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 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; and the use of agents that will make tumour cells more susceptible to immune cell mediated killing, without impacting on the host immune system.
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, £243,245
- 2016-2019- Janssen Biotech Inc, Targeting PD-LI/PD-1 mediated inbhibitory signaling with BTK inhibitors, £276,416
- 2014-2019- NCI/NIH Programme Grant – CLL Research Consortium, Understanding the impact of CLL on T cell immune responses, $1,200,000
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
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.
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
Major Funding
- 2017-2022- The London Clinic, Provision of clinical research Fellows in Haematology, £1,106,617.46
- 2016-2019- Janssen Biotech Inc, Targeting PD-LI/PD-1 mediated inbhibitory signaling with BTK inhibitors, £276,416
- 2016-2019- Wellcome Trust, Understanding the rise of HIV-assoicated Hodgkin Lymphoma despite HAART; the role of immune dysregulation, £243,245
- 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
Phase 1b study of venetoclax-obinutuzumab in previously untreated and relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Flinn IW, Gribben JG, Dyer MJS et al. Blood (2019) 133(2) 2765-2775
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30862645
Correction: Genomic profiling reveals spatial intra-tumor heterogeneity in follicular lymphoma. Araf S, Wang J, Korfi K et al. Leukemia (2019) 33(2) 1540
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30903015
Growth dynamics in naturally progressing chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Gruber M, Bozic I, Leshchiner I et al. Nature (2019) 570(2) 474-479
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31142838
Autologous stem cell transplantation in refractory Crohn's disease - low intensity therapy evaluation (ASTIClite): study protocols for a multicentre, randomised controlled trial and observational follow up study. Snowden JA, Hawkey C, Hind D et al. BMC Gastroenterol (2019) 19(2) 82
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31151436
AUGMENT: A Phase III Study of Lenalidomide Plus Rituximab Versus Placebo Plus Rituximab in Relapsed or Refractory Indolent Lymphoma. Leonard JP, Trneny M, Izutsu K et al. J Clin Oncol (2019) 37(2) 1188-1199
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30897038
Single cell analysis of clonal architecture in acute myeloid leukaemia. Potter N, Miraki-Moud F, Ermini L et al. Leukemia (2019) 33(2) 1113-1123
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30568172
Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Interacting Protein Maintains Germinal Center B Cells through Suppression of BCL6 Degradation. Sun D, Stopka-Farooqui U, Barry S et al. Cell Rep (2019) 27(2) 1461-1471.e4
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31042473
Blockade of HMGB1 signaling pathway by ethyl pyruvate inhibits tumor growth in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Zhang T, Guan X-W, Gribben JG et al. Cell Death Dis (2019) 10(2) 330
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30988279
Using the Lymph2Cx assay for assessing cell-of-origin subtypes of HIV-related diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Baptista MJ, Tapia G, Morgades M et al. Leuk Lymphoma (2019) 60(2) 1087-1091
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30322315
Phenotypic and transcriptomic characterization of canine myeloid-derived suppressor cells. Goulart MR, Hlavaty SI, Chang Y-M et al. Sci Rep (2019) 9(2) 3574
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30837603
Team
Group Leaders in the Centre
Dr Andrejs Braun, Dr Pedro Cutillas, Dr Jeff Davies, Dr Gabriella Ficz, Professor Jude Fitzgibbon, Dr Li Jia, Professor Kamil R. Kranc, Dr Sergey Krysov, Dr Rifca Le Dieu, Dr Kevin Rouault-Pierre, Dr John Riches, Dr 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.