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researcher

Gillian Westgate

Commercial Manager

Faculty/Dept/School School of Chemistry and Bioscience
(Faculty of Life Sciences)
Emailg.westgate@bradford.ac.uk
Telephone +441274 233416

Biography

Gill works at the University of Bradford where her role is to develop sustainable partnerships between industry and academic research in Life Sciences and to help translate science into business opportunities. Read her views on academic-industry collaborations here.  https://unibradfordac.sharepoint.com/sites/research-and-knowledge-transfer-support-intranet/SitePage...

Gill has a BSc Hons in Biochemistry from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD in hair biology research. Her industry experience was obtained at Unilever Research in the UK, where she led their scalp and hair biology research programme for many years and through 17 years working for the industry as a consultant and 10+ years with the University of Bradford.

She is a past President of the European Hair Research Society and a member of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists. She serves on the organising committees for UK and international conferences and is well known in the skin and hair research field.

Gill is a co-founder and Chair of Cosmetics Cluster UK (CCUK), a networking organisation for the sector and brings over 30 years industry experience, research leadership skills, access to University experts, funding, facilities and mentoring. She is currently working within CCUK to improve higher education development for the cosmetics sector to improve employability in the UK.

Research

A skin and hair biologist of over 35 years. Worked in industry in Unilever Research in the Life Science Laboratories where I conducted research projects on skin, hair follicles and scalp biology leading to over 20 publications and my PhD in 1997.

Innovation management is something I have taken a great interest in over the years. Working for industry means I have had first hand experience of translating basic science into novel technical insights, claims substantiation packages and helped launch new products/brands.

Working with many companies as partners in collaborative research, I can bring my innovation management experience to bear in helping manage the interface between research and business and translate technical findings into messages that are meaningful to the company teams.

Topics of scientific Interest:

  • Hair growth and the control of hair cycle, role of the dermal environment
  • Skin biology, skin diseases and skin microbiome
  • In vitro models and translatability
  • Skin and hair pigmentation and models to study them
  • Hair texture, especially the biological and physical mechanisms for the formation of curly hair

Teaching

Teaching interests

Innovation management in Life Sciences

Hair Biology

Hair Fibre Science

Professional activities

  • 01-JAN-97: Universiteit Utrecht - PhD Hair Biology
  • 01-DEC-09: University of Bradford - Business Development Manager
  • 01-JAN-81: Unilever R&D Colworth - Research Scientist
  • European Hair Research Society, Membership Board
  • British Society for Investigative Dermatology, Member
  • Faculty REF Impact Working Group,

Publications

TitleFollowing historical 'tracks' of hair follicle miniaturisation in patterned hair loss: Are elastin bodies the forgotten aetiology? (2021)
AuthorsRushton DH, Westgate GE, Van Neste D
JournalExperimental Dermatology
PublisherWiley
DOI10.1111/exd.14393
 
TitleAge-related changes in female scalp dermal sheath and dermal fibroblasts: how the hair follicle environment impacts hair ageing. (2020)
AuthorsWilliams R;Westgate GE;Pawlus AD;Sikkink SK;Thornton MJ;
JournalJournal of Investigative Dermatology
DOI10.1016/j.jid.2020.11.009
 
TitleEwastools: Infinium Human Methylation BeadChip pipeline for population epigenetics integrated into Galaxy (2020)
AuthorsMurat K., Grüning B., Poterlowicz P. W., Westgate G., Tobin D. J., Poterlowicz K.
JournalGigascience
PublisherOxford Academic
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1093/gigascience/giaa049
 
TitleDevelopments in silicone technology for use in stoma care (2020)
AuthorsSwift T.;Westgate G.;Van Onselen J.;Lee S.
JournalBritish Journal of Nursing
DOI10.12968/bjon.2020.29.6.S6
 
TitleTopical odorant application of the specific olfactory receptor OR2AT4 agonist, Sandalore® , improves telogen effluvium-associated parameters. (2020)
AuthorsJimenez F;López E;Bertolini M;Alam M;Chéret J;Westgate G;Rinaldi F;Marzani B;Paus R;
JournalJournal of Cosmetic Dermatology
DOI10.1111/jocd.13608
 
TitleCan plant-derived phytochemicals provide symptom relief for hair loss? A critical review. (2019)
AuthorsDaniels G;Akram S;Westgate GE;Tamburic S;
JournalInternational Journal of Cosmetic Science
DOI10.1111/ics.12554
 
TitleDose-response of human follicles during laser-based hair removal: Ex vivo photoepilation model with classification system embracing morphological and histological features. (2019)
Authorsvan Vlimmeren MAA;Raafs B;Westgate G;Beijens LGM;Uzunbajakava NE;
JournalLasers in Surgery and Medicine
DOI10.1002/lsm.23085
 
TitleIn search of hair damage using metabolomics? (2017)
AuthorsWestgate, Gillian E.
 
TitleProceedings of the Ninth World Congress for Hair Research (2015). (2017)
AuthorsBergfeld WF;Christiano AM;Hordinsky MK; ;
JournalJournal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings
DOI10.1016/j.jisp.2017.03.001
 
TitleThe biology and genetics of curly hair (2017)
AuthorsWestgate, Gillian E.; Ginger, R.S.; Green, M.R.
 
TitleBoth low circulating insulin-like growth factor-1 and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol are associated with hair loss in middle-aged women. (2016)
AuthorsNoordam, R.; Gunn, D.A.; van Drielen, K.; Westgate, Gillian E.; Slagboom, P.E.; de Craen, A.J.M.; van Heemst, D.
 
TitleFirst International Symposium "Epigenetic control of skin development and regeneration": How chromatin regulators orchestrate skin functions. (2013)
AuthorsBotchkarev, Vladimir A.; Fessing, Michael Y.; Botchkareva, Natalia V.; Westgate, Gillian E.; Tobin, Desmond J.
 
TitleThe biology of hair diversity. (2013)
AuthorsWestgate, Gillian E.; Botchkareva, Natalia V.; Tobin, Desmond J.
 
TitleModulation in proteolytic activity is identified as a hallmark of exogen by transcriptional profiling of hair follicles. (2011)
AuthorsHiggins CA;Westgate GE;Jahoda CA;
JournalJournal of Investigative Dermatology
DOI10.1038/jid.2011.227
 
TitleHuman Hair Follicle and Epidermal Melanocytes Exhibit Striking Differences in Their Aging Profile which Involves Catalase. (2011)
AuthorsKauser, Sobia; Westgate, Gillian E.; Green, M.R.; Tobin, Desmond J.
 
TitleFrom telogen to exogen: mechanisms underlying formation and subsequent loss of the hair club fiber. (2009)
AuthorsHiggins CA;Westgate GE;Jahoda CA;
JournalJournal of Investigative Dermatology
DOI10.1038/jid.2009.66
 
TitleTemporary hair removal by low fluence photoepilation: histological study on biopsies and cultured human hair follicles. (2008)
AuthorsRoosen GF;Westgate GE;Philpott M;Berretty PJ;Nuijs T;Bjerring P;
JournalLasers in Surgery and Medicine
DOI10.1002/lsm.20679
 
TitleAn in Vitro Model for the Study of Human Hair Growth (2006)
Authors;
DOI10.1111/j.1749-6632.1991.tb24386.x
 
TitleDistribution of Extracellular Matrix Molecules in Human Hair Follicles (2006)
Authors;
DOI10.1111/j.1749-6632.1991.tb24392.x
 
TitleDopa oxidase activity in the hair, skin and ocular melanocytes is increased in the presence of stressed fibroblasts (2005)
Authors;
DOI10.1111/j.0906-6705.2005.00287.x
 
TitleSeborrhoeic dermatitis and Pityrosporum (Malassezia) folliculitis: characterization of inflammatory cells and mediators in the skin by immunohistochemistry. (2001)
AuthorsFaergemann J;Bergbrant IM;Dohsé M;Scott A;Westgate G;
DOI10.1046/j.1365-2133.2001.04082.x
 
TitleKeratin expression in the normal nail unit: markers of regional differentiation. (2000)
AuthorsDe Berker D;Wojnarowska F;Sviland L;Westgate GE;Dawber RP;Leigh IM;
JournalBritish Journal of Dermatology
 
TitleNutrition and metabolism in isolated human hair follicles. (1999)
AuthorsMatheson HB;Westgate GE;Parmar PP;Riches C;Blount MA;Ellory JC;
JournalExperimental Dermatology
 
TitleCharacterization of LHTric-1, a new monospecific monoclonal antibody to the trichocyte keratin Ha1. (1997)
AuthorsWestgate GE;Tidman N;De Berker D;Blount MA;Philpott MP;Leigh IM;
JournalBritish Journal of Dermatology
 
TitleIn the absence of streptomycin, minoxidil potentiates the mitogenic effects of fetal calf serum, insulin-like growth factor 1, and platelet-derived growth factor on NIH 3T3 fibroblasts in a K+ channel-dependent fashion. (1996)
AuthorsSanders DA;Fiddes I;Thompson DM;Philpott MP;Westgate GE;Kealey T;
JournalJournal of Investigative Dermatology
 
TitleHuman hair growth in vitro: a model for the study of hair follicle biology. (1994)
AuthorsPhilpott MP;Sanders D;Westgate GE;Kealey T;
JournalJournal of Dermatological Science
 
TitleExtracellular matrix derived from hair and skin fibroblasts stimulates human skin melanocyte tyrosinase activity. (1994)
AuthorsBuffey JA;Messenger AG;Taylor M;Ashcroft AT;Westgate GE;MacNeil S;
JournalBritish Journal of Dermatology
 
TitleCytokine gene expression in intact anagen rat hair follicles. (1994)
AuthorsLittle JC;Westgate GE;Evans A;Granger SP;
JournalJournal of Investigative Dermatology
 
TitleProlonged maintenance of human hair follicles in vitro in a serum-free medium. (1993)
AuthorsWestgate GE;Gibson WT;Kealey T;Philpott MP;
JournalBritish Journal of Dermatology
 
TitleGlycosaminoglycan synthesis by cultured human hair follicle dermal papilla cells: comparison with non-follicular dermal fibroblasts. (1992)
AuthorsTaylor M;Ashcroft AT;Westgate GE;Gibson WT;Messenger AG;
JournalBritish Journal of Dermatology
 
TitleGlycosaminoglycans in the extracellular matrix and medium of cultured human hair papilla cells. (1991)
AuthorsTaylor M;Ashcroft AT;Messenger AG;Westgate GE;Gibson WT;
JournalAnnals of the New York Academy of Sciences
 
TitleImmune privilege in hair growth. (1991)
AuthorsWestgate GE;Craggs RI;Gibson WT;
JournalJournal of Investigative Dermatology
 
TitleChanges in the histology and distribution of immune cell types during the hair growth cycle in hairless rat skin. (1991)
AuthorsWestgate GE;Craggs RI;Gibson WT;
JournalAnnals of the New York Academy of Sciences
 
TitleImmunology of the hair follicle. (1991)
AuthorsGibson WT;Westgate GE;Craggs RI;
 
TitleDistribution of extracellular matrix molecules in human hair follicles. (1991)
AuthorsMessenger AG;Elliott K;Westgate GE;Gibson WT;
JournalAnnals of the New York Academy of Sciences
 
TitleDistribution of proteoglycans during the hair growth cycle in human skin. (1991)
AuthorsWestgate GE;Messenger AG;Watson LP;Gibson WT;
JournalJournal of Investigative Dermatology
 
TitleAn in vitro model for the study of human hair growth. (1991)
AuthorsPhilpott MP;Westgate GE;Kealey T;
JournalAnnals of the New York Academy of Sciences
 
TitleRapid isolation in large numbers of intact, viable, individual hair follicles from skin: biochemical and ultrastructural characterization. (1986)
AuthorsGreen MR;Clay CS;Gibson WT;Hughes TC;Smith CG;Westgate GE;White M;Kealey T;
JournalJournal of Investigative Dermatology
 
TitleBullous pemphigoid antigen localization suggests an intracellular association with hemidesmosomes. (1985)
AuthorsWestgate GE;Weaver AC;Couchman JR;
JournalJournal of Investigative Dermatology
 
TitleImmunohistochemical localization of basement membrane components during hair follicle morphogenesis. (1984)
AuthorsWestgate GE;Shaw DA;Harrap GJ;Couchman JR;
JournalJournal of Investigative Dermatology
 
TitleMethods in Molecular Biology (2020)
AuthorsEditors: NV Botchkareva, GE Westgate
PublisherSpringer nature : Humana
DOI10.1007/978-1-0716-0648-3
 
Title Author(s)
Bridging the "dead hair"-"live follicle" divide in applied hair research (2018)Bertolini M.;Botchkareva N.;Westgate G.;Ward C.;Cornwell P.;Paus R.
First international symposium epigenetic control of skin development and regeneration: How chromatin regulators orchestrate skin functions (2013)Botchkarev V.;Fessing M.;Botchkareva N.;Westgate G.;Tobin D.