Research
organ-on-a-chip, cartilage, synovium, arthritis, inflammation, cancer
Underpinning Bioengineering, Cancer Models, Musculoskeletal Models
Interests
As centre manager for the Queen Mary + Emulate Organ-on-Chips centre I have extensive expertise in the use of Emulates platform technology, The Human Emulation system across a range of organ models which include liver, lung, kidney and intestine. I provide support and advice for research teams that aspire to include this technology in their research pipeline.
My research focuses on the importance of mechanical stimuli in the regulation of tissue interactions and cell signalling events. In particular, I have published extensively on the role of a small, microtubule-based signalling organelle, the primary cilium, demonstrating the importance of ciliary trafficking events for this regulation.
I am currently developing new models in the rheumatology and oncology fields that incorporate physiologically relevant mechanical stimuli and with the ultimate goal of generating systems with greater capacity to predict the human condition.
research proposals.
Publications

Publications of specific relevance to Predictive in vitro Models
2021

Verbruggen SW,
Thompson CL, Duffy MP, Lunetto S, Nolan J, Pearce OMT, Jacobs CR and
Knight MM (2021).
Mechanical stimulation modulates osteocyte regulation of cancer cell phenotype. Cancers vol. 13, (12)
10.3390/cancers13122906
Thompson C, Mcfie M,
Chapple J, BEALES P and
Knight M (2021).
Polycystin-2 is required for chondrocyte mechanotransduction and traffics to the primary cilium in response to mechanical stimulation. Mdpi Ag International Journal of Molecular Sciences 10.3390/ijms22094313
Thompson CL, Fu S,
Heywood HK,
Knight MM and Thorpe SD (2021).
Corrigendum: Mechanical Stimulation: A Crucial Element of Organ-on-Chip Models (Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol., (2020), 8, 602646, 10.3389/fbioe.2020.602646). Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology vol. 9,
10.3389/fbioe.2021.658873
Fu S, Meng H,
Inamdar S, Das B, Gupta H,
Wang W,
Thompson C and
Knight M (2021).
Activation of TRPV4 by mechanical, osmotic or pharmaceutical stimulation is anti-inflammatory blocking IL-1β mediated articular cartilage matrix destruction., Editors: Block JA.
Elsevier Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 10.1016/j.joca.2020.08.0022020

Torres-Pérez JV, Naeem H,
Thompson CL,
Knight MM and Novak P (2020).
Nanoscale mapping reveals functional differences in ion channels populating the membrane of primary cilia. Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry vol. 54, (1) 15-26.
10.33594/0000002022019

Fu S,
Thompson CL, Ali A,
Wang W,
Chapple JP, Mitchison HM, Beales PL, Wann AKT and
Knight MM (2019).
Mechanical loading inhibits cartilage inflammatory signalling via an HDAC6 and IFT-dependent mechanism regulating primary cilia elongation. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage vol. 27, (7) 1064-1074.
10.1016/j.joca.2019.03.003
Harris C, THORPE SD, Rushwan S, Wang W,
THOMPSON C, Peacock J,
KNIGHT M, Gooptu B and Greenough A (2019).
An in vitro investigation of the inflammatory response to the strain amplitudes which occur during high frequency oscillation ventilation and conventional mechanical ventilation. Elsevier Journal of Biomechanics 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2019.03.024
O’Toole SM, Watson DS, Novoselova TV, Romano LEL, King PJ, Bradshaw TY,
Thompson CL,
Knight MM, Sharp TV, Barnes MR, Srirangalingam U, Drake WM and
Chapple JP (2019).
Oncometabolite induced primary cilia loss in pheochromocytoma. Endocrine-Related Cancer vol. 26, (1) 165-180.
10.1530/ERC-18-01342017

Gambassi S, Geminiani M, Thorpe SD, Bernardini G, Millucci L, Braconi D, Orlandini M,
Thompson CL, Petricci E, Manetti F, Taddei M,
Knight MM and Santucci A (2017).
Smoothened-antagonists reverse homogentisic acid-induced alterations of Hedgehog signaling and primary cilium length in alkaptonuria. Journal of Cellular Physiology vol. 232, (11) 3103-3111.
10.1002/jcp.25761
Thompson CL, Plant JC, Wann AK, Bishop CL, Novak P, Mitchison HM, Beales PL,
Chapple JP and
Knight MM (2017).
Chondrocyte expansion is associated with loss of primary cilia and disrupted hedgehog signalling. Eur Cell Mater vol. 34, 128-141.
10.22203/eCM.v034a09
Schwarz N, Lane A, Jovanovic K, Parfitt DA, Aguila M,
Thompson CL, da Cruz L, Coffey PJ,
Chapple JP, Hardcastle AJ and Cheetham ME (2017).
Arl3 and RP2 regulate the trafficking of ciliary tip kinesins. Oxford University Press Hum Mol Genet vol. 26, (13) 2480-2492.
10.1093/hmg/ddx143
Schwarz N, Lane A, Jovanovic K, Parfitt DA, Aguila M,
Thompson CL, da Cruz L, Coffey PJ,
Chapple JP, Hardcastle AJ and Cheetham ME (2017).
Arl3 and RP2 regulate the trafficking of ciliary tip kinesins. (CORRIGENDUM). Oxford University Press Hum Mol Genet vol. 26, (17) 3451-3451.
10.1093/hmg/ddx245
THORPE SD, Gambassi S,
Thompson CL, Chandrakumar C, Santucci A and
Knight MM (2017).
Reduced Primary Cilia Length and Altered Arl13b Expression Are Associated with Deregulated Chondrocyte Hedgehog Signalling in Alkaptonuria. John Wiley & Sons Inc. Journal of Cellular Physiology 10.1002/jcp.258392016
KNIGHT MM,
Thompson CL, Wiles A and Poole CA (2016).
Lithium chloride modulates chondrocyte primary cilia and inhibits hedgehog signalling. Federation of American Society of Experimental Biology (Faseb) The Faseb Journal 10.1096/fj.15-274944
Sliogeryte K, Thorpe SD, Wang Z,
Thompson CL, Gavara N and
Knight MM (2016).
Differential effects of LifeAct-GFP and actin-GFP on cell mechanics assessed using micropipette aspiration. Elsevier Journal of Biomechanics vol. 49, (2) 310-317.
10.1016/j.jbiomech.2015.12.0342015
Thompson CL, Poole CA and
Knight MM (2015).
Lithium chloride modulates chondrocyte primary cilia and inhibits Hedgehog signaling. Federation of American Society of Experimental Biology The Faseb Journal vol. 100, (4) A39-A40.
10.1096/fj.15-274944
KNIGHT MM,
Thompson CL, Yasmin H, Varone A, Wiles A and Poole CA (2015).
Lithium chloride prevents interleukin- 1β induced cartilage degradation and loss of mechanical properties. Wiley: 12 Months Journal of Orthopaedic Research 10.1002/jor.22913
Thompson CL, Poole CA and
Knight MM (2015).
Lithium chloride triggers primary cilia elongation and inhibits hedgehog signalling in articular chondrocytes. International Journal of Experimental Pathology vol. 96, (2) A6-A6.
Thompson CL, Wann AKT,
Chapple JP, Poole CA and
Knight MM (2015).
Competitive interactions between hedgehog and cytokine signalling: crosstalk at the chondrocyte primary cilium? International Journal of Experimental Pathology vol. 96, (2) A8-A8.
2014
2013
2012