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Dr Loïc Rolas

Loïc

BHF Intermediate Basic Science Research Fellow

Centre: Microvascular Research

Email: l.rolas@qmul.ac.uk
Telephone: +44(0) 20 7882 8238
Website: https://www.centre-for-microvascular-research.com/rolas-lab

Profile

ORCID iD: 0000-0001-7617-0768

I obtained my PhD in 2015 at the Centre de Recherche sur l’Inflammation (CRI) in Paris, France, where I studied the regulation of the neutrophil NADPH oxidase in healthy and cirrhotic patients. I joined the Centre for Microvascular Research in 2016 as a Postdoctoral Research Associate, expanding my expertise in neutrophil biology, ageing, and vascular inflammation.

I was subsequently awarded a British Heart Foundation fellowship to establish the foundation for my independent research programme. The funded work focuses on understanding how endothelial cell senescence impacts leukocyte biology, with a particular emphasis on innate immunity. This research has led to contributions including scientific papers in Immunity, EMBO Reports, and Journal of Experimental Medicine, as well as presentations at international conferences.

Research

Our work investigates how vascular ageing, particularly endothelial cell (EC) senescence, influences leukocyte biology and innate immune responses. Senescent endothelial cells undergo profound changes in signalling and adhesion properties, which can alter the way immune cells interact with the vascular wall and contribute to altered inflammatory responses during ageing.

Two main themes define this research:

1. Endothelial cell senescence and neutrophil activation
Neutrophils are the most abundant circulating leukocytes and play a central role in innate immunity. This project explores how senescent endothelial cells regulate neutrophil activation, adhesion, and effector functions, with the aim of uncovering mechanisms that drive dysregulated inflammation in ageing and vascular disease.

2. Impact on other resident leukocytes
Beyond neutrophils, endothelial senescence may also influence the behaviour of other resident leukocytes. By examining how ageing endothelium shapes their recruitment, activation, and cross‑talk, this research seeks to define broader consequences of vascular ageing on innate immune regulation.

Together, these studies aim to provide mechanistic insight into how endothelial ageing contributes to immune dysfunction and chronic inflammatory disease, with the long‑term goal of identifying novel therapeutic strategies to limit age‑related vascular pathology.

Publications

  • van der Meer WJ, van Steen ACI, Mahlandt E et al. (2025). Leukocytes use endothelial membrane tunnels to extravasate the vasculature. nameOfConference


  • Reglero-Real N, Rolas L, Nourshargh S (2025). Aging microvasculature: Effects on immune cell trafficking and inflammatory diseases. nameOfConference


  • Kono Y, Pack C-G, Ichikawa T et al. (2024). Roles of the lamin A-specific tail region in the localization to sites of nuclear envelope rupture. nameOfConference


  • Rolas L, Stein M, Barkaway A et al. (2024). Senescent endothelial cells promote pathogenic neutrophil trafficking in inflamed tissues. nameOfConference


  • Benedicto I, Carmona RM, Barettino A et al. (2024). Exacerbated atherosclerosis in progeria is prevented by progerin elimination in vascular smooth muscle cells but not endothelial cells. nameOfConference


  • Sánchez-López A, Espinós-Estévez C, González-Gómez C et al. (2021). Cardiovascular Progerin Suppression and Lamin A Restoration Rescue Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome. nameOfConference


  • Reglero-Real N, Pérez-Gutiérrez L, Yoshimura A et al. (2021). Autophagy modulates endothelial junctions to restrain neutrophil diapedesis during inflammation. nameOfConference


  • Marcos-Ramiro B, Gil-Ordóñez A, Marín-Ramos NI et al. (2021). Isoprenylcysteine Carboxylmethyltransferase-Based Therapy for Hutchinson–Gilford Progeria Syndrome. nameOfConference


  • Barkaway A, Rolas L, Joulia R et al. (2021). Age-related changes in the local milieu of inflamed tissues cause aberrant neutrophil trafficking and subsequent remote organ damage. nameOfConference


  • Owen-Woods C, Joulia R, Barkaway A et al. (2020). Local microvascular leakage promotes trafficking of activated neutrophils to remote organs. nameOfConference


View profile publication page

Sponsors

Collaborators

Internal

External

  • Dr. Darren Baker
  • Dr. Nicolas Charles
  • Dr. Jamel El-Benna
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