Professor Kairbaan Hodivala-Dilke
Deputy Institute Director | Centre Lead: Tumour Microenvironment
Overview
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. In particular, we are interested in the regulatory role of cross talk of blood vessel wall cells in cancer control, using a combination of cell type-specific knock-out and knock-in systems in state-of-the-art mouse models of cancer and analysis of the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind these observations. Based on our research we have patented approaches targeting blood vessels that we will aim to translate to cancer patient benefit. New projects are exploring the tumour microenvironment and relevance to ethnicity.
Team
Dr Vimala Anthonydhason
Bioinformatician
Dr Madeleine Benguigui
Postdoctoral Researcher
Dr Elien Heylen
Postdoctoral Researcher
Julie Holdsworth
Technician
Alex Jordan
PhD Student
Dr Gabriela D’Amico Lago
Staff Scientist
Dr Ana Rita Pedrosa
Postdoctoral Researcher
Kaylee O’Brien Perry
Technician
Dr Jozafina Haj Shomaly
Postdoctoral Researcher
Bruce Williams
Animal Technician
Research
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. In particular we are interested in the regulatory role of cross talk of blood vessel wall cells in cancer control, using a combination of cell type-specific knockout and knockin systems in state of the art mouse models of cancer and analysis of the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind these observations. Based on our research we have patented approaches targeting blood vessels that we will aim to translate to cancer patient benefit.
Our research has historically focused on the role of adhesion related molecules including various integrins and downstream signalling molecules in angiogenic processes. Our seminal finding that αvβ3-integrin, rather than promoting neovascularisation, actually acts as a negative regulator of pathological angiogenesis was a major conceptual advance.
These studies also guided us to a better understanding of how low doses of αvβ3 inhibitors can upregulate angiogenesis. We have exploited these ideas and have pioneered a novel concept in vascular promotion using low doses of RGD mimetics to enhance the efficacy of cancer therapy. This has been an exciting opportunity for cutting-edge research that has led to the development of patents which we hope to translate into patient benefit for the improved treatment of cancer with low side effects and extended survival.
Our team has also established the role of stromal focal adhesion kinase (FAK) not only in tumour growth and progression but also in chemoresistance. Current efforts aim to exploit these data to enhance the efficacy of not only chemotherapy but also radiotherapy and immunotherapy.
Most recently we have made fundamental discoveries in the regulation of tumour growth by blood vessel supporting cells, namely pericytes, a field we have coined pericrine signalling. These results lead us to, even more, new ways to improve therapy efficacy for patients who otherwise would not respond well to therapy.
New discoveries are establishing novel insights into tumour microenvironment alterations relevant to ethnicity.
Our overall goal is to discover novel therapeutic vascular targets to modulate stromal control in the control of cancer.
Key Publications
Targeting the Tumour Vasculature: From Vessel Destruction to Construction. Nature Reviews Cancer. (2024) Oct;24(10):655-675. PMID: 39210063
Cancer Burden Is Controlled by Mural Cell-β3-Integrin Regulated Crosstalk with Tumor Cells. Cell (2020) 181(6):1346-1363.e21. PMID: 32473126.
Cancer associated fibroblast FAK regulates malignant cell metabolism. Nature Comm. (2020) Mar 10;11(1):1290. PMID: 32157087.
Pericyte FAK negatively regulates Gas6/Axl signalling to suppress tumour angiogenesis and tumour growth. Nature Comm. (2020) Jun 4;11(1):2810. PMID: 32499572.
Dual-action combination therapy enhances angiogenesis while reducing tumor growth and spread. Cancer Cell (2015) 27(1):123-37. PMID: 25584895
Endothelial-FAK is required for the maintenance of chemoresistance. Nature (2014) 2(12): 516–528. PMID: 21154724
See recent publicationsMajor Funding
- 2025-2028 – CRUK Multidisciplinary grant (£507K) Imaging tools for the early signposting of treatment resistance and Joint with ICR (DRCMDP-Jun24/100012)
- 2024-2029 – CRUK City of London RadNet2 renewal (£5.2M)
- 2024-2029 – MRC MANIFEST Cancer Immunology – UK network led by Crick Institute (£1.16M)
- 2021-2027 – CRUK Programme Grant (£2.2M) Exploiting the effects of low mural cell beta-3-integrin in the control of cancer progression, therapy resistance and metastasis (CRUK DRCNPG-May21100004)
- 2022-2025 – Barts Charity (£445,621) Novel combination strategies for the improved treatment of lung cancer (MGU0601)
- 2021-2024 – Medical Research Council (£736,661) Investigating the role of vascular endothelial-cell senescence driving resistance to DNA-damaging therapies and metastasis formation in lung cancer (MR/V009621/1)
- 2020-2023 – Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund (£200,000) Reducing pancreatic cancer metastasis by targeting the endothelial cell niche (PCRF 2019)
Other Activities
- Deputy Director, Barts Cancer Institute (2012- )
- City of London CRUK Major Centre Exec Board (April 2022-)
- City of London CRUK Major Centre Multidisciplinary Theme co-lead (2019-)
- CRUK Barts Centre Tumour Microenvironment Theme 5 lead (2019- )
- Barts Cancer Insitute Centre of Tumour Microenvironment lead (2019- )
- CRUK RadNet Executive Board, Theme 2 co-lead (2019- )
Biography
I started my scientific career as a technical assistant, first at The Jodrell Laboratories, Kew Gardens, and then in the Wellcome Trust funded Malaria Research team at Imperial College, London. These short tastes of a scientist’s life fuelled my enthusiasm to embark on a career in research.
Following my undergraduate studies at the University of Southampton (1994) I gained a PhD after studying epithelial cell biology with Professor Fiona Watt at The Imperial Cancer Research Fund. I undertook postdoctoral work with Professor Richard Hynes at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA, where my experience in using genetically modified mice began.
I then returned to the UK and was an Imperial Cancer Research Fund tenure-track fellow with Professor Ian Hart, first at St. Thomas’ Hospital and later here at Barts Cancer Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. I was awarded tenure in 2004 and became Professor of Angiogenesis in 2009. I now also stand as Deputy Director of the Barts Cancer Institute since 2012.
Awards
- 2015- Member of the Academy of Medical Science
- 2015- Member of the European Molecular Biology Organisation
- 2015- British Society of Cell Biology Hooke Medal
Related News
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Video 4 February 2026
BCI paves the way for the next era of radiation research in £18m partnership
The BCI is advancing radiation research through the Cancer Reserach UK City of London Radiation Research Centre of Excellence, an £18M partnership with the Crick, UCL and King's.
General News 30 October 2024
BCI part of new UK-wide cancer immunotherapy initiative
Researchers from Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London are part of a nationwide team of universities, hospitals and industry collaborating on a new platform to understand immunotherapy response and side effects in cancer.
General News 7 October 2024
Blood vessel protein has protective role in cancer
A study has identified a novel mechanism that controls tumour growth, involving a particular protein expressed by specialised cells within tumour blood vessels.
General News 4 June 2020
Pericytes and control of cancer growth
New study reveals novel insights into the role of blood vessels within the tumour microenvironment in the regulation of cancer growth. Understanding this relationship better may provide new avenues that can be explored for cancer therapies.
General News 29 May 2020
