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Ashrafian Group: Experimental Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine
Woman at work in lab © Martin Phelps

Experimental Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology is a component of the Radcliffe Department of Medicine (RDM) located within the John Radcliffe Hospital in Headington. Our main focus is the utilisation and expansion of clinical and experimental science to further advance drug discovery and development. This includes the harnessing of human genetic and genomic data for personalised medicine and the (re)positioning of existing and new drugs for early-phase mechanistic studies in human subjects.

Clinical Pharmacology in Oxford has been identified as a major area for development within the Medical Sciences Division. Through interdisciplinary collaborations both within Oxford University and with industrial partners we are spanning the gap between Oxford’s academic depths to deliver some truly excellent translational clinical science. In the future, we anticipate the establishment of a state-of-the-art clinical research facility which will allow us to facilitate early-phase trials in man and further clinical research in these areas.

Our team

Related research themes

Building on critical findings from our research streams, we are initiating new drug discovery programmes. Many of our researchers are engaged in target discovery and target validation research – elucidating molecular pathways that can be manipulated for disease modification.
Experimental Therapeutics
We aim to better understand, diagnose and treat heart and vascular disease through our extensive cutting edge research programmes. We have a particular focus on understanding disease mechanisms and on new approaches to stratifying patients. Our expertise encompasses genetic studies to identify causative and risk genes, cardiovascular physiology and cellular biology to understand health and disease, the development and application of advanced imaging, experimental medicine and clinical trials.
Cardiovascular Science
We seek to bridge the ‘innovation gap’ between ‘basic’ research in the laboratory and tangible benefits for patients. Our researchers aim to develop novel approaches to treating disease and we have particular strengths in evaluating technologies such as antibody therapy and gene therapy, and using new techniques for target discovery. Many of our researchers collaborate with biotech and industry partners to accelerate progress along the drug discovery pipeline and assess these new treatments in the clinic.
Emerging Therapies and Drug Discovery
We are committed to translating our innovative research into clinical benefit. From new methods of diagnosing chronic conditions, to finding the latest treatments for diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke and rare diseases, our department is involved in hundreds of clinical studies every year.
Clinical Studies and Trials
A raft of cellular and molecular biology techniques underpin much of the work we do to elucidate the mechanisms of disease. We use established techniques to answer new questions and also develop our own novel and unique methodologies to drive further innovation.
Cellular and Molecular Biology