1. Faculty of Medicine and Health
  2. School of Medicine
  3. People
  4. Profile
Professor Sikha Saha

Professor Sikha Saha

Profile

I was awarded PhD at the University of Leeds in 1991 and have held BHF, Wellcome Trust and University fellowships. I have successfully progressed up the academic route at the University of Leeds making a substantial contribution to both student education and translational research. My lab focuses on metabolic profiling, biomarkers detection and biosensing of cerebrovascular and metabolic diseases. My work resulted in development of at the point-of-care technologies for rapid detection of biomarkers for these diseases. I had  leading roles at the University as Director of Impact and Innovation, Leeds Multidisciplinary Cardiovascular Research Centre (MCRC); Director of International Postgraduate Medical Training and represented the LICAMM to the Faculty International Committee. As Academic Lead of MBChB RESS-SSP modules I have introduced enterprise education in the Leeds Medical Curriculum. Currently, I am the LICAMM Lead for the Medical School’s initiative of “Decolonising Leeds Medical curriculum” and the University of Leeds Lead to the Academic Intersectionality Mentoring in Medical Schools (AIMMS) Mentoring Scheme supported by nine UK Medical Schools and the Academy of Medical Sciences and adopted by the Medical Schools Council (MSC).

Responsibilities

  • Diagnostics development and biomarkers for cerebrovascular diseases
  • University of Leeds Lead to the Academic Intersectionality Mentoring in Medical Schools Board
  • LICAMM Lead to the Medical School's “Decolonising Leeds Medical curriculum

Research interests

My research team works on tissue engineering, blood brain barrier, metabolic profiling, biosensing and preclinical and clinical development of novel drugs and diagnostic devices for cerebrovascular diseases.  My most important scientific contributions to date are my innovative ideas of novel in vitro human primary cell based blood brain barrier model and the development of sensor technologies for detection of biomarkers for cerebrovascular and metabolic diseases.  I am also the Lead Inventor of a biomarker patent and Co-inventor of a laser based non-invasive glucose sensor patent.  My research is supported by the MRC, BBSRC, EPSRC, Innovate UK, and industries. 

 

Qualifications

  • BSc (Hons) in Physiology, 1st class
  • MSc in Physiology
  • PhD in Physiology
  • FHEA, UK

Professional memberships

  • Clinical Advisor, NIQS technology Ltd
  • Associate Editor: Frontriers special edition “Cerebrovascular and Neurodegenerative Diseases.
  • Member, UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships Peer Review College
  • Member, ESRC: Peer Review College
  • Editorial Board Member: Journal of chemical Neuroanatomy
  • Advisory Board Member: International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Plysiology
  • International Member, Society for Neurochemistry, Switzerland.
  • Member, Society for Neuroscience, USA
  • Member, The Physiological Society, UK.
  • Life Long Member, The Physiological Society of India

Student education

As Academic Lead I have developed the MBChB year 2 and year 3 RESS-SSP courses and introduced enterprise education in Leeds MBChB Course. I have been delivering lectures to MBChB, BSC Cardiovascular and Neuroscience, BSc Intercalated Cardiovascular Medicine, Health Sciences and Dentistry Students for the last 25 years. I have also provided personal tutorial guidance to Ist and 2nd year MBChB students for 12 years.  

Research groups and institutes

  • Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine
  • Discovery and Translational Science
  • Multidisciplinary Cardiovascular Research Centre

Current postgraduate researchers

<h4>Postgraduate research opportunities</h4> <p>We welcome enquiries from motivated and qualified applicants from all around the world who are interested in PhD study. Our <a href="https://phd.leeds.ac.uk">research opportunities</a> allow you to search for projects and scholarships.</p>
Projects
    <li><a href="//phd.leeds.ac.uk/project/1709-licamm-blood-biomarkers-for-differentiation-of-stroke-from-mimics-using-a-novel-laser-optical-technique-">LICAMM Blood biomarkers for differentiation of stroke from mimics using a novel laser optical technique </a></li> <li><a href="//phd.leeds.ac.uk/project/1065-licamm-blood-brain-barrier-dysfunction-in-ischemic-stroke">LICAMM Blood-brain barrier dysfunction in ischemic stroke</a></li> <li><a href="//phd.leeds.ac.uk/project/1319-optical-and-magnetic-resonance-imaging-using-upconversion-nanoparticles">Optical and magnetic resonance imaging using upconversion nanoparticles</a></li>