The Signalling & Cell Fate ISP: Research into Action

Research in the Laboratory focuses on three ubiquitous, highly conserved and interrelated signalling mechanisms: the mobilization of intracellular calcium stores, the mobilisation of phospholipid-derived second messengers and the activation of protein kinase signalling cascades, notably those leading to activation of PKB/AKT and the MAP kinases.

Our core aims are to understand: how these signalling pathways function; how they are regulated in time and space; and how they govern cell fate decisions (proliferation, differentiation, death) through the regulation of short term non-genomic targets and longer term genomic targets.

These signalling pathways underpin normal development and homeostasis and may also be progressively de-regulated in normal age-related disorders. However, it is also increasingly clear that these pathways are de-regulated in a variety of human diseases; indeed, in some cases components of these pathways are the site of primary genetic lesions that drive such diseases, making them attractive drug targets. As a result we increasingly find that our fundamental biological research has commercial and clinical applications and are keen to see these exploited for the development of more sophisticated analytical tools and new strategies for disease management.

Current research translation activities

Commercial collaborations

2 research collaborations (Simon Cook)

4 CASE studentships
(2 x Cook group), (Coleman group, Roderick group)

1 active patent application (Michael Coleman)

Clinical and pre-clinical collaborations

Brain Repair Centre, University of Cambridge:
Axon degeneration in glaucoma (Michael Coleman)

Brain Repair Centre, University of Cambridge:
Axon degeneration in tauopathy (Michael Coleman)

Dept of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol and INSERM Unit 762, Paris:
Human cancer cell lines (Simon Cook)

Dept of Ophthalmology, University of Szeged:
Axon degeneration in Alzheimer’s disease (Michael Coleman)

Medical Charity Funding

Association for International Cancer Research:
Role of BIM in colorectal cancer cell death (Simon Cook)

ALS Association:
Neuroprotection by the WldS gene in models of ALS (Michael Coleman)

Alzheimer’s Research Trust:
‘Dying back’ pathology in Alzheimer’s disease (Michael Coleman)

British Heart Foundation:
Calcium signalling (Martin Bootman)

British Heart Foundation:
Regulation of hypertrophic cardiac remodelling by inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-induced calcium signals (Llewelyn Roderick)

Details of previous translational activity can be found here