Professor Fran Balkwill
Professor of Cancer Biology
My research is focused on the links between cancer and inflammation, being especially interested in translating knowledge of cancer biology into new biological treatments for cancer and in the role that inflammatory cytokines play in cancer promotion. We study the tumour microenvironment of ovarian cancer using a platform of human multi-cellular tissue culture models and mouse models to research biological therapies that may prevent relapse and increase patient survival.
Professor Kairbaan Hodivala-Dilke
Deputy Institute Director, Professor of the Tumour Microenvironment
Our research aims to improve the efficacy of standard of care immunotherapy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy in human solid cancers by understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying tumour stromal contributions to tumour growth and therapy efficacy.
Professor Hemant Kocher
Professor of Liver and Pancreas Surgery
My clinical research interests include tissue banking, clinical trials, innovative surgical techniques, epidemiology, meta-analysis and patient care pathways. My translational research interests include pancreatic cancer stroma and tumour-stroma cross-talk including cell signalling, adhesion, metastasis and invasion.
Dr Angus James Cameron
Reader in Cell Signalling and Tumour Biology; Director of Graduate Studies (BCI)
My research focuses on kinases regulating cancer cell growth and motility to understand how and when to target them with drugs. My group is currently examining the role of the PKN kinases in malignant progression.
Professor Francesca Ciccarelli
Professor of Cancer Genomics, Barts Cancer Institute Principal Group Leader, Cancer Systems Biology, The Francis Crick Institute
Our group investigates cancer evolution, with a focus on understanding how genetic changes influence disease progression, response to therapy and development of resistance. We particularly concentrate on gastrointestinal cancers such as colorectal, stomach and oesophageal cancer.
Dr Mirjana Efremova
Senior Lecturer
We are interested in understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms that promote cancer cell plasticity and adaptation of tumour cells in metastatic niches and under therapeutic pressure.
Dr Paolo Gallipoli
Clinical Reader in Experimental Haematology
My research interests focus on mechanisms of disease initiation and maintenance and the identification and validation of novel therapeutic targets in myeloid leukaemias.
Dr Miguel Ganuza
Senior Lecturer
Our goal is to identify mechanisms that support haematopoietic stem cell function and understand how the leukaemic stem cells “play” with these mechanisms to thrive.
Dr Luigi Ombrato
Senior Lecturer
My group studies how different populations of immune cells in the tumour microenvironment cross-talk in order to establish a tumour-supportive niche in metastasis. This research aims to identify more effective therapeutic targets in metastatic cancers.
Dr Oliver M. Pearce
Reader in Tumour Extracellular Matrix
The focus of our research is the tumour microenvironment and we are particularly interested in understanding the composition and function of the tumour extracellular matrix in immunosuppression. Cancer types we focus on include ovarian and breast cancers.
Dr Barrie Peck
Senior Lecturer
My lab aims to understand the alterations in metabolism that take place in cancer and investigate whether extrinsic factors, such as diet, influence cancer metabolism and disease trajectory. We then want to uncover whether these dependencies can be exploited therapeutically.
Professor Victoria Sanz-Moreno
Honorary Professor of Cancer Cell Biology
Our research focuses on how the cytoskeleton of cancer cells regulates transcriptional rewiring during tumour growth and dissemination. We aim to understand how such rewiring affects the tumour microenvironment.
Dr Jonathan Burden
My research investigates how centrosome amplification in breast cancer impacts angiogenesis and the tumour microenvironment, and how this can be targeted as a potential cancer therapy.
Dr Maria Fankhaenel
My research focuses on understanding how centrosome amplification impacts tumour angiogenesis and how this can be targeted to develop new cancer therapies.
Dr Lou Salome Herman
My current research focuses on investigating B and T cell population differences in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) mouse models before and after Bruton Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) inhibitor treatments.
Dr Joash Joy
My research focuses on building human tumour models within microfluidic chips that recapitulate features of the tumour microenvironment, such as blood vessels.
Dr Oscar Maiques
Our research focuses on the principles of spatial biology, integrating digital pathology, multi-omic data, and various imaging modalities to explore tissue architecture and the tumour microenvironment.
Dr Beatrice Malacrida
My research focuses on designing 3D in vitro models to understand the contribution of the tumour microenvironment during HGSOC progression.
Dr Emma Taggart
My research aims to investigate the immune microenvironment in colorectal cancer, and particularly how it influences response to immunotherapy. To explore this, I am developing co-culture models using patient-derived colorectal cancer tissue and primary human immune cells including T cells and macrophages.
Dr Elly Tyler
My research investigates a specific composition of extracellular matrix molecules which may explain the difference between responders and non-responders to immunotherapy.