Department: Comparative Biomedical Sciences

Campus: Camden

Research Groups: Musculoskeletal Biology, Cardiovascular and Renal Biology, CPCS (Research Programme)

Research Centres: MicroCT

Isabel is a senior lecturer in the department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences. Her research primarily focusses on the regulation of bone cell function and vascular calification by local signalling factors such as extracellular nucleotides and purinergic signalling.

Isabel obtained a first class degree in Biochemistry from the University of Southampton in 2001.  She completed her PhD, which focussed on the regulation of bone cell function by extracellular nucleotides at University College London in 2005 under the supervision of Professors Tim Arnett and Geoff Burnstock.  Her post-doctoral work continued to develop this research, with support from Arthritis Research UK and the ‘ATPbone’ Europe-wide collaboration, involving groups at seven universities. Isabel obtained a 5-year Career Development Fellowship from Arthritis Research UK in 2010 to continue her work in the Bone Biology laboratory at UCL. Isabel joined the Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences at the Royal Veterinary College in 2013 as a research fellow before becoming a lecturer in 2015.  She was promoted to senior lecturer in 2018 and is the PI of the Bone Biology, Biomineralisation and Purinergic signalling group within Skeletal Biology. To date she has published over 40 peer reviewed articles.

Isabel’s research incorporates a number inter-related themes based around the regulation of bone cell function and vascular calcification by local signalling factors.  The role of extracellular nucleotides (e.g. ATP and UTP) and antioxidants as key local regulators of skeletal and soft tissue mineralisation are areas of particular focus. 

Isabel is on the editorial board of Frontiers in Endocrinology: Bone Research and belongs to a number of international societies including the European Calcified Tissue Society and the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.  Isabel is the secretary for the Bone Research Society.

Roberts, FL; Rashdan, NA; Phadwal, K; Markby, GR; Dillon, S; Zoll, J; Berger, J; Milne, E; Orriss, IR; Karsenty, G; Le Saux, O; Morton, NM; Farquharson, C; MacRae, VE.   (2020)
Osteoblast-specific deficiency of ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase or phosphodiesterase-1 engenders insulin resistance in high-fat diet fed mice
Journal of Cellular Physiology, 236(6): 4614-4624.  https://doi.org/10.1002/jcp.30194

Orriss IR, Lanham S, Savery D, Greene NDE, Stanier P, Oreffo R, Copp AJ, Galea GL (2018).  Spina Bifida-predisposing heterozygous mutations in Planar Cell Polarity genes and Zic2 reduce bone mass in young mice.  Sci Rep 8:3325

Patel JJ, Zhu D, Opdebeeck B, D’Haese P, Millan JL, Bourne LE, Wheeler-Jones CPD, Arnett TR, MacRae V, Orriss IR (2017).Inhibition of arterial medial calcification and bone mineralisation by extracellular nucleotides: the same functional effect mediated by different cellular mechanisms.J Cell Physiol 233:3230-3243

Arnett TR, Orriss IR (2017).Metabolic properties of the osteoclast.Bone 17:30481-30487

Javaheri B, Poulet P, Aljazzar A, de Souza R, Piles M, Hopkinson M, Shervill E, Pollard A, Chan B, Chang YM, Orriss IR, Lee P, Pitsillides A (2017).Stable sulforaphane protects against gait anomalies and modifies bone microarchitecture in the spontaneous STR/Ort model of osteoarthritis.Bone 103:308-317

Orriss IR, Guneri D, Hajjawi MOR, Shaw K, Patel JJ, Arnett TR (2017).  Activation of the P2Y2 receptor regulates bone cell function by enhancing the release of ATP. J Endocrinol 233:341-356

Rao SR, Snaith AE, Marino D, Cheng X, Lwin ST, Orriss IR, Hamdy FC, Edwards CM (2016).Tumour-derived alkaline phosphatase regulates tumour growth, epithelial plasticity and disease-free survival in metastatic prostate cancer.Br J Cancer 116:227-236

Orriss IR, Arnett TR, Russell RGG (2016).  Pyrophosphate: a key inhibitor of mineralisation.  Curr Opin Pharmacol 28:57-68

Serra T, Capelli C, Toumpaniari R, Orriss IR, Leong J, Dalgarno K, Kalaskar D (2016).Design and fabrication of 3D-anatomically shaped lumbar cage for intervertebra disc (IVD) degeneration treatment.Biofabrication 8:035001

Orriss IR, Arnett TR, George J, Witham M (2016).  Allopurinol and oxypurinol promote osteoblast differentiation and increase bone formation. Expt Cell Res 342:166-174

Hajjawi MOR, Patel JJ, Corcelli M, Arnett TR, Orriss IR (2016).Lack of effect of adenosine on the function of rodent osteoblasts and osteoclasts in vitro.  Purinergic Signal 12:247-258

Orriss IR (2015).  The role of purinergic signalling in the musculoskeletal system.  Auton Neurosci 191:124-134.

Pereira M, Jeyabalan J, Jørgensen CS, Hopkinson M, Al-Jazzar A, Roux JP, Chavassieux P, Orriss IR, Cleasby ME, Chenu C (2015). Chronic administration of Glucagon-like peptide 1 agonists improves trabecular bone mass and architecture in ovariectomised mice.  Bone 81:459-467

Orriss IR, Key M, Hajjawi MOR, Millán JL, Arnett TR (2015). Acidosis is a key regulator of osteoblast ecto-nucleotidase pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 1 (NPP1) expression and activity J Cell Physiol 230: 3049-3056

Wornham DP, Hajjawi MOR, Orriss IR, Arnett TR (2015).Strontium and osteoblast function.Osteoporosis Int 26:2215

Hajjawi MOR, MaCrae V, Huesa C, Millán JL,  Arnett TR, Orriss IR (2014).  Mineralisation of collagen rich soft tissues and osteocyte lacunae in Enpp1-/- mice. Bone. 69:139-147

Taylor SEB, Shah M, Orriss IR (2014). Rodent and human osteoblast cultures. BoneKey reports. 3:585

Orriss IR, Hajjawi MOR, Huesa C, MaCrae V, Arnett TR (2014).  Bone forming cultures of rat and mouse calvarial osteoblasts: key differences in protocols Int J Mol Med. 34:1201-1208.

Wornham DP, Hajjawi MOR, Orriss IR, Arnett TR (2014). Strontium potently inhibits mineralisation in bone-forming primary rat osteoblast cultures and reduces osteoclastogenesis in mouse marrow cultures. Osteoporosis Int. 25:2477-2484.

Orriss IR, Key M, Hajjawi MOR, Arnett TR (2013). Extracellular ATP released by osteoblasts is a key local inhibitor of mineralisation. PLoS One 8:e69057

Biver G, Wang N, Gartland A, Orriss IR, Arnett TR, Boeynaems JM, Robaye B (2013).  Role of the P2Y13 receptor in the differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells into osteoblasts and adipocytes.  Stem Cells 31:2747-2758.

Burnstock G, Arnett TR, Orriss IR (2013).  Purinergic signalling in the musculoskeletal system.  Purinergic Signal 9:541-571

Jorgensen NR, Adinolfi E, Orriss IR, Schwarz P (2013).  Purinergic signalling in bone.  J Osteoporos 2013:673684

Orriss IR, Arnett TR (2012) P2Y receptors in bone.  WIREs Membr Transp Signal 1:805-814.

Syberg S, Brandao-Burch A, Patel JJ, Hajjawi M, Arnett TR, Schwarz P, Jorgensen NR, Orriss IR (2012).  Clopidogrel (Plavix®), a P2Y12 receptor antagonist, inhibits bone cell function in vitro and decreases trabecular bone in vivo.  J Bone Mineral Res 27: 2373-2386.

Patel JJ, Utting JC, Key ML, Orriss IR, Taylor SEB, Whatling P, Arnett TR (2012). Hypothermia inhibits osteoblast differentiation and bone formation but stimulates osteoclastogenesis. Exp Cell Res 318:2237-2244

Orriss IR, Key ML, Brandao-Burch A, Patel JJ, Burnstock G, Arnett TR (2012).  The regulation of osteoblast function and bone mineralization by extracellular nucleotides: the role of P2X receptors.   Bone 51:389-400

Brandao-Burch A, Key ML, Patel JJ, Arnett TR, Orriss IR (2012).  The P2X7 receptor is an important regulator of extracellular ATP levels.  Front Endocrin 3:41.

Cesca F, Yabe A, Specer-Dene B, Scholz-Starke J, Orriss IR, Baldelli P, Al-Qatari M, Adams RH, Benfanati F, Schiavo G (2012).  Kidins220/ARMS mediates neurotrophin signalling in central and peripheral nervous system development.  Cell Death Differ 1912:194-208.

Gartland A, Orriss IR, Rumney RMH, Bond AP, Arnett TR, Gallagher JA (2012).  Purinergic signalling in osteoblasts. Front Biosci 17:16-29.

Orriss IR, Taylor SEB, Arnett TR (2012).  Rat osteoblast cultures. Methods Mol Biol 816:31-41.

Orriss IR, Arnett TR (2012).  Rodent osteoclast cultures.  Methods Mol Biol 816:103-117.

Orriss IR, Wang N, Burnstock G, Arnett TR, Gartland A, Robaye B, Boeynaems JM (2011).  The P2Y6 receptor stimulates bone resorption by osteoclasts.  Endocrinology 152:3706-3716.

Orriss IR, Syberg S, Wang N, Robaye B, Gartland A, Jorgensen N, Arnett TR, Boeynaems JM (2011).  Bone phenotypes displayed by P2 receptor knockout mice.  Front Biosci S3:1038-1046.

Utting JC, Flanagan AM, Massey HM, Brandao-Burch A, Orriss IR, Arnett TR (2010). Hypoxia stimulates osteoclast formation from human peripheral blood. Cell Biochem Funct 28:374-380.

Orriss IR, Burnstock G, Arnett TR (2010). Purinergic signalling and bone remodeling.  Curr Opin Pharmacol 10:322-330.

Orriss IR, Knight GE, Utting JC, Taylor SEB, Burnstock G, Arnett TR (2009).  ATP release from rat osteoblasts is enhanced by hypoxia J Cell Physiol 220:155-162.

Orriss IR, Key ML, Colston K, Arnett TR (2009).  Inhibition of osteoblast function in vitro by aminobisphosphonates J Cell Biochem 106:109-18.

Orriss IR, Utting JC, Brandao-Burch A, Colston K, Grubb BR, Burnstock G, Arnett TR (2007).  Extracellular nucleotides block bone mineralisation in vitro: evidence for dual inhibitory mechanisms involving both P2Y2 receptors and pyrophosphate.  Endocrinology 148:4208-4216.

Orriss IR, Knight GE, Ranasinghe S, Burnstock G, Arnett TR (2006) Osteoblast responses to nucleotides increase during differentiation. Bone 39:300-309.

Utting JC, Robins SP, Brandao-Burch A, Orriss IR, Behar J, Arnett TR (2006). Hypoxia inhibits growth, differentiation and bone-forming capacity of rat osteoblasts. Exp Cell Res. 312: 1693-1672.

Brandao-Burch A, Utting J, Orriss IR, Arnett TR (2005). Acidosis inhibits bone formation by osteoblasts in vitro by preventing mineralisation. Calcif Tissue Int. 77: 163-174.

Arnett TR, Gibbons DC, Utting JC, Orriss IR, Hoebertz A, Rosendaal M, Megjhi S (2003). Hypoxia is a major stimulator of osteoclast formation and bone resorption. J Cell Physiol. 196:2-8.

Isabel is a course tutor for the BVetmed and BSc students.  She teaches on a number of the BSc courses (year 1 to year 3) and leads the cell cycle unit in the Enemy within module (BSc Bioveterinary Science, year 2). Isabel is also the module lead for the Advanced Skeletal Pathobiology course (BSc year 3) and is the year lead for Intercalating students. She also teaches on the graduate entry BVetmed course. 

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