Professor John Gribben

MD DSc FRCP FRCPath FMed Sci
Professor of Medical Oncology
Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Fellow 1987-89, UCL Fogarty International Fellowship 1989-1991 Harvard
Centre Lead, Group Leader
Research Focus

My primary research interests include the immunotherapy of cancer (including stem cell transplantation), the identification of B-cell-tumour antigens; and the detection and treatment of minimal residual disease in leukaemia and lymphoma.

Key Publications

Expression of FOXP3, CD68 and CD20 at Diagnosis in the Microenvironment of Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma is Predictive of outcome. J Clin Oncol (2013) 31(2):256-62. PMID: 23045593

E(mu)-TCL1 mice represent a model for immunotherapeutic reversal of chronic lymphocytic leukemia-induced T-cell dysfunction. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA (2009) 106(15):6250-5. PMID: 19332800

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia T cells show impaired immunological synapse formation that can be reversed with an immunomodulating drug. J Clin Invest (2008) 118(7):2427-37. PMID: 18551193

SAGE analysis demonstrates increased expression of TOSO contributing to Fas-mediated resistance in CLL. Blood (2008) 112(2):394-7. PMID: 18434611

Major Funding
  • 2016-2019- Wellcome Trust, Understanding the rise of HIV-assoicated Hodgkin Lymphoma despite HAART; the role of immune dysregulation
  • 2016-2019- Janssen Biotech Inc, Targeting PD-LI/PD-1 mediated inbhibitory signaling with BTK inhibitors
  • 2014-2019- NCI/NIH Programme Grant – CLL Research Consortium, Understanding the impact of CLL on T cell immune responses
Other Activities
  • European Hematology Association (EHA), President 2019-2021
  • President-elect 2017-2109
  • EHA Governing Board, 2015-
  • International workshop for NHL – Chair 2014-
  • MRC Molecular and Cellular Medicine Board (MCMB), 2007-2012
Research

The research interest of my group focuses on immunological approaches to the treatment of haematological cancers. In particular, we are interested in understanding:

  • The molecular mechanisms whereby cancer cells induce changes in the host immune system
  • The use of allogeneic stem cell bone marrow transplant to induce a graft versus leukaemia effect
  • Identification of the antigenic targets expressed by cancer cells
  • Use of agents that will make tumour cells more susceptible to immune cell mediated killing, without impacting on the host immune system
Other Activities
  • European Hematology Association (EHA), President 2019-2021
  • President-elect 2017-2019
  • EHA Governing Board, 2015-
  • International workshop for NHL – Chair 2014-
  • MRC Molecular and Cellular Medicine Board (MCMB), 2007-2012
Major Funding
  • 2017-2022- The London Clinic, Provision of clinical research Fellows in Haematology
  • 2016-2019- Janssen Biotech Inc, Targeting PD-LI/PD-1 mediated inbhibitory signaling with BTK inhibitors
  • 2016-2019- Wellcome Trust, Understanding the rise of HIV-assoicated Hodgkin Lymphoma despite HAART; the role of immune dysregulation
  • 2015-2018- Barts Charity, Understanding the microenvironment in HIV associated Hodgkin Lymphoma, £283,221
  • 2014-2019- NCI/NIH Programme Grant – CLL Research Consortium, Understanding the impact of CLL on T cell immune responses, $1,200,000
Recent Publications

Integrative phosphoproteomics defines two biologically distinct groups of KMT2A rearranged acute myeloid leukaemia with different drug response phenotypes Casado P, Rio-Machin A, Miettinen JJ et al. Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy (2023) 8(7)

Need for risk adjustment in comparative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness studies in r/r follicular lymphoma. Gribben J, Palomba ML, Patel AR et al. Blood Adv (2023) 7(2) 2494-2495
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36661331

Lack of reproducibility of histopathological features in MYC-rearranged large B cell lymphoma using digital whole slide images: a study from the Lunenburg lymphoma biomarker consortium Natkunam Y, de Jong D, Farinha P et al. Histopathology (2023) 82(7) 1105-1111

An International Survey on Grading, Diagnosis, and Management of Immune Effector Cell-Associated Hematotoxicity (ICAHT) Following CAR T-cell Therapy on Behalf of the EBMT and EHA Rejeski K, Greco R, Onida F et al. HemaSphere (2023) 7(7)

O20 TARGETING THE DEFECTIVE COA PATHWAY TO IMPROVE ERYTHROPOIESIS IN SF3B1-MUTANT MDS-RS PATIENTS Philippe C, Mian S, Maniati E et al. Leukemia Research (2023) 128(10) 107133

Genetic and Microenvironment Features Do Not Distinguish Follicular Lymphoma Patients Requiring Immediate or Deferred Treatment Stevens WBC, Los-De Vries GT, Langois-Jacques C et al. HemaSphere (2023) 7(7) E863

PDL1 shapes the classical Hodgkin lymphoma microenvironment without inducing T-cell exhaustion Taylor JG, Truelove E, Clear A et al. Haematologica (2023) 108(7) 1068-1082

A Lack of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Clinical Research Has Direct Impact on Patient Care El-Galaly TC, Gaidzik VI, Gaman MA et al. HemaSphere (2023) 7(7) E842

Pharmacologic Features of Drugs Targeting Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase ( BTK ) McCay and J, Gribben JG (2023) (10) 268-277

Longitudinal expression profiling identifies a poor risk subset of patients with ABC-type diffuse large B-cell lymphoma Bewicke-Copley F, Korfi K, Araf S et al. Blood Advances (2023) 7(7) 845-855

For additional publications, please click here
Team

Group Leaders in the Centre
Dr Andrejs Braun, Dr Jeff DaviesDr Gabriella Ficz, Professor Kamil R. KrancDr Sergey KrysovDr Rifca Le DieuDr Kevin Rouault-PierreDr John RichesDr Bela Wrench

Clinical Research Fellows
Dr Jennifer Edelmann, Dr Robin Sanderson, Dr Joseph Taylor, Dr Edward Truelove

Biography

I hold the Gordon Hamilton Fairley Chair of Medical Oncology at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. My doctoral studies were performed at University College London as the recipient of a Wellcome Trust Fellowship Award. I continued post-doctoral training with Professor Lee Nadler at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School.

In 1992, I was appointed to the Faculty at Harvard Medical School, where I remained as Associate Professor of Medicine and an Attending Physician at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital, until returning to London in 2005. I am a founding member of the CLL Research Consortium, Associate Editor of Blood and was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Science.