Research output per year
Research output per year
PROF
Accepting PhD Students
Research Interests
Our research specifically examines local mechanisms within the womb-lining (endometrium) involved in menstruation, abnormal uterine bleeding, and implantation and early pregnancy loss. Both menstruation and implantation display features common to inflammatory events. Menstruation is a physiological event of repeated "tissue injury and repair". We study the cascade of events that occur in cells of the endometrium and that lead to its shedding. These events are triggered by withdrawal of the hormone, progesterone (P). This occurs at the end of each monthly cycle prior to a period. As a consequence of P-withdrawal, substances that are mediators of inflammation and populations of immune cells are increased in the endometrium. We are interested in the complex dialogue between circulating steroid hormones and the many different cell types, including immune cells that constitute the endometrium.
We also study factors that switch on production of molecules involved in blood vessel growth and repair in the endometrium; both necessary events to prepare for the next menstrual cycle. If we can understand how the womb heals itself without scarring as women go through their menstrual cycles we hope we will contribute valuable information relevant to inflammation and scarring throughout the body. If these events are disturbed then abnormal menstrual bleeding may be the result. We are therefore studying endometrial samples collected from women attending with menstrual complaints including women with fibroids. We hope that information about the molecular and cellular pathways involved in menstruation will help identify new targets for treatment, especially if these treatments could be delivered directly to the uterus.
Study of endocrine/immune regulation of endometrial bleeding in women (physiological and pathological) is complemented by murine models of menstruation/uterine bleeding.
The development of novel medical treatments for management of debilitating menstrual complaints aims to enable women to avoid surgery and thereby preserve uterine function and fertility potential.
Current/recently completed research projects:
Staff/group members (CRH)
Varsha Jain
Neil Roberts
Tatiana White (PA)
Principal collaborators
Local
Professor Neil Carragher
Dr Ooi Thye Chong
Dr Douglas Gibson
Professor Andrew Horne
Dr Robert Illingworth
Dr Jackie Maybin
Professor Neil Roberts
Professor Philippa Saunders
Dr Pamela Warner
Dr Lucy Whitaker
Professor Emeritus Alistair Williams
National
Professor Siladitya Bhattacharya (Aberdeen)
Professor Justin Clark (Birmingham)
Professor Dharani Hapangama (Liverpool)
Professor Gavin Kelsey (Babraham Institute, Cambridge)
Professor Mary Ann Lumsden (Glasgow)
Professor Ashley Moffett (Cambridge)
Professor Ian Roberts & Dr Sima Berendes (LSHTM, London)
Professor Brian Walker (Newcastle)
International
Professor Linda Griffith (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA)
Professor Sun-Wei Guo (Fudan University, Shanghai, China)
Professor Myriam Hemberger and Professor Wendy Dean (University of Calgary, Canada)
Professor Doug Lauffenburger (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA)
Professor Mac Munro (Los Angeles, USA)Professor Felice Petraglia (Florence, Italy)
Professor Peter Rogers (Melbourne, Australia)
Professor Carlos Simon (Valencia, Spain)
Dr Ov Slayden (Portland, USA)
Dr Margherita Turco (Basel, Switzerland)
Dr Steve Yellon (Loma Linda University, USA)
External Committee Membership
Current Editorial Board Membership
Doctor of Medicine, University of Manchester
Award Date: 1 Jan 1991
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, University of Manchester
Award Date: 1 Jan 1981
Bachelor of Science, University of Manchester
Award Date: 1 Jan 1978
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Hilary Critchley (Invited speaker)
Activity: Academic talk or presentation types › Invited talk
Hilary Critchley (Contributor) & Varsha Jain (Contributor)
Activity: Academic talk or presentation types › Invited talk
Hilary Critchley (Invited speaker)
Activity: Academic talk or presentation types › Invited talk
Hilary Critchley (Invited speaker)
Activity: Academic talk or presentation types › Invited talk
Hilary Critchley (Invited speaker)
Activity: Academic talk or presentation types › Invited talk
Edinburgh Family Planning Trust
1/04/24 → 31/03/28
Project: Research
Maybin, J., Brown, P. & Critchley, H.
1/09/19 → 15/05/21
Project: Research
1/04/19 → 30/04/23
Project: Research
Critchley, H. (Owner), Murray, C. (Creator), Chodankar, R. (Creator), Murray, A. (Creator), Nicol, M. (Creator) & Williams, A. (Creator), Edinburgh DataVault, 2021
DOI: 10.7488/f58131b2-2532-47a6-8a50-a4a6aafd82d2
Dataset
Maybin, J. (Creator), Rowley, B. (Creator), Carmeliet, P. (Creator), Walker, K. (Creator), Critchley, H. (Creator) & Martinez Aguilar, R. (Creator), Edinburgh DataShare, 22 Nov 2024
DOI: 10.7488/ds/7798
Dataset
26/09/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
8/06/21
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
31/03/16
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
24/11/15
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment