Dr Sarah Thomas

Dr Sarah Ann Thomas is a reader in physiology. Her research projects focus on characterising the delivery of small molecule and biologic therapies across the blood-brain and blood-cerebrospinal fluid barriers in health and disease. An area of particular interest is membrane transporters and the relationship between drug concentrations in the CSF and the brain tissue. In order to understand molecule transport across these barriers she has developed and deployed a variety of experimental models. These range from in silico simulations through to cell culture and whole animal studies. She has also shared skills and expertise through several collaborations (e.g. Amgen, GSK, Ossianix, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Glasgow, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Imperial, University of Kentucky and WRAIR, USA). Dr Thomas has over 25 years experience including leading a multi-disciplinary team which secured an MRC DPFS grant to develop a safer more effective sleeping sickness drug using nanotechnology (NANOHAT). This award followed her earlier Wellcome Trust University Award for the investigation of the movement of sleeping sickness (human African Trypanosomiasis) drugs across the healthy and diseased blood-brain and blood-CSF barriers; and her Welcome Trust career development fellowship to study anti-HIV drug delivery into the CNS. She has also been part of the MRC Clinician Scientist training programs, MRC-DTP training networks, EPSRC DTA training network, Marie Curie initial training network and BBSRC Centre for integrative biomedicine for PhD students Dr Thomas completed her undergraduate studies in physiology and zoology at Royal Holloway, University of London. She gained a PhD in molecule delivery across the blood-brain and blood-CSF barriers from the United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy’s and St Thomas Hospitals, University of London and subsequently did post-doctoral research at the University of Arizona.