Hardip Sandhu

Early detection of drug-induced cardiac injury remains a major safety issue in drug development. I have been determined to improve the outcome of patients by implementing non-invasive early microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers of drug-induced cardiac injury and exploring the option of implementing adjunct therapy. In my team we work closely with cardiologists and oncologists on novel collaborative projects, and we have successfully assessed the role of cardiac injury associated miRNAs as biomarkers in cancer patients. These novel miRNAs biomarker findings hold an immense commercial potential as a platform to screen patients and candidate drugs for drug-induced cardiac injury adverse effects, and the Intellectual Property (IP) of this potential is currently being explored together with Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology partners.

During my research carrier at the Faculty Research Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences (CSELS) I have excelled as a researcher in the field of Safety Pharmacology an Assistant Professor with Research Excellence Framework submissions, with a track record of first/last-author publications in high-impact journals and successful funding (i.e. Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise Network, European Regional Development Fund, British Pharmacological Society, The Lundbeck Foundation, Enterprise, Exchange, and Engagement Activities, and Coventry University Pump-Prime awards). In addition to my role at Coventry University as, I also take great pride in supporting the research community as a Reviewer of high impact journals and funding bodies (i.e. The European Commission, British Heart Foundation, and Breast Cancer Now).

The key research/IP projects that I am currently leading includes: therapy-induced cardiac injury miRNA biomarkers, the involvement of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) during therapy-induced vascular injury, and anti-cancer therapy-induced cardiotoxicity (i.e. pathways involved and potential adjunct therapy options). The research projects are instinctive progression of my current research expertise, combining genomic and molecular biology techniques to determine the complex links between drug safety interactions and pathophysiological disease conditions. At Coventry University I have successfully supervised with completion: 2 PhD students, 1 MScR student, and 12 MSc students within the study timeframe and with excellent feedback. I am regularly recruiting students with aspirations to become excellent researchers.