Molecular Oncology, Pathology and Genetics
We are investigating the mechanisms by which cancer mutations deregulate the normal processes of cellular function and growth. We use genome-wide profiling to screen different classes of cancer, such as colorectal cancer, for potential mutations and biomarkers. We study how cancer evolves, and are developing better molecular and cellular cancer models for designing and testing new therapies.
For example, Professor Andrew Beggs’ research is looking at devising organoid models to offer personalised medicine treatments for colorectal cancer patients, and Professor Richard Bryan is developing a 23-gene panel for a non-invasive diagnosis for bladder cancer.
Theme Co-Leads
Professor Andrew Beggs
Professor in Surgery & Cancer Genetics
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Professor Mathew Coleman
Professor in Tumour Cell Biology
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Research groups
Spotlight on COVID-19 and Cancer Patient
Cancer Cell 38:306-307 (2020). Lee LYW, T Hill, O Topping, M Tilby, M Baker, J Greig, . . . UKBCCC- Project. Utility of COVID-19 Screening in Cancer Patients.
Cancer patients are at increased risk from COVID-19. In this study led by Lennard Lee COVID-19 tests were performed in 1,226 patients as part of the UK Birmingham Chemotherapy Cancer COVID-19 cohort. Uptake of screening was 98.2%, with an asymptomatic infection prevalence of 0.6%. This study concluded that where the incidence of asymptomatic infection is low and patients can be identified early, screening gives clinicians the confidence to safely deliver effective cancer care in the era of COVID-19.
Selected Highlights from this Research Theme
Lancet 395:1268-1277 (2020). Birtle A, M Johnson, J Chester, R Jones, D Dolling, RT Bryan, . . . E Hall. Adjuvant chemotherapy in upper tract urothelial carcinoma (the POUT trial): a phase 3, open-label, randomised controlled trial.
Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol) (2020). Best J, T Starkey, A Chatterjee, D Fackrell, L Pettit, N Srihari, . . . JB Cazier, LYW Lee. Coronavirus Disease 2019: the Pivotal Role of UK Clinical Oncology and the UK Coronavirus Cancer Monitoring Project.
J Clin Virol 128:104469 (2020). Bosworth A, C Whalley, C Poxon, K Wanigasooriya, O Pickles, EL Aldera, . . . AD Beggs. Rapid implementation and validation of a cold-chain free SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic testing workflow to support surge capacity.
Autophagy 16:195-202 (2020). Dong Y, Y Hu, S Sarkar, WX Zong, M Li, D Feng, . . . JH Lu. Autophagy modulator scoring system: a user-friendly tool for quantitative analysis of methodological integrity of chemical autophagy modulator studies.
Lancet Oncol 21:1309-1316 (2020). Lee LYW, JB Cazier, T Starkey, SEW Briggs, R Arnold, V Bisht, . . . UKCCMP Team. COVID-19 prevalence and mortality in patients with cancer and the effect of primary tumour subtype and patient demographics: a prospective cohort study.
J Mol Biol 432:2754-2798 (2020). Seranova E, AM Palhegyi, S Verma, S Dimova, R Lasry, M Naama, . . . S Sarkar. Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Models of Neurodegenerative Disorders for Studying the Biomedical Implications of Autophagy.
Cancer Cell 38:306-307 (2020). Lee LYW, T Hill, O Topping, M Tilby, M Baker, J Greig, . . . UKBCCC- Project. Utility of COVID-19 Screening in Cancer Patients.
Autophagy:1-20 (2020). Sharma V, M Makhdoomi, L Singh, P Kumar, N Khan, S Singh, . . . S Sarkar, D Kumar. Trehalose limits opportunistic mycobacterial survival during HIV co-infection by reversing HIV-mediated autophagy block.
J Mol Biol 432:2735-2753 (2020). Zatyka M, S Sarkar and T Barrett. Autophagy in Rare (NonLysosomal) Neurodegenerative Diseases.
Sci Rep 9:15592 (2019). Connolly KJ, MB O'Hare, A Mohammed, KM Aitchison, NC Anthoney, MJ Taylor, . . . RI Tuxworth, G Tear. The neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis protein Cln7 functions in the postsynaptic cell to regulate synapse development.
N Engl J Med 381:637-646 (2019). Tamborlane WV, M Barrientos-Perez, U Fainberg, H Frimer-Larsen, M Hafez, PM Hale, . . . T Barrett, Ellipse Trial. Liraglutide in Children and Adolescents with Type 2 Diabetes.
Cancer Cell 30:578-594 (2016). Bardella C, O Al-Dalahmah, D Krell, P Brazauskas, K Al-Qahtani, M Tomkova, . . . I Tomlinson. Expression of Idh1(R132H) in the Murine Subventricular Zone Stem Cell Niche Recapitulates Features of Early Gliomagenesis.
Mol Cell 53:645-654 (2014). Feng T, A Yamamoto, SE Wilkins, E Sokolova, LA Yates, M Munzel, . . . ML Coleman. Optimal translational termination requires C4 lysyl hydroxylation of eRF1.
Oncogene 32:5333-5337 (2013). Beggs AD, E Domingo, M Abulafi, SV Hodgson and IP Tomlinson. A study of genomic instability in early preneoplastic colonic lesions.
Nat Genet 45:136-144 (2013). Palles C, JB Cazier, KM Howarth, E Domingo, AM Jones, P Broderick, . . . I Tomlinson. Germline mutations affecting the proofreading domains of POLE and POLD1 predispose to colorectal adenomas and carcinomas.
Cell Rep 5:1302-1315 (2013). Sarkar S, B Carroll, Y Buganim, D Maetzel, AH Ng, JP Cassady, . . . R Jaenisch. Impaired autophagy in the lipid-storage disorder Niemann-Pick type C1 disease.