Dr Rupsha Fraser

  • Queen's Medical Research Institute
  • The University of Edinburgh

Contact details

Address

Street

QMRI
47 Little France Crescent

City
Edinburgh
Post code
EH16 4TJ

Biography

Background

My doctoral studies were in immunology and cell biology, and I have a broad interest in immunology, disease progression, and the development of immunotherapeutic and prophylactic strategies. With a background in reproductive immunology, my earlier work focused on the dangerous obstetric complication, pre-eclampsia, and I followed early events in the uterine microenvironment that can lead to implantation failure, pregnancy loss, and the development of obstetric complications such as pre-eclampsia and recurrent miscarriage.

 

As the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I developed a keen interest in infectious disease immunology; and due to my immunological background, was subsequently recruited into large-scale international, collaborative efforts to describe SARS-CoV-2 virus-host interaction mechanisms and for future pandemics scenarios planning: the COVID-19 Disease Map and DRAGON projects, respectively. I continue to participate in ongoing research in SARS-CoV-2 immunopathology and SARS-CoV-2 vaccines  (with collaborators within the University of Edinburgh, as well as Institut Pasteur in Paris, the University of Luxembourg, and the Moredun Institute), with the goal to enhance existing vaccines in order to ultimately reduce/prevent breakthrough infections and viral transmission in vaccinees.

 

Publications
  • Fraser R, Orta-Resendiz A, Mazein A, Dockrell D. Upper respiratory tract mucosal immunity for SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Trends Mol. Med. 2023; 29(4): 255–267.    

 

  • Fraser R, Orta-Resendiz A, Dockrell D, Müller-Trutwin M, Mazein A. Severe COVID-19 vs. multisystem inflammatory syndrome: comparing two critical outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Eur. Respir. Rev. 2023; 32(167):220197.  

 

  • Dockrell D, Russell CD, McHugh B, Fraser R. Does autonomous macrophage-driven inflammation promote alveolar damage in COVID-19? Eur. Resp. J. 2022; 25:2201521.  

 

  • Fraser R & Zenclussen AC. Killer timing: the temporal uterine natural killer cell differentiation pathway and implications for female reproductive health. Front. Endocrinol. 2022; 13:904744.  

 

  • Ostaszewski M, et al. COVID-19 Disease Map, a computational knowledge repository of SARS-CoV-2 virus-host interaction mechanisms. Mol. Syst. Biol. 2021; 17(10): e10387.  

 

  • Fraser R, Smith R, Lin C-J. A 3D endometrial organotypic model simulating the acute inflammatory decidualisation initiation phase with epithelial induction of the key endometrial receptivity marker, integrin aVb3. Hum. Reprod. Open 2021(4): hoab034.  

 

  • Fraser R, and Lin CJ. Epigenetic reprogramming of the zygote in mice and men: on your marks, get set, go! Reproduction 2016; p.REP-16-0376.  

 

  • Fraser R, Whitley GStJ, Johnstone AP, Thilaganathan B, Cartwright JE. Decidual natural killer cells regulate vessel stability: implications for impaired spiral artery remodelling. J Reprod Immunol. 2015; 110: 54-60.  

 

  • Wallace AE*, Fraser R* (*joint first authors), Whitley GStJ, Johnstone AP, Thilaganathan B, Cartwright JE. Increased angiogenic factor secretion by decidual natural killer cells from pregnancies with high uterine artery resistance alters trophoblast function. Hum Reprod. (2014). 26(4): 652-60.  

 

  • Fraser R, Whitley GStJ, Johnstone AP, Sebire NJ, Thilaganathan B Cartwright JE. Impaired decidual natural killer cell regulation of vascular remodelling in human pregnancies with high uterine artery resistance. J Pathol. 2012; 228(3):322-32. [Article recommended in Faculty of 1000, as a significant new finding.]  

 

  • Wallace AE*, Fraser R* (*joint first authors), Cartwright JE. Extravillous trophoblast and decidual natural killer cells: a remodelling partnership. Hum. Reprod. Update 2012; 18(4):458-71.  

 

  • Cartwright JE, Fraser R, Leslie K, Wallace AE, James JL. Remodelling at the maternal–fetal interface: relevance to human pregnancy disorders. Reproduction 2010; 140: 803-813.  

 

  • Fraser R, Walker JJ, Ekbote UV, Martin KL, McShane P, Orsi NM. Interleukin-4 -590 (C>T), toll-like receptor-2 +2258 (G>A) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 -1562 (C>T) polymorphisms in pre-eclampsia. BJOG 2008; 115(8):1052-6. [Article commended by editor of BJOG.]

 

Oral presentations
  • Fraser, R. Connecting the COVID-19 dots: susceptibility factors and host response immunodynamics in SARS-CoV-2 infection and disease severity. 5th Disease Maps Community Meeting, November 2020.  

 

  • Fraser, R. The temporal uterine natural killer cell differentiation pathway and implications for pregnancy success. Society for Endocrinology BES; Endocrine Networks Research Incubator Meeting, Glasgow, UK, November 2018.  

 

  • Invited speaker at a departmental seminar at the Universitäts-Frauenklinik Heidelberg: Fraser, R. The establishment of a successful pregnancy: from single-cell simplicity to multicellular complexity. Universitäts-Frauenklinik, Heidelberg, Germany, November 2016.  

 

  • Invited speaker at a departmental seminar at the Department of Experimental Obstetrics and Gynecology, Otto-von-Guericke University: Fraser, R. Immune cell interactions at the maternal-fetal interface. Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany, February 2016.  

 

  • Guest speaker at a departmental seminar at the KMC Department of Clinical Embryology, University of Manipal: Fraser, R. The protagonist roles of the maternal immune system in pregnancy. University of Manipal, India, June 2015.  

 

  • Guest speaker at a departmental seminar at the Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Oxford: Fraser, R. The initiation of vessel remodelling at the maternal-fetal interface: maternal leukocytes take centre stage. University of Oxford, UK, April 2014.  

 

  • Invited chair and speaker; Fraser R, Whitley GStJ, Johnstone AP, Thilaganathan B, Cartwright JE. The role of decidual natural killer cells and macrophages in early pregnancy. The Immunology of a Successful Pregnancy - Pregnancy Summit 2013, The O2, London, UK, October 2013.  

 

  • Fraser R, Whitley GStJ, Johnstone AP, Thilaganathan B, Cartwright JE. Incomplete spiral artery remodelling in pre-eclampsia and defective decidual natural killer cell function. Frontiers in Reproduction 14th Annual Symposium, Marine Biological Laboratory, Massachusetts, USA, June 2011.  

 

  • Fraser R, Whitley GStJ*, Johnstone AP, Thilaganathan B, Cartwright JE. Impaired decidual natural killer cell regulation of trophoblast invasion and vascular remodelling in pregnancies at higher risk of pre-eclampsia. Reproductive Sciences (2011) 18(4): Supplement. Society for Gynecologic Investigation (SGI) annual meeting, Miami, Florida, USA, March 2011. 

 

  • Fraser R, Whitley GStJ, Johnstone AP, Thilaganathan B, Cartwright JE. The role of decidual natural killer cells in early pregnancy. SGUL Centre for Reproduction and Developmental Biology annual meeting, London, UK, July 2010.  

 

  • Fraser R, Whitley GStJ, Johnstone AP, Thilaganathan B, Cartwright JE. Reduced spiral artery remodelling in pre-eclampsia: a deficiency in decidual natural killer cell function? Centre for Trophoblast Research (CTR) annual meeting, Cambridge, UK, July 2010.  

 

  • Fraser R, Whitley GStJ, Johnstone AP, Thilaganathan B, Cartwright JE. Decidual natural killer cells from pregnancies at higher risk of pre-eclampsia fail to induce endothelial apoptosis: a defect in spiral artery remodelling? Placental symposium at Women’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, October 2009.  

 

  • Fraser R, Whitley GStJ, Johnstone AP, Thilaganathan B, Cartwright JE. Decidual natural killer cells induce endothelial apoptosis. SGUL Centre for Reproduction and Developmental Biology annual meeting, London, UK. June 2008.

 

Qualifications

PhD in Reproductive Immunology (+ MRes and BSc Hons)

 

Responsibilities & affiliations

I am part of the core team for HCP-Med, which is a new, shortened route to a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) degree for existing healthcare professionals (HCPs) in Scotland, who want to transition into Medicine. The HCP-Med students do their first 3 years online for the most part (as the students are based all over Scotland), and thereafter join the undergraduate MBChB students for their clinical years.

 

My responsibilities within the HCP-Med programme include creating curriculum, developing materials, teaching and leading modules, development and assessment of examination, as well as being on examination boards, and being academic mentor to students.

 

Brief description of the HCP-Med programme and a link to an example of one of the modules I lead: https://open.ed.ac.uk/hcp-med-year-1-integrity/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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