麻豆传媒

I am a member of the Biosciences Institute and work across a number of research themes:

• Cells, Genes and Molecules
• Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells and Transplantation
• Ageing and Geroscience

I am also part of the Rare Disease NUCore and the Biomedical Engineering NUCore

Roles & responsibilities

Current

• Senior Lecturer in Musculoskeletal Genetics
• Module Leader: BGM3062 Genetics of Development and its Disorders
• Deputy Module Leader: MMB8030 (MRes) Genetic Medicine
• Member of the BGM Curriculum Committee
• Deputy Chair of the MRes Curriculum Committee
• Member of the MRes Team, MRes PEC Committee and the MRes Board of Studies
• Member of the Rare Disease PPIE Strategy Group (Rare Disease NUCore)
• Member of the 麻豆传媒 Public Lectures Committee
• Member of the Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB)
• Member of the CBC Policy and Resources Committee
• Member of the Steering Committee of the Biology of Ageing Special interest Group (SIG)
• NUBI UoA5 REF Output Reviewer
• Chair of the Bursaries Committee and member of the Organising Committee of the British Society for Matrix Biology (BSMB) /
• Editorial Board Member for Matrix Biology and Matrix Biology Plus (Elsevier)
• Work Package Lead and Public Engagement Lead for the MSCA CHANGE project 

Past

• Work package Lead and Public Engagement and Dissemination coordinator, EU-FP7 SYBIL project
• Chair of the IGM Public Engagement Committee
• Module Leader/Deputy Module Leader: BGM2057 Medical genomics: from DNA to disease
• Deputy Module Leader: GNM8000/1 Introduction to Human Genetics and Genomics
• Public Engagement Lead for the Reproduction, Development and Child Health research theme

Areas of expertise

• Bone development
• Cartilage biology
• Skeletal dysplasia
• Musculoskeletal ageing
• Tissue engineering

Qualifications:

• Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• PhD: Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Matrix Research, Manchester University, UK
• MSc (Hons): Institute of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland (5 year integrated BSc and MSc course)

Google scholar:

SCOPUS:

ORCID:

Research interests:

Cartilage biomechanics. mechanosensing and musculoskeletal complications of chondrodysplasias and osteoarthritis/ageing

During my PhD project and the subsequent PostDoc career I have developed and analysed several transgenic models of skeletal dysplasia, and I have studied intracellular stress pathways (ER stress, oxidative stress, autophagy) involved in chondrodysplasias. I am interested in the abnormalities in the extracellular matrix secretion and ultrastructure associated with chondrodysplasias and ageing, researching how cells sense and react to such changes, and exploring the cross-talk between the intracellular stress pathways and the biomechanical properties of tissues. I’m also interested in musculoskeletal complications, such as myopathy and tendinopathy, and in age related musculoskeletal complications including osteoarthritis and joint stiffness. I'm using cellular, tissue engineered and animal models to gain understanding of pathobiology of musculoskeletal diseases.

Funding:

Dunhill Medical Trust, EU-FP7, EU H2020, Horizon Europe, Innovate UK, JGW Patterson Foundation, MRC, NC3Rs, 麻豆传媒 Hospitals Charity, Rare Genomics Institute

Lecturer:

Current

• BGM3062 (Stage 3) Genetics of development and its disorders (Module Leader, Lecturer and Seminar Lead)
• BGM2057 (Stage 2) Medical genomics: from DNA to disease (Lecturer and Seminar Lead)
• MMB8058 (MRes) Mechanisms in Genetic Disease: from Genotype to Phenotype (Lecturer)
• MMB8030 (MRes) Genetic Medicine (Deputy Module Leader and Seminar co-Lead)
• MMB8022 (MRes) Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine (Lecturer)
• MEC8023 (MRes) Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering (Lecturer)
• UG and PG Project Supervisor (Stage 3, MSci, MRes, PhD)
• UG and PG Personal Tutor (Stage 1-3, MSci, MRes)

Past

• BGM2057 Medical genomics: from DNA to disease (Module Leader and Lecturer)
• GNM8000 Introduction to Human Genetics and Genomics (Deputy Module Leader and Lecturer)
• GNM8001 Introduction to Human Genetics and Genomics (Deputy Module Leader and Lecturer)
• MMB8031 (MRes) Developmental Genetics (Lecturer)

• Articles

  • Hao Y, Lin H, Soul J, Overman LM, Lisgo SN, Coxhead J, Pirog KA, Clark IM, Barter MJ, Reynard LN, Young DA. . Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 2026, 34(3), 405-416.
  • Hayman DJ, Johnson de Sousa Brito FM, Lin H, Prior A, Charlesworth G, Hao Y, Pearson RD, Soul J, Clark IM, Pirog KA, Barter MJ, van't Hof RJ, Young DA. . Bone 2025, 190, 117273.
  • Farcasanu MV, de Las Heras Ruiz T, Johnson de Sousa Brito FM, Soul J, Coxhead J, German MJ, Young DA, Ferreira-Duarte AM, Piróg KA. . Biotechnology and Bioengineering 2025, 122(9), 2574-2591.
  • Gilbert SJ, Soul J, Hao Y, Lin H, Piróg KA, Coxhead J, Patel K, Barter MJ, Young DA, Blain EJ. . Disease Models and Mechanisms 2024, 17(10), dmm050583.
  • Hayman DJ, Modebadze T, Charlton S, Cheung K, Soul J, Lin H, Hao Y, Miles CG, Tsompani D, Jackson RM, Briggs MD, Piróg KA, Clark IM, Barter MJ, Clowry GJ, LeBeau FEN, Young DA. . Scientific Reports 2021, 11(1), 10452.
  • Woods S, Charlton S, Cheung K, Hao Y, Soul J, Reynard LN, Crowe N, Swingler TE, Skelton AJ, Piróg KA, Miles CG, Tsompani D, Jackson RM, Dalmay T, Clark IM, Barter MJ, Young DA. . RNA 2020, 26, 1575-1588.
  • Dennis EP, Edwards SM, Jackson RM, Hartley CL, Tsompani D, Capulli M, Teti A, Boot-Handford RP, Young DA, Piróg KA, Briggs MD. . Journal of Bone and Mineral Research 2020, 35(8), 1452-1469.
  • Piróg KA, Dennis EP, Hartley CL, Jackson RM, Soul J, Schwartz JM, Bateman JF, Boot-Handford RP, Briggs MD. . PLoS Genetics 2019, 15(7), e1008215.
  • Paganini C, Monti L, Costantini R, Besio R, Lecci S, Biggiogera M, Tian K, Schwartz JM, Huber C, Cormier-Daire V, Gibson BG, Pirog KA, Forlino A, Rossi A. . Matrix Biology 2019, 81, 70-90.
  • Bell PA, Dennis EP, Hartley CL, Jackson RM, Porter A, Boot-Handford RP, Pirog KA, Briggs MD. . Cell Stress and Chaperones 2018, 24(1), 159-173.
  • Briggs MD, Bell PA, Wright MJ, Pirog KA. . Expert Opinion on Orphan Drugs 2015, 3(10), 1137-1154.
  • Cameron TL, Gresshoff IL, Bell KM, Piróg KA, Sampurno L, Hartley CL, Sanford EM, Wilson R, Ermann J, Boot-Handford RP, Glimcher LH, Briggs MD, Bateman JF. . Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 2015, 23(4), 661-670.
  • Piróg KA, Irman A, Young S, Halai P, Bell PA, Boot-Handford RP, Briggs MD. . PLoS One 2014, 9(2), e85145.
  • Piróg KA, Katakura Y, Mironov A, Briggs MD. . PLoS One 2013, 8(11), e82412.
  • Bell PA, Piróg KA, Fresquet M, Thornton DJ, Boot-Handford RP, Briggs MD. . Arthritis & Rheumatism 2012, 64(5), 1529-1539.
  • Suleman F, Gualeni B, Gregson HJ, Leighton MP, Piróg KA, Edwards S, Holden P, Boot-Handford RP, Briggs MD. . Human Mutation 2012, 33(1), 218-231.
  • Pirog KA, Briggs MD. . Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology 2010, Article no. 686457.
  • Piróg KA, Jaka O, Katakura Y, Meadows RS, Kadler KE, Boot-Handford RP, Briggs MD. . Human Molecular Genetics 2010, 19(1), 52-64.
  • Pirog-Garcia KA, Meadows RS, Knowles L, Heinegard D, Thornton DJ, Kadler KE, Boot-Handford RP, Briggs MD. . Human Molecular Genetics 2007, 16(17), 2072-2088.
  • Piróg KA, Kowalczyk AK, Rokita HB. . Viral Immunology 2005, 18(1), 224-231.

• Authored Book

  • Pirog KA. . Wydaw: Jagiellonian University Press, 2002.

• Book Chapters

  • de Sousa Brito FMJ, Bouchenafa R, Pearson RD, Pirog KA. . In: Antonio Rossi, Frank Zaucke, ed. The Extracellular Matrix in Genetic Skeletal Disorders. Cham: Springer, 2024, pp.345-376.
  • Briggs MD, Bell PA, Piróg KA. . In: Grässel S; Aszódi A, ed. Cartilage. Springer International Publishing AG, 2017, pp.135-153.
  • de-las-Heras-Ruiz T, Pirog KA. . In: Osteoarthritis. SM Group Open Access eBooks, 2016.

• Reviews

  • Bouchenafa R, Johnson de Sousa Brito FM, Pirog KA. . American Journal of Physiology: Cell Physiology 2024, 327(2), C278-C290.
  • Briggs MD, Dennis EP, Dietmar H, Pirog KA. . F1000Research 2020, 9, 290.
  • Briggs MD, Bell PA, Pirog KA. . International Journal of Molecular Medicine 2015, 1483-1492.