Newcastle University

Qualifications

PhD

Research Interests

Retinoid molecular biology and cell signalling.
Control of cell growth and differentiation at a molecular level.
Ligand-dependent transcription factors (steroid & retinoid receptors etc).
Glucocorticoid responses.
Apoptosis.
Retinoid and fatty-acid binding proteins.

Other Expertise

Ornithology (ringing, growth and development, bird migration, monitoring breeding success)
Bird ringing as a research and monitoring tool.

Funding

Association for International Cancer Research (AICR)
Cancer and Leukemia in Childhood (CLIC)
Cancer Research Campaign
Wellcome Trust
North of England Children's Cancer Research Fund
Newcastle Healthcare Charity

• Gomaa MS, Bridgens CE, Illingworth NA, Veal GJ, Redfern CPF, Brancale A, Armstrong JL, Simons C. Novel retinoic acid 4-hydroxylase (CYP26) inhibitors based on a 3-(1H-imidazol- and triazol-1-yl)-2,2-dimethyl-3-(4-(phenylamino)phenyl)propyl scaffold. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry 2012, 20(14), 4201-4207.
• Gomaa MS, Lim AST, Wilson-Lau SC, Watts AM, Illingworth NA, Bridgens CE, Veal GJ, Redfern CPF, Brancale A, Armstrong JL, Simons C. Synthesis and CYP26A1 inhibitory activity of novel methyl 3-[4-(arylamino)phenyl]-3-(azole)-2,2-dimethylpropanoates. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry 2012, 20(20), 6080-6088.
• Armstrong JL, Martin S, Illingworth NA, Jamieson D, Neilson A, Lovat PE, Redfern CPF, Veal GJ. The impact of retinoic acid treatment on the sensitivity of neuroblastoma cells to fenretinide. Oncology Reports 2012, 27(1), 293-298.
• Coulthard SA, Redfern CPF, Vikingsson S, Lindqvist-Appell M, Skoglund K, Jakobsen-Falk I, Hall AG, Taylor GA, Hogarth LA. Increased Sensitivity to Thiopurines in Methylthioadenosine Phosphorylase-Deleted Cancers. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics 2011, 10(3), 495-504.
• Armstrong JL, Corazzari M, Martin S, Pagliarini V, Falasca L, Hill DS, Ellis N, Al Sabah S, Redfern CPF, Fimia GM, Piacentini M, Lovat PE. Oncogenic B-RAF Signaling in Melanoma Impairs the Therapeutic Advantage of Autophagy Inhibition. Clinical Cancer Research 2011, 17(8), 2216-2226.
• Carr-Wilkinson J, Griffiths R, Elston R, Goranov B, Redfern CPF, Gamble LD, Lunec J, Tweddle DA. Outcome of the p53-mediated DNA damage response in neuroblastoma is determined by morphological subtype and MYCN expression. Cell Cycle 2011, 10(21), 3778-3787.
• Nicholson L, Evans C, Matheson EC, Minto L, Keilty C, Schwab C, Harrison CJ, Hall AG, Redfern C, Whetton A, Irving J. Quantitative Proteomic Analysis Reveals Maturation As a Mechanism Underlying Glucocorticoid Resistance in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and PAX5 As a Re-Sensitising Therapeutic Target. In: Blood: 53rd Annual Meeting and Exposition of the American Society of Hematology (ASH). 2011, San Diego, California, USA: American Society of Hematology.
• Gomaa MS, Bridgens CE, Aboraia AS, Veal GJ, Redfern CPF, Brancale A, Armstrong JL, Simons C. Small Molecule Inhibitors of Retinoic Acid 4-Hydroxylase (CYP26): Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Imidazole Methyl 3-(4-(aryl-2-ylamino)phenyl)propanoates. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2011, 54(8), 2778-2791.
• Gomaa MS, Bridgens CE, Veal GJ, Redfern CPF, Brancale A, Armstrong JL, Simons C. Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of 3-(1H-Imidazol- and Triazol-1-yl)-2,2-dimethyl-3-[4-(naphthalen-2-ylamino)phenyl]propyl Derivatives as Small Molecule Inhibitors of Retinoic Acid 4-Hydroxylase (CYP26). Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2011, 54(19), 6803-6811.
• Hiscutt EL, Hill DS, Martin S, Kerr R, Harbottle A, Birch-Machin M, Redfern CPF, Fulda S, Armstrong JL, Lovat PE. Targeting X-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein to Increase the Efficacy of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Induced Apoptosis for Melanoma Therapy. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 2010, 130(9), 2250-2258.
• Armstrong, J.L., Redfern, C.P.F., Veal, G.J. 13-cis Retinoic acid and isomerisation in paediatric oncology - Is changing shape the key to success?. Biochemical Pharmacology 2005, 69(9), 1299-1306.
• Corazzari, M., Lovat, P.E., Oliverio, S., Di Sano, F., Donnorso, R., Redfern, C.P.F., Piacentini, M. Fenretinide: A p53-independent way to kill cancer cells. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 2005, 331(3), 810-815.
• Armstrong, J., Ruiz, M., Boddy, A. V., Redfern, C., Pearson, A. D. J., Veal, G. J. Increasing the intracellular availability of all-trans retinoic acid in neuroblastoma cells. British Journal of Cancer 2005, 92(4), 696-704.
• Brown, A.M., Riddoch, F.C, Robson, A., Redfern, C.P.F., Cheek, T.R. Mechanistic and functional changes in Ca2+ entry after retinoic acid-induced differentiation of neuroblastoma cells. Biochemical Journal 2005, 388(3), 941-948.
• Myatt, S., Redfern, C.P.F., Burchill, S. p38MAPK-dependent sensitivity of Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors to fenretinide-induced cell death. Clinical Cancer Research 2005, 11(8), 3136-3148.
• Riddoch, F.C., Rowbotham, S.E., Brown, A.M., Redfern, C.P.F., Cheek, T.R. Release and sequestration of Ca2+ by a caffeine- and ryanodine-sensitive store in a sub-population of human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. Cell Calcium 2005, 38(2), 111-120.
• Campbell-Hewson, Q., Lovat, P.E., Corazzari, M., Catterall, J.B., Redfern, C.P.F. The NF-κB pathway mediates fenretinide-induced apoptosis in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. Apoptosis 2005, 10(3), 493-498.
• Lovat, P.E., Corazzari, M., Di Sano, F., Piacentini, M., Redfern, C.P.F. The role of gangliosides in fenretinide-induced apoptosis of neuroblastoma. Cancer Letters 2005, 228(1-2), 105-110.
• Goranov BB, Redfern CPF. Cytogenetic differences and neuroblastoma cell interconversion. Cancer Genetics and Cytogenetics 2004, 149(2), 173-174.
• Lovat, P.E., Di Sano, F., Corazzari, M., Fazi, B., Donnorso, R., Pearson, A.D.J., Hall, A.G., Redfern, C.P.F., Piacentini, M. Gangliosides link the acidic sphingomyelinase-mediated induction of ceramide to 12-lipoxygenase-dependent apoptosis of neuroblastoma in response to fenretinide. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2004, 96(17), 1288-1299.
• Syed, A.A., Irving, J.A.E., Redfern, C.P.F., Hall, A.G., Unwin, N.C., White, M., Bhopal, R., Alberti, K., Weaver, J.U. Low Prevalence of the N363S Polymorphism of the Glucocorticoid Receptor in South Asians Living in the United Kingdom. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2004, 89(1), 232-235.
• Lovat, P.E., Corazzari, M., Goranov, B., Piacentini, M., Redfern, C.P.F. Molecular mechanisms of fenretinide-induced apoptosis of neuroblastoma cells. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2004, 1028, 81-89.
• Lovat, P.E., Oliverio, S, Corazzari, M., Rodolfo, C., Ranalli, M., Goranov, B., Melino, G., Redfern,C.P.F., Piacentini, M. Bak: A Downstream Mediator of Fenretinide-Induced Apoptosis of SH-SY5Y Neuroblastoma Cells. Cancer Research 2003, 63(21), 7310-7313.
• Roberts, R.G., Redfern, C.P.F., Goodship, T.H.J. Effect of insulin upon protein degradation in cultured human myocytes. European Journal of Clinical Investigation 2003, 33(10), 861-867.
• Armstrong, J. L., Veal, G. J., Redfern, C. P. F., Boddy, A. V. Effects of ketoconazole and acitretin on retinoid isomerisation and metabolism in neuroblastoma. British Journal of Cancer 2003, 88(supplement 1), S67 P168.
• Corazzari, M., Lovat, P.E., Oliverio, S., Pearson, A.D.J., Piacentini, M., Redfern, C.P.F. Growth and DNA Damage-Inducible Transcription Factor 153 Mediates Apoptosis in Response to Fenretinide but Not Synergy between Fenretinide and Chemotherapeutic Drugs in Neuroblastoma. Molecular Pharmacology 2003, 64(6), 1370-1378.
• Lovat, P.E., Oliverio, S., Corazzari, M., Ranalli, M., Pearson, A.D.J., Melino, G., Piacentini, M., Redfern, C.P.F. Induction of GADD153 and Bak: Novel molecular targets of fenretinide-induced apoptosis of neuroblastoma. Cancer Letters 2003, 197(1-2), 157-163.
• Lovat, P.E., Ranalli, M., Corazzari, M., Raffaghello, L., Pearson, A.D.J., Ponzoni, M., Piacentini, M., Melino, G., Redfern, C.P.F. Mechanisms of free-radical induction in relation to fenretinide-induced apoptosis of neuroblastoma. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry 2003, 89(4), 698-708.
• Lovat, P.E., Oliverio, S., Ranalli, M., Corazzari, M., Rodolfo, C., Bernassola, F., Aughton, K., Maccarrone, M., Campbell-Hewson, Q., Pearson, A.D.J., Melino, G., Piacentini, M., Redfern, C.P.F. GADD153 and 12-lipoxygenase mediate fenretinide-induced apoptosis of neuroblastoma. Cancer Research 2002, 62(18), 5158-5167.
• Veal, G. J., Errington, J., Redfern, C., Pearson, A. D. J., Boddy, A. V. Influence of isomerisation on the growth inhibitory effects and cellular activity of 13-cis and all-trans retinoic acid in neuroblastoma cells. Biochemical Pharmacology 2002, 63(2), 207-215.
• Redfern, C.P.F., Douglas, G., Halliday, T. Intestine length and mass relative to fat in migrating Redwings Turdus iliacus. Ardea 2002, 90(2), 285-292.
• Campbell-Hewson, Q., Lovat, P.E., Pearson, A.D.J., Redfern, C.P.F. Retinoid signalling and gene expression in neuroblastoma cells: RXR agonist and antagonist effects on CRABP-II and RARβ expression. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry 2002, 87(3), 284-291.
• Rana B, Veal GJ, Pearson ADJ, Redfern CPF. Retinoid X receptors and retinoid response in neuroblastoma cells. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry 2002, 86(1), 67-78.
• Jagoe, R.T., Redfern, C.P.F., Roberts, R.G., Gibson, G.J., Goodship, T.H.J. Skeletal muscle mRNA levels for cathepsin B, but not components of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, are increased in patients with lung cancer referred for thoracotomy. Clinical Science 2002, 102(3), 353-361.
• Roberts, R.G., Redfern, C.P.F., Graham, K.A., Bartlett, K., Wilkinson, R., Goodship, T.H.J. Sodium bicarbonate treatment and ubiquitin gene expression in acidotic human subjects with chronic renal failure. European Journal of Clinical Investigation 2002, 32(7), 488-492.
• Coulthard, S.A., Hogarth, L.A., Little, M.A., Matheson, E., Redfern, C.P.F., Minto, C.L.J., Hall, A.G. The effect of thiopurine methyltransferase expression on sensitivity to thiopurine drugs. Molecular Pharmacology 2002, 62(1), 102-109.
• Annicchiarico-Petruzzelli, M., Bernassola, F., Lovat, P.E., Redfern, C.P.F., Pearson, A.D.J., Melino, G. Apoptosis in neuroblastomas induced by interferon-gamma involves the CD95/CD95L pathway. Medical and Pediatric Oncology 2001, 36(1), 115-117.
• Lovat, P.E., Dobson, M., Malcolm, A.J., Pearson, A.D.J., Redfern, C.P.F. Differential gene regulation by 9-cis and all-trans retinoic acid in neuroblastoma cells. Medical and Pediatric Oncology 2001, 36(1), 135-138.
• Rana, B., Pearson, A.D.J., Redfern, C.P.F. RXRβ isoforms in neuroblastoma cells and evidence for a novel 3′-end transcript. FEBS Letters 2001, 506(1), 39-44.
• Dobson, M.G., Redfern, C.P.F., Unwin, N.C., Weaver, J.U. The N363S polymorphism of the glucocorticoid receptor: Potential contribution to central obesity in men and lack of association with other risk factors for coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2001, 86(5), 2270-2274.
• Bailey, S., Hall, A. G., Pearson, A. D. J., Redfern, C. P. F. The role of AP-1 in glucocorticoid resistance in leukaemia. Leukemia 2001, 15(3), 391-397.
• Ponthan FM, Borgstrom P, Hassan M, Wassberg E, Redfern CPF, Kogner P. The vitamin A analogues: 13-cis retinoic acid, 9-cis retinoic acid, and Ro 13-6307 inhibit neuroblastoma tumour growth in vivo. Medical and Pediatric Oncology 2001, 36(1), 127-131.
• Lovat, P.E., Ranalli, M., Bernassola, F., Tilby, M., Malcolm, A.J., Pearson, A.D.J., Piacentini, M., Melino, G., Redfern, C.P.F. Distinct properties of fenretinide and CD437 lead to synergistic responses with chemotherapeutic reagents. Medical and Pediatric Oncology 2000, 35(6), 663-668.
• Lovat, P.E., Ranalli, M., Annichiarrico-Petruzzelli, M., Bernassola, F., Piacentini, M., Malcolm, A.J., Pearson, A.D.J., Melino, G., Redfern, C.P.F. Effector mechanisms of fenretinide-induced apoptosis in neuroblastoma. Experimental Cell Research 2000, 260(1), 50-60.
• Redfern, C.P.F., Slough, A., Dean, B., Brice, J., Jones, P. Fat and body condition migrating Redwings Turdus iliacus. Journal of Avian Biology 2000, 31(2), 197-205.
• Campbell-Hewson, Q., Lovat, P.E., Malcolm, A.J., Pearson, A.D.J., Redfern, C.P.F. Receptor mechanisms mediating differentiation and proliferation effects of retinoids on neuroblastoma cells. Neuroscience Letters 2000, 279(2), 113-116.
• Lovat, P.E., Ranalli, M., Bernassola, F., Tilby, M.J., Malcolm, A.J., Pearson, A.D.J., Piacentini, M, Melino, G., Redfern, C.P.F. Synergistic induction of apoptosis of neuroblastoma by fenretinide or CD437 in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs. International Journal of Cancer 2000, 88(6), 977-985.
• Lovat, P.E., Annicchiarico-Petruzzelli, M., Corazzari, M., Dobson, M., Malcolm, A.J., Pearson, A.D.J., Melino, G., Redfern, C.P.F. Differential effects of retinoic acid isomers on the expression of nuclear receptor co-regulators in neuroblastoma. FEBS Letters 1999, 445(2-3), 415-419.
• Matthews, C.J., McEwan, G.T.A., Redfern, C.P.F., Thomas, E.J., Hirst, B.H. Absorptive apical amiloride-sensitive Na+ conductance in human endometrial epithelium. Journal of Physiology 1998, 513(2), 443-452.
• Redfern CPF. Retinoic acid receptors. British Journal of Pharmacology 1998, 124(Supplement), U78-U78.
• Irving, H., Lovat, P.E., Campbell-Hewson, Q., Malcolm, A., Pearson, A.D.J., Redfern, C.P.F. Retinoid-induced differentiation of neuroblastoma: Comparison between LG69, an RXR-selective analogue and 9-cis retinoic acid. European Journal of Cancer 1998, 34(1), 111-117.
• Lovat, P.E., Irving, H., Malcolm, A.J., Pearson, A.D.J., Redfern, C.P.F. 9-cis retinoic acid - A better retinoid for the modulation of differentiation, proliferation and gene expression in human neuroblastoma. Journal of Neuro-Oncology 1997, 31(1-2), 85-91.
• Lovat, P.E., Irving, H., Annicchiarico-Petruzzelli, M., Bernassola, F., Malcolm, A.J., Pearson, A.D.J., Melino, G., Redfern, C.P.F. Apoptosis of N-type neuroblastoma cells after differentiation with 9- cis-retinoic acid and subsequent washout. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1997, 89(6), 446-452.
• Lovat PE, Irving H, Annicchiarico-Petruzzelli M, Bernassola F, Malcolm AJ, Pearson ADJ, Melino G, Redfern CPF. Retinoids in neuroblastoma therapy: Distinct biological properties of 9- cis- and all-trans-retinoic acid. European Journal of Cancer 1997, 33(12), 2075-2080.
• Kumarendran, M., Loughney, A., Prentice, A., Thomas, E., Redfern, C.P.F. Nuclear retinoid receptor expression in normal human endometrium throughout the menstrual cycle. Molecular Human Reproduction 1996, 2(2), 123-129.
• Redfern, C.P.F., Alker, P.J. Plumage development and post-juvenile moult in the Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus. Journal of Avian Biology 1996, 27(2), 157-163.
• Redfern CPF, Lovat PE, Malcolm AJ, Pearson ADJ. Differential effects of 9-cis and all-trans retinoic acid on the induction of retinoic acid receptor-beta and cellular retinoic acid-binding protein II in human neuroblastoma cells. Biochemical Journal 1994, 304(part 1), 147-154.
• Redfern CPF, Todd C. Retinoic acid receptor expression in human skin keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts in vitro. Journal of Cell Science 1992, 102(1), 113-121.
• Redfern CPF, Daly AK, Latham JAE, Todd C. The biological activity of retinoids in melanoma cells: Induction of expression of retinoic acid receptor-β by retinoic acid in S91 melanoma cells. FEBS Letters 1990, 273(1-2), 19-22.
• Latham, J.A.E. , Redfern, C.P.F., Thody, A.J., Dekrester, T.A. Immunohistochemical markers of human sebaceous gland differentiation. Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry 1989, 37(5), 729-734.