Research

The focus of my research is breast cancer and in particular the factors involved in the progression of in situ to invasive disease with the aims of identifying 1) markers which can predict behaviour, and 2) novel therapeutic targets. Current research involves development of in vitro models of Ductal Carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and their use to investigate the influence of the microenvironment on tumour cell behaviour, focusing on the functional significance of altered myoepithelial and fibroblast phenotype in DCIS.

We have strong links with The Breast Unit at Barts Cancer Centre.

In parallel with our work on the microenvironment, we are investigating the molecular diversity of in situ and invasive breast cancer in different populations (e.g. different ethnic groups, high risk patients) and its therapeutic implications.

I am also the Course Director for the MSc Cancer & Molecular Pathology and Genomics Course.

Other Activities

• Pathology Lead for North, East & West London Genomic Laboratory Hub
• Lead for Molecular Pathology for Genomics England
• Lead for Breast Cancer Now National Breast Tissue Bank
• Member of International Cancer Genome Consortium Breast Working Group
• Lead Pathologist & member of steering committee on the POSH (Prospective study of Outcome in Sporadic versus Hereditary breast cancer) national trial
• Lead Pathologist on IBIS-II, UK-DCIS, FHO1 breast clinical trials
• Associate Editor Journal of Pathology
• Honorary Member Royal College of Radiologists Breast Group
• Member of British Breast Group

Major Funding

• 2019-2024- Breast Cancer Now Tissue Bank and Specialist Cell Bank, £3.8M 
• 2019-2022- Rosetrees Trust PhD Studentship, £70,500 
• 2018-2021- Pathological Society Of Great Britain And Ireland, An integrated genomic analysis of DCIS heterogeneity to identify signatures of progression, £285,052.62
• 2016-2019- Breast Cancer Now, Breast Cancer Now, Project Grant (LJ PI), Defining Biomarkers to Predict Response to Tamoxifen in the Preventive Setting (Co-Investigators J Cuzick, S Duffy, P Schmid), £276,007
• 2015-2018- Breast Cancer Now, Programme Grant (LJ PI), Breast Cancer Now Breast Tissue Bank and Establishment of Metastatic Tissue Bank, £1.56M
• 2015-2018- Medical Research Council, Clinical Research Fellowship, Defining Mechanisms of Hormone Therapy Breast Cancer Risk Reduction and Biomarkers of Response, £222,804

Recent Publications

Survey of UK histopathology consultants' attitudes towards academic and molecular pathology Brockmoeller S, Young C, Lee J et al. Journal of Clinical Pathology (2019) 72(7) 399-405

Stanniocalcin 2 expression is associated with a favourable outcome in male breast cancer. Coulson-Gilmer C, Humphries MP, Sundara Rajan S et al. J Pathol Clin Res (2018) 4(2) 241-249
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29956502

Time for change: A new training programme for morpho-molecular pathologists? Moore DA, Young CA, Morris HT et al. Journal of Clinical Pathology (2018) 71(7) 285-290

PHLDA1 Mediates Drug Resistance in Receptor Tyrosine Kinase-Driven Cancer Fearon AE, Carter EP, Clayton NS et al. Cell Reports (2018) 22(7) 2469-2481

Differential Expression of MicroRNAs in Breast Cancers from Four Different Ethnicities. Pollard J, Burns PA, Hughes TA et al. Pathobiology (2018) 85(2) 220-226
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29791912

Deconstruction of a metastatic tumor microenvironment reveals a common matrix response in human cancers. Pearce OMT, Delaine-Smith R, Maniati E et al. Cancer Discov (2017) (1)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29196464

Hit-and-run epigenetic editing prevents senescence entry in primary breast cells from healthy donors Saunderson EA, Stepper P, Gomm JJ et al. Nature Communications (2017) 8(7)

Morphomolecular pathology: Setting the framework for a new generation of pathologists Jones JL, Oien KA, Lee JL et al. British Journal of Cancer (2017) 117(7) 1581-1582

The growth of molecular diagnostics: Stratified Medicine Programme, the 100,000 Genomes Project and the future Nelan RL, Hayward MK, Jones JL Diagnostic Histopathology (2017) 23(7) 458-467

A Case-Matched Gender Comparison Transcriptomic Screen Identifies eIF4E and eIF5 as Potential Prognostic Markers in Male Breast Cancer. Humphries MP, Sundara Rajan S, Droop A et al. Clin Cancer Res (2017) 23(2) 2575-2583
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27986751

Team

Postdoctoral Researchers in this group
Dr Michael Allen

PhD Students
Ms Ohud Alsalmi, Mr Sarantos Kaptanis, Ms Niki Prekete, Dr Fred John Nnaemeka Obiajulu

Clinical Research Fellows
Dr Natalie Allen, Dr Kathryn Hawkesford, Dr Philip Elliott

Biography

I joined Barts Cancer Institute in April 2004. I trained in Medicine at Leicester University and specialised in Breast Pathology, undertaking a PhD at the Breast Cancer Research Unit in Leicester analysing the tumour-suppressor role of breast myoepithelial cells.