Dr Ben Hewitt BMedSc, PhD

Ben Hewitt

Department of Inflammation and Ageing
Research Fellow

Contact details

Address
Neuroscience, Trauma and Ophthalmology
Robert Aitken Institute for Clinical Research
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT

Ben is a Research Fellow within the Neuroscience, Trauma and Ophthalmology (NTO) group in the Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, working to model and treat advanced brain ageing following haemorrhagic stroke.

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Qualifications

  • PhD in Dentistry, University of Birmingham, 2024
  • BMedSc (Hons) in Biomedical Materials Science, University of Birmingham, 2019

Biography

Ben is a research fellow working in the neuro-ocular inflammation and matrix research group within the Institute of Inflammation and Ageing. His research focuses on modelling and treating premature brain ageing following haemorrhagic stroke, with a particular focus on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics after subarachnoid haemorrhage. 

He has a particular interest in developing organotypic models of tissues and disease processes, having developed and published novel models of gum disease in his PhD. Ben continues this theme through his postdoctoral research, using organotypic models of haemorrhagic stroke to trial new treatments to reduce advanced brain ageing and early death, commonly seen in patients suffering from subarachnoid haemorrhage.

He regularly trains BSc, MSci and PhD students in a range of experimental techniques, including in vitro and ex vivo skills. He also has experience in directly supervising PhD students, BMedSc biomedical materials science and BSc biomedical science research projects. 

Teaching

  • BSc Biomedical Science

Research

  • Haemorrhagic stroke 
  • CSF dynamics
  • Organotypic culture 
  • Tissue equivalents 
  • Genetic modification and engineering
  • Nuclear hormone receptor signalling

Publications

Highlight publications

Hewitt, BJ, Ali, M, Hubbard, J, Hill, LJ & Botfield, H 2024 'The double-edged sword of transforming growth factor β 1: a systematic review of pre-clinical stroke models' Research Square. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4687466/v1

Hewitt, BJ, Batt, J, Shelton, R, Cooper, P, Landini, G, Lucas, R, Wiench, M & Milward, M 2022, 'A 3D printed device for in vitro generation of stratified epithelia at the air-liquid interface', Tissue Engineering Part C Methods, vol. 28, no. 11, pp. 599-609. https://doi.org/10.1089/ten.TEC.2022.0130

Recent publications

Preprint

Pelepenko, LE, Hewitt, B, Janini, ACP, Moraes, BF, Pereira, JS, Leutz, ACN & Marciano, MA 2023 'Protocol for subcutaneous implantation of polyethylene tubes containing endodontic reparative materials in 12-week-old Wistar rats' Protocol Exchange. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.pex-2482/v1

View all publications in research portal