Dr Ilyas Khan

Associate Professor

Biomedical Sciences

+44 (0) 1792 602588

i.m.khan@swansea.ac.uk

Basic Welsh Speaker

Admin office CNH - 010
Ground Floor
Institute of Life Science 2
Singleton Campus

Available For Postgraduate Supervision

Research Links

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3886-1987

ResearchGate

About

Dr Khan’s research group are working to make a concrete difference for people who suffer from diseases of the joints such as osteoarthritis. Their work ranges in scope from understanding the role of stem cells in the development and diseases of articular cartilage and other cartilaginous tissues found in the nose, ear and trachea, to tissue engineering of replacement cartilage for the repair and regeneration of cartilage defects. Many of these studies are carried out by a fine group of undergraduates, postgraduate Masters and PhD students and medical student researchers.

Students joining the lab have opportunities to visit and work not only in the world class facilities in the Centre of Nanohealth, but also with our collaborators in the UK, Europe and worldwide.

One of the most important aspects of work is to translate our world-leading advances and breakthroughs into the clinic and to do this we are actively working with our colleagues in the NHS to accelerate this process.

Areas Of Expertise

Cartilage biology
Stem & progenitor cells
Tissue engineering
Tissue maturation
Extracellular matrix

Career Highlights

Teaching Interests

Dr Khan teaches (with Dr Wendy Francis) a module in Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering to biological sciences undergraduates. A more advanced course in Regenerative Medicine is taught to students enrolled on the Nanomedicine Masters level course.

Collaborations

Publications

Research Highlights

Bauza, G., Pasto, A., Mcculloch, P., Lintner, D., Brozovich, A., Niclot, F., Khan, I., Francis, L., Tasciotti, E., & Taraballi, F. (2020). Improving the immunosuppressive potential of articular chondroprogenitors in a three-dimensional culture setting. Scientific Reports, 10(1)
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-73188-9, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa55672
Levato, R., Webb, W., Otto, I., Mensinga, A., Zhang, Y., Rijen, M., Weeren, R., Khan, I., & Malda, J. (2017). The bio in the ink: cartilage regeneration with bioprintable hydrogels and articular cartilage-derived progenitor cells. Acta Biomaterialia, 61
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actbio.2017.08.005, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa34875
Alzyoud, J., Khan, I., & Rees, S. (2017). In vitro studies to evaluate the effect of varying culture conditions and IPL fluencies on tenocyte activities. Lasers in Medical Science, 32(7), 1561-1570.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-017-2279-6, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa35062
Bissardon, C., Proux, O., Bureau, S., Suess, E., Winkel, L., Conlan, S., Francis, L., Khan, I., Charlet, L., Hazemann, J., & Bohic, S. (2019). Sub-ppm level high energy resolution fluorescence detected X-ray absorption spectroscopy of selenium in articular cartilage. The Analyst, 144(11), 3488-3493.
https://doi.org/10.1039/c9an00207c, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa49778
http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c9an00207c
Morgan, B., Bauza-Mayol, G., Gardner, O., ZHANG, Y., Levato, R., Archer, C., Weeren, R., Malda, J., Conlan, S., Francis, L., & Khan, I. (2020). Bone Morphogenetic Protein-9 Is a Potent Chondrogenic and Morphogenic Factor for Articular Cartilage Chondroprogenitors. Stem Cells and Development, 29(14)
https://doi.org/10.1089/scd.2019.0209, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa54205
Prasopthum, A., Deng, Z., Khan, I., Yin, Z., Guo, B., & Yang, J. (2020). Three dimensional printed degradable and conductive polymer scaffolds promote chondrogenic differentiation of chondroprogenitor cells. Biomaterials Science, 8(15), 4287-4298.
https://doi.org/10.1039/d0bm00621a, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa54499
Singh, R., Alzyoud, J., Trickett, R., Thomas, P., Theobald, P., & Khan, I. (2018). Growth Factor and Intense Pulse Light in Flexor Tendon Repair: A Biomechanical Study at Strength and Gap Resistance. The Journal of Hand Surgery (Asian-Pacific Volume), 23(04), 463-468.
https://doi.org/10.1142/S2424835518500431, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa49768
Otto, I., Levato, R., Webb, W., Khan, I., Breugem, C., Malda, J., & Khan, I. (2018). Progenitor cells in auricular cartilage demonstrate cartilage-forming capacity in 3D hydrogel culture. European Cells and Materials, 35, 132-150.
https://doi.org/10.22203/eCM.v035a10, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa41044
Ahmad, F., Soe, S., White, N., Johnston, R., Khan, I., Liao, J., Jones, M., Prabhu, R., Maconochie, I., Theobald, P., Johnston, R., & Khan, I. (2018). Region-Specific Microstructure in the Neonatal Ventricles of a Porcine Model. Annals of Biomedical Engineering
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-018-2089-4, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa41043
Fellows, C., Williams, R., Davies, I., Gohil, K., Baird, D., Fairclough, J., Rooney, P., Archer, C., & Khan, I. (2017). Characterisation of a divergent progenitor cell sub-populations in human osteoarthritic cartilage: the role of telomere erosion and replicative senescence. Scientific Reports, 7(1), 41421
https://doi.org/10.1038/srep41421, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa31768
Fellows, C., Matta, C., Zakany, R., Khan, I., & Mobasheri, A. (2016). Adipose, Bone Marrow and Synovial Joint-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Cartilage Repair. Frontiers in Genetics, 7
https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2016.00213, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa31769
Zhang, Y., Morgan, B., Smith, R., Fellows, C., Thornton, C., Snow, M., Francis, L., & Khan, I. (2017). Platelet-rich plasma induces post-natal maturation of immature articular cartilage and correlates with LOXL1 activation. Scientific Reports, 7(1)
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-02297-9, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa33950
Khan, I., Francis, L., Theobald, P., Perni, S., Young, R., Prokopovich, P., Conlan, R., Archer, C., & Conlan, S. (2013). In vitro growth factor-induced bio engineering of mature articular cartilage. Biomaterials, 34(5), 1478-1487.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2012.09.076, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa13945

All Research

Journal Articles

Bauza, G., Pasto, A., Mcculloch, P., Lintner, D., Brozovich, A., Niclot, F., Khan, I., Francis, L., Tasciotti, E., & Taraballi, F. (2020). Improving the immunosuppressive potential of articular chondroprogenitors in a three-dimensional culture setting. Scientific Reports, 10(1)
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-73188-9, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa55672
Prasopthum, A., Deng, Z., Khan, I., Yin, Z., Guo, B., & Yang, J. (2020). Three dimensional printed degradable and conductive polymer scaffolds promote chondrogenic differentiation of chondroprogenitor cells. Biomaterials Science, 8(15), 4287-4298.
https://doi.org/10.1039/d0bm00621a, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa54499
Morgan, B., Bauza-Mayol, G., Gardner, O., ZHANG, Y., Levato, R., Archer, C., Weeren, R., Malda, J., Conlan, S., Francis, L., & Khan, I. (2020). Bone Morphogenetic Protein-9 Is a Potent Chondrogenic and Morphogenic Factor for Articular Cartilage Chondroprogenitors. Stem Cells and Development, 29(14)
https://doi.org/10.1089/scd.2019.0209, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa54205
Bissardon, C., Proux, O., Bureau, S., Suess, E., Winkel, L., Conlan, S., Francis, L., Khan, I., Charlet, L., Hazemann, J., & Bohic, S. (2019). Sub-ppm level high energy resolution fluorescence detected X-ray absorption spectroscopy of selenium in articular cartilage. The Analyst, 144(11), 3488-3493.
https://doi.org/10.1039/c9an00207c, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa49778
http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c9an00207c
Singh, R., Alzyoud, J., Trickett, R., Thomas, P., Theobald, P., & Khan, I. (2018). Growth Factor and Intense Pulse Light in Flexor Tendon Repair: A Biomechanical Study at Strength and Gap Resistance. The Journal of Hand Surgery (Asian-Pacific Volume), 23(04), 463-468.
https://doi.org/10.1142/S2424835518500431, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa49768
Ahmad, F., Soe, S., White, N., Johnston, R., Khan, I., Liao, J., Jones, M., Prabhu, R., Maconochie, I., Theobald, P., Johnston, R., & Khan, I. (2018). Region-Specific Microstructure in the Neonatal Ventricles of a Porcine Model. Annals of Biomedical Engineering
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-018-2089-4, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa41043
Otto, I., Levato, R., Webb, W., Khan, I., Breugem, C., Malda, J., & Khan, I. (2018). Progenitor cells in auricular cartilage demonstrate cartilage-forming capacity in 3D hydrogel culture. European Cells and Materials, 35, 132-150.
https://doi.org/10.22203/eCM.v035a10, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa41044
Levato, R., Webb, W., Otto, I., Mensinga, A., Zhang, Y., Rijen, M., Weeren, R., Khan, I., & Malda, J. (2017). The bio in the ink: cartilage regeneration with bioprintable hydrogels and articular cartilage-derived progenitor cells. Acta Biomaterialia, 61
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actbio.2017.08.005, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa34875
Zhang, Y., Morgan, B., Smith, R., Fellows, C., Thornton, C., Snow, M., Francis, L., & Khan, I. (2017). Platelet-rich plasma induces post-natal maturation of immature articular cartilage and correlates with LOXL1 activation. Scientific Reports, 7(1)
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-02297-9, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa33950
Alzyoud, J., Khan, I., & Rees, S. (2017). In vitro studies to evaluate the effect of varying culture conditions and IPL fluencies on tenocyte activities. Lasers in Medical Science, 32(7), 1561-1570.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-017-2279-6, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa35062
Fellows, C., Williams, R., Davies, I., Gohil, K., Baird, D., Fairclough, J., Rooney, P., Archer, C., & Khan, I. (2017). Characterisation of a divergent progenitor cell sub-populations in human osteoarthritic cartilage: the role of telomere erosion and replicative senescence. Scientific Reports, 7(1), 41421
https://doi.org/10.1038/srep41421, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa31768
Fellows, C., Matta, C., Zakany, R., Khan, I., & Mobasheri, A. (2016). Adipose, Bone Marrow and Synovial Joint-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Cartilage Repair. Frontiers in Genetics, 7
https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2016.00213, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa31769
Khan, I., Francis, L., Theobald, P., Perni, S., Young, R., Prokopovich, P., Conlan, R., Archer, C., & Conlan, S. (2013). In vitro growth factor-induced bio engineering of mature articular cartilage. Biomaterials, 34(5), 1478-1487.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2012.09.076, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa13945

Supervision

Untitled (current)

MSc

Other supervisor: Dr Wendy Francis
Development of synthetic bone allografts using tissue engineering and decellularisation. (current)

MSc

Other supervisor: Dr Zhidao Xia
An investigation into BMP9-induced postnatal maturation of articular cartilage (awarded 2024)

MSc

Other supervisor: Prof Lewis Francis

Taught Modules

PM-130 Fundamental Research Skills

This module is designed to develop the skills required for students of biochemistry and genetics degree programmes. Students meet with their tutors and will be given a series of assignments designed to develop skills in key areas such as essay writing, presentations and general numeracy.
PM-132 Eukaryotic Cell Biology

This module will provide students with a broad introduction to fundamental concepts in Eukaryotic cell biology, such as investigating the origins of the cell, the structure or eukaryotic cells, the different types of specialised cells, and cells which help prevent disease. There will be a general focus on human cells throughout the module with some references to other organisms when needed. Students will gain practical experience in identification and differentiation of cells from different human and animal species.
PM-132C Bioleg Celloedd Ewcaryotig

Bydd y modiwl hwn yn darparu cyflwyniad bras i gysyniadau sylfaenol ym maes bioleg celloedd Ewcaryotig, gan ymchwilio i darddiad y gell, strwythur y gell a chelloedd arbenigol a chelloedd mewn clefyd. Bydd ffocws cyffredinol ar gelloedd dynol drwy gydol y modiwl, gan gyfeirio at organebau eraill yn ôl yr angen. Bydd myfyrwyr yn cael profiad ymarferol o nodi celloedd, gwahaniaethu rhwng gwahanol gelloedd dynol a rhywogaethau o anifeiliaid.
PM-344 Capstone Project

The aim of this module is to provide a capstone experience to students¿ learning, through participating in their own enquiry-based research project, with guidance from an academic supervisor. The project may be laboratory or non-laboratory based, but it will always involve a research question that is drawn from the literature, and focused on a topic relevant to the life sciences. It will ask a research question and involve the critical analysis of research findings. Students will refine their oral and written communication skills to a graduate level through an oral presentation and dissertation on their research findings and conclusions.
PM-358 Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

This module will provide students with a firm understanding of the principles of Regenerative Medicine that extend from cellular to tissue and organ repair and regeneration. This module will focus on the practical aspects of revolutionary technologies, generated through research, that have the potential to significantly improve how we treat injury, illness and disease.
PMBM02 Introduction to Biomedical Science Practice in Health Care

The role of Biomedical Science in the delivery and provision of Health Care will be explored and critically evaluated within this module. This module is designed to provide you with the fundamental and principal concepts of Health Care, specifically to support the role of Biomedical Science. It will provide learning activities based around the general themes of Biomedical Science in Health Care, Anatomy and Pathology, Patient Experience, Pharmacology and Professionalism.
PMEM104 Reconstructive and Regenerative Medicine

This module will explore the opportunity, trends and developments in innovation in the Life Science Sector in relation to Reconstructive and Regenerative Medicine. Students will be introduced to the strategic approach for developing partnerships and leading innovation in reconstructive and regenerative medicine.
PMNM01 Regenerative Medicine

Regenerative Medicine is the design and application of cell and drug therapies incorporating nanotechnology and nanoscience in order to repair, replace and regenerate human cells, tissues or organs. This module provides the foundation for understanding how tissues can be returned to normal function by first exploring the fascinating anatomy and physiology of cells, tissues, organs and organ systems. The module builds upon the latter knowledge through teaching the core concepts of stem cell biology, including the isolation, characterisation and application of embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotential stem cells and adult stem cells. The potential of tissue engineering will be explored through a thorough understanding of how tissues are biofabricated in vitro ¿ building on concepts such as the structure and organisation of tissues as well as stem cell biology. The vast potential of stem cells for research and clinical use will be explored from the perspective of their interface with nanotechnology genetic (CRISPR) and tissue engineering, which together, have had a profound influence in the delivery of `smarter¿ therapies.
PMRM00 Introduction to the practice of Medical Physicists & Clinical Engineers in Health Care

Provides a broad-based overview of the Medical Physics & Clinical Engineering discipline.
PMZM12 Regenerative Medicine

Regenerative medicine is the application of nanotechnology and nanoscience in the process of replacing or regenerating human cells, tissues or organs to restore or establish normal function. This module will explore the basic concepts in stem cell biology, critically review the endogenous repair mechanisms, describe the basic concepts and principles of tissue engineering and relate this knowledge to it application and use within the clinical context.

Key Grants and Projects

Generating durable and resilient repair of cartilage defects using tissue-specific adult stem cells – a systematic, therapeutic approach. 2014 - 2020

In collaboration with Utrecht Medical School, The Netherlands., £1,300,000

Career History

PhD, Imperial College, London, UK

1996 - 2000

Other Roles

Member International Review Panel, eCM Journal

2012 - Present

Dr Ilyas Khan

Telephone number

Email address

Welsh language proficiency

Research Links

About

Areas Of Expertise

Career Highlights

Research Highlights

All Research

Untitled (current)

Development of synthetic bone allografts using tissue engineering and decellularisation. (current)

An investigation into BMP9-induced postnatal maturation of articular cartilage (awarded 2024)

PM-130 Fundamental Research Skills

PM-132 Eukaryotic Cell Biology

PM-132C Bioleg Celloedd Ewcaryotig

PM-344 Capstone Project

PM-358 Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

PMBM02 Introduction to Biomedical Science Practice in Health Care

PMEM104 Reconstructive and Regenerative Medicine

PMNM01 Regenerative Medicine

PMRM00 Introduction to the practice of Medical Physicists & Clinical Engineers in Health Care

PMZM12 Regenerative Medicine

PhD, Imperial College, London, UK

Member International Review Panel, eCM Journal