Role
Dr Yasser El-Sherbiny is a senior lecturer in Biomedical Sciences in Biosciences, College of Science and Technology at Nottingham Trent University. He is contributing to teaching and leadership of multiple modules and supervising postgraduate and undergraduate research. His primary research focuses on innate immunology, pathogenesis and interferon pathways in rheumatological and autoimmune disorders from a precision medicine perspective. He is also interested in understanding the role of mesenchymal stem cells in immunomodulation and regenerative medicine to guide treatment choices and improve clinical outcome.
Career overview
After completing his medical training at Mansoura Faculty of Medicine MBBCH 1993, Dr El-Sherbiny began his training as a clinical pathologist in 1995 at Mansoura University Hospitals. During this time he completed his master’s degree in immuno-haematology. Dr El-Sherbiny then moved to the UK and obtained his PhD in immunology and Molecular Medicine from the University of Leeds in 2007. Following his first Post-doctoral position in Cancer Research UK at Leeds in 2010, Dr El-Sherbiny Joined Leeds Institute of rheumatic and musculoskeletal medicine to continue his translational research in rheumatology until he joined Nottingham Trent University in October 2018.
Research areas
Understanding and Discovery of predictive biomarkers in rheumatological disorders.
Dr El-Sherbiny interests are focused on the identification of molecules and gene signatures that reflect the innate and adaptive immune systems activation, which leads to the immunopathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, particularly the role of interferon-mediated conditions. Recently, Dr El-Sherbiny has identified a gene expression signature which predicts disease progression in rheumatological disorders. He also identified critical immune molecules as biomarkers to stratify patients who respond to therapies and predict disease relapse aiming towards developing precision medicine approaches for rheumatological disease management.
Keywords/subheadings: Biomarkers, patient stratification, Interferon pathway, innate immune response, pDCs pathology and therapeutics
Investigating interferon pathway regulation/dysregulation & implications on immune signalling
Interferon (IFN) mediated diseases are known to be of high morbidity and mortality disorders. Interferon repression using conventional monoclonal antibodies towards IFN receptors has been trialled as a therapeutic strategy. Although these means lately failed to meet targets in large clinical trials. This is maybe due to the complex nature of immune signalling that contributes to disease pathogenesis. Therefore, unconventional tactics which offer a modification of signalling output from multiple receptors have endeavoured. Dr El-Sherbiny, in his collaborations studying the immune signalling and interference of the IFN pathway in order to evolve targeted unconventional therapies more beneficial and specific for IFN mediated autoimmune diseases.
Investigating omics changes in COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic is a global crisis creating severe disruptions across the economy and health system. Dr El-Sherbiny interests are focused on learning and understanding the genetic determinants of COVID-19 susceptibility, severity, and outcomes. understanding gene signatures that reflect the innate and adaptive immune systems and contribute to global knowledge of the biology of SARS-CoV-2 infection and disease. Dr El-Sherbiny is collaborating internationally with COVID-19 host genetics initiative as well as the consortium of EASI-Genomics to investigate the genetic determinants of the disease, the transcriptomic alterations and proteomic signature associated/leading to asymptomatic infection or with variable disease severity and death in particular of patients in Africa e.g.Egypt.
Mesenchymal Stem cells immunomodulation vs regeneration, towards innovative immunotherapeutic tactics
This research work is focusing on the properties of the immunomodulation of mesenchymal stem cells in regeneration and inflammation context. Dr El-Sherbiny presented an innovative approach by introducing a novel tactic of immunomodulation with implantation of cellular allograft bone into a non-bony site (patent WO2017100339) & recently published (El-Sherbiny et al. 2018)
Currently, Dr El-Sherbiny is mainly interested in identifying molecules and biomarkers which discriminates immunomodulatory MSCs. this will allow the development of innovative stem cell approaches and could enable lab bench to industry knowledge transfer. This may include:
- Genetically modified cells for innovative therapies
- Immunomodulation applications of Stem cells
- Exosomes and microvesicles (immunobiology & manufacturing)
- Immunity and application of biomaterials and therapeutic application
- Innovative device technologies and cell therapy
Opportunities to carry out postgraduate research towards an MPhil/PhD exist and further information may be obtained from on the NTU Research Degrees
website https://www.ntu.ac.uk/research/research-degrees-at-ntu or findaphd.com
If you have an interest in carrying out a PhD in the research areas listed above or any related areas, please feel free to contact me (yasser.el-sherbiny@ntu.ac.uk) for further information.
External activity
Public engagement:
Dr El-Sherbiny is an active volunteer as a STEM ambassador to help bring STEM subjects to life and demonstrate the value of them in life and careers.
Membership:
British Society of Haematology, British Society of Immunology and Advance HE
Editorial:
Dr El-Sherbiny serves as a reviewer editor for several scientific journals, e..g.:
Sponsors and collaborators
Aspects of Dr El-Sherbiny's current research are carried out in collaboration with;
Professor Paul Emery, Director of Leeds NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, LTHT, Leeds, UK
Professor Dennis McGonagle, LIRMM, University of Leeds, UK
Dr Francesco Del Galdo, LIRMM, University of Leeds, UK
Dr Elton Zeqiraj, Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, UK
Dr Sinisa Savic, NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, LTHT, Leeds, UK
Dr Sonal Srikanth, Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, CA, USA.
Professor Andrea Ganna, FIMM-EMBL Group Leader, Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland
Publications
Selected Publications:
- Ross RL, Corinaldesi C, Migneco G, Carr IM, Antanaviciute A, Wasson CW, Carriero A, Distler JHW, Holmes S, El-Sherbiny YM, McKimmie CS, Del Galdo F. Targeting human plasmacytoid dendritic cells through BDCA2 prevents skin inflammation and fibrosis in a novel xenotransplant mouse model of scleroderma. Ann Rheum Dis. 2021 Feb 4:annrheumdis-202018439. https://doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2020-218439
- Abolhassani H, El-Sherbiny YM, Arumugakani G, Carter C, Richards S, Lawless D, Wood P, Buckland M, Heydarzadeh M, Aghamohammadi A, Hambleton S, Hammarström L, Burns SO, Doffinger R, Savic S. Expanding Clinical Phenotype and Novel Insights into the Pathogenesis of ICOS Deficiency. J Clin Immunol. 2020 Feb;40(2):277-288.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10875-019-00735-z
- LBD Double Burden of Malnutrition Collaborators. Mapping local patterns of childhood overweight and wasting in low- and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2017. Nat Med. 2020 May;26(5):750-759. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-020-0807-6.
- El-Sherbiny YM, Md Yusof MY, Psarras A, Hensor EMA, Kabba KZ, Dutton K, Mohamed AAA, Elewaut D, McGonagle D, Tooze R, Doody G, Wittmann M, Emery P, Vital EM. B Cell Tetherin: A Flow Cytometric Cell-Specific Assay for Response to Type I Interferon Predicts Clinical Features and Flares in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2020 May;72(5):769-779. https://doi.org/10.1002/art.41187.
- El-Jawhari JJ, Kleftouris G, El-Sherbiny Y, Saleeb H, West RM, Jones E, Giannoudis PV. Defective Proliferation and Osteogenic Potential with Altered Immunoregulatory phenotype of Native Bone marrow-Multipotential Stromal Cells in Atrophic Fracture Non-Union. Sci Rep. 2019 Nov 22;9(1):17340. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-53927-3.
- Lotfy A, El-Sherbiny YM, Cuthbert R, Jones E, Badawy A. Comparative study of biological characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells isolated from mouse bone marrow and peripheral blood. Biomed Rep. 2019 Oct;11(4):165-170. https://doi.org/10.3892/br.2019.1236.
- Rice L, Stockdale C, Berry I, O'Riordan S, Pysden K, Anwar R, Rushambuza R, Blyth M, Srikanth S, Gwack Y, El-Sherbiny YM, Carter C, Savic S. A Report of Novel STIM1 Deficiency and 6-Year Follow-Up of Two Previous Cases Associated with Mild Immunological Phenotype. J Clin Immunol. 2019 Apr;39(3):249-256. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10875-019-00618-3.
- Srikanth S, Woo JS, Wu B, El-Sherbiny YM, Leung J, Chupradit K, Rice L, Seo GJ, Calmettes G, Ramakrishna C, Cantin E, An DS, Sun R, Wu TT, Jung JU, Savic S, Gwack Y. The Ca(2+) sensor STIM1 regulates the type I interferon response by retaining the signaling adaptor STING at the endoplasmic reticulum. Nat Immunol. 2019 Feb;20(2):152-162. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41590-018-0287-8.
- El-Sherbiny YM, El-Jawhari JJ, Moseley TA, McGonagle D, Jones E. T cell immunomodulation by clinically used allogeneic human cancellous bone fragments: a potential novel immunotherapy tool. Sci Rep. 2018 Sep 10;8(1):13535. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-31979-1.
- Md Yusof MY, Psarras A, El-Sherbiny YM, Hensor EMA, Dutton K, Ul-Hassan S, Zayat AS, Shalbaf M, Alase A, Wittmann M, Emery P, Vital EM. Prediction of autoimmune connective tissue disease in an at-risk cohort: prognostic value of a novel two-score system for interferon status. Ann Rheum Dis. 2018 Oct;77(10):1432-1439. https://dx.doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2018-213386 .
- El-Sherbiny YM, Psarras A, Md Yusof MY, Hensor EMA, Tooze R, Doody G, Mohamed AAA, McGonagle D, Wittmann M, Emery P, Vital EM. A novel two-score system for interferon status segregates autoimmune diseases and correlates with clinical features. Sci Rep. 2018 Apr 11;8(1):5793. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-24198-1 .
- Liakouli V, Elies J, El-Sherbiny YM, Scarcia M, Grant G, Abignano G, Derrett-Smith EC, Esteves F, Cipriani P, Emery P, Denton CP, Giacomelli R, Mavria G, Del Galdo F. Scleroderma fibroblasts suppress angiogenesis via TGF-ß/caveolin-1 dependent secretion of pigment epithelium-derived factor. Ann Rheum Dis. 2018 Mar;77(3):431-440. https://dx.doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2017-212120.
- Md Yusof MY, Shaw D, El-Sherbiny YM, Dunn E, Rawstron AC, Emery P, Vital EM. Predicting and managing primary and secondary non-response to rituximab using B-cell biomarkers in systemic lupus erythematosus. Ann Rheum Dis. 2017 Nov;76(11):1829-1836. https://dx.doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2017-211191.
- Cuthbert RJ, Fragkakis EM, Dunsmuir R, Li Z, Coles M, Marzo-Ortega H, Giannoudis PV, Jones E, El-Sherbiny YM, McGonagle D. Brief Report: Group 3 Innate Lymphoid Cells in Human Enthesis. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2017 Sep;69(9):1816-1822. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/art.40150.
- El-Zayadi AA, Jones EA, Churchman SM, Baboolal TG, Cuthbert RJ, El-Jawhari JJ, Badawy AM, Alase AA, El-Sherbiny YM, McGonagle D. Interleukin-22 drives the proliferation, migration and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells: a novel cytokine that could contribute to new bone formation in spondyloarthropathies. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2017 Mar 1;56(3):488-493. https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/rheumatology/kew384 .
- El-Sherbiny YM, Doody GM, Kelly RJ, Hill A, Hillmen P, Cook GP. Natural killer (NK) cell function in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria: a deficiency of NK cells, but not an NK cell deficiency. Blood. 2015 Feb 19;125(8):1351-2. https://dx.doi.org/10.1182/blood-2014-07-591255.
- El-Sherbiny YM, Holmes TD, Wetherill LF, Black EV, Wilson EB, Phillips SL, Scott GB, Adair RA, Dave R, Scott KJ, Morgan RS, Coffey M, Toogood GJ, Melcher AA, Cook GP. Controlled infection with a therapeutic virus defines the activation kinetics of human natural killer cells in vivo. Clin Exp Immunol. 2015 Apr;180(1):98-107. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/cei.12562.
- El-Sherbiny YM, Meade JL, Holmes TD, McGonagle D, Mackie SL, Morgan AW, Cook G, Feyler S, Richards SJ, Davies FE, Morgan GJ, Cook GP. The requirement for DNAM-1, NKG2D, and NKp46 in the natural killer cell-mediated killing of myeloma cells. Cancer Res. 2007 Sep 15;67(18):8444-9. https://dx.doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-06-4230
Press expertise
- Innate immunity and autoimmune diseases
- Vaccines and immunity in COVID-19
- Personalised medicine
- Biomarkers for autoimmune diseases
- Immune Profiling and Diagnostics
- Biosensors of Interferon mediated diseases