Aston Breakthroughs: Transforming medicine with membrane science
One of the four profile pieces developed by Campus PR for the Aston Breakthroughs Campaign
“Our globally unique institute is translating our discoveries about the brain into the world’s first medicines to give people hope after a traumatic injury or a stroke.”
Professor Roslyn Bill, Director, Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence
Professor Roslyn Bill leads the globally unique Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence (AIME), Aston University’s bold initiative uniting world-leading experts in biological and synthetic membrane science under one roof for the first time. This platform for interdisciplinary research and technology development is set to drive innovations that will transform the health, environment, food and energy sectors.
At school, Roslyn was inspired by the magic of science and discovery. Fuelled by a desire to learn and with encouragement from her chemistry teacher and her parents, she became the first in her family to attend university. After completing a DPhil in chemistry, Roslyn worked as a postdoctoral researcher in molecular biosciences in the USA and Sweden. It was in Sweden that she started studying aquaporin water channels and first met the eminent scientist who discovered them.
Embedded in cell membranes, aquaporins are tiny water channels that control the movement of water in and out of cells. Roslyn became fascinated by their complexity and the prospect of discovery, and this was when her life-long scientific pursuit was cemented.
“I asked the question – why do these little proteins behave the way they do? No one knew why. That’s when I realised they’re far more complex than we first thought.”
Establishing the powerhouse for membrane research
Since joining Aston University in 2002, Roslyn has continued to collaborate with biologists, chemists and physicists to explore membrane proteins in unprecedented detail. By bringing together specialist techniques, her holistic approach to membrane research started to uncover the secrets of these mysterious proteins.
In 2020, her team published a landmark discovery. The brain’s major aquaporin, aquaporin-4, regulates brain swelling by controlling water movement into brain cells after a traumatic injury. This can lead to long-term disability and even death. Crucially, her team also identified molecules that could prevent this process – the world’s first potential medicine to limit the effects of devastating brain swelling.
Realising their interdisciplinary approach to membrane research was globally unique, Roslyn led efforts to develop Aston University’s shared vision to advance membrane science more broadly. In 2024, this secured a major £10m grant from Research England to establish AIME as the world’s first interdisciplinary membrane research platform. Co-led by Roslyn, the AIME team aims to combine the best elements of biological and synthetic membranes into innovations that deliver major impacts, not only on drug discovery but also on water purification, pollution remediation and biofuel production.
“AIME brings together so many talented scientists with a shared vision to succeed together. This supercharges our ability to lead excellent research that makes a big difference.”
Translating big discoveries into bold treatments
With clinical trials for their revolutionary brain injury treatment in the planning stage, Roslyn is already looking ahead to fast-track the availability of care.
Supported by Aston University’s enterprise team, she spun out Estuar Ltd, a company developing novel medicines to halt brain swelling in its tracks. She hopes that these future medicines could one day help reduce long-term brain damage and spare patients from a lifetime of care.
“Entrepreneurship is about turning our discoveries into real treatments that one day will make a big difference to people’s lives.”
Leading global research on new ways to prevent dementia
The crucial finding that aquaporin-4 controls brain swelling led Roslyn to ask a big question about one of the grand challenges of our time: could this tiny protein help clear brain waste during sleep and prevent dementia?
In 2023 she won a European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant, one of the most prestigious of the EU funding schemes, to explore aquaporin-4’s role in the brain’s glymphatic system. By leading an emerging area of brain research, her team hopes to find a treatment that ensures the brain’s cleaning system continues to work well into old age, staving off dementia for as long as possible.
“Together we’re working to make dementia tomorrow’s problem, keeping it at bay so people can enjoy more healthy years into old age.”
Impact snapshot
“Our aquaporin discoveries have put Aston on the map, but the biggest impact has been on our people, opening new opportunities for students and international collaborations.”
Following their landmark discovery of aquaporin-4‘s role in brain swelling, Roslyn and her team have:
Spun out Estuar Ltd to develop life-changing drugs for patients suffering from traumatic brain injury or stroke.
Secured a €2.2m ERC Advanced Grant to understand how aquaporin-4 can be targeted to slow the development of dementia.
Led the team that secured a £10m Research England grant to establish AIME as a globally unique interdisciplinary platform for creating transformative technologies from Aston University’s membrane research.
“With the strength of AIME in membrane science, Roslyn Bill’s group and the team at AIME are positioned to lead worldwide efforts to understand the nuts and bolts of this exciting new biology of the sleeping brain.”