Education
1998 PhD Biochemistry, Cardiff University
1994 BSc (Hons) Biotechnology, (1st Class) Cardiff University
1993-94 Industry Attachment, Oral Microbiology Department, Unilever plc
Professional History
June 2020 - Head of the Department of Tropical Disease Biology
2018 – present, Deputy head, Tropical Disease Biology
08/2014 – present Professor
08/2011 – 07/2014 Reader
10/2008 – 07/2011 Senior Lecturer
05/2006 - 10/2008 Lecturer (Tenure Track) in Molecular & Biochemical Parasitology
10/2004 - 05/2006 Early Career Leverhulme Trust Fellow, LSTM
10/2001 - 10/2004 Postdoctoral Associate, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK
12/2000 - 06/2001 Postdoctoral Associate, University of Cambridge, UK
02/1998 - 04/2000 Postdoctoral Associate, University of New South Wales, Australia.
My career has focused on the biochemistry, pharmacology and therapeutics of human pathogens most notably Plasmodium falciparum and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Basic biochemical research includes the characterisation of bioenergetic components in the respiratory chain and of key substrate and drug transporters. This fundamental work has contributed to our understanding of mechanisms of drug action, major resistance mechanisms in malaria and validation of novel targets for chemotherapy in both malaria and TB.
I have some 20 years experience in molecular pharmacology and drug discovery/development from the development of HTS campaigns to candidate declaration working with Industry and with product development partnerships (PDPs).
More recently, I have been involved in the development of new image-based pharmacodynamic platforms to identify and accelerate antimalarial and antitubercular pre-clinical drug candidates, as well as clinical pharmacology projects towards understanding PK-PD determinants of poor patient outcomes again for both TB and malaria patients. I am the drug lead within Research Centre for Drugs and Diagnostics (RCDD) at LSTM,
I am chair of the LSTM Research Committee, Director of the MRC Doctoral Training Partnership in Translational and Quantitative Skills in Global Health and co-lead of LSTM’s MRC Skills Development Fellowship programme.
Research Grants and Contracts
MRC Confidence in Concept (CIC) “Tropical Infectious Disease Consortium: Expanding and Accelerating Product Development” Prof. S Ward (PI), G Biagini, S. Croft, S. Draper, M. Carroll (Co-Is) 2019-2021 (£590,000)
Translational & Quantitative Skills Doctoral Training Programme (DTP) in Global Health : Industrial CASE Studentships (2019-2024) Prof G Biagini (PI) (ca. £190,000)
MRC Translational and Quantitative Skills Doctoral Training Programme in Global Health (2019-2024) Prof G Biagini (PI/Director) (ca.£900,000)
MRC GCRF (AMR Target Validation) New combination therapy against MDR TB targeting the respiratory chain – Supplementary award. Biagini GA (PI), SA Ward, A Upton. 2018-2021 (£250,000)
MRC GCRF (AMR Target Validation) New combination therapy against MDR TB targeting the respiratory chain. Biagini GA (PI), SA Ward, A Upton. 2018-2021 (£947,594)
MRC Proximity to Discovery Industry Engagement Fund “Expanding and Accelerating Product Development” Profs. Biagini, SA Ward S. Croft, S. Draper, M. Carroll 2018-2020 (£296,622)
MRC Confidence in Concept (CIC) “Tropical Infectious Disease Consortium: Expanding and Accelerating Product Development” Prof. S Ward (PI), G Biagini, S. Croft, S. Draper, M. Carroll (Co-Is) 2018-2020 (£590,000)
Translational & Quantitative Skills Doctoral Training Programme (DTP) in Global Health : Industrial CASE Studentships (2018-2021) Prof G Biagini (PI) (£180,000)
UKRI Innovation / Rutherford Fund Fellowships (2017-2020) Prof G Biagini/Dr K Mortimer co-PIs (£286,000)
MRC Translational and Quantitative Skills Development Fellowship Programme in Global Health (2018-2021) Prof G Biagini (Co-PI/Co-Director) (£1.4 million)
Research Councils UK- Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund - Industry-linked PhD studentships (linked to) MRC Translational & Quantitative Skills Doctoral Training Programme (DTP) in Global Health Prof G Biagini (PI) 2017-2021 (£257,469)
MRC Proximity to Discovery Industry Engagement Fund “Expanding and Accelerating Product Development” Profs. Biagini & SA Ward 2017-2018 (£125,000)
MRC Confidence in Concept (CIC) “Tropical Infectious Disease Consortium: Expanding and Accelerating Product Development” Prof. S Ward (PI), G Biagini, S. Croft, S. Draper, M. Carroll (Co-Is) 2017-2019 (£549,000)
Redx Pharma - Pharmacodynamics of novel inhibitors of DNA gyrase of mycobacteria and other respiratory pathogens – PhD Support, Biagini (PI) and Ward (Co-I) 2016 - 2021 (£98,000)
MRC Understanding pharmacokinetic – pharmacodynamics determinants of outcome to inform dose optimisation for non-MDR TB re-treatment patients in Vietnam Prof. G Biagini (PI), Co-Investigators; D. Sloan, M. Caws, D. Wang, S. Ward, G. Aljayyoussi, Dr THI LUYEN LE, Dr Van Anh Nguyen, Dr Cuong Nguyen, Dr Binh Hoa Nguyen, Dr Hoa Vu, Dr Nguyen Viet Nhung, Dr HuuTung Nguyen, Dr Tung Bui Thanh, Dr Ly Huong Duong Thi, Dr Hoai Bui. 2016-2019 (£399,000)
MRC Translational and Quantitative Skills Doctoral Training Programme in Global Health (2016-2023) Prof G Biagini (PI/Director) Supplement (£110,196)
MRC Confidence in Concept (CIC) “Tropical Infectious Disease Consortium: Expanding and Accelerating Product Development” Prof. S Ward (PI), G Biagini, S. Croft, S. Draper, M. Carroll (Co-Is) 2016-2018 (£500,000)
MRC Translational and Quantitative Skills Doctoral Training Programme in Global Health (2016-2023) Prof G Biagini (PI/Director) (£1.2 million)
Wellcome Trust-ISSF “Rational development of an optimal treatment regimen for isoniazid mono-resistant TB” (2015-2016) Prof. G Biagini (£72,000)
MRC Confidence in Concept (CIC) “Tropical Infectious Disease Consortium: Expanding and Accelerating Product Development” Prof. S Ward (PI), G Biagini, S. Croft, S. Draper, M. Carroll (Co-Is) 2015-2017 (£500,000)
Wellcome Trust - Multi-User Equipment Grant entitled ‘Supporting excellence in basic and clinical research: A flow cytometry/sorting and cell imaging platform for the genotypic and phenotypic analysis of Hazard Group 3 pathogens’. 2014-2019 – Biagini GA - PI (£598,054)
MRC-CASE PhD Studentship “Diagnostics and screening for malaria infection in control and elimination settings” Dr E Adams (PI), G Biagini and B Cobb (Epistem) -2015-2019 (£95,936)
Wellcome Trust - Biomedical Vacation Scholarship – The Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Carbamoyl Triazole Click Chemistry Probes as Potential Antituberculosis Protease Inhibitors 2014 (£2,000)
MRC Confidence in Concept (CIC) “Tropical Infectious Disease Consortium: Expanding and Accelerating Product Development” Prof. S Ward (PI), G Biagini, S. Croft, S. Draper, M. Carroll (Co-Is) 2014-2016 (£500,000)
MRC- “Defining the mechanism of action of the 8-aminoquinolines: A pre-requisite to rationally designed safe antimalarials for the elimination era” Biagini GA (PI), O’Neill PM, Paine M, Ward SA and Baker D (Co-Is) 2014-2017 (£518,135)
Medicines for malaria Venture (MMV) Discovery Project: Development of a Drug Candidate for Uncomplicated Malaria targeting the mitochondrial NADH:quinone oxidoreducatse- Prof. Ward, O’Neill and Biagini 2013 ($82,148)
MRC - Liverpool Imaging Partnership: Molecular physiology and drug response - Dr Raphael Levy (PI) – Biagini GA (Co-I) 2013- 2016 (£1,025,831)
MRC Confidence in Concept (CIC) “Accelerating Product Development for Tropical Infectious Disease” Prof. S Ward (PI) ,G Biagini, S. Wagstaff 2012-2013 (£250,000)
GSK-Tres Cantos Open Lab Foundation – “Triazole series as potential serine protease inhibitors”, P. O”Neill (PI), Ward SA, Berry, N. and Biagini GA 2012-2014 (£156,667)
Wellcome Trust - Biomedical Vacation Scholarship – 2012 (£1,440)
Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) Challenge Grant-“Screening the ‘Malaria Box’ for novel drug interactions” Prof. A. Bell (PI) & G.Biagini. 2012–2013 ($50,000)
Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) Challenge Grant– “Screening the yeast deletion collection
against the MMV Malaria Box” Dr Simon Avery (PI), G. Biagini, R. Pleass & S.A.Ward 2012-2013 ($50,000)
Medicines for malaria Venture (MMV) Discovery Project: Development of a Drug Candidate for Uncomplicated Malaria targeting the mitochondrial NADH:quinone oxidoreducatse Prof. Ward, O’Neill and Biagini 2012-2013 (€400,495)
MRC-DFPS “Lead series development & optimisation of a new drug against active and latent tuberculosis” Dr G Biagini (PI), Stephen Ward, Prof. Paul O'Neill, Dr Neil Berry 2011-2013 (£1.02 million)
IMI EU FP7 “Model-based preclinical development of anti-tuberculosis drug combinations” Total EU award ~€15 million. Participant: Dr G Biagini (PI) & Prof. Stephen Ward. 2012-2016 (€478,200)*
Wellcome Trust (Seeding Drug Discovery). "Alternative complex I as a new drug target against malaria". Prof. Stephen Ward (PI), Extension, Dr Giancarlo Biagini and Prof. Paul O'Neill. 2010-2011. (£67,000)
National Institute for Health Research. "Advancing proof-of-principle concerning the type II NADH: Quinone Oxidoreductase (NDH): a novel drug target in Mycobacterium tuberculosis". Dr Giancarlo
Biagini (PI) - Prolongation award- (with Prof. Stephen Ward) 2010-2012. (£103,200)
Project PTDC/SAU-FCF/098734/2008. "Targeting the mitochondrial electron transport chain of malaria parasites: computer-assisted design and synthesis of bc1 complex inhibitors as antimlarial agents". Funded by FCT (Fundacao para a Ciencia ea Tecnologia). R Moreira, Dr Giancarlo Biagini and Prof. Paul O'Neill. 2009-2012. (€148,769)
PhD studentship "Characterization of the branched respiratory chain during latency and persistence phenotypes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis growth". King Saud University. 2009-2013. (£33,000)
PhD studentship "Characterization of the energy metabolism of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum". King Saud University. 2009-2013. (£33,000)
National Institute for Health Research, Liverpool BRC. Product Pipeline Delivery Award. Dr Giancarlo Biagini (PI) with Prof. Stephen Ward, Prof. Paul O'Neill and Dr Neil Berry. 2009-2010. (£97,000)
National Institute for Health Research. "Advancing proof-of-principle concerning the type II NADH: Quinone Oxidoreductase (NDH): a novel drug target in Mycobacterium tuberculosis". Dr Giancarlo Biagini (PI) and Prof. Stephen Ward. 2007-2010. (£202,091)
Wellcome Trust (Seeding Drug Discovery). "Alternative complex I as a new drug target against malaria". Prof. Stephen Ward (PI), Dr Giancarlo Biagini and Prof. Paul O'Neill. 2008-2010. (1.4 million)
Malaysian Government. "Bioenergetics & pharmacology of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum". Dr Giancarlo Biagini (PI). 2007-2010. (£22,500)
Leverhulme Trust-Project Grant. "A new drug target against malaria". Dr Giancarlo Biagini (PI), Prof. Stephen Ward, Prof. Paul O'Neill and Dr Neil Berry. 2006-2009. (£141,000)
Early Career Leverhulme Trust Fellowship. "Exploiting the Ca2+ physiology of the malaria parasite". Dr Giancarlo Biagini (PI) 2004-2007. (£46,000)
Completed PhDs supervised:
Piyaporn Jirawatcharadech (PhD awarded 2018)
Matthew Phanchana (PhD awarded 2017)
Ahmed Saif (PhD awarded 2017)
Eva Caamano-Gutierrez (PhD awarded 2016)
Michael Capper (PhD awarded in 2015)
Thomas Antoine (PhD awarded 2013)
Murad Mubaraki (PhD awarded 2013)
Taghreed Hafiz (PhD awarded 2013)
Roslaini Bin Abd. Majid (PhD awarded 2011)
Khairul Mustaffa (PhD awarded 2011)
Teresa Rito (PhD awarded 2012)
Susan Beveridge (PhD awarded 2012)
Kwannan Nantavisai (PhD awarded 2011)
Katie Hughes (awarded 2008)
Mohammed Al’Helal (PhD awarded 2009),
Parnpen Viriyavejakul (PhD awarded 2007)
Teaching
Module Coordinator - Biol 483 Parasite Chemotherapy
Module Coordinator – Translational Research in Global Health (MRes)
Lecturers in DTM&H, DTN, LSTM Joint Masters programmes
Other professional expertise and experience
Editorial
- Editor - Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy – leading international general antimicrobial journal (2011 to date)
- Former Sub-editor for the Malaria Journal
Review Panels
- Invited Panel member - Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) Enabling Technologies, Geneva (2019)
- Invited Panel Reviewer: MRC Newton Fund UK-Indonesia Joint Partnership call on Infectious Diseases Panel Review, 2018, London.
- Invited Panel Reviewer: MRC Newton Fund Newton UK-Sao Paulo/Brazil: Neglected Infectious Diseases Joint Centre Partnerships Panel Review, 2018, London.
- Invited panel Reviewer: MRC Newton Fund UK-Vietnam Panel Review, 2017, London.
- Panel Reviewer – Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) Enabling Technologies (2017)
- Newton Prize Reviewer Panel 2017
- UK management committee member for COST Action CM1307, 'Targeted chemotherapy towards diseases caused by endoparasites” – 2014- to date
- British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC) Grants Programme Reviewer (2013-to date)
- Expert International Referee Panel, Global Health and Vaccination Programme (GLOBVAC), Medical Research Council of Norway, January 2014, Oslo.
- Member of the British Biochemical Society and Bioenergetics Theme Panel member (2011-2016)
- Member of the Steering Committee of the EU Predict TB network
- Affiliate of the TBD-UK (Tuberculosis Drug Discovery-UK) network (2011-to date)
Prizes/Awards/Honours
- Fellow of the Royal Society for Biology (FRSB, 2016)
- Bill & Melinda Gates prize (Keystone conference) (2007)
- Early Career Leverhulme Trust Fellowship (2004)
- Australian Research Council-Link Fellowship Award (2001)
- Macquarie University Research Fellowship Award (2001)