the authors show that adenosine A1/A2A receptor antagonists, such as caffeine, shift circadian rhythms and enhance the effects of light, providing a molecular link between sleep pressure and circadian rhythm. |
Online Real-Time Monitoring of Exhaled Breath Particles Reveals Unnoticed Transport of Non-Volatile Drugs from Blood to Breath
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Happy to be involved in this work from Xue (Amy) Li's lab at Jinan University, China, and colleagues from NTU Singapore and Basel. The project shows a further facete of breath as a matrix for metabolites, i.e., that even non-volatile compounds might be present. This could open further possibilities for the utility of breath biomarkers in the future. |
Dose and time-dependent tolerability and efficacy of organo-osmium complex FY26 and its tissue pharmacokinetics in hepatocarcinoma-bearing mice
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The organo-osmium complex [OsII(ɳ6-p-cym)(PhAzPy-NMe2)I]+ (FY26) exhibits promising in vitro antitumour activity against mouse hepatocarcinoma Hepa1-6 and other mouse or human cancer cell lines. Here, we drastically enhance water solubility of FY26 through the replacement of the PF6-counter-anion with chloride using a novel synthesis method. FY26.PF6 and FY26.Cl displayed similar in vitro cytoxicity in two cancer cell models. We then show the moderate and late anticancer efficacy of FY26.PF6 and FY26.Cl in a subcutaneous murine hepatocarcinoma mouse model. Both efficacy and tolerability varied according to FY26 circadian dosing time in hepatocarcinoma tumour-bearing mice. Tumour and liver uptake of the drug were determined over 48 h following FY26.Cl administration at Zeitgeber 6 (ZT6), when the drug is least toxic (in the middle of the light span when mice are resting). Our studies suggest the need to administer protracted low doses of FY26 at ZT6 in order to optimize its delivery schedule, for example through the use of chrono-releasing nanoparticles. |
Low-Cost Microfabrication Tool Box
Microsystems are key enabling technologies, with applications found in almost every industrial field, including in vitro diagnostic, energy harvesting, automotive, telecommunication, drug screening. Yet, their development for commercial or educational purposes has typically been limited to specialized laboratories in upper-income countries. In this paper, we describe a range of low-cost approaches and equipment (below £1000), which will enable researchers to build a low-cost toolbox.