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The dual health and economic crises of the COVD-19 pandemic have thrown the disruptive forces acting on the travel and tourism (T&T) sector into sharp relief, drawing attention to the interconnected and hyper-dependent nature of sustainability, health and business. Lockdowns and social distancing strategies effectively closed and could ultimately decimate the sector. With the pandemic affording people and planet some short-term relief from T&T’s impact on communities, destinations and the environment, this is the time to re-imagine the sector. Looking ahead, a range of approaches to advance sustainable T&T could help it ‘build back better’, attenuating its negative impacts and advancing the contribution T&T makes to global citizenship and to a more balanced economy and equitable society. T&T business leaders are widening their view of sustainability beyond immediate operational impact to consider the broader systems in which they operate, adopting sustainability leadership practices for the twenty-first century and beyond. COVID-19 represents a ‘teachable moment’ for the T&T sector to accelerate sustainability, paying greater attention to the trade-offs and dilemmas presented by its activities. Indeed, T&T has enormous potential to educate the traveler and drive fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals. We propose that adopting the ‘Culture of Health’ framework could serve to fast track the sector’s move to sustainable T&T, supported by conscious consumerism and greater governmental oversight.
Wendy M. Purcell; O’Shannon Burns; Allison Voss. COVID-19 and Sustainable Tourism. World Sustainability Series 2021, 163 -184.
AMA StyleWendy M. Purcell, O’Shannon Burns, Allison Voss. COVID-19 and Sustainable Tourism. World Sustainability Series. 2021; ():163-184.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWendy M. Purcell; O’Shannon Burns; Allison Voss. 2021. "COVID-19 and Sustainable Tourism." World Sustainability Series , no. : 163-184.
People at work is the focus of Merits, an international, peer-reviewed open access journal
Wendy Purcell. Editorial from the Editor-in-Chief to Introduce the Journal. Merits 2021, 1, 3 -4.
AMA StyleWendy Purcell. Editorial from the Editor-in-Chief to Introduce the Journal. Merits. 2021; 1 (1):3-4.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWendy Purcell. 2021. "Editorial from the Editor-in-Chief to Introduce the Journal." Merits 1, no. 1: 3-4.
The Culture of Health framework includes four pillars of societal health and well-being influenced by business, namely: consumers; employees and workers in the supply chain; the community, and the environment. The Auto industry was an ideal crucible in which to explore the interface of public health with business given the confluence of the different domains in this sector. The substantial benefits of mobility, especially for the under-resourced, sit alongside negative impacts from emissions, accidents, products and services. Through interviews with 65 senior executives from seven major automakers, corporate actions reflecting health as a strategic agenda were mapped to the Culture of Health model. While most of the companies did not use the language of health explicitly in their strategy, key examples were present across all four pillars. Given the future of mobility relies on the interface of human experience with technology, it is a population-level challenge demanding system-level changes. Ostensibly, a framework for sustainability, the Culture of Health model could help the Auto industry navigate the disruption caused by the global megatrends and changing societal expectations of business in society and transition successfully to a new mobility economy.
Wendy Purcell; Brian Feldman; Molly Finn; John Spengler. Exploring a Culture of Health in the Auto Industry. Sustainability 2021, 13, 3924 .
AMA StyleWendy Purcell, Brian Feldman, Molly Finn, John Spengler. Exploring a Culture of Health in the Auto Industry. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (7):3924.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWendy Purcell; Brian Feldman; Molly Finn; John Spengler. 2021. "Exploring a Culture of Health in the Auto Industry." Sustainability 13, no. 7: 3924.
The COVID-19 health crisis has caused profound social and economic disruptions. Affecting everyone, its impact is not equal. Exacerbating deep social fissures and long-standing systemic inequalities, the pandemic reveals the fragilities and inequities in global higher education. Accelerating underlying trends and triggering seismic shifts in the sector, collective efforts over a period of weeks delivered massive change in a sector not known for being fleet-of-foot. As we envisage the ‘next normal’ for higher education, problems with the ‘old normal’ may be fixed and some recent innovations carried forward. Representing a period of punctuated equilibrium, COVID-19 could lead to transformation of the sector towards greater equity and impact across teaching/learning, research/innovation, community service/engagement and the staff/students’ experience. As we ask, “When will HE open again?”, and “When we do, what will it be like?” we may also find ourselves considering “Will some institutions open at all?” Seeking to navigate these volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous times—so-called VUCA conditions—we propose that the SDGs are positioned as a lens to re-imagine higher education in mounting an antifragility response. We examine whether a new paradigm is forming that could be more sustainable as budgets, priorities and institutional archetypes are challenged fundamentally in line with delivery against the SDGs.
Wendy M. Purcell; Julio Lumbreras. Higher education and the COVID-19 pandemic: navigating disruption using the sustainable development goals. Discover Sustainability 2021, 2, 1 -16.
AMA StyleWendy M. Purcell, Julio Lumbreras. Higher education and the COVID-19 pandemic: navigating disruption using the sustainable development goals. Discover Sustainability. 2021; 2 (1):1-16.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWendy M. Purcell; Julio Lumbreras. 2021. "Higher education and the COVID-19 pandemic: navigating disruption using the sustainable development goals." Discover Sustainability 2, no. 1: 1-16.
Partnerships are essential to delivering the transformational change demanded by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and essential to achieving Agenda 2030. It is therefore necessary to strengthen the partnering capacity of different types of organizations so they can collaborate in multi-stakeholder partnerships. However, partnership working can be costly in terms of time and other resources and is complex. Given the urgency and importance of sustainable development, illustrated by the recent pandemic and social unrest around inequity, we focused on the creation of a partnership that became effective quickly and was able to deliver societal impact at scale. Using a case study approach, the transformational potential and the early stages of “El día después” (in English, “The day after”) were analyzed as it represents a multi-stakeholder partnership forged to frame an SDG-oriented collaborative response to the COVID-19 crisis in Spain. El día después is defined as a partnership incubator, a space where public administrations interact under conditions of equivalence with all the other stakeholders, where private companies can link their innovation processes to other SDG-committed actors and social needs and where the academic sector can participate in a sustained dialogue oriented to the action. Our findings reveal that in order to catalyze the co-creation process and achieve systemic change through a set of connected multi-stakeholder initiatives, a very flexible collaborative arrangement is required, with all partners acting as facilitators. In this way, a solid interdisciplinary team is created, united around a shared vision, with trust-based relationships and a common identity fueling impact-oriented projects targeted to advance the SDGs.
Jaime Moreno-Serna; Wendy Purcell; Teresa Sánchez-Chaparro; Miguel Soberón; Julio Lumbreras; Carlos Mataix. Catalyzing Transformational Partnerships for the SDGs: Effectiveness and Impact of the Multi-Stakeholder Initiative El día después. Sustainability 2020, 12, 7189 .
AMA StyleJaime Moreno-Serna, Wendy Purcell, Teresa Sánchez-Chaparro, Miguel Soberón, Julio Lumbreras, Carlos Mataix. Catalyzing Transformational Partnerships for the SDGs: Effectiveness and Impact of the Multi-Stakeholder Initiative El día después. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (17):7189.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJaime Moreno-Serna; Wendy Purcell; Teresa Sánchez-Chaparro; Miguel Soberón; Julio Lumbreras; Carlos Mataix. 2020. "Catalyzing Transformational Partnerships for the SDGs: Effectiveness and Impact of the Multi-Stakeholder Initiative El día después." Sustainability 12, no. 17: 7189.
Purpose Universities can do more to deliver against the sustainable development goals (SDGs), working with faculty, staff and students, as well as their wider stakeholder community and alumni body. They play a critical role in helping shape new ways for the world, educating global citizens and delivering knowledge and innovation into society. Universities can be engines of societal transformation. Using a multiple case study approach, this study aims to explore different ways of strategizing sustainability toward delivering the SDGs are explored in a university setting with an example from the UK, Bulgaria (Europe) and USA. Design/methodology/approach The first case is a public UK university that adopted enterprise and sustainability as its academic mission to secure differentiation in a disrupted and increasingly marketized global higher education sector; this became a source of inspiration for change in regional businesses and the local community. The second case is a business sector-led sustainability-driven transformation working with a private university in Bulgaria to catalyze economic regeneration and social innovation. Finally, a case from the office for sustainability in a major US research university is given to show how its engagement program connected faculty and students in sustainability projects within the institution and with external partners. Findings Each case is in effect a “living lab,” positioning sustainability as an intentional and aspirational strategy with sustainable development and the SDG framework a means to that end. Leadership at all levels, and by students, was key to success in acting with a shared purpose. Partnerships within and with universities can help accelerate delivery of the SDGs, enabling higher education to make a fuller contribution to sustaining the economic, environmental, cultural and intellectual well-being of our global communities. Originality/value The role of universities as the engine of transformational sustainability toward delivering the SDGs has been explored by way of three case studies that highlight different means toward that end. The collegiate nature of the higher education sector, with its shared governance models and different constituencies and performance drivers, means that sustainability at a strategic level must be led with leaders at all levels acting with purpose. The “living lab” model can become a part of transformative institutional change that draws on both top-down and bottom-up strategies in pursuit of sustainable development.
Wendy Maria Purcell; Heather Henriksen; John D. Spengler. Universities as the engine of transformational sustainability toward delivering the sustainable development goals. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 2019, 20, 1343 -1357.
AMA StyleWendy Maria Purcell, Heather Henriksen, John D. Spengler. Universities as the engine of transformational sustainability toward delivering the sustainable development goals. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. 2019; 20 (8):1343-1357.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWendy Maria Purcell; Heather Henriksen; John D. Spengler. 2019. "Universities as the engine of transformational sustainability toward delivering the sustainable development goals." International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 20, no. 8: 1343-1357.
A conceptual framework of leadership and governance is described here, the aim of which is to help universities undertake strategic transformation in becoming more entrepreneurial, that is, more agile, resilient and innovative. The framework is illustrated with case material from a retrospective analysis of changes in a UK university that was differentiating its mission to become the enterprise university. Making explicit the implicit ways of change management and partnership working involved in strategic transformation, the framework draws out those leadership and governance processes operating in practice. In this way, those practices and processes promoting healthy idea flow are identified as well as those acting as barriers to innovation. It is posited that the framework could support universities and other knowledge organizations to more fully advance their purpose by enhancing value creation released through social networks driving innovation. The leadership and governance model dominant in most university and industry management systems is a hierarchical, formal authority structure. While relevant to organizational resourcing, accountability and scaling, bounded hierarchy is not well-positioned to support the healthy flow of ideas necessary for successful entrepreneurial activities. Given that universities and many industries are ‘idea factories’, new models of leadership and governance that serve to more fully leverage the creativity embedded in the organization can accelerate delivery against the shared goals emerging from collaboration. New ways of working that better reflect the actuality of innovation and the idea ecosystem are identified, given that ideas emerge from community systems comprised of diverse individuals connecting with others in groups with ideas flowing along social networks. Peer-to-peer exchanges are inherently more agile, and engagement is characterized by idea exploration, harvesting and co-creation with idea flow across institutional barriers. New models of leadership and governance that underpin the dynamic articulation of the formal hierarchy with the unbounded community of social networks can support entrepreneurial activities and are key to securing sustainable university-industry partnerships. The model described here draws upon learning explored in executive education and talent development programs exploring institutional sustainability leadership, including approaches to driving innovation and social enterprise (undertaken in the USA, Europe and UK). New ways of working are proffered that re-frame university-industry partnerships as dynamic social networks, where ideas are exchanged and developed, supported by leadership and governance processes that promote, rather than hinder, healthy idea flow. Trustful relationships are developed over time across boundaries, both disciplinary and organizational, and support experimentation and innovation in line with the expressed shared purpose. In an...
Wendy M. Purcell. A Conceptual Framework of Leadership and Governance in Sustaining Entrepreneurial Universities Illustrated with Case Material from a Retrospective Review of a University’s Strategic Transformation: The Enterprise University. Developing Engaged and Entrepreneurial Universities 2019, 243 -260.
AMA StyleWendy M. Purcell. A Conceptual Framework of Leadership and Governance in Sustaining Entrepreneurial Universities Illustrated with Case Material from a Retrospective Review of a University’s Strategic Transformation: The Enterprise University. Developing Engaged and Entrepreneurial Universities. 2019; ():243-260.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWendy M. Purcell. 2019. "A Conceptual Framework of Leadership and Governance in Sustaining Entrepreneurial Universities Illustrated with Case Material from a Retrospective Review of a University’s Strategic Transformation: The Enterprise University." Developing Engaged and Entrepreneurial Universities , no. : 243-260.
Universities can do more to deliver against the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), working with faculty, staff and students as well as their wider stakeholder community and alumni body. They play a critical role in helping shape new ways for the world, educating global citizens and delivering knowledge and innovation into society – universities can be engines of societal transformation. Here, using a case study approach, different ways of strategizing sustainability in a university setting are explored with an example from the UK, Europe and USA. The first case is a public UK university that adopted enterprise and sustainability as its academic mission to secure differentiation in a disrupted and increasingly marketized global higher education sector which then became a source of inspiration for change in regional businesses and the local community. The second case study is a business sector-led sustainability-driven transformation working with a private university in Bulgaria to catalyze economic regeneration and social innovation. Finally, the case of Harvard’s Office for Sustainability engagement program is given to show how this approach connects faculty and students with institutional sustainability plans and external partners. Each case is a living lab, positioning sustainability as an intentional strategy. Leadership at all levels, and by students, was key to success in acting with purpose. Partnerships within and with universities can help accelerate delivery of the SDGs, with higher education making a fuller contribution to sustaining the economic, cultural and intellectual well-being of our global communities.
Wendy M. Purcell; Heather A. Henriksen; Jack D. Spengler. Universities as the Engine of Transformational Sustainability in Delivering Against the Sustainable Development Goals: Livitabng Labs for Sustainability. 2018, 1 .
AMA StyleWendy M. Purcell, Heather A. Henriksen, Jack D. Spengler. Universities as the Engine of Transformational Sustainability in Delivering Against the Sustainable Development Goals: Livitabng Labs for Sustainability. . 2018; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWendy M. Purcell; Heather A. Henriksen; Jack D. Spengler. 2018. "Universities as the Engine of Transformational Sustainability in Delivering Against the Sustainable Development Goals: Livitabng Labs for Sustainability." , no. : 1.
There is an acknowledged need for in vitro fish intestinal model to help understand dietary exposure to chemicals in the aquatic environment. The presence and use of such models is however largely restrictive due to technical difficulties in the culturing of enterocytes in general and the availability of appropriate established cell lines in particular. In this study, the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) intestinal derived cell line (RTgutGC) was used as a surrogate for the “gut sac” method. To facilitate comparison, RTgutGC cells were grown as monolayers (double-seeded) on permeable Transwell supports leading to a two-compartment intestinal model consisting of polarised epithelium. This two-compartment model divides the system into an upper apical (lumen) and a lower basolateral (portal blood) compartment. In our studies, these cells stained weakly for mucosubstances, expressed the tight junction protein ZO-1 in addition to E-cadherin and revealed the presence of polarised epithelium in addition to microvilli protrusions. The cells also revealed a comparable transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) to the in vivo situation. Importantly, the cell line tolerated apical saline (1:1 ratio) thus mimicking the intact organ to allow assessment of uptake of compounds across the intestine. Following an exposure over 72 h, our study demonstrated that the RTgutGC cell line under sub-lethal concentrations of copper sulphate (Cu) and modified saline solutions demonstrated uptake of the metal with saturation levels comparable to short term ex situ gut sac preparations. Gene expression analysis revealed no significant influence of pH or time on mRNA expression levels of key stress related genes (i.e. CYP3A, GST, mtA, Pgp and SOD) in the Transwell model. However, significant positive correlations were found between all genes investigated suggesting a co-operative relationship amongst the genes studied. When the outlined characteristics of the cell line are combined with the division of compartments, the RTgutGC double seeded model represents a potential animal replacement model for ecotoxicological studies. Overall, this model could be used to study the effects and predict aquatic gastrointestinal permeability of metals and other environmentally relevant contaminants in a cost effective and high throughput manner.
Laura M. Langan; Glenn M. Harper; Stewart F. Owen; Wendy M. Purcell; Simon K. Jackson; Awadhesh N. Jha. Application of the rainbow trout derived intestinal cell line (RTgutGC) for ecotoxicological studies: molecular and cellular responses following exposure to copper. Ecotoxicology 2017, 26, 1117 -1133.
AMA StyleLaura M. Langan, Glenn M. Harper, Stewart F. Owen, Wendy M. Purcell, Simon K. Jackson, Awadhesh N. Jha. Application of the rainbow trout derived intestinal cell line (RTgutGC) for ecotoxicological studies: molecular and cellular responses following exposure to copper. Ecotoxicology. 2017; 26 (8):1117-1133.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLaura M. Langan; Glenn M. Harper; Stewart F. Owen; Wendy M. Purcell; Simon K. Jackson; Awadhesh N. Jha. 2017. "Application of the rainbow trout derived intestinal cell line (RTgutGC) for ecotoxicological studies: molecular and cellular responses following exposure to copper." Ecotoxicology 26, no. 8: 1117-1133.
At high internal doses, pharmaceuticals have the potential for inducing biological/pharmacological effects in fish. One particular concern for the environment is their potential to bioaccumulate and reach pharmacological levels; the study of these implications for environmental risk assessment has therefore gained increasing attention. To avoid unnecessary testing on animals, in vitro methods for assessment of xenobiotic metabolism could aid in the ecotoxicological evaluation. Here we report the use of a 3-D in vitro liver organoid culture system (spheroids) derived from rainbow trout to measure the metabolism of seven pharmaceuticals using a substrate depletion assay. Of the pharmaceuticals tested, propranolol, diclofenac and phenylbutazone were metabolised by trout liver spheroids; atenolol, metoprolol, diazepam and carbamazepine were not. Substrate depletion kinetics data was used to estimate intrinsic hepatic clearance by this spheroid model, which was similar for diclofenac and approximately 5 fold higher for propranolol when compared to trout liver microsomal fraction (S9) data. These results suggest that liver spheroids could be used as a relevant and metabolically competent in vitro model with which to measure the biotransformation of pharmaceuticals in fish; and propranolol acts as a reproducible positive control.
Matthew G. Baron; Kate S. Mintram; Stewart F. Owen; Malcolm J. Hetheridge; John Moody; Wendy Purcell; Simon K. Jackson; Awadhesh N. Jha. Pharmaceutical Metabolism in Fish: Using a 3-D Hepatic In Vitro Model to Assess Clearance. PLOS ONE 2017, 12, e0168837 .
AMA StyleMatthew G. Baron, Kate S. Mintram, Stewart F. Owen, Malcolm J. Hetheridge, John Moody, Wendy Purcell, Simon K. Jackson, Awadhesh N. Jha. Pharmaceutical Metabolism in Fish: Using a 3-D Hepatic In Vitro Model to Assess Clearance. PLOS ONE. 2017; 12 (1):e0168837.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMatthew G. Baron; Kate S. Mintram; Stewart F. Owen; Malcolm J. Hetheridge; John Moody; Wendy Purcell; Simon K. Jackson; Awadhesh N. Jha. 2017. "Pharmaceutical Metabolism in Fish: Using a 3-D Hepatic In Vitro Model to Assess Clearance." PLOS ONE 12, no. 1: e0168837.
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149492.]
Laura Langan; Nicholas J. F. Dodd; Stewart Owen; Wendy Purcell; Simon K. Jackson; Awadhesh Jha. Correction: Direct Measurements of Oxygen Gradients in Spheroid Culture System Using Electron Parametric Resonance Oximetry. PLOS ONE 2016, 11, e0160795 .
AMA StyleLaura Langan, Nicholas J. F. Dodd, Stewart Owen, Wendy Purcell, Simon K. Jackson, Awadhesh Jha. Correction: Direct Measurements of Oxygen Gradients in Spheroid Culture System Using Electron Parametric Resonance Oximetry. PLOS ONE. 2016; 11 (8):e0160795.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLaura Langan; Nicholas J. F. Dodd; Stewart Owen; Wendy Purcell; Simon K. Jackson; Awadhesh Jha. 2016. "Correction: Direct Measurements of Oxygen Gradients in Spheroid Culture System Using Electron Parametric Resonance Oximetry." PLOS ONE 11, no. 8: e0160795.
Advanced in vitro culture from tissues of different origin includes three-dimensional (3D) organoid micro structures that may mimic conditions in vivo. One example of simple 3D culture is spheroids; ball shaped structures typically used as liver and tumour models. Oxygen is critically important in physiological processes, but is difficult to quantify in 3D culture: and the question arises, how small does a spheroid have to be to have minimal micro-environment formation? This question is of particular importance in the growing field of 3D based models for toxicological assessment. Here, we describe a simple non-invasive approach modified for the quantitative measurement and subsequent evaluation of oxygen gradients in spheroids developed from a non-malignant fish cell line (i.e. RTG-2 cells) using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) oximetry. Sonication of the paramagnetic probe Lithium phthalocyanine (LiPc) allows for incorporation of probe particulates into spheroid during its formation. Spectra signal strength after incorporation of probe into spheroid indicated that a volume of 20 μl of probe (stock solution: 0.10 mg/mL) is sufficient to provide a strong spectra across a range of spheroid sizes. The addition of non-toxic probes (that do not produce or consume oxygen) report on oxygen diffusion throughout the spheroid as a function of size. We provide evidence supporting the use of this model over a range of initial cell seeding densities and spheroid sizes with the production of oxygen distribution as a function of these parameters. In our spheroid model, lower cell seeding densities (∼2,500 cells/spheroid) and absolute size (118±32 μm) allow control of factors such as pre-existing stresses (e.g. ∼ 2% normoxic/hypoxic interface) for more accurate measurement of treatment response. The applied methodology provides an elegant, widely applicable approach to directly characterize spheroid (and other organoid) cultures in biomedical and toxicological research.
Laura M. Langan; Nicholas J. F. Dodd; Stewart Owen; Wendy Purcell; Simon K. Jackson; Awadhesh N. Jha. Direct Measurements of Oxygen Gradients in Spheroid Culture System Using Electron Parametric Resonance Oximetry. PLOS ONE 2016, 11, e0149492 .
AMA StyleLaura M. Langan, Nicholas J. F. Dodd, Stewart Owen, Wendy Purcell, Simon K. Jackson, Awadhesh N. Jha. Direct Measurements of Oxygen Gradients in Spheroid Culture System Using Electron Parametric Resonance Oximetry. PLOS ONE. 2016; 11 (2):e0149492.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLaura M. Langan; Nicholas J. F. Dodd; Stewart Owen; Wendy Purcell; Simon K. Jackson; Awadhesh N. Jha. 2016. "Direct Measurements of Oxygen Gradients in Spheroid Culture System Using Electron Parametric Resonance Oximetry." PLOS ONE 11, no. 2: e0149492.
Higher education in the UK is a success story and what we do matters to society. Income is earned by delivering value – and that's clearer now in this new arena of student fees and research impact. Clarity about what we're really good at – academic programmes, learning approach and/or research theme – and communicating that powerfully is what it takes to be distinctive. Smart specialisation is a phrase we're coming to learn – perhaps we can do more to be smart as universities? We need to portray the richness of the UK sector, not vertically hierarchical but horizontally stratified around excellence with a focus on return on investment. In the global higher education landscape, winners will focus on core strengths, develop their distinctiveness, and be innovative and bold in going forward. Higher education policy adopts a largely ‘one size fits all’ approach – is this still relevant against a backdrop of an increasingly diverse sector?
Wendy M. Purcell; Julian Beer; Rebekah Southern. Differentiation of English universities: the impact of policy reforms in driving a more diverse higher education landscape. Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education 2015, 20, 24 -33.
AMA StyleWendy M. Purcell, Julian Beer, Rebekah Southern. Differentiation of English universities: the impact of policy reforms in driving a more diverse higher education landscape. Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education. 2015; 20 (1):24-33.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWendy M. Purcell; Julian Beer; Rebekah Southern. 2015. "Differentiation of English universities: the impact of policy reforms in driving a more diverse higher education landscape." Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education 20, no. 1: 24-33.
Wendy Purcell. Disruption and distinctiveness in higher education. Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education 2014, 18, 3 -8.
AMA StyleWendy Purcell. Disruption and distinctiveness in higher education. Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education. 2014; 18 (1):3-8.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWendy Purcell. 2014. "Disruption and distinctiveness in higher education." Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education 18, no. 1: 3-8.
The renal tubules play important roles in substance re-absorption from primary urine of the kidney, drug metabolism and gluconeogenesis in fasting and are vulnerable targets of nephrotoxic chemicals. Therefore, an appropriate functional model of renal tubules would enable the study of their functionality and chemical-induced toxicity. We have developed a method to maintain primary renal tubules and sustain their biochemical functionality in culture for an extended period of time. Primary rat renal tubules were isolated from male rat kidneys by collagenase perfusion and the tubules maintained in culture as a suspension by a gyratory culture method. The tubule fragments gradually formed renal tubule aggregates within 6 days and were maintained in culture for up to 12 days without apparent morphological changes. Biochemical functions including glucose release, galactose uptake and pyruvate uptake were retained for the observed period of 12 days after isolation. The aggregates showed significant cytochrome P450 1A1 activity recovery from day 6 after isolation and this was maintained thereafter during the 12-day period of in-vitro culture. A new toxicity test termed the cell spreading inhibition test (CSIT) of renal tubule aggregates was developed to study the effect of toxicants on cell spreading/growth and determine the minimum concentration of each toxicant that caused cell spreading inhibition (CSI-C). The CSI-Cs of selected nephrotoxic drugs were determined as chlorpromazine (60 μM), cisplatin (200 μM), diclofenac (800 μM), valproic acid (10 mM), and gentamycin (30 mM). The gyratory method of primary renal tubule aggregate culture can retain tubular cell functions such as glucose release, galactose uptake and allow cytochrome P450 1A1 activity to recover, which are essential for an in-vitro model. Therefore, renal tubule aggregates can be used as a model for studies of biochemical functions of renal tubules and relative renal toxicity of nephrotoxic agents.
Jinsheng Xu; David Patton; Simon K. Jackson; Wendy Purcell. In-vitro maintenance and functionality of primary renal tubules and their application in the study of relative renal toxicity of nephrotoxic drugs. Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods 2013, 68, 269 -274.
AMA StyleJinsheng Xu, David Patton, Simon K. Jackson, Wendy Purcell. In-vitro maintenance and functionality of primary renal tubules and their application in the study of relative renal toxicity of nephrotoxic drugs. Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods. 2013; 68 (2):269-274.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJinsheng Xu; David Patton; Simon K. Jackson; Wendy Purcell. 2013. "In-vitro maintenance and functionality of primary renal tubules and their application in the study of relative renal toxicity of nephrotoxic drugs." Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods 68, no. 2: 269-274.
The use of fish primary cells and cell lines offer an in vitro alternative for assessment of chemical toxicity and the evaluation of environmental samples in ecotoxicology. However, their uses are not without limitations such as short culture periods and loss of functionality, particularly with primary tissue. While three-dimensional (spheroid) technology is now established for in vitro mammalian toxicity studies, to date it has not been considered for environmental applications in a model aquatic species. In this study we report development of a reproducible six-well plate, gyratory-mediated method for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) hepatocyte spheroid culture and compare their functional and biochemical status with two-dimensional (2D) monolayer hepatocytes. Primary liver spheroid formation was divided into two stages, immature (1–5 days) and mature (≥6 days) according to size, shape and changes in functional and biochemical parameters (protein, glucose, albumin and lactate dehydrogenase). Mature spheroids retained the morphological characteristics (smooth outer surface, tight cell–cell contacts) previously described for mammalian spheroids as demonstrated by light and scanning electron microscopy. Glucose production and albumin synthesis were significantly higher in mature spheroids when compared to conventional 2D monolayer cultures (P < 0.01) and increased as spheroids matured (P < 0.01). Basal lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage significantly decreased during spheroid formation and was significantly lower than 2D cultures (P < 0.01). It is therefore suggested that mature spheroids can maintain a high degree of functional, biochemical and morphological status over-time in culture that is superior to conventional 2D models and can provide realistic organotypic responses in vitro. Trout spheroids that take ~6–8 days to reach maturity would be suitable for use in acute toxicological tests and since it is possible to culture individual spheroids for over a month, there is potential for this work to lead towards in vitro bioaccumulation alternatives and to conduct high throughput screens of chronic exposure. This is an important step forward for developing alternative in vitro tools in future fish ecotoxicological studies.
Matthew G. Baron; Wendy Purcell; Simon K. Jackson; Stewart Owen; Awadhesh N. Jha. Towards a more representative in vitro method for fish ecotoxicology: morphological and biochemical characterisation of three-dimensional spheroidal hepatocytes. Ecotoxicology 2012, 21, 2419 -2429.
AMA StyleMatthew G. Baron, Wendy Purcell, Simon K. Jackson, Stewart Owen, Awadhesh N. Jha. Towards a more representative in vitro method for fish ecotoxicology: morphological and biochemical characterisation of three-dimensional spheroidal hepatocytes. Ecotoxicology. 2012; 21 (8):2419-2429.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMatthew G. Baron; Wendy Purcell; Simon K. Jackson; Stewart Owen; Awadhesh N. Jha. 2012. "Towards a more representative in vitro method for fish ecotoxicology: morphological and biochemical characterisation of three-dimensional spheroidal hepatocytes." Ecotoxicology 21, no. 8: 2419-2429.
There is an accumulating evidence for the immunoregulatory role of the neuropeptide, nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) however its role on T cell function requires elucidation. This study has demonstrated an inhibitory role for N/OFQ on SEB-activated T cell function. N/OFQ decreases T cell proliferation, which is abrogated when the costimulatory receptors CD80 and CD86 are blocked. In addition, evidence suggests that the immunoregulatory cytokines TGF-beta, IFN-gamma and nitric oxide (NO) are involved in the N/OFQ effect. N/OFQ also, through involvement of IFN and NO, induces the expression of the immunosuppressive modulator indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), suggesting a central role for IDO in the N/OFQ effect on T cell proliferation. The data presented in this report indicate a multi-faceted mechanism of action used by N/OFQ to modulate T cell function.
Kate H. Easten; Rachel A. Harry; Wendy M. Purcell; Julie D. McLeod. Nociceptin-induced modulation of human T cell function. Peptides 2009, 30, 926 -934.
AMA StyleKate H. Easten, Rachel A. Harry, Wendy M. Purcell, Julie D. McLeod. Nociceptin-induced modulation of human T cell function. Peptides. 2009; 30 (5):926-934.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKate H. Easten; Rachel A. Harry; Wendy M. Purcell; Julie D. McLeod. 2009. "Nociceptin-induced modulation of human T cell function." Peptides 30, no. 5: 926-934.
The present study demonstrated for the first time that screen-printed carbon microband electrodes fabricated from water-based ink can readily detect H2O2 and that the same ink, with the addition of lactate oxidase, can be used to construct microband biosensors to measure lactate. These microband devices were fabricated by a simple cutting procedure using conventional sized screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs) containing the electrocatalyst cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPC). These devices were characterised with H2O2 using several electrochemical techniques. Cyclic voltammograms were found to be sigmoidal; a current density value of 4.2 mA cm−2 was obtained. A scan rate study revealed that the mass transport mechanism was a mixture of radial and planar diffusion. However, a further amperometric study under quiescent and hydrodynamic conditions indicated that radial diffusion predominated. A chronoamperometric study indicated that steady-state currents were obtained with these devices for a variety of H2O2 concentrations and that the currents were proportional to the analyte concentration. Lactate microband biosensors were then fabricated by incorporating lactate oxidase into the water-based formulation prior to printing and then cutting as described. Voltammograms demonstrated that lactate oxidase did not compromise the integrity of the electrode for H2O2 detection. A potential of +400 mV was selected for a calibration study, which showed that lactate could be measured over a dynamic range of 1–10 mM which was linear up to 6 mM; a calculated lower limit of detection of 289 μM was ascertained. This study provides a platform for monitoring cell metabolism in-vitro by measuring lactate electrochemically via a microband biosensor.
F Rawson; W Purcell; J Xu; R Pemberton; P Fielden; N Biddle; J Hart. A microband lactate biosensor fabricated using a water-based screen-printed carbon ink. Talanta 2009, 77, 1149 -1154.
AMA StyleF Rawson, W Purcell, J Xu, R Pemberton, P Fielden, N Biddle, J Hart. A microband lactate biosensor fabricated using a water-based screen-printed carbon ink. Talanta. 2009; 77 (3):1149-1154.
Chicago/Turabian StyleF Rawson; W Purcell; J Xu; R Pemberton; P Fielden; N Biddle; J Hart. 2009. "A microband lactate biosensor fabricated using a water-based screen-printed carbon ink." Talanta 77, no. 3: 1149-1154.
A new method of using screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs) incorporating the electrocatalyst cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPC) for the manufacture of tubular microband electrodes for hydrogen peroxide detection is described. Characterisation of these electrodes using potassium ferrocyanide, with cyclic voltammetry, has shown that steady state behaviour is displayed which is indicative of microelectrode behaviour. The current density obtained from the voltammogram was compared to that obtained for a conventional sized CoPC–SPCE, and the values were 5618 and 35.65 μA cm−2, respectively. Cyclic voltammetry was carried out for the same electrodes, using 7 mM H2O2 prepared in phosphate buffer at scan rates between 1 and 50 mV s−1 and no significant increase in current response was observed. The application of these tubular microband CoPC–SPCEs, to the measurement of H2O2 using chronoamperometry was investigated. A calibration study was performed and the plot showed a sensitivity value of 252 μA mM−1 cm−2 and a lower detection limit of 70 μM. We have shown that the chronoamperometric current response could be calculated using a modified equation originally developed for a plain microband electrode. This study provides a platform for using screen-printed carbon electrodes for the fabrication of oxidase based microbiosensors, for the determination of a variety of cellular metabolites.
F.J. Rawson; W.M. Purcell; J. Xu; D.C. Cowell; P.R. Fielden; N. Biddle; J.P. Hart. Fabrication and characterisation of novel screen-printed tubular microband electrodes, and their application to the measurement of hydrogen peroxide. Electrochimica Acta 2007, 52, 7248 -7253.
AMA StyleF.J. Rawson, W.M. Purcell, J. Xu, D.C. Cowell, P.R. Fielden, N. Biddle, J.P. Hart. Fabrication and characterisation of novel screen-printed tubular microband electrodes, and their application to the measurement of hydrogen peroxide. Electrochimica Acta. 2007; 52 (25):7248-7253.
Chicago/Turabian StyleF.J. Rawson; W.M. Purcell; J. Xu; D.C. Cowell; P.R. Fielden; N. Biddle; J.P. Hart. 2007. "Fabrication and characterisation of novel screen-printed tubular microband electrodes, and their application to the measurement of hydrogen peroxide." Electrochimica Acta 52, no. 25: 7248-7253.
Three‐dimensional culture systems are an ideal in vitro model being capable of sustaining cell functionalities in a manner that resembles the in vivo conditions. In the present study, we developed an ultrasound trap‐based technique to rapidly produce HepG2 hepatocarcinoma cell aggregates within 30 min. Enhanced junctional F‐actin was observed at the points of cell–cell contact throughout the aggregates. HepG2 aggregates prepared by the ultrasound trap can be maintained in culture on a P‐HEMA‐coated surface for up to 3 weeks. The cells in these aggregates proliferated during the initial 3 days and cell number was consistent during the following maintenance period. Albumin secretion from these HepG2 aggregates recovered after 3 days of aggregate formation and remained relatively stable for the following 12 days. Cytochrome P450‐1A1 activity was significantly enhanced after 6 days with maximal enzyme activity observed between 9 and 18 days. In addition, comparison experiments demonstrated that HepG2 aggregates generated by the ultrasound trap had comparable functional characterizations with HepG2 spheroids formed by a traditional gyrotatory‐mediated method. Our results suggest that HepG2 aggregate cultures prepared through the ultrasound trap‐based technique may provide a novel approach to produce in vitro models for hepatocyte functional studies. J. Cell. Biochem. 102: 1180–1189, 2007.
Jian Liu; Larisa A. Kuznetsova; Gareth O. Edwards; Jinsheng Xu; Mingwen Ma; Wendy Purcell; Simon K. Jackson; W. Terence Coakley. Functional three-dimensional HepG2 aggregate cultures generated from an ultrasound trap: Comparison with HepG2 spheroids. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry 2007, 102, 1180 -1189.
AMA StyleJian Liu, Larisa A. Kuznetsova, Gareth O. Edwards, Jinsheng Xu, Mingwen Ma, Wendy Purcell, Simon K. Jackson, W. Terence Coakley. Functional three-dimensional HepG2 aggregate cultures generated from an ultrasound trap: Comparison with HepG2 spheroids. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry. 2007; 102 (5):1180-1189.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJian Liu; Larisa A. Kuznetsova; Gareth O. Edwards; Jinsheng Xu; Mingwen Ma; Wendy Purcell; Simon K. Jackson; W. Terence Coakley. 2007. "Functional three-dimensional HepG2 aggregate cultures generated from an ultrasound trap: Comparison with HepG2 spheroids." Journal of Cellular Biochemistry 102, no. 5: 1180-1189.