Professor Havovi Chichger

Havi is a cell and molecular biologist. Her research focuses on the molecular mechanisms which underlie endothelial and epithelial physiology. Alongside her role as Professor in Biomedical Science, Havi is Deputy Head of School (Research, Innovation & Income Generation).

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Background

In 2011, Havovi earned her doctorate in physiology from University College London, which focused on studying the role of renal and small intestinal glucose transport across the epithelium in metabolic syndrome and diabetes.

As a Postdoctoral Fellow at Brown University, Havovi's research developed into vascular dysfunction in settings of disease including respiratory disease. During her Post-Doctorate, she was awarded significant funding from the American Heart Association, published several peer-reviewed articles and participated in numerous clinical and basic research conference presentations (including invited and peer-reviewed oral presentations) on renal glucose transport, endocytosis, vascular function and respiratory disease.

Currently, Havovi is continuing her research on mechanisms which regulate endothelial and epithelial barrier function, with an emphasis on novel regulators of both barriers, such as the taste receptor. She leads the Biomedical Research Group.

Research interests

• Physiological roles of bitter and sweet taste receptors
• Renal and small intestinal glucose transport across the epithelium (diabetes, metabolic syndrome)
• Mechanisms regulated by artificial sweeteners and sweet taste receptors (diabetes, pulmonary diseases)
• Endosomal trafficking in the vasculature (pulmonary diseases)
• Protein phosphatase (PTP and SHP2) signalling (pulmonary diseases)
• Protein kinases (PKC and MAPK) signalling (diabetes, pulmonary diseases)
• Novel mechanisms regulating microvascular complications (diabetes, pulmonary diseases)
• Molecular mechanisms which link the gut microbiota and gastric permeability

Areas of research supervision

Selected current students:

First supervisor for PhD student – Lewis Spurrier-Best who is studying the endothelium in settings of lung injury (Sept 2023 to present)

Second supervisor for PhD student – Emily Capes who is performing an investigation into the mechanisms of degranulation-dependent zinc release from platelets (April 2023 to present)

Second supervisor for PhD student – Mary Bishop-Strutt who is studying the use of saccharide-linked compounds for glioblastoma multiforme treatment via intranasal delivery. (Sept 2023 to present)

Second supervisor for PhD student – Maggie Gentry who is studying the role of NC3Rs (Oct 2019 to present, part-time)

Second supervisor for PhD student – Ian Styles who is studying impact of climate and environmental change on prevalence of respiratory disease in ancient Nubia (Jan 2022 to present, part-time)

Selected recently completed students:

Third supervisor for PhD student Chisolm Meludu who is studying the role of DNA quadruplexes (Completed Feb 2023)

Second supervisor for PhD student at University College London – Oluwatobi Olusanya who studied the role of transporters in the gut epithelium (Completed, 2022)

First supervisor for PhD student – Aparna Shil who studied the effect of intestinal sweet taste receptors on the gut microbiota and gastric permeability (Completed, 2020)

First supervisor for PhD student – Emmanuella Enuwosa who studied the effect of taste receptors on the retinal and glomerular microvasculature (Completed, 2020)

Find out more about our PhD opportunities in Biomedical Science.

Teaching

MSc Applied Bioscience

Module Leader for Research Methods and Preparation

BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science

Module Leader for Molecular Cell Biology

Find out more about our BSc and MSc courses in Biomedical Science.

Qualifications

• PGCert in Higher Education and Learning, Anglia Ruskin University
• Teaching excellence certificate, Sheridan Centre, Brown University
• PhD Physiology, University College London
• BSc Biochemistry, King’s College London

Memberships, editorial boards

Selected examples of current work:

• Member, the Scientific Conference Committee for Physiological Society, 2024-present
• Member, European Vascular Biology Organisation, 2019-present
• Editor, Experimental Physiology, 2019-present
• Member, Editorial Board for Lung Cellular and Molecular Biology, 2018-present
• Member, The Physiological Society, 2017-present
• Fellow, the Higher Education Academy, 2016-present
• Early Career Member, American Heart Association, 2012-present
• Member, American Physiological Society, 2012-present
• Member, American Thoracic Society, 2012-present
• Ad-hoc reviewer for 12 journals including Microvascular Research, Science Translational Medicine, Pulmonary Circulation and Journal of Cellular Physiology

Research grants, consultancy, knowledge exchange

Examples of recent funding:

• Inventor for UK and USA patent – EP2019/056677
• Commercial funding – food supplementation projects (> £250k)
• British Heart Foundation – PhD studentship funding (>£100k)
• Cambridge Philosophical Society – PhD studentship funding (>£100k)
• Wellcome Trust Biomedical scholarships (>£10k)
• Physiological Society Summer scholarships (>£5k)
• Diabetes UK Early Career Research grant (>£15k)
• American Heart Association postdoctoral fellowship (>£100k)

Selected recent publications

Publications in the last five years:

Shil, A., Faria L.M.L., Walker, C.A., Chichger, H. 2024. The artificial sweetener neotame negatively regulates the intestinal epithelium directly through T1R3-signaling and indirectly through pathogenic changes to model gut bacteria. Frontiers in Nutrition. 11, in press. Link for publication

Blackham-Hayward, E., Kertesz, Z., Chichger, H. 2024. Electronic vape fluid activates the pulmonary endothelium and disrupts vascular integrity in vitro through an ARF6-dependent pathway. Microvascular Research. 153, 104653. Link for publication

Kaya, A., Arafat, B., Chichger, H., Tolaymat, I., Pierscionek, B., Khoder, M., Najlah, M. 2023. Preparation and Characterisation of Zinc Diethyldithiocarbamate-Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complexes for Potential Lung Cancer Treatment. Pharmaceutics. 16, 65. Link for publication

Chapman, S., Roberts, J., Roberts, A.J., Ogden, H., Izard, R., Smith, L., Chichger, H., Struszczak, L., Rawcliffe, A.J. 2023. Pre-sleep protein supplementation does not improve performance, body composition, and recovery in British Army recruits (part 1). Frontiers in Nutrition. 10, 1262044. Link for publication

Chapman, S., Roberts, J., Roberts, A.J., Ogden, H., Izard, R., Smith, L., Chichger, H., Struszczak, L., Rawcliffe, A.J. 2023. Pre-sleep protein supplementation does not improve recovery from load carriage in British Army recruits (part 2). Frontiers in Nutrition. 10, 1264042. Link for publication

Shil, A., Zhang, J., Chichger, H. 2023. Investigating the use and awareness of artificial sweeteners among diabetic patients in Bangladesh. PLoS One. 18, e0295272. Link for publication

Roberts, J.D., Lillis, J.B., Pinto, J.M., Chichger, H., López-Samanes, Á., Coso, J.D., Zacca, R., Willmott, A.G.B. 2023. The Effect of a Hydroxytyrosol-Rich, Olive-Derived Phytocomplex on Aerobic Exercise and Acute Recovery. Nutrients. 15, 421. Link for publication

Roberts, J.D., Lillis, J., Pinto, J.M., Willmott, A.G.B., Gautam, L., Davies, C., López-Samanes, Á., Del Coso, J., Chichger, H. 2022. The Impact of a Natural Olive-Derived Phytocomplex (OliPhenolia®) on Exercise-Induced Oxidative Stress in Healthy Adults. Nutrients. 14, 5156. Link for publication

Kertesz, Z., Harrington, E.O., Braza, J., Guarino, B.D., Chichger, H. 2022. Agonists for bitter taste receptors T2R10 and T2R38 attenuate LPS-induced permeability of the pulmonary endothelium in vitro. Frontiers in Physiology. 13, 794370. Link for publication

Enuwosa, E., Gautam, L., King, L., Chichger, H. 2021. Saccharin and sucralose protect the glomerular microvasculature in vitro against VEGF-induced permeability. Nutrients. 13(8), 2746. Link for publication

Shil, A., Chichger, H. 2021. Artificial sweeteners negatively regulate pathogenic characteristics of two model gut bacteria, E. coli and E. faecalis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(10), 5228. Link for publication

Asowata, E.O., Olusanya, O., Abaakil, K., Chichger, H., Srai, S.K.S., Unwin, R.J., Marks, J. 2021. Diet-induced iron deficiency in rats impacts small intestinal calcium and phosphate absorption. Acta Physiology, 22, e13650. Link for publication

Shil, A., Davies, C., Gautam, L., Roberts, J., Chichger, H. 2021. Investigating the opposing effect of two different green tea supplements on oxidative stress, mitochondrial function and cell viability in HepG2 cells. Journal of Dietary Supplements, 17, p. 1. Link for publication

Roberts, J.D., Willmott, A.G.B., Beasley, L., Boal, M., Davies, R., Martin, L., Chichger, H., Gautam, L., Del Coso, J. 2021. The impact of decaffeinated green tea extract on fat oxidation, body composition and cardio-metabolic health in overweight, recreationally active individuals. Nutrients, 13(3), p.764. Link for publication

Harrington, E. O., Braza, J., Shil, A., Chichger, H., 2020. Extracellular vesicles released from p18 overexpressing pulmonary endothelial cells are barrier protective – potential implications for acute respiratory distress syndrome. Pulmonary Circulation, 10(3). Link for publication

Shil, A., Olusanya, O., Ghufoor, Z., Forson, B., Marks, J., Chichger, H. 2020. Artificial sweeteners disrupt tight junctions and barrier function in the intestinal epithelium through activation of the sweet taste receptor, T1R3. Nutrients, 12(6), p. 1862. Link for publication

Pardhan, S., Vaughan, M., Zhang, J., Smith, L., Chichger, H., 2020. Type and frequency of ocular and other known symptoms experienced by people who self diagnosed as suffering from COVID-19 in the UK. medRxiv, June 22nd, 2020. Link for publication

Keegan, G., Pardhan, S., Chichger, H., 2020. Lutein and zeaxanthin attenuates VEGF-induced neovascularisation in human retinal microvascular endothelial cells through a Nox4-dependent pathway. Experimental Eye Research, 197, 108104. Link for publication

Ventetuolo, C. E., Aliotta, J. M., Braza, J., Chichger, H., Dooner, M., McGuirl, D., Mullin, C. J., Newton, J., Pereira, M., Princiotto, A., Quesenberry, P. J., Walsh, T., Whittenhall, M., Klinger, J. R., Harrington, E. O., 2020. Culture of pulmonary artery endothelial cells from pulmonary artery catheter balloon tips: considerations for use in pulmonary vascular disease. European Respiratory Journal, 55(3), 1901313. Link for publication

Recent presentations and conferences

Selected examples of abstracts:

Activation of T1R3 anchors ACE2 at the pulmonary endothelial cell surface to attenuate vascular disruption induced by the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. International Vascular Biology Meeting. 2024.

Targeting Arf6 in the treatment of barrier disruption for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Physiology 2023.

Activation of the orphan GPCR, T1R3, promotes the release of barrier-protective extracellular vesicles – a novel role for endothelial sweet taste sensing. International Vascular Biology Meeting. 2022.

Using our immerging understanding of taste sensing to target vascular disease. Physiology 2021.

The impact of COVID-19 on the pulmonary vasculature – ARDS-associated disruption of the endothelial barrier. COVID-19: Lessons learned from the frontline, online. 2020.

Understanding new ways to treat acute respiratory distress syndrome. NIH Research in Progress conference, online. 2020.

How artificial sweeteners reduce diabetes-associated blood vessel injury in the eye. Harley Street Surgical Centre Continued Education and Training UK. 2020.

Media experience

Media work in the last three years:

April 2024: several media outlets, including Guardian and Forbes online, covered research from the Frontiers in Nutrition publication based on the effect of neotame on the intestine and microbiota relationship in the gut

25 April 2024: interview on BBC World Service on the Frontiers in Nutrition publication studying the sweetener neotame

26 February 2023: interview on Cambridge 105 (Suzie Thorpe) on the effect of sweeteners in gut health

March 2023: article in USA Today on sugar substitutes and their potential health impacts

June 2021: several media outlets, including The Independent and BBC Science Focus, covered research from the International Journal of Molecular Sciences publication based on the effect of artificial sweeteners on the microbiota-epithelium relationship in the gut