Megan Payne

I am a Postdoctoral Researcher investigating evasin-derived peptides as novel therapeutic agents for Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). My work is supported by the Diabetes UK Grand Challenge and forms part of an ambitious programme dedicated to preventing immune-mediated β-cell loss and delivering transformative treatment approaches.This is a collaborative project with the Hodson group. 

In T1D, the autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing pancreatic β-cells is driven by immune cell infiltration, chemokine signalling and islet inflammation. I focus on leveraging the evolving science of tick‐derived chemokine-binding proteins (evasins), proteins that naturally bind and neutralise multiple chemokines to intercept immune-trafficking pathways.

I am focusing on the testing of peptides and derived peptidomimetics relevant models of T1D, and the targeting of such agents to beta cells within pancreatic islets.

I completed by DPhil in the Bhattacharya group. Prior to this, I completed an MSci Biomedical Sciences graduate from Newcastle University.