Projects per year
Personal profile
Interests
Professor Lorraine Martin holds a BSc and PhD in Biochemistry and a Masters of Medical Science in Clinical Laboratory Medicine. At the outset of her career, Lorraine played a pivotal role in a joint programme between Queen's University Belfast and the biotechnology company behind Dolly the cloned sheep, PPL Therapeutics plc, Edinburgh and was heavily involved in the Phase II clinical trials of a transgenic human protein, known as alpha1 antrypsin in cystic fibrosis (CF). She was then funded by a Sir Henry Wellcome Innovative Award to develop tools for the real-time monitoring and subsequent inhibition of intracellular proteolysis before taking up her academic appointment in the School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast.
Current research interests are focussed on the role of active proteases in health and disease which includes the profiling, delineation and inhibition of proteases involved in infection and inflammation. With a focus on chronic airways diseases, such as cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic obstructive disease (COPD) her group seeks to understand underlying mechanisms of disease which also includes the characterisation of novel cellular proteins and pathways. Programmes of work include the development of therapeutic strategies to combat airways dehydration, a key factor contributing to disease progression, as well as the characterisation of novel biomarkers to aid earlier diagnosis and disease management.
Lorraine has also played a key role in the commercial exploitation of patented QUB ProteaseTag™ technology which evolved from a Proof of Concept (Invest Northern Ireland) project with further support provided by the MRC. In 2013, she co-founded and was the founding CEO of ProAxsis Ltd. and won the NISP Connect 25K Award (now INVENT, Catalyst Inc.), before going on to secure significant investment and a Horizon 2020 SME Instrument award for the company. In 2016, Professor Martin was awarded the Queen's University Vice-Chancellor's Research Impact Prize in recognition of the success and impact of these commercialisation and innovation activities.
Lorraine has published widely in internationally recognised peer-reviewed journals and currently holds 4 patents. She has presented her work both nationally and internationally, has held funding from the like of BBSRC, MRC, Prostate Cancer Charity, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, UK and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, USA and has productive research collaborations with UK industry and global pharma. In addition, Lorraine has secured significant European funding (€8.9 M) through the INTERREG Va programme (SEUPB) to build cross-border capacity in COPD research. BREATH (Borders and REgions Airways Training Hub) is a 5-year collaborative programme between QUB, Dundalk Institute of Technology and the University of the West of Scotland and funds 25 full-time researchers across the 3 partners. BREATH has been showcased at the EU Parliament (2017) and was awarded Asthma/COPD Project of the Year at the NI Healthcare Awards (2018) and received the Vice-Chancellor's Prize for Excellence in Research Culture (2020).
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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R8874PMY: Inhibition of Furin as a Strategy for Treatment of hronic Airways disease
30/10/2019 → …
Project: Research
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R6964PMY: Interreg VA: BREATH - Border and REgions Airways Training Hub (Full Proposal)
Martin, L., Lundy, F., McGarvey, L. & Tikhonova, I.
02/05/2017 → …
Project: Research
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R5740PMY: The development of an Advanced Material for Protease Enzyme Capture
01/08/2011 → …
Project: Research
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Excitatory cholinergic responses in mouse primary bronchial smooth muscle require both Ca2+ entry via L-type Ca2+ channels and store operated Ca2+ entry via Orai channels
Dwivedi, R., Drumm, BT., Griffin, C., Dudem, S., Bradley, E., Alkawadri, T., Martin, SL., Sergeant, GP., Hollywood, MA. & Thornbury, KD., 24 Mar 2023, (Early online date) In: Cell Calcium. 102721.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Furin as a therapeutic target in cystic fibrosis airways disease
Douglas, L. E. J., Reihill, J. A., Montgomery, B. M. & Martin, S. L., 30 Jun 2023, In: European Respiratory Review. 32, 168, 14 p., 220256.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Open AccessFile5 Downloads (Pure) -
The TMEM16A blockers benzbromarone and MONNA cause intracellular Ca2+-release in mouse bronchial smooth muscle cells
Dwivedi, R., Drumm, B. T., Alkawadri, T., Martin, S. L., Sergeant, G. P., Hollywood, M. A. & Thornbury, K. D., 15 May 2023, In: European Journal of Pharmacology. 947, 11 p., 175677.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Downloads (Pure) -
A highly selective, cell-permeable furin inhibitor BOS-318 rescues key features of cystic fibrosis airways disease
Douglas, L. E. J., Reihill, J. A., Ho, M. W. Y., Axten, J. M., Campobasso, N., Schneck, J. L., Rendina, A. R., Wilcoxen, K. M. & Martin, S. L., 16 Jun 2022, In: Cell Chemical Biology. 29, 6, p. P947-957.E8Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile22 Downloads (Pure) -
Modulation of carbachol-induced Ca2+ oscillations in airway smooth muscle cells by PGE2
Morgan, L. M., Martin, L., Mullins, N. D., Hollywood, M. A., Thornbury, K. D. & Sergeant, G. P., May 2022, In: Cell Calcium. 103, 7 p., 102547.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile46 Downloads (Pure)
Prizes
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Asthma/COPD Project of the Year, 19th Northern Ireland Healthcare Awards
Martin, Lorraine (Recipient), McGarvey, Lorcan (Recipient), Lundy, Fionnuala (Recipient), Thornbury, Keith (Recipient), Hollywood, Mark (Recipient), Sergeant, Gerard (Recipient), Lockhart, John (Recipient), Litherland, Gary (Recipient) & Crilly, Anne (Recipient), 22 Feb 2018
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
File -
European Cystic Fibrosis Society Conference (2011) Best poster presentation award
Martin, Lorraine (Recipient), Jun 2011
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Overall Winner (INVENT2013) NISP Connect 25K Award 2013: ProAxsis Ltd.
Martin, Lorraine (Recipient), 26 Sep 2013
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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ProAxsis Ltd. - Innovative Business of the Year 2018
Martin, Lorraine (Recipient), 31 May 2018
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Seedcorn Northern Ireland Regional Finalist
Martin, Lorraine (Recipient), May 2015
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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British Thoracic Society Winter Meeting 2022
Lorraine Martin (Participant)
30 Nov 2023 → 30 Nov 2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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Co-Design Workshop on Training the Next Generation of Postgraduate Researchers in Discovery AI for Health
Hui Wang (Organiser), Iain Styles (Speaker), Roger Woods (Speaker), Mauro Paternostro (Speaker), Paul Mullan (Speaker), Frank Kee (Speaker), Gary Hardiman (Speaker), Lorraine Martin (Participant), Ultan Power (Participant), Richard Gault (Participant), Stephanie Craig (Participant), Kris McCombe (Participant), Maeve Murphy (Participant), Xinjin Liang (Organiser) & Franziska Schroeder (Participant)
02 Jun 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
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Proteolysis: at the interface between health and disease
Lorraine Martin (Invited speaker)
17 Sep 2022 → 21 Sep 2022Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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MRC AND LIFEARC WORKSHOP - CHRONIC LUNG INFLAMMATION- RESEARCH PERSPECTIVES AND PRIORITIES FOR DRUG REPURPOSING
Lorraine Martin (Participant)
30 May 2022Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
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EU INTERREG BREATH Dissemination Event (March 2022)
Lorraine Martin (Organiser)
30 Mar 2022Activity: Other activity types › Other
Press/Media
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The Conversation: An increasing number of countries are banning e-cigarettes – here’s why.
Lorraine Martin & James Reihill
23/09/2019
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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QUEEN’S COLLABORATIVE PROJECT WINS ASTHMA / COPD PROJECT OF THE YEAR
Lorraine Martin, Lorcan McGarvey & Fionnuala Lundy
28/02/2018
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
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Urgent Call to Tackle Killer Disease on World COPD Day
Lorraine Martin, Lorcan McGarvey & Fionnuala Lundy
15/11/2017
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
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QUB scientist forges new frontiers in chronic airways disease
03/02/2017
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities
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QUEEN'S SECURES EU FUNDING FOR FIGHT AGAINST LUNG DISEASE
Lorraine Martin, Lorcan McGarvey & Fionnuala Lundy
26/01/2017
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
Impact
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Improving outcomes for people with cystic fibrosis through evidence based clinical trials
Joseph Elborn (Participant), Lorraine Martin (Participant), Damian Downey (Participant), Simon Brockbank (Participant) & Madeleine Ennis (Participant)
Impact: Health Impact, Quality of Life Impact