Research Focus
My research focuses on understanding the genetic and molecular mechanisms that underlie the initiation and progression of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in order to define clinically-relevant biomarkers.
Key Publications
Genomic Profiling Reveals Spatial Intra-Tumor Heterogeneity in Follicular Lymphoma. Leukemia (2018) 32(5):1258-1263. PMID: 29568095
Early loss of Crebbp confers malignant stem cell properties on lymphoid progenitors. Nat Cell Biol (2017) 19(9):1093-1104. PMID: 28825697
Recurrent mTORC1-activating RRAGC mutations in follicular lymphoma. Nature Genetics (2016) 48(2):183-8. PMID: 26691987
Integrated genomic analysis identifies recurrent mutations and evolution patterns driving the initiation and progression of follicular lymphoma. Nature Genetics (2014) 46(2):176-81. PMID: 24362818
Major Funding
- 2018-2023- Cancer Research UK Accelerator Award (Co-investigator)
- 2017-2022 - Cancer Research UK Clinician Scientist Fellowship, £1.4M
- 2011-2015 - Kay Kendall Leukaemia Fund Junior Clinical Research Fellowship, £290,000
Other Activities
- Associate Editor for eJHaem (2020-)
- Member of International Advisory Board for Lancet Haematology (2020-)
- Chair of the CRUK Barts Centre Patient and Public Involvement Research Advisory Group
- Expert Panel, Lymphoma Connect
Research
I have a research interest in B-cell Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Our current focus is on follicular lymphoma, an indolent malignancy that remains incurable and for which the typical clinical course is one where patients relapse on several occasions eventually becoming therapy resistant. Our main research questions are to:
- Understand the molecular processes that govern lymphoma initiation
- Characterise intra-tumour heterogeneity and evolution and their role in lymphoma progression
- Define novel biomarkers that can be translated to clinical practice
To address these questions, we aim to utilise primary lymphoma samples in combination with cutting-edge tools, in vitro and in vivo approaches.
Other Activities
- Associate Editor for eJHaem (2020-)
- Member of International Advisory Board for Lancet Haematology (2020-)
- Member of the International Scientific Advisory Committee for the Lady Tata Memorial Trust (2020-)
- Chair of the CRUK Barts Centre Patient and Public Involvement Research Advisory Group
- Expert Panel, Lymphoma Connect
- Member of the European Haematology Association
- Member of the NCRI Low Grade Lymphoma Subgroup
- Member of the NCRI Primary CNS Lymphoma Working Party
Major Funding
- 2018-2023- Cancer Research UK Accelerator Award (Co-investigator)
- 2017-2022 - Cancer Research UK Clinician Scientist Fellowship, £1.4M
- 2011-2015 - Kay Kendall Leukaemia Fund Junior Clinical Research Fellowship, £290,000
Recent Publications
Pathogenesis of follicular lymphoma: genetics to the microenvironment to clinical translation Kumar E, Pickard L, Okosun J British Journal of Haematology (2021) 194(7) 810-821
KDM5 inhibition offers a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of KMT2D mutant lymphomas Heward J, Konali L, D'Avola A et al. Blood (2021) 138(7) 370-381
Liquid biopsy in lymphoma: Is it primed for clinical translation? Poynton E, Okosun J eJHaem (2021) 2(10) 616-627
Thyroid MALT lymphoma: self-harm to gain potential T-cell help Wu F, Watanabe N, Tzioni MM et al. Leukemia (2021) (7)
Identification of recurrent mutations in the microrna‐binding sites of b‐cell lymphoma‐ associated genes in follicular lymphoma Larrea E, Fernandez‐mercado M, Guerra‐assunção JA et al. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2020) 21(7) 1-12
Follicular lymphoma genomics Pickard L, Palladino G, Okosun J Leukemia and Lymphoma (2020) 61(7) 2313-2323
Cellular Therapy in Follicular Lymphoma: Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation, Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation, and Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell Therapy Okosun J, Montoto S Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America (2020) 34(7) 701-714
The Biological Basis of Histologic Transformation Kumar EA, Okosun J, Fitzgibbon J Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America (2020) 34(7) 771-784
Genetic heterogeneity highlighted by differential FDG-PET response in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma Araf S, Korfi K, Bewicke-Copley F et al. Haematologica (2020) 105(7) E318-E321
Clinical Outcome of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Haemato-oncology Patients. Aries JA, Davies JK, Auer RL et al. British Journal of Haematology (2020) (1)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32420609
Team
Postdoctoral Researchers
- Carina Edmondson
Clinical Research Fellows/PhD students
- Dr Emil Kumar (co-supervision with Professor Jude Fitzgibbon)
- Dr Lucy Pickard
PhD students
- Megan Perrett
Academic Clinical Fellows
- Dr Edward Poynton
Biography
I graduated in medicine from the University of Cambridge and subsequently undertook my medical and specialty registrar haematology training in London. My research interests in lymphoma biology was developed during my Kay Kendall funded Clinical Research Fellowship with Professor Jude Fitzgibbon at the Barts Cancer Institute where I investigated the genetic heterogeneity and tumour evolution underlying follicular lymphoma and its progression. I was awarded the Royal College of Pathologists Specialty Research Medal for this work.
I returned to the Barts Cancer Institute as a Clinical Senior Lecturer in 2017 and will also be working with collaborators at the Francis Crick Institute.
Appointments
2017 to present: Clinical Senior Lecturer
2011-2015: Kay Kendall Clinical Research Fellow, Barts Cancer Institute
Qualifications
2015: PhD, Queen Mary University of London
2011: FRCPath, Royal College of Pathologists
2008: MRCP, Royal College of Physicians
2004: MB BChir, University of Cambridge
2002: BA (Hons) Natural Sciences, University of Cambridge