Patrick Hughes

Patrick Hughes

Adelaide Medical School

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.


Dr Patrick Hughes

Dr. Hughes is interested in understanding how the nervous and immune system communicate, the role that microbiota has in mediating these interactions and the development of new tools for imaging these interactions. He investigates these interactions in diseases of the lower gastrointestinal tract, particularly Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. These diseases are associated with pronounced changes to microbiota, immune function and nervous signalling, but it is currently not clear how these changes relate to symptoms. Dr. Hughes' research has a strong translational aspect, with close collaborations with gastroenterologists based throughout the wider Adelaide area.

Gastrointestinal Neuroimmune Interactions Research Group

The Gastrointestinal Neuroimmune Interactions group investigates how altered communication between the nervous and immune systems lead to symptoms in gastrointestinal diseases, primary Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). This will lead to novel targets for new treatments and diagnostics for these diseases.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Patrick_Hughes6

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?cmd=search&term=%22Hughes+PA%22%5Bau%5D&dispmax=50

Current projects: 

Research in the Gastrointestinal Neuroimmune Interactions group combines cutting edge techniques in molecular biology, tissue culture, flow cytometry, functional assays and imaging in both pre-clinical animal models and human tissue.

1: Is naive and relapsing inflammation of the colon the same?

Inflammatory Bowel Disease is characterised by chronic inflammation that comes and goes over time. However, little is understood regarding how colonic immune and nerve responses differ between the initial disease and subsequent relapses. This project builds on our previous publications demonstrating that immune, epithelial barrier, microbiota profile and colonic nerve responses differ depending on the stage of disease. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30794280 , https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27864046.

2: How do microbial products maintain immune and physiological homeostasis in the colon?

There is increasing evidence that the microbiota is altered in many diseases, but little is understood regarding the effects of microbial products on the colonic immune and nervous systems. This project builds on our recent demonstration that faecal microbiota transplant induces remission in ulcerative colitis (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30644982) and combines investigations of human samples with animal models of colitis to understand how changes in microbiota composition affect the physiology of the gastrointestinal tract. 

3: Novel techniques for imaging colonic inflammation.

We are developing in-vivo techniques for imaging colonic inflammation in collaboration with MITRU at SAHMRI. We recently demonstrated that radiolabelled antibodies against immune markers detect colonic inflammation (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30413657). 

4: The role of stress in colonic disease.

Stress is a common feature in inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome. While stress is known to alter gastrointestinal physiology and immune function, little is understood regarding how this relates to the mechanisms underlying symptoms in these diseases. 

 

NHMRC

2016

Title: 1105028 -Neuroimmune interactions in functional and organic gastrointestinal diseases. Funding scheme: NHMRC - Career Development Fellowships. Investigators: Hughes P. Total Awarded Amount: AUD 419,180.

Title: 1085080 - Faecal Microbiota Transplantation for Active Ulcerative Colitis - a randomised controlled trial: clinical, microbial and immune outcomes. Funding scheme: NHMRC - Project Grants. Investigators: Andrews J, Hughes P, Conlon M, Roberts-Thomson I, Costello S, Knight R. Total Awarded Amount: AUD 675,896

2013

Title: Immune activation in functional gastrointestinal disorders. Funding scheme: NHMRC - Project Grants. Investigators: Hughes P (Sole CI). Total Awarded Amount: AUD 454,369

2010

Title: Viscerosensory neuroimmune interactions. Funding scheme:: NHMRC - Training Fellowships. Investigators: Hughes P. Total Awarded Amount: AUD 249,375

 

Industry (International / national)

2018- current: CMAX (Adelaide)

2015: Ironwood pharmaceuticals, USA

2012-2013: Tioga Pharmaceuticals, USA

 

NGO / philanthropic / University

2019

Title: Gut contents regulate symptoms in Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Funder name: Royal Adelaide Hospital Research Committee. Investigators: Hughes P, Andrews J. Total Awarded Amount: AUD 50,000.

2018

Title: The mechanisms underlying inflammation and pain differ between newly diagnosed and relapsing Ulcerative Colitis. Funder name: Royal Adelaide Hospital Research Committee NHMRC Near Miss Grants. Investigators: Hughes P. Total Awarded Amount: AUD 50,000

Philanthropic donation $9500.

2017

Title: Novel tools for imaging intestinal inflammation in-vivo Funder name: University of Adelaide project development funding. Investigators: Dr. Patrick Hughes, Nicole Dmochowska, Dr. William Tieu, Prab Takhar, Prof Andrew Abell, Dr. Marianne Keller.  Total Awarded Amount: AUD 29268

2016

Title: Can immune activation explain symptom overlap in Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Remission? Funder name: Royal Adelaide Hospital Research Committee. Investigators: Hughes P, Andrews J. Total Awarded Amount: AUD 45,500

Title: Immune, microbiota and extrinsic nerve function differs between newly diagnosed and relapsing Ulcerative Colitis ion explain symptom overlap in Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Remission? Funder name: University of Adelaide seed project funding. Investigators: Hughes P. Total Awarded Amount: AUD 14,000

Title: Exploring the role of diet as an Adjunctive Therapy in Ulcerative Colitis (EAT-UC Study). Funder name: Royal Adelaide Hospital Research Committee. Investigators: Hughes P, Bryant R, Andrews J. Total Awarded Amount: AUD 18,640

2015

Title: Cognitive behavioural therapy modulates the immune system in inflammatory bowel disease patients. Investigators: Hughes P. Funder name: Royal Adelaide Hospital Research Committee. Total Awarded Amount: AUD 35,000

2014

Title: Identification of genetic pathways involved in immune activation in Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Funder name: Royal Adelaide Hospital Research Committee. Investigators: Hughes P. Total Awarded Amount: AUD 33,500.

2012

Title: Immune activation in functional gastrointestinal disorders - A pilot study. Funder name: Royal Adelaide Hospital Research Committee. Investigators: Hughes P. Total Awarded Amount: AUD 35,000.

Title: Immune activation in acute and relapsing colitis. Funder name: University of Adelaide new investigator grant. Investigators: Hughes P. Total Awarded Amount: $12000

 

 

Infrastructure

2018

Title: FHMS Infrastructure Grant - Live Cell Imager. Funder Name (Organisation): The University of Adelaide, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. Investigators: Bowen J, Wardill H, Hughes P, Worthley D, Woods S, Nassar Z, Yool A, Zannettino A. Total Awarded Amount: AUD 90,816

Title: FHMS Infrastructure Grant – Anaerobic chamber. Funder Name (Organisation): The University of Adelaide, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. Investigators: Young R, Lynn D, Costello S, Heilbron L, Wardill H, Bowen J, Hughes P, Page A. Total Awarded Amount: AUD 43,195

2017

Title: FHMS Infrastructure Grant – Ussing chamber. Funder Name (Organisation): The University of Adelaide, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. Investigators: Hughes P, Young R, Page A, Linz D. Total Awarded Amount: AUD 41,600

2015

Title: Laser microdissection facility. Funding scheme: ARC - Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities. Investigators: Page A, Brierley S, Dear T, Hughes P, Keating D, Koblar S, Licinio J, Young R. Primary Fund Scheme Amount: AUD 170,000



 

 

PhD and honors projects are available for motivated students. Please contact Dr. Hughes for more information

  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2018 - 2022 Co-Supervisor Exploring the Effects of Toll-Like Receptor 4 Antagonism on Gastrointestinal Mucositis and Tumour Activity Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Shu Yie Janine Tam
    2016 - 2020 Principal Supervisor Visualising Intestinal Inflammation and Fibrosis using Zirconium-89 Labelled Antibodies in a Preclinical Model of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Nicole Dmochowska
    2013 - 2019 Co-Supervisor Faecal Microbiota Transplantation for the Treatment of Active Ulcerative Colitis Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time APrf Samuel Paul Costello
  • Committee Memberships

    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2017 - ongoing Council Australasian Neurogastroenterology and Motility Association (ANGMA) - Australia
  • Memberships

    Date Role Membership Country
    2015 - ongoing Member GENIEUR (Genes in Irritable Bowel Syndrome - European Network) -

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