Dr John Riches
Group Leader
Clinical Reader in Cancer Immuno-metabolism
Overview
My major research interest is investigating the alterations in metabolism that accompany B-cell activation and how this is reflected in the metabolism of low- and high-grade lymphomas including chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma, diffuse large B cell lymphoma and Burkitt lymphoma. Our aim is that an enhanced understanding of the metabolism of normal and malignant B cells will underpin the development of the next generation of anti-metabolic drugs for these diseases. In addition, I co-lead the Cancer Prevention, Screening and Clinical Trials module for our MSc Programmes.
Team
Hissa Al-Thani
PhD Student
Dr Harshita Goradia
Clinical Research Fellow
Dr Eduardo Pernaut-Leza
Postdoctoral Researcher
Dr Hanna Renshaw
Clinical Research Fellow
Dr Jinxia Zheng
Postdoctoral Researcher
Research
My major research interest is investigating the alterations in metabolism that accompany normal B-cell activation in germinal centres and how this is reflected in the metabolism of low- and high grade lymphomas including chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma, diffuse large B cell lymphoma and Burkitt lymphoma. We use a variety of proteomic and metabolomic techniques to study these questions in primary patient samples, B-cell lines and murine conditional knockout and transgenic lymphoma models. We are particularly interested in the impact of genetic aberrations of MYC and p53 on the metabolism of lymphoma cells and how this relates to high grade transformation of CLL (Richter syndrome). Our overall aim is that an enhanced understanding of the metabolism of normal and malignant B cells will underpin the development of the next generation of anti-metabolic drugs for these cancers and may also be of benefit in the treatment of non-malignant autoimmune conditions. We are also research how dietary modification could be used a treatment for lymphoma, with a specific focus on diets high and low in specific proteins and amino acids. In addition I am involved in teaching undergraduate and MSc students and co-lead the Cancer Prevention, Screening and Clinical Trials module for our MSc Programmes.
I combine my laboratory and translational research programme with clinical practice with the Cancer Centre at Barts Health, with specific emphasis on the treatment of lymphoid malignancies including CLL and lymphoma. In addition to my research in metabolism, I have a particular interest in the role of targeted therapies, immunotherapy (including bispecific antibodies and CAR T cells) and bone marrow transplantation in the treatment of these diseases. I am member of the European School of Hematology Scientific Committee, UK CLL Forum, UK CLL Study Group, and UK Lymphoma Science Subgroup and am Associate Editor-in-Chief for Oncotargets and Therapy.
External collaborators
Karen Vousden, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
Dinis Calado, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
James MacRae, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
Louisa James, The Blizzard Institute, QMUL, London, UK
Piers Patten, Kings College London, London, UK
Mark Fabian, University of Southampton, UK
Thomas Kipps, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, USA
Laura Rassenti, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, USA
Key Publications
2025 British Society for Haematology Guideline for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. British Journal of Haematology. 2025 Dec;207(6):2296-2313. PMID: 41069109
Analysis of volatile organic compounds in exhaled breath of blood cancer patients identifies products of lipid peroxidation as biomarkers for lymphoma detection. HemaSphere (2025) Jul 18;9(7):e70168. PMID: 40687178
PHGDH is required for germinal center formation and is a therapeutic target in MYC-driven lymphoma. The Journal of Clinical Investigation (2022) 2;132(9):e153436. PMID: 35316216
B-cell Receptor Signaling Induced Metabolic Alterations in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Can Be Partially Bypassed by TP53 Abnormalities. HemaSphere (2022) 6(6):e722. PMID: 35747847
Trisomy 12 Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia cells exhibit up-regulation of integrin signaling that is modulated by NOTCH1 mutations. Blood (2014) 123(26):4101-10. PMID: 24829201
T cells from CLL patients exhibit features of T-cell exhaustion but retain capacity for cytokine production. Blood (2013) 121(9):1612-21. PMID: 23247726
See recent publicationsMajor Funding
- 2025-2029 – Blood Cancer UK Project Grant, £299,294
- 2024-2028 – Qatar University PhD Studentship to Hissa Al-Thani, £195,400
- 2024-2027 – Medical College of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital Trust Fellowship to Hanna Renshaw, £327,888
- 2023-2026 – Blood Cancer UK Project Grant, £279,459
- 2022-2025 – The Francis Crick Institute CRF Programme to Oscar Atkins, £239,076
- 2021-2025 – Barts Charity Project Grant, £266,437
Other Activities
- 2026 – present: Member of the European School of Hematology Scientific Committee
- 2023 – present: Associate Editor-in-Chief Oncotargets and Therapy
- 2022 – present: Member of UK CLL Study Group
- 2020 – present: Member of UK Lymphoma Science Subgroup
- 2019 – present: Member of UK CLL Forum Executive Committee
- 2019 – present: Member of Pan-London Haemato-oncology guidelines writing group
- 2015 – present: Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists
- 2012 – present: Member of European Hematology Association
Biography
I undertook my undergraduate degree in medical sciences at the University of Cambridge before qualifying from Oxford University Medical School in 2003. I subsequently trained in haematology on the Imperial College training rotation based at Hammersmith hospital.
I developed my research interest during my CRUK Clinical Research Fellowship with Professor Gribben at Barts Cancer Institute where I studied the defects underlying impaired T-cell immunity in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) focusing on the impact of lenalidomide, being awarded a PhD in 2013. I stayed in this laboratory for a period of post-doctoral work investigating the expression and function of integrins on CLL cells. I was awarded the Hamblin prize by the UK CLL forum in 2015 for my work documenting the particular differences associated with the presence of trisomy 12.
In 2016, I joined the Centre for Haemato-Oncology in the Barts Cancer Institute as a Clinical Senior Lecturer funded initially by a prestigious Wellcome Trust Intermediate Clinical Fellowship. From 2016-2021 I worked on secondment at the Francis Crick Institute to investigate the metabolism of normal and malignant B cells in collaboration with Professors Karen Vousden and Dinis Calado.
2018: Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
2015: Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists (FRCPath)
2013: PhD, Queen Mary University of London
2006: Membership of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP)
2003: MB BCh, University of Oxford
2000: MA Medical Sciences, University of Cambridge
Related News
Could a breath test detect blood cancer?
Molecules exhaled in the breath may provide clues to detect blood cancer, according to new research by scientists at Barts Cancer Institute. The findings could enable the development of a blood cancer breathalyser, providing a rapid, low-cost way to detect disease.
General News 23 July 2025
Investigating new treatment targets for lymphoma, and beyond
We spoke with Dr John Riches, Clinical Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Haemato-Oncology at Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, about his team’s recent publication, which describes a new potential treatment target for a subset of lymphomas.
Interviews 5 May 2022
Combining medicine with blood cancer research
This Blood Cancer Awareness Month, we spoke with Dr John Riches, Clinical Senior Lecturer at Barts Cancer Institute (BCI), Queen Mary University of London. Dr Riches is a clinician scientist who splits his time between BCI where he leads a group researching blood cancer in our Centre for Haemato-Oncology and directs the MSc Cancer & Clinical Oncology Programme, and St Bartholemew’s Hospital where he treats blood cancer patients.
General News 3 September 2021
BCI scientist visits politicians in Westminster
Dr John Riches from our Centre for Haemato-Oncology swapped a lab coat for legislation when he visited Zoë Grunewald (Second Clerk - Commons Science and Technology Committee) at the House of Commons for a week in Westminster. The week (26-30th November 2018) was part of a unique pairing scheme run by the Royal Society.
General News 20 February 2019