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Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences

Professor Colin Sibley BSc, PhD(London)

Photograph of Colin Sibley

Professor of Child Health and Physiology

  • Email: Colin.Sibley@manchester.ac.uk
  • Telephone: +44 (0)161 276 6484
  • Alternative Telephone: +44 (0)161 276 6483 (Jean French (Secretary))
  • Fax: +44 (0)161 224 1013

Maternal & Fetal Health Research Centre,
School of Biomedicine
The University of Manchester
Level 5, (Research)
St Mary's Hospital
Hathersage Road
Manchester
M13 9WL

 

Role

Colin is currently Director of the Tommy's the Baby Charity Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre in Manchester. This is one of three Centres in the UK, funded by Tommy's, which aim to find solutions to pregnancy problems such as pre-eclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction and preterm labour.

Colin is also Head of the Research and Innovation Division at Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

 

Memberships of Committees and Professional Bodies

  • President, International Federation of Placenta Associations
  • Member of the MRC College of Experts.
  • Editor Emeritus, `Placenta'.
  • Editorial Board, `Journal of Endocrinology'.
  • Society Memberships: Society for Endocrinology, Physiological Society, Perinatal Research Society (USA), Society for Gynecologic Investigation, International Federation Placenta Associations.
  • Member, Endocrine, Reproduction & Development Commission Panel of the International Union of Physiological Sciences.

Research

Poor growth of the fetus whilst in the womb can lead to prenatal or postnatal death or lifelong handicap. Furthermore, babies that are born small are at much greater risk of cardiovascular disease and of diabetes, as well as of a range of other diseases, in adulthood.

Pre-eclampsia, high blood pressure in pregnancy, which can lead to eclampsia, fitting and death, is the major killer of pregnant women in the developed world. The placenta forms the essential link between mother and baby whilst in the womb.

It is now clear that poor fetal growth and pre-eclampsia are caused by an abnormal placenta but it is not known what causes the placenta to be abnormal and why this leads to the diseases of pregnancy.

Colin Sibley’s research group is trying to understand how the placenta normally allows nutrients to get to the fetus and how it extracts waste products of metabolism from the fetus. Furthermore, the group has been trying to find out why the placenta is at fault in some cases of poor fetal growth; their data show that amino acid transport abnormalities might be important in this regard.

The wider Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, with long term underpinning funding from Tommy’s:The baby Charity is investigating several other aspects of pregnancy disease, including abnormalities in the way the placenta forms in early pregnancy and of blood vessel behaviour in mother, placenta and baby.

Our research is using systems biology approaches for assessing new ways of diagnosing which mothers and babies might be at particular risk of ill health, during pregnancy, in the neonatal period and later in life. The group’s work spans the study of cells and tissues and of the whole human placenta and blood vessels in the laboratory, through the study of mouse pregnancy, to clinical studies involving obstetricians and midwives.

 

Methodological Knowledge

Wide range of in vivo and in vitro integrative biology methodologies.

 

Teaching

Postgraduate research
Colin Sibley has successfully supervised around 20 PhD and MD students. He is currently supervising:

  • Laura Kusinski (mouse models of fetal growth restriction)
  • Caroline Wright (Magnetic Resonance Imaging biomarkers of placental phenotypes
  • Peter Sipos (enodthelial progenitor cells in the fetal circulation)
  • Andrea Ditchfield (placental function in obese pregnant women)
  • Deirdre Thajam (placental handling of drugs of abuse)
  • Sarah Coleman (syncytial knots in the placenta)
  • Kim Hannam (environmental toxins and pregnancy outcome)

Colin would welcome enquiries from students wishing to study for a higher research degree in the general area of pregnancy. For further information, see: Postgraduate opportunities.

 

Biography

Colin Sibley obtained a first class honours degree in Biochemistry and Physiology (1976) and his PhD (1980) from the University of London. He worked for three years with Professor Anthony Firth as a Postdoctoral Research Assistant in the Department of Anatomy at St George's Hospital Medical School in London.

In 1982, Colin became Wellcome Trust Lecturer in Child Health and Physiology at the University of Manchester and the following year was appointed to a substantive University Lectureship. He spent a year on sabbatical in 1989 as a Visiting Scientist in the Department of Pharmacology at Washington University St Louis, working with Professor Irv Boime. He became Senior Lecturer in 1990, Reader in 1994 and was appointed to a personal Chair in 1997.

In 1997, Colin became a Research Division Leader in The Medical School and in 2001 was appointed Research Dean in the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry and Pharmacy, continuing this role as Associate Dean for Research in the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences when the Victoria University of Manchester and UMIST merged in 2004, completing his term of office at the end of 2007.

Colin is currently Professor of Child Health and Physiology in the Maternal and Fetal Health Research Group of the Research School of Clinical and Laboratory Sciences and Director of the Tommy’s [Lets Talk Baby] Charity, Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre (MFHRC) in Manchester.

He has published over 130 peer reviewed papers, currently holds several major grants from the Medical Research Council, The Wellcome Trust, Department of Health and other AMRC charities and leads his own group of around 20 researchers, as well as the 60 plus scientists and clinician-scientists, technical and clerical staff of the MFHRC; it is the largest pregnancy research group in Europe.

Colin won a prestigious Harkness Fellowship in 1989 and other international awards include the Ross Laboratories Lectureship of the Perinatal Research Society (USA) in 1997, and more than 25 invited plenary lectureships worldwide. He is Editor Emeritus of the journal 'Placenta' (having been European Editor for 6 years), on the Editorial Board of 'Journal of Endocrinology' and a member of the MRC College of Experts. In 2008 Colin was elected President of the International Federation fo Placenta Associations, the worldwide organisation of placenta researchers, for a four year term of office.

In 2009 Colin was appointed Head of the Research and Innovation Division at Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. In this role he is responsible for research and innovation strategy in one of the largest hospitals in the UK.

 

Qualifications

B.Sc.; 1st class hons. (London) 1976. PhD (London) 1980.

 

Collaborators and affiliated staff

  • Professor JD Aplin
  • Professor PN Baker
  • Dr I Crocker
  • Dr J Glazier
  • Dr S Greenwood
  • Dr R L Jones
  • Dr. E.Johnstone
  • Professor T. Lavender
  • Dr. Roseanne Mcnamee
  • Dr J Myers
  • Dr. J. Naish
  • Professor G. Parker
  • Dr M Wareing
  • Dr M Westwood
 

Selected publications

2011

  • Angiolini E, Coan PM, Sandovici I, Iwajomo OH, Peck G, Burton GJ, Sibley CP, Reik W, Fowden AL, Constancia M. (2011). Developmental adaptations to increased fetal nutrient demand in mouse genetic models of Igf2-mediated overgrowth. FASEB J, 25(5), 1737-1745. eScholarID:133185 | DOI:10.1096/fj.10-175273
  • Audette, M., Challis, J., Jones, R., Sibley, C. & Matthews, S (2011). Antenatal dexamethasone treatment in midgestation reduces system A-mediated transport in the late-gestation murine placenta. Endocrinology, 152(9), 3561-70. eScholarID:136036 | PMID:21733830 | DOI:10.1210/en.2011-0104
  • Dilworth, M., Kusinski, L., Baker, B., Renshall, L., Greenwood, S., Sibley, C. & Wareing, M (2011). Defining fetal growth restriction in mice: A standardized and clinically relevant approach. Placenta, 32(11), 914-6. eScholarID:136039 | PMID:21889207 | DOI:10.1016/j.placenta.2011.08.007
  • Hayward, C., Greenwood, S., Sibley, C., Baker, P. & Jones, R (2011). Effect of young maternal age and skeletal growth on placental growth and development. Placenta, eScholarID:136037 | PMID:22005108 | DOI:10.1016/j.placenta.2011.09.016
  • Hayward, C., Greenwood, S., Sibley, C., Baker, P., Challis, J. & Jones, R (2011). Effect of Maternal Age and Growth on Placental Nutrient Transport: Potential Mechanisms for Teenagers' Predisposition to Small-for-Gestational-Age Birth? Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, eScholarID:136040 | PMID:22028413 | DOI:10.1152/ajpendo.00192.2011
  • Kusinski, L., Dilworth, M., Baker, P., Sibley, C., Wareing, M. & Glazier, J (2011). System A activity and vascular function in the placental-specific Igf2 knockout mouse. Placenta, 32(11), 871-6. eScholarID:136038 | PMID:21851977 | DOI:10.1016/j.placenta.2011.07.086
  • Wright, C., Morris, D., Baker, P., Crocker, I., Gowland, P., Parker, G. & Sibley, C (2011). Magnetic resonance imaging relaxation time measurements of the placenta at 1.5T. Placenta, eScholarID:136041 | PMID:21978937 | DOI:10.1016/j.placenta.2011.07.008

2010

  • Audette, M., Greenwood, S., Sibley, C., Jones, C., Challis, J., Matthews, S. & Jones, R (2010). Dexamethasone stimulates placental system A transport and trophoblast differentiation in term villous explants. Placenta, 31(2), 97-105. eScholarID:83464 | PMID:20045184 | DOI:10.1016/j.placenta.2009.11.016
  • Brand, A., Greenwood, S., Glazier, J., Bennett, E., Godfrey, K., Sibley, C., Hanson, M. & Lewis, R (2010). Comparison of L-serine uptake by human placental microvillous membrane vesicles and placental villous fragments. Placenta, 31(5), 456-9. eScholarID:83461 | PMID:20185175 | DOI:10.1016/j.placenta.2010.01.016
  • Desforges, M. & Sibley, C (2010). Placental nutrient supply and fetal growth. Int J Dev Biol, 54(2-3), 377-90. eScholarID:100696 | PMID:19876836 | DOI:10.1387/ijdb.082765md
  • Desforges, M., Greenwood, S., Glazier, J., Westwood, M. & Sibley, C (2010). The contribution of SNAT1 to system A amino acid transporter activity in human placental trophoblast. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 398(1), 130-4. eScholarID:100661 | PMID:20599747 | DOI:10.1016/j.bbrc.2010.06.051
  • Dilworth, M., Kusinski, L., Cowley, E., Ward, B., Husain, S., Constância, M., Sibley, C. & Glazier, J (2010). Placental-specific Igf2 knockout mice exhibit hypocalcemia and adaptive changes in placental calcium transport. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 107(8), 3894-9. eScholarID:83462 | PMID:20133672 | DOI:10.1073/pnas.0911710107
  • Giovannelli, A., Greenwood, S., Desforges, M., Sibley, C. & Petraglia, F (2010). Corticotrophin-releasing Factor and Urocortin Inhibit System A Activity in Term Human Placental Villous Explants. Placenta, eScholarID:100663 | PMID:21093910 | DOI:10.1016/j.placenta.2010.10.015
  • Higgins, L., Greenwood, S., Wareing, M., Sibley, C. & Mills, T (2010). Obesity and the placenta: A consideration of nutrient exchange mechanisms in relation to aberrant fetal growth. Placenta, eScholarID:100695 | PMID:21030077 | DOI:10.1016/j.placenta.2010.09.019
  • Kusinski, L., Jones, C., Baker, P., Sibley, C. & Glazier, J (2010). Isolation of plasma membrane vesicles from mouse placenta at term and measurement of system A and system beta amino acid transporter activity. Placenta, 31(1), 53-9. eScholarID:100692 | PMID:19954844 | DOI:10.1016/j.placenta.2009.11.006
  • Kusinski, L., Jones, C., Baker, P., Sibley, C. & Glazier, J (2010). Isolation of plasma membrane vesicles from mouse placenta at term and measurement of system A and system beta amino acid transporter activity. Placenta, 31(1), 53-9. eScholarID:83466 | PMID:19954844 | DOI:10.1016/j.placenta.2009.11.006
  • Lewis, R., Greenwood, S., Cleal, J., Crozier, S., Verrall, L., Inskip, H., Cameron, I., Cooper, C., Sibley, C., Hanson, M. & Godfrey, K (2010). Maternal muscle mass may influence system A activity in human placenta. Placenta, 31(5), 418-22. eScholarID:83460 | PMID:20206993 | DOI:10.1016/j.placenta.2010.02.001
  • Mughal, M., Eelloo, J., Roberts, S., Maresh, M., Ward, K., Ashby, R., Sibley, C. & Adams, J (2010). Body composition and bone status of children born to mothers with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Arch Dis Child, 95(4), 281-5. eScholarID:83459 | PMID:20335237 | DOI:10.1136/adc.2008.151555
  • Sibley, C., Brownbill, P., Dilworth, M. & Glazier, J (2010). Review: Adaptation in placental nutrient supply to meet fetal growth demand: implications for programming. Placenta, 31 Suppl, S70-4. eScholarID:100694 | PMID:20060581 | DOI:10.1016/j.placenta.2009.12.020
  • Solanky, N., Requena Jimenez, A., D'Souza, S., Sibley, C. & Glazier, J (2010). Expression of folate transporters in human placenta and implications for homocysteine metabolism. Placenta, 31(2), 134-43. eScholarID:83465 | PMID:20036773 | DOI:10.1016/j.placenta.2009.11.017
  • Soydemir, F., Kuruvilla, S., Brown, M., Dunn, W., Day, P., Crocker, I., Baker, P., Sibley, C. & Brownbill, P (2010). Adapting in vitro dual perfusion of the human placenta to soluble oxygen tensions associated with normal and pre-eclamptic pregnancy. Lab Invest, eScholarID:100662 | PMID:20921952 | DOI:10.1038/labinvest.2010.171
  • Speake, P., Glazier, J., Greenwood, S. & Sibley, C (2010). Aldosterone and cortisol acutely stimulate Na+/H+ exchanger activity in the syncytiotrophoblast of the human placenta: effect of fetal sex. Placenta, 31(4), 289-94. eScholarID:83463 | PMID:20129665 | DOI:10.1016/j.placenta.2009.12.025
  • Thajam, D., Atkinson, D., Sibley, C. & Lavender, T (2010). Is neonatal abstinence syndrome related to the amount of opiate used? J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs, 39(5), 503-9. eScholarID:100659 | PMID:20919996 | DOI:10.1111/j.1552-6909.2010.01174.x
  • Wright, C., Sibley, C. & Baker, P (2010). The role of fetal magnetic resonance imaging. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed, 95(2), F137-41. eScholarID:100693 | PMID:19208672 | DOI:10.1136/adc.2008.151076

2009

  • Desforges M, Mynett KJ, Jones RLee, Greenwood SL, Westwood M, Sibley CP, Glazier JD. (2009). The SNAT4 isoform of the system A amino acid transporter is functional in human placental microvillous plasma membrane. J Physiol, 587( Pt 1), 61-72. eScholarID:1d19596 | DOI:10.1113/jphysiol.2008.161331
  • Desforges, M., Mynett, K., Jones, R., Greenwood, S., Westwood, M., Sibley, C. & Glazier, J (2009). The SNAT4 isoform of the system A amino acid transporter is functional in human placental microvillous plasma membrane. J Physiol, 587(Pt 1), 61-72. eScholarID:83470 | PMID:19015196 | DOI:10.1113/jphysiol.2008.161331
  • Hutchinson E, Brownbill P, Jones N, Abrahams V, Baker PN, Sibley CP, Crocker I. (2009). Utero-placental haemodynamics in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia. Placenta, 30( 7), 634-41. eScholarID:1d19591 | DOI:10.1016/j.placenta.2009.04.011
  • Hutchinson, E., Brownbill, P., Jones, N., Abrahams, V., Baker, P., Sibley, C. & Crocker, I (2009). Utero-placental haemodynamics in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia. Placenta, 30(7), 634-41. eScholarID:83468 | PMID:19497617 | DOI:10.1016/j.placenta.2009.04.011
  • Iruloh C, D'Souza SW, Fergusson W, Baker PN, Sibley CP, Glazier JD. (2009). Amino acid transport systems beta and A in fetal T lymphocytes in intrauterine growth restriction and with tumor necrosis factor-alpha treatment. Pediatr Res, 65( 1), 51-6. eScholarID:1d19621 | DOI:10.1203/PDR.0b013e31818a0793
  • Kusinski LC, Baker PN, Sibley CP, Wareing MM. (2009). In Vitro Assessment of Mouse Uterine and Fetoplacental Vascular Function. Reprod Sci, eScholarID:1d19593 | DOI:10.1177/1933719109336613
  • Kusinski, L., Baker, P., Sibley, C. & Wareing, M (2009). In vitro assessment of mouse uterine and fetoplacental vascular function. Reprod Sci, 16(8), 740-8. eScholarID:83469 | PMID:19443912 | DOI:10.1177/1933719109336613
  • Sibley CP. (2009). Symposium Report: Understanding Placental Nutrient Transfer - Why Bother? New Biomarkers of Fetal Growth. J Physiol, eScholarID:1d19594 | DOI:10.1113/jphysiol.2009.172403
  • Tsitsiou E, Sibley CP, D'Souza SW, Catanescu O, Jacobsen DW, Glazier JD. (2009). Homocysteine transport by systems L, A and y+L across the microvillous plasma membrane of human placenta. J Physiol, eScholarID:1d19589 | DOI:10.1113/jphysiol.2009.173393
  • Tsitsiou, E., Sibley, C., D'Souza, S., Catanescu, O., Jacobsen, D. & Glazier, J (2009). Homocysteine transport by systems L, A and y+L across the microvillous plasma membrane of human placenta. J Physiol, 587(Pt 16), 4001-13. eScholarID:83467 | PMID:19564394 | DOI:10.1113/jphysiol.2009.173393

2008

  • Bond, H, Dilworth, M, Baker, B, Cowley, EJ, Requena Jimenez, A, Boyd, R, Husain, S, Ward, BS, Sibley, CP, Glazier, JD. (2008). Increased maternofetal calcium flux in parathyroid hormone-related protein-null mice. J Physiol, 586( 7), 2015-25. eScholarID:1d19623 | DOI:10.1113/jphysiol.2007.149104
  • Brownbill P, Mills TA, Soydemir D, Sibley CP. (2008). Vasoactivity to and endogenous release of vascular endothelial growth factor in the in vitro perfused human placental lobule from pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia. Placenta, 29( 11), 950-5. eScholarID:1d19618 | DOI:10.1016/j.placenta.2008.08.020
  • Coan P, Fowden A, Constancia M, Ferguson-Smith A, Burton G, Sibley CP. (2008). Disproportional effects of Igf2 knockout on placental morphology and diffusional exchange characteristics in the mouse. J Physiol, 586( Pt 20), 5023-32. eScholarID:1d19619 | DOI:10.1113/jphysiol.2008.157313
  • Dilworth M, Glazier JD, Cowley E, Boyd RDH, Husain S, Sibley CP, Ward BS. (2008). Measurement of maternofetal potential difference in parathyroid hormone related protein (PTHrP) knockout mice. Placenta, 29( 12), 1041-1042. eScholarID:1d20259 | DOI:10.1016/j.placenta.2008.09.006
  • Williams J, Fyfe G, Sibley CP, Baker PN, Greenwood SL. (2008). K+ channel inhibition modulates the biochemical and morphological differentiation of human placental cytotrophoblast cells in vitro. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol, 295( 4), R1204-13. eScholarID:1d19625 | DOI:10.1152/ajpregu.00193.2008

2007

  • Brownbill P, McKeeman GC, Brockelsby J, Crocker IP, Sibley CP. (2007). Vasoactive and Permeability Effects of VEGF165 in the Term in vitro Dually Perfused Human Placental Lobule. Endocrinology, 148, 11. eScholarID:1d27826
  • Iruloh C, D'Souza SW, Speake PF, Crocker IP, Ferguson W, Baker PN, Sibley CP, Glazier JD. (2007). Taurine transporter in fetal T lymphocytes and platelets: Differential expression and functional activity. American Journal of Physiology - Cell Physiology, 292, C332-C341. eScholarID:1d27403 | DOI:10.1152/ajpcell.00634.2005
  • Johnstone E, Speake PF, Sibley CP. (2007). Epidermal Growth Factor and Sphingosine-1-Phosphate stimulate Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE) in human placental syncytiotrophoblast. American Journal of Phsyiology, eScholarID:1d27967

2006

  • Desforges M, Lacey HA, Glazier JD, Greenwood SL, Mynett KJ, Speake PF, Sibley CP. (2006). The SNAT4 isoform of the system A amino acid transporter is expressed in human placenta. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, 290(1), C305-C313. eScholarID:1d11275 | DOI:10.1152/ajpcell.00258.2005

2005

  • Constancia M, Angiolini E, Sandovici, I,, Smith P, Smith R,, Kelsey G, Dean W, Ferguson-Smith A, Sibley, CP, Reik W, Fowden A. (2005). Adaptation of nutrient supply to fetal demand in the mouse involves interaction between the Igf2 gene and placental transporter systems. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 102 (52), eScholarID:1d11926 | DOI:10.1073/pnas.0504468103

2004

  • Sibley CP, Coan PM, Ferguson-Smith AC, Dean W, Hughes , Smith P, Reik W, Burton GK, Fowden AL, Constancia M. (2004). Placental-specific Igf-2 regulates the diffusional exchange characteristics of the mouse placenta. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 101(21), 8204-8. eScholarID:1d8150
  • Sibley, CP, Coan, P, Ferguson-Smith, A, Dean, W, Hughes, J, Smith, P, Reik, W, Burton, G, Fowden, A, Constância, M. (2004). Placental-specific insulin-like growth factor 2 (Igf2) regulates the diffusional exchange characteristics of the mouse placenta. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 101( 21), 8204-8. eScholarID:1d10781 | DOI:10.1073/pnas.0402508101

2003

  • Atkinson, DE, Greenwood, SL., Sibley, CP, Glazier, JD, Fairbairn, L. (2003). Role of MDR1 and MRP1 in trophoblast cells; elucidated using retroviral gene transfer. American Journal of Physiology - Cell Physiology, 285(3):, 584-591. eScholarID:1d25359
  • Brownbill P, Bell NJ, Woods RJ, Lowry PJ, Page NM, Sibley CP. (2003). Neurokinin B is a paracrine vasodilator in the human fetal placental circulation. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab, 88(5), 7. eScholarID:1d6237

2002

  • Constancia, M, Hemberger, M, Hughes, J, Dean, W, Ferguson-Smith, A, Fundele, R, Stewart, F, Kelsey, G, Fowden, A, Sibley, CP, Reik, W. (2002). Placental-specific IGF2 is a major modulator of placental and fetal growth. Nature, 417, 945-948. eScholarID:1d3901 | DOI:10.1038/nature00819

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