Harries' lab: Team RNA
VOLUNTEER STUDIES
Here you can view all the studies in the Harries' team which require volunteer participation. This includes past studies, so please read carefully before applying.
Phyto Ageing Study
The Phyto Ageing Study is looking at the effects on joint health and ageing of a plant-derived dietary supplement (a phytochemical). We are recruiting volunteers to join the study. Study volunteers will need to visit us to give a blood sample, have their hand joint health assessed and answer questions about their diet and lifestyle. Each volunteer will take the dietary supplement once a day for three months. Then, they will need to visit us again for a repeat of the tests.
This work is kindly being funded by Animal Free Research UK. More information can be requested using the following form or by email/phone:
SAID Study
The SAID study was designed to help us understand why healthy older adults were more greatly affected during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to their younger counterparts. The study involved a single visit where COVID history and a blood sample was taken to acquire each participants immune cells. The results demonstrated that greater immune age was associated with poorer antibody production in response to SARS-CoV-2 proteins. It was also determined that greater immune age is correlated with reduced T cell receptor diversity. A pilot study within this one also tested the possibility of using known cellular anti-ageing drugs, paving the way for future work where these may restore some immune function in older age. This work was kindly funded by Animal Free Research UK.
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THIS STUDY IS NOW FINISHED.
BPA Study
This study had a dual purpose. The first assessed the realistic possibility of teenagers to meaningfully remove BPA from their diets. Bisphenol-A - a plasticiser present in most malleable plastics known to cause endocrine disruption). The second purpose was educational - to provide a real-world research project in which invited A-level students were able to experience every step involved. The findings of this study quantitatively and qualitatively demonstrated that BPA could not be removed successfully from a westernised human diet. This requires industry and policy change to eliminate exposure to this compound. The impact of this study won the University of Exeter the 2019 Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher Education for the pivotal role it has played to expose the devastating effect that plastics pollution has on the health of humans and wildlife.
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THIS STUDY IS NOW FINISHED.