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Dr Helen McCarthy
Senior Lecturer
School of Biosciences
- MccarthyHE1@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44 29208 75158
- Sir Martin Evans Building, Room Cardiff School of Biosciences, The Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX
Overview
Research overview
My research interests focus on the development of translational technologies based on articular cartilage progenitor cell biology primarily in the equine field. This work has resulted in the first large animal studies utilising both equine (Colorado, USA) and caprine (Davos, Switzerland) models. My interests also lie in the biology of both the articular cartilage progenitor cell and a meniscus-specific stem/progenitor cell in human tissue and their potential role in tissue repair and osteoarthritis.
Publication
2018
- Anderson, D. E., Markway, B. D., Weekes, K. J., McCarthy, H. E. and Johnstone, B. 2018. Physioxia promotes the articular chondrocyte-like phenotype in human chondroprogenitor-derived self-organized tissue. Tissue Engineering Part A 24(3-4), pp. 264-274. (10.1089/ten.tea.2016.0510)
2016
- Anderson, D. E., Markway, B. D., Bond, D., McCarthy, H. E. and Johnstone, B. 2016. Responses to altered oxygen tension are distinct between human stem cells of high and low chondrogenic capacity. Stem Cell Research & Therapy 7(1), article number: 154. (10.1186/s13287-016-0419-8)
2015
- Frisbie, D. D., McCarthy, H. E., Archer, C. W., Barrett, M. F. and McIlwraith, C. W. 2015. Evaluation of articular cartilage progenitor cells for the repair of articular defects in an equine model. The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery 97(6), pp. 484-493. (10.2106/JBJS.N.00404)
2014
- Nelson, L., McCarthy, H. E., Fairclough, J., Williams, R. and Archer, C. W. 2014. Evidence of a viable pool of stem cells within human osteoarthritic cartilage. Cartilage 5(4), pp. 203-214. (10.1177/1947603514544953)
2013
- Bara, J. J., McCarthy, H. E., Humphrey, E., Johnson, W. E. B. and Roberts, S. 2013. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells become antiangiogenic when chondrogenically or osteogenically differentiated: implications for bone and cartilage tissue engineering. Tissue Engineering Part A 20(1-2), pp. 147-159. (10.1089/ten.tea.2013.0196)
- Nelson, L., McCarthy, H. E., Fairclough, J. and Archer, C. 2013. Stem cells derived from human osteoarthritic cartilage elicit in vitro regenerative properties [Abstract]. European Cells and Materials 26(S3), pp. 49.
- Richardson, K., McCarthy, H. E. and Archer, C. 2013. Expression of cartilage stem cell markers is dependent on time in culture [Abstract]. European Cells and Materials 26(S3), pp. 60.
- McCarthy, H. E. and Archer, C. W. 2013. The properties of equine chondroprogenitor cells from articular cartilage after extended in vitro expansion [Abstract]. European Cells and Materials 26(S3), pp. 48.
2012
- McCarthy, H. E., Bara, J. J., Brakspear, K. S., Singhrao, S. K. and Archer, C. W. 2012. The comparison of equine articular cartilage progenitor cells and bone marrow-derived stromal cells as potential cell sources for cartilage repair in the horse.. Veterinary Journal 192(3), pp. 345-351. (10.1016/j.tvjl.2011.08.036)
- Fairclough, J., Archer, C. W., McCarthy, H. E., Khan, I. and Nelson, L. 2012. The clinical relevance of bone Odema: The bony Eigma. European Cells and Materials 24(Supp 1), pp. 34.
2010
- Williams, R. et al. 2010. Identification and clonal characterisation of a progenitor cell sub-population in normal human articular cartilage. PLoS ONE 5(10), article number: e13246. (10.1371/journal.pone.0013246)
2009
- McCarthy, H. E., Bara, J., Singhrao, S. and Archer, C. 2009. Equine cartilage repair: An in vitro comparison between articular cartilage progenitor cells and bone marrow derived stromal cells [Abstract]. European Cells and Materials 18(Supp 1), pp. 12.
2005
- French, N. P., McCarthy, H. E., Diggle, P. J. and Proudman, C. J. 2005. Clustering of equine grass sickness cases in the United Kingdom: a study considering the effect of position-dependent reporting on the space?time K-function. Epidemiology and Infection 133(2), pp. 343-348. (10.1017/S0950268804003322)
2004
- McCarthy, H., French, N. P., Edwards, G. B., Miller, K. and Proudman, C. J. 2004. Why are certain premises at increased risk of equine grass sickness? A matched case-control study. Equine Veterinary Journal 36(2), pp. 130-134. (10.2746/0425164044868594)
- McCarthy, H. E. et al. 2004. Equine grass sickness is associated with low antibody levels to Clostridium botulinum: a matched case-control study. Equine Veterinary Journal 36(2), pp. 123-129. (10.2746/0425164044868611)
2001
- McCarthy, H. E., Proudman, C. J. and French, N. P. 2001. Epidemiology of equine grass sickness: a literature review (1909-1999). Veterinary Record 149, pp. 293-300. (10.1136/vr.149.10.293)
- McCarthy, H. E., Singer, E. R. and Davies, M. M. C. 2001. The effect of sodium heparin on equine articular cartilage. Veterinary Journal 162(1), pp. 73-79. (10.1053/tvjl.2001.0585)
Articles
- Anderson, D. E., Markway, B. D., Weekes, K. J., McCarthy, H. E. and Johnstone, B. 2018. Physioxia promotes the articular chondrocyte-like phenotype in human chondroprogenitor-derived self-organized tissue. Tissue Engineering Part A 24(3-4), pp. 264-274. (10.1089/ten.tea.2016.0510)
- Anderson, D. E., Markway, B. D., Bond, D., McCarthy, H. E. and Johnstone, B. 2016. Responses to altered oxygen tension are distinct between human stem cells of high and low chondrogenic capacity. Stem Cell Research & Therapy 7(1), article number: 154. (10.1186/s13287-016-0419-8)
- Frisbie, D. D., McCarthy, H. E., Archer, C. W., Barrett, M. F. and McIlwraith, C. W. 2015. Evaluation of articular cartilage progenitor cells for the repair of articular defects in an equine model. The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery 97(6), pp. 484-493. (10.2106/JBJS.N.00404)
- Nelson, L., McCarthy, H. E., Fairclough, J., Williams, R. and Archer, C. W. 2014. Evidence of a viable pool of stem cells within human osteoarthritic cartilage. Cartilage 5(4), pp. 203-214. (10.1177/1947603514544953)
- Bara, J. J., McCarthy, H. E., Humphrey, E., Johnson, W. E. B. and Roberts, S. 2013. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells become antiangiogenic when chondrogenically or osteogenically differentiated: implications for bone and cartilage tissue engineering. Tissue Engineering Part A 20(1-2), pp. 147-159. (10.1089/ten.tea.2013.0196)
- Nelson, L., McCarthy, H. E., Fairclough, J. and Archer, C. 2013. Stem cells derived from human osteoarthritic cartilage elicit in vitro regenerative properties [Abstract]. European Cells and Materials 26(S3), pp. 49.
- Richardson, K., McCarthy, H. E. and Archer, C. 2013. Expression of cartilage stem cell markers is dependent on time in culture [Abstract]. European Cells and Materials 26(S3), pp. 60.
- McCarthy, H. E. and Archer, C. W. 2013. The properties of equine chondroprogenitor cells from articular cartilage after extended in vitro expansion [Abstract]. European Cells and Materials 26(S3), pp. 48.
- McCarthy, H. E., Bara, J. J., Brakspear, K. S., Singhrao, S. K. and Archer, C. W. 2012. The comparison of equine articular cartilage progenitor cells and bone marrow-derived stromal cells as potential cell sources for cartilage repair in the horse.. Veterinary Journal 192(3), pp. 345-351. (10.1016/j.tvjl.2011.08.036)
- Fairclough, J., Archer, C. W., McCarthy, H. E., Khan, I. and Nelson, L. 2012. The clinical relevance of bone Odema: The bony Eigma. European Cells and Materials 24(Supp 1), pp. 34.
- Williams, R. et al. 2010. Identification and clonal characterisation of a progenitor cell sub-population in normal human articular cartilage. PLoS ONE 5(10), article number: e13246. (10.1371/journal.pone.0013246)
- McCarthy, H. E., Bara, J., Singhrao, S. and Archer, C. 2009. Equine cartilage repair: An in vitro comparison between articular cartilage progenitor cells and bone marrow derived stromal cells [Abstract]. European Cells and Materials 18(Supp 1), pp. 12.
- French, N. P., McCarthy, H. E., Diggle, P. J. and Proudman, C. J. 2005. Clustering of equine grass sickness cases in the United Kingdom: a study considering the effect of position-dependent reporting on the space?time K-function. Epidemiology and Infection 133(2), pp. 343-348. (10.1017/S0950268804003322)
- McCarthy, H., French, N. P., Edwards, G. B., Miller, K. and Proudman, C. J. 2004. Why are certain premises at increased risk of equine grass sickness? A matched case-control study. Equine Veterinary Journal 36(2), pp. 130-134. (10.2746/0425164044868594)
- McCarthy, H. E. et al. 2004. Equine grass sickness is associated with low antibody levels to Clostridium botulinum: a matched case-control study. Equine Veterinary Journal 36(2), pp. 123-129. (10.2746/0425164044868611)
- McCarthy, H. E., Proudman, C. J. and French, N. P. 2001. Epidemiology of equine grass sickness: a literature review (1909-1999). Veterinary Record 149, pp. 293-300. (10.1136/vr.149.10.293)
- McCarthy, H. E., Singer, E. R. and Davies, M. M. C. 2001. The effect of sodium heparin on equine articular cartilage. Veterinary Journal 162(1), pp. 73-79. (10.1053/tvjl.2001.0585)
Research
I joined the School of Biosciences at Cardiff University in 2005 as a post-doctoral research associate in the lab of Prof. Charlie Archer. My research focused on the development of translational technologies based on articular cartilage progenitor cell biology. This work resulted in the first large animal studies utilising both equine (Colorado, USA) and caprine (Davos, Switzerland) models. My research also investigated the biology of both the articular cartilage progenitor cell and a meniscus-specific progenitor cell in human tissue and their potential role in tissue repair and osteoarthritis. My most recent post-doctoral appointment ended in 2014; this was a £250,000 BBSRC funded project in which I was research co-investigator. I have an on-going research collaboration with Oregon Health and Science University in the USA which has resulted in the submission of two publications in 2016. More recently, my research expertise has led me to be appointed as a collaborator on a tissue engineering NC3R’s grant received by Dr Deborah Mason. I have also served on the School Research and Ethics Committee (SREC) since 2013.
Teaching
I am currently a lecturer in Biomedical Science and Anatomy in the School of Biosciences and was appointed in September 2014. I deliver on a variety of subject areas including endocrinology, reproductive physiology, anatomy, connective tissue biology and tissue engineering. I am currently module leader for the preliminary year module The Way the Body Works as well as the first year module Structure and Function of Living Organisms. In addition to teaching on 8 modules within the School of Biosciences, I also have teaching commitments in the School of Dentistry and the School of Medicine. I also contribute to teaching on the CITER MSc course and supervise postgraduate students. I have recently completed module 3 of the Post-graduate Certificate in University Teaching and Learning (PCUTL) and I am a fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).
Biography
Prior to joining the Cardiff School of Biosciences, I gained my PhD from the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at Liverpool University. I undertook a case-control study to investigate the role of Clostridium botulinum in equine dysautonomia. A key feature of this largely fatal disease is a marked reduction of gastrointestinal motility due to widespread degeneration within the autonomic nervous system. Results gained during my PhD have led to the first UK wide vaccination trial. My undergraduate degree in Zoology was from Swansea University and this was followed by a masters degree at Aberystwyth University The dissertation element of this masters course received The Veterinary Journal Junior Scientist Award in 2001.