Tanveer Tabish

My research group leads an interdisciplinary programme developing next-generation functional biomaterials by integrating principles from materials science, chemical biology and biomedical engineering. We specialise in the rational design and chemical functionalisation of advanced nanostructures for targeted drug delivery, bioimaging and real-time sensing. A central focus of our work is the development of nitric oxide-releasing nanomedicines for cardiovascular regeneration, with an emphasis on creating intelligent delivery systems capable of navigating complex biological environments, responding to pathophysiological stimuli and restoring vascular homeostasis.

The group’s research is organised around several interconnected themes spanning nanomedicine, redox biology and cardiovascular therapeutics. 

Cardiovascular and Redox Nanomedicine

The cellular environment exists in a delicate equilibrium between reducing and oxidising conditions, characterised by the lack of oxygen and hydrogen-rich molecules. This redox balance governs crucial processes from metabolic regulation to cellular signaling and its disruption underpins the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Nitric oxide (NO), a pivotal redox-active mediator, sits at the heart of this paradigm, modulating vascular homeostasis, mitochondrial function and inflammatory cascades. Yet, its therapeutic potential remains constrained by challenges in spatiotemporal delivery and targeted bioactivity. Our work confronts this unmet clinical challenge through an innovative nanomedicine framework, redefining how NO-based therapeutics are engineered. Our research interrogates how endogenous and exogenous NO can be harnessed to treat and prevent CVDs with unprecedented precision. We develop redox-responsive nanodrug excipients capable of navigating the biochemical gradients of cardiovascular system, using pH-selective permeabilities to guide cargo (e.g., NO-releasing materials and NO donors) to subcellular targets in CVD.

In parallel, we are developing advanced synthetic platforms for the real-time imaging of NO at subcellular resolution, illuminating how NO fluxes relate to mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and endothelial pathology. One of our flagship efforts involves the design and fabrication of next-generation cardiovascular implants for controlled, sustained and stimulus-responsive therapeutic action. These innovations are pursued in close collaboration with engineers, chemists, pharmacists and clinicians to bridge the gap between fundamental redox biology and translational cardiovascular therapeutics.

Research Group

The Tabish Group is an interdisciplinary research team working at the interface of nanomaterials, redox biology and cardiovascular medicine. The programme currently involves research assistants, postdoctoral researchers and international collaborators working across nanomaterials synthesis, vascular biology and translational biomedical engineering. The group’s research is supported by competitive funding from organisations including the British Heart Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, the Royal Society and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

OPPORTUNITIES

The group welcomes enquiries from talented researchers who wish to work at the interface of nanomaterials, redox biology and cardiovascular therapeutics. 

Prospective DPhil / PhD students

Students interested in cardiovascular nanomedicine, biomaterials or redox biology are encouraged to contact us to discuss potential research projects.

Postdoctoral researchers

Highly motivated postdoctoral researchers interested in applying for independent fellowships or joining ongoing projects are welcome to get in touch.

Please email tanveer.tabish@cardiov.ox.ac.uk with a CV and brief description of research interests.