Dr Oksana Kehoe is a Lecturer in Inflammation Biology at the School of Medicine and Head of Rheumatology Research laboratory in the Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital at Oswestry.

The research within our laboratory is focused on understanding mechanisms of rheumatoid arthritis progression and possible treatments using specific type of stem cells known as mesenchymal stem cells found in the bone marrow and umbilical cord. Rheumatoid arthritis can cause pain, swelling and stiffness, which is caused by inflammation in the joints, and in the UK affects more than 690,000 people. Mesenchymal stem cells produce soluble mediators and the little particles called extracellular vesicles with anti-inflammatory properties. In our research we use many approaches, from cell biology, to biochemistry, molecular biology and animal models.

I teach across the bioscience component of the MBChB curriculum at Keele School of Medicine especially for 1st and 2nd year undergraduate medical students. I deliver a number of lectures, tutorials and lead many laboratory-based practical classes. I am also a problem-based learning (PBL) tutor as well as a personal development tutor (PDT) for undergraduate medical students, both of these roles involving pastoral support of students.