Research

I am Professor of Cancer Biology at Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, where I am Deputy Centre Lead for the Centre for Tumour Microenvironment. I study the links between cancer and inflammation and research ways of translating this to clinical trial.

My key research areas of interest are:

• The tumour microenvironment with an especial focus on innate immune reactions
• Development of novel multi-cellular models of the tumour microenvironment
• Ovarian cancer with a focus on high grade serous and clear cell subtypes
• Public engagement with biomedical science and science policy

Other Activities

• Director of Centre of the Cell
• Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST), Non-Parliamentary Board Member
• ERC Starter grants panel membership
• Deputy Chair of CRUK Clinical Trials Committee
• Trustee of Blood Cancer UK
• Academy of Medical Sciences Daniel Turnberg Fellowship Panel

Major Funding

• 2018-2023- Cancer Research UK, Targeting the innate immune system in high-grade serous ovarian cancer, £2,000,000 (approx.)
• 2018-2023- Cancer Research UK, Targeting the innate immune system in high grade serous ovarian cancer, £1,924,190.43
• 2017-2019- Cancer Research UK, Targeting the peritoneal tumour microenvironment of high grade serous ovarian cancer, £1,652,914.00
• 2016-2019- Wellcome Trust, The effects of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy on myleoid cells in high-grade serous ovarian cancer metastases, £313,427.00
• 2013-2018- Commission of the European Community, CANBUILD-Building a Human Tumour Microenvironment, £1,763,279.00
• 2013-2017- Medimmune Ltd, Establish PD response of combinations of chemotherapeutic agents and anti-PD-L1 antibodies, £299,870.00
• 2013-2016- Cancer Research UK, Targeting the peritoneal tumour microenvironment of high grade serous ovarian cancer, £1,583,024.00
• 2012-2015- Gilead Sciences Ltd, Testing therapeutic potential of Gilead compound GS-9820, £250,610.00
• 2012-2016- Commission of the European Community, Tumor Infiltrating Myeloid Cell Compartment  (TIMCC), £430,060.00

Recent Publications

Chemotherapy Induces Tumor-Associated Macrophages that Aid Adaptive Immune Responses in Ovarian Cancer. Heath O, Berlato C, Maniati E et al. Cancer Immunol Res (2021) 9(2) 665-681
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33839687

Cells are Us – combining research and public engagement Balkwill FR Nature Reviews Cancer (2021) 21(7) 277-278

Author Correction: A guiding map for inflammation (Nature Immunology, (2017), 18, 8, (826-831), 10.1038/ni.3790) Netea MG, Balkwill F, Chonchol M et al. Nature Immunology (2021) 22(7) 254

The Relations and Role of Social Competencies and Belonging with Math and Science Interest and Efficacy for Adolescents in Informal STEM Programs Hoffman AJ, McGuire L, Rutland A et al. Journal of Youth and Adolescence (2021) 50(7) 314-323

Targeting DNA Damage Response and Replication Stress in Pancreatic Cancer Dreyer SB, Upstill-Goddard R, Paulus-Hock V et al. Gastroenterology (2021) 160(7) 362-377.e13

Specific mechanisms of chromosomal instability indicate therapeutic sensitivities in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. Mcclelland S, Tamura N, Shaikh N et al. Cancer Research (2020) (1)

A darker side to retinoic acid revealed by sarcomas Balkwill FR New England Journal of Medicine (2020) 383(7) 491-493

Interest and learning in informal science learning sites: Differences in experiences with different types of educators Mulvey KL, McGuire L, Hoffma AJ et al. PLoS ONE (2020) 15(7)

Learning hand in hand: Engaging in research–practice partnerships to advance developmental science Mulvey KL, McGuire L, Hoffman AJ et al. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development (2020) 2020(7) 125-134

Airway dendritic cell maturation in children exposed to air pollution Whitehouse AL, Mushtaq N, Miyashita L et al. PLoS One (2020) 15(1) e0232040-e0232040

Team

Postdoctoral Researchers in this group
Dr Eleni Maniati, Dr Ganga Gopinathan, Dr Chiara Berlato, Dr Florian Laforêts, Dr Beatrice Malacrida, Dr Panoraia Kotantaki

Clinical Research Fellows
Dr Owen Heath

PhD Students
Priyankaa Goordyal, Joash Joy, Laura Lecker

Research Technician
Sam Nichols

BSU Technician
Colin Pegrum

Biography

In 2006, I was made a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, being elected a member of its Council later in the same year. I am a frequent plenary and keynote speaker at international meetings, such as Gordon and Keystone conferences and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).

I am also actively involved in communication of science to non-specialist audiences, especially young people. I have written thirteen science books for children on cell and molecular biology, with titles such as Enjoy Your Cells and The Egg and Sperm Race.

I am the Director of the Centre of the Cell, a biomedical science centre for children, educational website, and widening participation and outreach project in Whitechapel. The website was launched in March 2007 and the physical Centre opened in September 2009. As of July 2017 there have been over 171,000 participants in Centre of the Cell activities (www.centreofthecell.org).

I am a non-parliamentary board member of the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, POST and a Trustee of Bloodwise. I was awarded an OBE in the 2008 Queen's Birthday Honours list. In 2015 I was made a Doctor of Science honoris causa by the University of Bristol and in 2017 was awarded the Cancer Research UK Inspiring Leadership in Research Engagement Prize.