Dr John Apps BM BCh PhD MSc MA (Cantab) RCPCH

Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences
Associate Clinical Professor in Paediatric Neuro-Oncology

Contact details

Email: j.r.apps@bham.ac.uk

Address: Department of Cancer and Genomic Sciences
Ground Floor, IBR West
College of Medicine and Health
University of Birmngham
Edgbaston
Birmingham B15 2TT

I am an Academic Paediatric Neuro-Oncologist working between the University of Birmingham and Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

I have an interest in Craniopharyngioma and rare brain tumours; Imaging, Data Integration and Artificial Intelligence and Clinical Trials.

Qualifications

Fellow Higher Education Academy, 2022
PhD, University College London, Molecular characterisation of childhood craniopharyngioma and identification and testing of novel drug targets, 2018
MSc Advanced Paediatrics, University College London, 2013
Member of Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, 2012
MA (Cantab) University of Cambridge 2010
BM BCh, University of Oxford 2008

Biography

Throughout my career I have combined research with clinical care. As an undergraduate in Cambridge I developed an interest in cancer biology, completing a BA in Cancer Biology and Immunology. After qualifying I entered the academic training programme in London completing an Academic Foundation Programme and Academic Clinical Fellowship before undertaking a PhD in the lab of Professor Juan Pedro Martinez-Barbera at UCL studying the biology of Craniopharyngioma. I moved to Birmingham in 2018 and undertook a Clinical Trials Fellowship and Academic Clinical Lectureship expanding my areas to other rare tumours, clinical trials, imaging and data integration, most recently working closely with Professor Andrew Peet.

Teaching

Lecturer on Paediatric Oncology MSc module
Personal Academic Tutor, Medical Students, Year 1-3
International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP-Europe) Brain Tumour Group, Young Investigator and Innovator, Chair 2022-
Regularly teach on local, national and international Neuro-Oncology courses/events.

Research

Craniopharyngioma and Rare Brain Tumours

Building on my experience in the lab of Prof JP Martinez-Barbera at UCL I work closely with national and international leaders in Craniopharyngioma biology to identify and translate new therapies, through molecular profiling, preclinical models and clinical trials. I also have an interest in other rare tumour types, particularly rare embryonal CNS tumours.

Data Integration, Imaging and Artificial Intelligence

Just as the management of brain tumours requires collaborative multidisciplinary management, so does research. This includes integration of diverse datasets, from molecular biology/bioinformatics to imaging, clinical data and quality of life. I work across a range of projects, including the CCLG Functional Imaging of Tumours Study, and the Tessa Jowell Brain Matrix Platform Study and have an interest in the development and application of Artificial Intelligence approaches to addressing relevant clinical challenges.

Clinical Trials

I work across a range of clinical trials in Paediatric Neuro-Oncology, including close working with the Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit.

Other activities

Associate Editor, Archives of Disease in Childhood, Education and Practice (Research in Practice section)
Member of Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group
Member of SIOP-Europe Brain Tumour Group
Member of VIVO Biobank Sample Access Committee.

Publications

First author primary research papers

Apps JR , Maycock S, Ellison DW, Jaspan T, Ritzmann TA, Macarthur D, Malluci C, Wheatley K, Veal GJ, Grundy RG, Picton S, Phase II Study of Intravenous Etoposide in Patients with Relapsed Ependymoma (CNS 2001 04), Neuro-Oncology Advances, 2022, 13;4(1):vdac053. doi: 10.1093/noajnl/vdac053.

Apps JR, Stache C, Gonzalez-Meljem JM, Gutteridge A, Chalker J, Jacques TS, Forshew T, Holsken A, Martinez-Barbera JP, CTNNB1 mutations are clonal in adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma, Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology, 2020, 46, 510-514

Apps JR, Hutchinson C, Learning from cases: Analysis of two cases of craniopharyngioma from the 19th to the 21st centuries, F1000 research, 2019, 8, 1544

Apps JR, Carreno G, Gonzalez-Meljem JM, Haston S, Guiho R, Cooper JE, Manshaei S, Jani N, Hölsken A, Pettorini B, Beynon RJ, Simpson DM, Fraser HC, Hong Y, Hallang S, Stone TJ, Virasami A, Donson AM, Jones D, Aquilina K, Spoudeas H, Joshi AR, Grundy R, Storer LCD, Korbonits M, Hilton DA, Tossell K, Thavaraj S, Ungless MA, Gil J, Buslei R, Hankinson T, Hargrave D, Goding C, Andoniadou CL Brogan P, Jacques T, Williams HJ, Martinez-Barbera JP, Tumour compartment transcriptomics demonstrates the activation of inflammatory and odontogenic programmes in human adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma and identifies the MAPK/ERK pathway as a novel therapeutic target, Acta Neuropathol. 2018 135(5):757-777

Vujanić GM*, Apps JR*, Moroz V, Ceroni F, Williams RD, Sebire NJ, Pritchard-Jones K, Nephrogenic rests in Wilms tumors treated with preoperative chemotherapy: The UK SIOP Wilms Tumor 2001 Trial experience., Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2017, Apr 6.

Cresswell G*, Apps JR*, Chagtai T, Mifsud B, Bentley CC, M Mascietto, SD Popov, M Weeks, OE Olsen, NJ Sebire, K Pritchard-Jones, NM Luscombe, RD Williams, W Mifsud, Intra-tumour genetic heterogeneity in Wilms’ tumour: clonal evolution and clinical implication. EBiomedicine, 2016, 9, 120-9

Apps JR*, Hutchinson JC*, Arthurs OJ, Virasami A, Joshi A, Zeller-Plumhoff B, Moulding D, Jacques TS, Sebire NJ, Martinez-Barbera JP, Imaging Invasion: Micro-CT imaging of adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma highlights cell type specific spatial relationships of tissue invasion, Acta Neuro Comms, 2016, 4, 57

Apps JR, Williams C, McGuinness A, Gabbie S, Sutcliffe AG, Stabbing and safeguarding in children and young people: a Pan-London service evaluation and audit, J R Soc Med Short Reports 2013, 5 (4) 1-7

Apps JR, Hasan F, Campus O, Behjati S, Jacques T, Sebire N, Anderson J, The immune environment of paediatric solid malignancies; evidence from an immunohistochemical study of clinical cases, Fetal and Pediatric Pathology, 2013, 32 (4) 298-307

NB: * indicates joint first authorship/equal contribution

Contributing author primary research papers

Pozzi S, Bowling S, Apps J, Brickman JM, Rodriguez TA, Martinez-Barbera JP. Genetic Deletion of Hesx1 Promotes Exit from the Pluripotent State and Impairs Developmental Diapause, Stem Cell Reports. 2019 Dec 10;13(6):970-979.

Carreno G, Boult JKR, Apps JR, Gonzalez-Meljem JM, Haston S, Guiho R, Stache C, Danielson LS, Koers A, Smith LS, Virasami A, Panousopoulos L, Buchfelder M, Jacques TS, Chesler L, Robinson S, Martinez-Barbera JP, SHH Pathway inhibition is protumorigenic in adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma, Endocr Related Cancer, 2019, Jan 1.

Xekouki P, Lodge EJ, Matschke J, Santambrogio A, Apps JR, Sharif A, Jacques TS, Aylwin S, Prevot V, Li R, Flitsch J, Bornstein SR, Theodoropoulou M, Andoniadou C., Non-secreting pituitary tumours characterised by enhanced expression of YAP/TAZ, Endocr Relat Cancer. 2018 Aug 23. pii: ERC-18-0330. doi: 10.1530/ERC-18-0330

Gonzalez-Meljem MJ, Haston S, Carreno G, Apps JR, Pozzi S, Stache C, Kaushal G, Virasami A, Panousopoulos L, Neda Mousavy-Gharavy S, Guerrero A, Rashid M, Jani N, Goding CR, Jacques TS, Adams DJ, Gil J, Andoniadou CL, Martinez-Barbera JP, Stem cell senescence drives age-attenuated induction of pituitary tumours in mouse models of paediatric craniopharyngioma, Nat Commun. 2017 Nov 28;8(1):1819. doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-01992-5.

Donson A, Apps, J, Griesinger AM, Amani V, Witt DA, Anderson RCE, Niazi TN, Grant G, Souweidane M, Johnston JM, Jackson EM, Kleinschmidt-DeMasters BK, Handler MH, Tan A, Gore L, Virasami A, Gonzalez-Meljem JM, Jacques TS, Martinez-Barbera JP, Foreman NK, Hankinson TC., Molecular Analyses Reveal Inflammatory Mediators in the Solid Component and Cyst Fluid of Human Adamantinomatous Craniopharyngioma, Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology, 2017 76(9): 779–788

Carreno G, Apps JR, Lodge EJ, Panousopoulos L, Haston S, Gonzalez-Meljem JM, Hahn H, Andoniadou CL, Martinez-Barbera JP, Hypothalamic sonic hedgehog is required for cell specification and proliferation of LHX3/LHX4 pituitary embryonic precursors, Development. 2017 Sep 15 ;144(18):3289-3302.

Haston S, Pozzi S, Carreno G, Manshei S, Panousopoulos L, Perez-Meljem JM, Apps JR, Virasami A, Thavaraj S, Gutteridge A, Forshew T, Marais R, Brandner S, Jacques T, Andoniadou C, Martinez-Barbera JP, MAPK pathway activation in the embryonic pituitary results in stem cell compartment expansion, differentiation defects and provides insights into the pathogenesis of papillary craniopharnygioma, Development. 2017 Jun 15;144(12):2141-2152.

Boult JK, Apps JR, Holsken A, Hutchinson JC, Carreno G, Danielson LD, Smith LM, Baeurerle T, Buslei R, Buchfelder M, Virasami A, Koers A, Arthurs O, Jacques TS, Chesler L, Martinez-Barbera JP, Robinson S, Preclinical transgenic and patient derived xenograft models recapitulate the radiological features of human adamantinomatous craniopharnygioma, Brain Pathology, Brain Pathol. 2017 May 8. doi: 10.1111/bpa.12525.

Poulogiannis G, McIntyre RE, Dimitriadi M, Apps JR, Wilson GH, Ichimura K, Luo F, Cantley LC, Wyllie AJ, Adams DJ, Arends MJ, PARK2 deletions occur frequently in sporadic colorectal cancer and accelerate adenoma development in APC mice, Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A2010, 107 (34) 15145-50

Case Reports

Apps, JR, Gagen R, Neumann E, Solanki G, English M, A thirteen year patient journey of infant giant clival chordoma: Case report and literature review, Child Nerv Syst.Accepted for publication Nov 2022.

Reviews

Apps JR, Muller HL, Hankinson TC, Yock TI, Martinez-Barbera JP, An Update on Craniopharyngioma, Endocrine Reviews, Accepted October 2022.

Gonzalez-Meljem MJ*, Apps JR*, Fraser H, Martinez-Barbera JP, Paracrine roles of cellular senescence in promoting tumourigenesis, British Journal of Cancer, 2018 May;118(10):1283-1288.

Apps JR, Martinez-Barbera JP, Genetically engineered mouse models of craniopharyngioma: an opportunity for therapy development and understanding of tumor biology, Brain Pathology, 2017,27(30) 364-369

Apps JR, Martinez-Barbera JP, Molecular pathology of adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma: review and opportunities for practice, Neurosurg Focus, 2016, 41(6), E4

Szychot E, Apps J, Pritchard-Jones K, Wilms tumour: biology, diagnosis and treatment, Transl Pediatr 2014, 3 (1) 12-24

Apps JR, Flint JD, Wacogne I, Archimedes: Does anti-reflux therapy improve symptoms with laryngomalacia, Archives of Disease in Childhood, 2012, 97:385-7

Tickner N, Apps JR, Keady S, Sutlcliffe AG, Pharmacy Update: Drugs used in the treatment of dystonia and spasticity in children, Archives of Diseases in Childhood, Education and Practice Edition, 2012, 97(6) 230-5

Apps JR, Beattie RM, Easily Missed? Cow’s Milk Allergy in Children, BMJ, 2009, 339 343-346

Other papers

Apps JR, Martinez-Barbera, JP, Editorial, A promising future for hypothalamic dysfunction in craniopharyngioma, Neuro-Oncol, 2022 Dec 27;noac284. doi: 10.1093/neuonc/noac284.

Apps JR, Research in practice: fitting it together, Archives of Disease in Childhood - Education and Practice, 2020, doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2019-318689

Brown CC, Apps JR, Davies G, Ware N, Fisher J, Winyard P, Making your way as an academic trainee Archives of Diseases in Childhood, Education and Practice Edition, 2014, 99 (1) 13-14

Apps J, Bossley C, Picket: Lansoprazole for children with poorly controlled asthma, Archives of Diseases in Childhood, Education and Practice Edition, 2013, 98(5) 199-200.

Brown CC, Apps J, Winyard PJ, Letter: The next generation of academic paediatricians, Lancet, 2013, 382 (9886) 28

Book chapters

JR Apps, JP Martinez-Barbera, Mouse Models of Craniopharyngioma, Book Title: Adult craniopharyngiomas – differences and lessons from paediatrics, Editors, Emmanuel Jouanneau, Gérald Raverot, Springer publishing. ISBN 978-3-030-41175-6 ISBN 978-3-030-41176-3 (eBook)

JR Apps, JP Martinez-Barbera, Pathophysiology and genetics in craniopharyngioma, Book Title: Pituitary Tumors: A Comprehensive and Interdisciplinary Approach. Editor, Juergen Honneger, Elsevier, ISBN 9780128199497, currently in proof stage

JR Apps, E Butrous, K Sugand, M Berry, Getting Ahead, Book Title: Oxford Handbook for Medical School, Editors Kapil Sugand, Miriam Berry, Imran Yusuf, Aisha Janjua, Chris Bird, Oxford University Press, 2019, ISBN: 978-0-190968190-7

JR Apps, AG Sutcliffe, Chapter: Paediatric Outcomes of Artificial Reproductive Technologies: Lessons from Research, I Book Title: In Vitro Fertilisation, Novapublishers, 2011, ISBN: 978-1-61209-961-3

T Turner-Stokes and JR Apps, Directly Observed Procedures (DOPS), Shakur R (Editor), Darzi A, Catto G, Book Title: The Essential Clinical Handbook for the Foundation Programme: A Comprehensive Guide for Foundation Doctors on How to Achieve Your Competencies. Developmedica, 2010, ISBN: 1906839093

View all publications in research portal