Martin Feelisch

Professor Martin Feelisch is a leading academic in Experimental Medicine & Integrative Biology at the University of Southampton, affiliated with the School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences within the Faculty of Medicine. His career spans roles at institutions including the University of Warwick, Boston University, and Louisiana State University. He holds a PhD in Pharmacology from Heinrich-Heine University (1988) and a Habilitation in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the University of Cologne (1997). His research focuses on redox biology, particularly the role of reactive species in health and disease. Key interests include nutrition/exercise-induced resilience, mitochondrial function, and the interplay between sunlight exposure and cardiovascular health. He leads projects on personalized redox phenotyping and oxidative stress in critical care settings, supported by grants from the Medical Research Council and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Notable collaborations include work on surfactant therapies for severe respiratory conditions and studies at Antarctic research stations modeling space analog environments. His lab integrates basic and translational research, with a focus on developing diagnostic tools and interventions targeting oxidosis/redosis syndromes. Professional affiliations include the Institute for Life Sciences and the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre.

Education:

• BSc/MSc (Pharmacy), Heinrich-Heine University, 1985
• PhD (summa cum laude), Pharmacology, 1988
• Habilitation (Pharmacology & Toxicology), University of Cologne, 1997

Research Themes: Redox signaling, mitochondrial dysfunction, environmental stressors, systems biology approaches to metabolic disorders. Recent work highlights include droplet microfluidics for redox biomarker detection and mRNA therapies for metabolic disorders. Over 200 peer-reviewed publications and multiple patents reflect his impact in translational redox medicine.

Grants & Projects: Active initiatives include the COVSurf trial (nebulized surfactant for severe COVID-19) and the MecROX study (oxygen therapy in ventilated patients). Past grants include MRC-funded work on persulfide biology and Wellcome Trust-supported studies on stem cell transplantation metabolic effects.

Labs & Teams: Deputy Director of the SCBR Mass Spectrometry Unit at Southampton General Hospital. Collaborates with multidisciplinary teams across cardiology, critical care, and systems biology.