![Meike Heurich-Sevcenco](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/10360?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Dr Meike Heurich-Sevcenco
(she/her)
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Teams and roles for Meike Heurich-Sevcenco
Senior Lecturer
Overview
Dr Meike Heurich‑Sevcenco is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Cardiff University.
Her research focuses on molecular immunology and how proteins of the blood-borne immune-complement and the coagulation system interact at the molecular and cellular level and how their dysregulation contributes to disease. A major emphasis of her work in immunopsychiatry is understanding immune changes in psychosis and schizophrenia, with the aim of identifying blood‑based biomarkers, and new therapeutic targets.
Through detailed profiling of protein levels, their activation products, and pathway dynamics in human plasma, her group addresses clinically relevant questions around biomarkers for disease stratification, prediction of treatment response, and drug target validation.
Meike works closely with the Bassetto group (Dr Marcella Bassetto - People - Cardiff University)
Our research team:
Dr Ruth Lewis - People - Cardiff University
Publication
2026
- Howes, O. D. , Arumuham, A. and Heurich-Sevcenco, M. 2026. Targets for disease modification in schizophrenia: New findings add to evidence for the involvement of the immune complement system [Commentray]. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 123 (27) e2613745123. (10.1073/pnas.2613745123)
2024
- Heurich, M. , Föcking, M. and Cotter, D. 2024. Complement C4, C4A and C4a – what they do and how they differ. Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health 39 100809. (10.1016/j.bbih.2024.100809)
- Byrne, J. F. et al., 2024. Plasma complement and coagulation proteins as prognostic factors of negative symptoms: An analysis of the NAPLS 2 and 3 studies. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 119 , pp.188-196. (10.1016/j.bbi.2024.03.049)
- Kodosaki, E. et al., 2024. Sample processing time but not storage time affects complement activation markers C4a, C4d, C3a, C3d, Bb, C5a, and sC5b-9 levels in EDTA-plasma of individuals at clinical high-risk for psychosis. Biomarkers in Neuropsychiatry 10 100097. (10.1016/j.bionps.2024.100097)
- Byrne, J. F. et al., 2024. Proteomic biomarkers for the prediction of transition to psychosis in individuals at clinical high risk: A multi-cohort model development study. Schizophrenia Bulletin 50 (3), pp.579-588. (10.1093/schbul/sbad184)
- Healy, C. et al., 2024. Differential expression of haptoglobin in individuals at clinical high risk of psychosis and its association with global functioning and clinical symptoms. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 117 , pp.175-180. (10.1016/j.bbi.2023.12.018)
2023
- Heurich, M. and McCluskey, G. 2023. Complement and coagulation crosstalk - Factor H in the spotlight. Immunobiology 228 (6) 152707. (10.1016/j.imbio.2023.152707)
- Cropley, V. et al., 2023. Complement proteins are elevated in blood serum but not CSF in clinical high-risk and antipsychotic-naïve first-episode psychosis. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 113 , pp.136-144. (10.1016/j.bbi.2023.07.004)
- Susai, S. R. et al., 2023. Association of complement and coagulation pathway proteins with treatment response in first-episode psychosis: a longitudinal analysis of the OPTiMiSE clinical trial. Schizophrenia Bulletin: The Journal of Psychoses and Related Disorders 49 (4), pp.893-902. (10.1093/schbul/sbac201)
2022
- Susai, S. R. et al., 2022. Evidence that complement and coagulation proteins are mediating the clinical response to omega-3 fatty acids: A mass spectrometry-based investigation in subjects at clinical high-risk for psychosis. Translational Psychiatry 12 454. (10.1038/s41398-022-02217-0)
- Heurich, M. et al. 2022. Dysregulation of complement and coagulation pathways: emerging mechanisms in the development of psychosis. Molecular Psychiatry 27 , pp.127-140. (10.1038/s41380-021-01197-9)
2021
- Baker, A. T. et al., 2021. ChAdOx1 interacts with CAR and PF4 with implications for thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome. Science Advances 7 (49) eabl8213. (10.1126/sciadv.abl8213)
- Pathare, N. et al. 2021. Plasma IgM levels differentiate between survivors and non-survivors of culture-positive and culture-negative sepsis and SIRS: a pilot study. Journal of Clinical Medicine 10 (22) 5391. (10.3390/jcm10225391)
- Howes, O. , Cummings, C. and Heurich, M. 2021. Translation from genes to mechanism in schizophrenia: are immune-synaptic interactions the missing link?. Biological Psychiatry 90 (9), pp.593-595. (10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.08.014)
- Flude, B. M. et al., 2021. Targeting the complement serine protease MASP-2 as a therapeutic strategy for coronavirus infections. Viruses 13 (2) 312. (10.3390/v13020312)
- Mongan, D. et al., 2021. Development of proteomic prediction models for transition to psychotic disorder in the clinical high-risk state and psychotic experiences in adolescence. JAMA Psychiatry 78 (1), pp.77-90. (10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.2459)
2019
- Madrid-Gambin, F. et al., 2019. Integrated lipidomics and proteomics point to early blood-based changes in childhood preceding later development of psychotic experiences: evidence from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Biological Psychiatry 86 (1), pp.25-34. (10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.01.018)
- Föcking, M. et al., 2019. Complement pathway changes at age 12 are associated with psychotic experiences at age 18 in a longitudinal population-based study: evidence for a role of stress. Molecular Psychiatry 26 , pp.524-533. (10.1038/s41380-018-0306-z)
2016
- Heurich-Sevcenco, M. et al. 2016. Thrombomodulin enhances complement regulation through strong affinity interactions with factor H and C3b-Factor H complex. Thrombosis Research 145 , pp.84-92. (10.1016/j.thromres.2016.07.017)
2015
- Martínez-Barricarte, R. et al., 2015. The molecular and structural bases for the association of complement C3 mutations with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome. Molecular Immunology 66 (2), pp.263-273. (10.1016/j.molimm.2015.03.248)
- Szakmany, T. and Heurich-Sevcenco, M. 2015. Immunomodulation in sepsis - why blunting the response doesn't work?. Journal of Infection 71 (2), pp.147-149. (10.1016/j.jinf.2015.04.019)
2014
- Ruseva, M. and Heurich-Sevcenco, M. 2014. Purification and characterization of human and mouse complement C3. In: Gadjeva, M. ed. The Complement System: Methods and Protocols. Vol. 1100, Methods in Molecular Biology Humana Press. , pp.75-91. (10.1007/978-1-62703-724-2_6)
2013
- Heurich, M. , Altintas, Z. and Tothill, I. 2013. Computational Design of Peptide Ligands for Ochratoxin A. Toxins 5 (6), pp.1202-1218. (10.3390/toxins5061202)
2012
- Harris, C. L. et al. 2012. The complotype: dictating risk for inflammation and infection. Trends in Immunology 33 (10), pp.513-521. (10.1016/j.it.2012.06.001)
2011
- Heurich, M. et al. 2011. Common polymorphisms in C3, factor B, and factor H collaborate to determine systemic complement activity and disease risk. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 108 (21), pp.8761-8766. (10.1073/pnas.1019338108)
2010
- Martínez-Barricarte, R. et al., 2010. Human C3 mutation reveals a mechanism of dense deposit disease pathogenesis and provides insights into complement activation and regulation. Journal of Clinical Investigation 120 (10), pp.3702-3712. (10.1172/JCI43343)
Articles
- Howes, O. D. , Arumuham, A. and Heurich-Sevcenco, M. 2026. Targets for disease modification in schizophrenia: New findings add to evidence for the involvement of the immune complement system [Commentray]. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 123 (27) e2613745123. (10.1073/pnas.2613745123)
- Heurich, M. , Föcking, M. and Cotter, D. 2024. Complement C4, C4A and C4a – what they do and how they differ. Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health 39 100809. (10.1016/j.bbih.2024.100809)
- Byrne, J. F. et al., 2024. Plasma complement and coagulation proteins as prognostic factors of negative symptoms: An analysis of the NAPLS 2 and 3 studies. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 119 , pp.188-196. (10.1016/j.bbi.2024.03.049)
- Kodosaki, E. et al., 2024. Sample processing time but not storage time affects complement activation markers C4a, C4d, C3a, C3d, Bb, C5a, and sC5b-9 levels in EDTA-plasma of individuals at clinical high-risk for psychosis. Biomarkers in Neuropsychiatry 10 100097. (10.1016/j.bionps.2024.100097)
- Byrne, J. F. et al., 2024. Proteomic biomarkers for the prediction of transition to psychosis in individuals at clinical high risk: A multi-cohort model development study. Schizophrenia Bulletin 50 (3), pp.579-588. (10.1093/schbul/sbad184)
- Healy, C. et al., 2024. Differential expression of haptoglobin in individuals at clinical high risk of psychosis and its association with global functioning and clinical symptoms. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 117 , pp.175-180. (10.1016/j.bbi.2023.12.018)
- Heurich, M. and McCluskey, G. 2023. Complement and coagulation crosstalk - Factor H in the spotlight. Immunobiology 228 (6) 152707. (10.1016/j.imbio.2023.152707)
- Cropley, V. et al., 2023. Complement proteins are elevated in blood serum but not CSF in clinical high-risk and antipsychotic-naïve first-episode psychosis. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 113 , pp.136-144. (10.1016/j.bbi.2023.07.004)
- Susai, S. R. et al., 2023. Association of complement and coagulation pathway proteins with treatment response in first-episode psychosis: a longitudinal analysis of the OPTiMiSE clinical trial. Schizophrenia Bulletin: The Journal of Psychoses and Related Disorders 49 (4), pp.893-902. (10.1093/schbul/sbac201)
- Susai, S. R. et al., 2022. Evidence that complement and coagulation proteins are mediating the clinical response to omega-3 fatty acids: A mass spectrometry-based investigation in subjects at clinical high-risk for psychosis. Translational Psychiatry 12 454. (10.1038/s41398-022-02217-0)
- Heurich, M. et al. 2022. Dysregulation of complement and coagulation pathways: emerging mechanisms in the development of psychosis. Molecular Psychiatry 27 , pp.127-140. (10.1038/s41380-021-01197-9)
- Baker, A. T. et al., 2021. ChAdOx1 interacts with CAR and PF4 with implications for thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome. Science Advances 7 (49) eabl8213. (10.1126/sciadv.abl8213)
- Pathare, N. et al. 2021. Plasma IgM levels differentiate between survivors and non-survivors of culture-positive and culture-negative sepsis and SIRS: a pilot study. Journal of Clinical Medicine 10 (22) 5391. (10.3390/jcm10225391)
- Howes, O. , Cummings, C. and Heurich, M. 2021. Translation from genes to mechanism in schizophrenia: are immune-synaptic interactions the missing link?. Biological Psychiatry 90 (9), pp.593-595. (10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.08.014)
- Flude, B. M. et al., 2021. Targeting the complement serine protease MASP-2 as a therapeutic strategy for coronavirus infections. Viruses 13 (2) 312. (10.3390/v13020312)
- Mongan, D. et al., 2021. Development of proteomic prediction models for transition to psychotic disorder in the clinical high-risk state and psychotic experiences in adolescence. JAMA Psychiatry 78 (1), pp.77-90. (10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.2459)
- Madrid-Gambin, F. et al., 2019. Integrated lipidomics and proteomics point to early blood-based changes in childhood preceding later development of psychotic experiences: evidence from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Biological Psychiatry 86 (1), pp.25-34. (10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.01.018)
- Föcking, M. et al., 2019. Complement pathway changes at age 12 are associated with psychotic experiences at age 18 in a longitudinal population-based study: evidence for a role of stress. Molecular Psychiatry 26 , pp.524-533. (10.1038/s41380-018-0306-z)
- Heurich-Sevcenco, M. et al. 2016. Thrombomodulin enhances complement regulation through strong affinity interactions with factor H and C3b-Factor H complex. Thrombosis Research 145 , pp.84-92. (10.1016/j.thromres.2016.07.017)
- Martínez-Barricarte, R. et al., 2015. The molecular and structural bases for the association of complement C3 mutations with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome. Molecular Immunology 66 (2), pp.263-273. (10.1016/j.molimm.2015.03.248)
- Szakmany, T. and Heurich-Sevcenco, M. 2015. Immunomodulation in sepsis - why blunting the response doesn't work?. Journal of Infection 71 (2), pp.147-149. (10.1016/j.jinf.2015.04.019)
- Heurich, M. , Altintas, Z. and Tothill, I. 2013. Computational Design of Peptide Ligands for Ochratoxin A. Toxins 5 (6), pp.1202-1218. (10.3390/toxins5061202)
- Harris, C. L. et al. 2012. The complotype: dictating risk for inflammation and infection. Trends in Immunology 33 (10), pp.513-521. (10.1016/j.it.2012.06.001)
- Heurich, M. et al. 2011. Common polymorphisms in C3, factor B, and factor H collaborate to determine systemic complement activity and disease risk. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 108 (21), pp.8761-8766. (10.1073/pnas.1019338108)
- Martínez-Barricarte, R. et al., 2010. Human C3 mutation reveals a mechanism of dense deposit disease pathogenesis and provides insights into complement activation and regulation. Journal of Clinical Investigation 120 (10), pp.3702-3712. (10.1172/JCI43343)
Book sections
- Ruseva, M. and Heurich-Sevcenco, M. 2014. Purification and characterization of human and mouse complement C3. In: Gadjeva, M. ed. The Complement System: Methods and Protocols. Vol. 1100, Methods in Molecular Biology Humana Press. , pp.75-91. (10.1007/978-1-62703-724-2_6)
Research
Dr Meike Heurich‑Sevcenco is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Cardiff University. She leads Research in Molecular Immunology and Immunopsychiatry.
Immunopsychiatry is an interdisciplinary field investigating the interactions between the immune system and psychiatric disorders. It explores how immune dysregulation and inflammation can influence brain function and contribute to pathogenesis, symptoms, and progression of mental illnesses.
Core research areas include:
Immune-Complement System and Psychosis: She investigates how blood proteins involved in innate immunity interact with the coagulation system and contribute to psychotic disorders.
Neuroinflammatory Processes: Identifying aberrant activation of immune components or cells in the periphery and the brain that affect synaptic plasticity.
Biomarker Development: Identifying peripheral inflammatory markers (e.g. markers of complement activation) to stratify patients and personalize treatment strategies.
Mechanistic Research: Employing molecular and cellular techniques to validate immune proteins as therapeutic targets in schizophrenia.
Neuropsychiatric Therapeutics: Exploring how immunomodulation can influence synaptic plasticity and potentially augment standard psychiatric treatment, particularly in subgroups with elevated inflammatory profiles.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Working with psychiatry, neurobiology, and medicinal chemistry teams to translate immune-focused research into potential clinical interventions.
Our research is funded by:
2026-2028 Wellcome Trust
2023-2024 BMA Foundation Margaret Temple grant
2021-2023 Wellcome Trust
Technical expertise:
- Protein biochemistry (expression, purification, characterisation)
- Complement biology and immune signalling
- Molecular immunology techniques
- Immunoassays (ELISA, Western blotting)
- Cell culture and in vitro disease models
- Protein–protein interaction analysis (e.g. Biacore)
- Translational and experimental therapeutics approaches
Please email [email protected] for more information.
Our News
Currently advertising for a PhD position (Closing date: Wednesday 21st October 2026)
Towards Precision Psychiatry: Early Detection and Intervention in Schizophrenia - GW4 BioMed MRC DTP
Teaching
I provide strategic and sustained leadership in teaching across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in pharmacy and biomedical sciences, delivering research‑led education across cell biology, immunology, clinical disease, and research methods.
On the MPharm programme I contribute to all stages of the programme. I am Module Leader for the Structure and Function of Cells module and contribute teaching on how cellular organisation underpins health and disease. I am Unit Lead for Basic Immunology within teaching on the human body system module, introducing students to innate and adaptive immune responses and their physiological relevance. I also lead the Clinical Immunology Unit, integrating immune mechanisms with the pathogenesis and treatment of disease, and lecture in rheumatology, focusing on disease management and therapeutic approaches.
I supervise final‑year MPharm research projects, supporting students through project conception, experimental design, data analysis, and report writing. This supervision develops students’ independence, critical thinking, and research literacy, and prepares them for professional practice or postgraduate study.
At postgraduate level, I contribute to the MSc in Cancer Biology, delivering practical teaching in research methods. This teaching focuses on experimental rigor, data interpretation, and transferable laboratory skills.
I am actively involved in assessment design, marking, and feedback, ensuring assessments are aligned with learning outcomes and promote learning.
My teaching is closely informed by my research expertise in immunology, inflammation, and immune disease, ensuring students engage with contemporary and translational biomedical science.
Biography
Dr Meike Heurich‑Sevcenco is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Cardiff University. She leads research in molecular immunology and immunopsychiatry, building on extensive expertise in complement biology and immune signalling in health and disease. After completing a PhD in Biochemical and Biophysical Research, she held a series of research and fellowship positions at Cardiff, including a Career Development Research Fellowship. She was appointed Lecturer in 2017 and promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2022. Alongside her research, she contributes to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and research supervision.
Academic Appointments
Senior Lecturer (Teaching & Research)
Research in Molecular Immunology and Immunopsychiatry
College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Cardiff University, UK
08/2022 – present
Lecturer (Teaching & Research)
College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Cardiff University, UK
01/2017 – 07/2022
Senior Postdoctoral Researcher
Research in Molecular Immunology and Virology
College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, School of Medicine,
Institute of Infection & Immunity,
Cardiff University, UK
06/2016 – 12/2016
Career Development Research Fellow
Research in Molecular Immunology and Haemostasis
College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, School of Medicine,
Institute of Infection & Immunity,
Cardiff University, UK
03/2012 – 06/2016
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Research in Complement Biology
Institute of Psychological Medicine & Clinical Neurosciences and
Institute of Infection & Immunity, School of Medicine,
Cardiff University, UK
09/2011 – 02/2012
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Research in Complement Biology
Department of Infection, Immunity & Biochemistry, School of Medicine,
Cardiff University, UK
09/2008 – 08/2011
Research Assistant
Research in Complement Biology
Department of Medical Biochemistry, School of Medicine,
Cardiff University, UK
04/2007 – 07/2008
Education
PhD in Biochemical and Biophysical Research
Cranfield Biotechnology Centre, Cranfield University, UK
04/2004 – 04/2008
Degree in Biochemistry
University of Potsdam, Germany
10/1997 – 09/2003
News articles
Contact Details
+44 29208 76657
Redwood Building, Room 2.57B, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3NB
