Dr Chloe Rackham

About me:

Dr Chloe Rackham graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Human Sciences from King’s College London (KCL), before completing her PhD at KCL. Doctoral studies focused on strategies to improve the outcomes of islet transplantation, as a therapy for type 1 diabetes (T1D). During her PhD, Chloe was awarded the Nick Hales Young Investigator Award by Diabetes UK as recognition of her work focused on using Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs) to improve islet transplantation outcomes. 

Dr Rackham was awarded the Diabetes Research and Wellness Foundation Professor David Matthews Fellowship in 2018. This research focuses on defining the mechanisms through which MSCs and their “secretome” can be used therapeutically to improve islet graft function and survival. Dr Rackham aims to define MSC-derived secretory products which mimic the therapeutic effects of MSCs to improve donor islet function and host immune responses to transplanted islets.

Dr Rackham has 18 years’ experience (2024) in the field of diabetes and islet transplantation, with a diverse range of experimental techniques applicable to studying islet/beta cell function and survival in vitro and in vivo. Dr Rackham is passionate within her mentorship of students and committed to ensuring a broad knowledge and skills set, within a supportive environment. Dr Rackham is a dedicated researcher with the long term goal of ensuring that beta cell replacement therapies can be offered to the greatest possible number of individuals living with diabetes.

Postgraduate Research opportunities: Dr Rackham is open to enquiries (email: c.rackham@exeter.ac.uk) from students with their own funding interested in pursuing an MSc by Research or PhD in diabetes, islet biology or mesenchymal stems cells.

Interests:

Improving islet transplantation outcomes using Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs)

Allogeneic islet transplantation offers the possibility to treat selected patients with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). However, limited availability of donor human islet material limits the widespread application of this therapy. Furthermore, the shortage of donor islets is exacerbated by the extensive loss of valuable islet material during pre-transplant culture and during the post-transplantation period. Dr Rackham is interested in a group of adult stem cells called Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs), as they have multiple roles to enhance islet graft function and survival. Investigating the mechanisms through which MSCs influence donor islet and host immune cells is a key area of Dr Rackham’s research interest. Dr Rackham is interested in harnessing the therapeutic potential of MSCs to improve the efficiency of clinical islet transplantation, so that it can be offered as a therapeutic option to the greatest possible number of individuals living with T1D.

Harnessing the MSC secretome to improve islet transplantation outcomes

The beneficial effects of MSCs can be largely attributed to soluble MSC-derived trophic factors that influence host immune cells to dampen down adverse immune responses. Preculturing islets with MSC-derived soluble mediators can directly affect islet cells to improve their functional quality in vitro, prior to transplantation. Dr Rackham’s research is focused on defining a “cocktail” of MSC-derived secretory products that can be used to recapitulate the beneficial effects of MSCs in transplantation protocols, and to better understand the mechanisms through which MSCs improve islet function and survival.

Optimizing islet beta cell function through MSC-mediated mitochondrial transfer

It is well established that the generation of ATP and other metabolic coupling factors by mitochondrial metabolism is essential for nutrient-induced insulin secretion, and that impaired mitochondrial function, and thus reduced OCR, results in defective insulin secretion and reduced β-cell survival. Dr Rackham is interested in the mechanisms through which MSCs improve islet mitochondrial bioenergetics and islet insulin secretory function, with her recent studies identifying MSC-mediated mitochondrial transfer as a key mechanism.

Exploring an islet-protective role for native pancreatic mesenchymal stromal cells in health and in type 1 diabetes

Chloe Rackham is interested in determining the role of native pancreatic MSCs in health and in T1D, with a focus on their immunomodulatory islet-protective functions. These studies will enhance our understanding of disease endotypes and will reveal which individuals (or groups of people) are most likely to benefit from MSC-based therapeutic interventions to delay disease progression.

ORCID Profile: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4314-6109

Qualifications:

2008 - 2012: PhD in Physiology entitled, “Strategies for improving islet transplantation outcome.” Division of Diabetes and Nutritional Sciences, King’s College London.

2003 - 2006: BSc (Hons) Human Sciences (First Class). King’s College London.

2022 - 2023: Felowship of the Higher Education Academy