Dr Penny Lovat
Senior Lecturer in Cellular Dermatology and Oncology
- Email: p.e.lovat@ncl.ac.uk
- Telephone: 0191 222 7170
- Fax: 0191 222 7179
- Address: Dermatological Sciences
Institute of Cellular Medicine
The Medical School,
Framlington Place,
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE2 4HH
Research Interests
Molecular biology of neuroectodermal tumours (melanoma and neuroblastoma), apoptotic and autophagic signalling pathways and development of novel therapeutic strategies
Other Expertise
Molecular biology of retinoid signalling in differentiation and apoptosis.
Current Work
Targeting apoptosis/autophagy of melanoma and neuroblastoma in response to ER stress inducing agents as a novel therapeutic strategy. Defining role of genetic mutations (including B-RAF) in melanoma confering resistance to apoptosis/autophagy. Translational research of novel agents for melanoma therapy in animal models.
Selected Publications
- Hill DS; Martin S; Armstrong JL; Flockhart R; Tonison JJ; Simpson DG; Birch-Machin MA; Redfern CPF; Lovat PE. Combining the endoplasmic reticulum stress-inducing agents bortezomib and fenretinide as a novel therapeutic strategy for metastatic melanoma. Clinical Cancer Research 2009, 15(4), 1192-1198.
- Lovat PE; Redfern CPF; Corazzari M; Armstrong JL; Martin S; Pagliarini V; Hill DS; Brown A; Piacentini M; Birch-Machin MA. Increasing melanoma cell death using inhibitors of protein disulfide isomerases to abrogate survival responses to endoplasmic reticulum stress. Cancer Research 2008, 68(13), 5363-5369.
- Armstrong, J.L.; Veal, G.J.; Redfern, C.P.F.; Lovat, P.E. Role of Noxa in p53-independent fenretinide-induced apoptosis of neuroectodermal tumours. Apoptosis 2007, 12(3), 613-622.
- 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.
- 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.
- Corazzari, M.; Lovat, P.E.; Armstrong, J.L.; Fimia, G.M.; Hill, D.S.; Birch-Machin, M.A.; Redfern, C.P.F.; Piacentini, M. Targeting homeostatic mechanisms of endoplasmic reticulum stress to increase susceptibility of cancer cells to fenretinide-induced apoptosis: The role of stress proteins ERdj5 and ERp57. British Journal of Cancer 2007, 96(7), 1062-1071.
Future Research
Defining molecular mechanisms of ER stress induced apoptosis/autophagy and development of novel therapeutic strategies for dermatological disease including psoriasis.
Research Roles
Principle Investiagtor of project grants to define role of ER stress induced apoptosis/autophagy in melanoma and the role of B-RAF mutations in the resistance of melanoma to cell death.
Principle investigator of international collaborative studies with the University of Rome, Tor Vergata and L'Spallanzani National Institute for Infectious Disease, Rome, Italy and the University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
Postgraduate Supervision
Supervision of PhD and MRes students
Personal tutor for home and international MRes (Medical and Molecular Biosciences)students
Deputy postgraduate tutor, Institute of Cellular Medicine
Esteem Indicators
European Commission COST Action 44 fellowship award (2003)
European Science Foundation Fellowship(2002)
Visiting Professor Award, The University of Rome 'Tor Vergata' (2004, 2006)
Plenary Lecturer at The National Institute of Health and 'National Cancer Institute' USA, Oncology Seminar Programme (2005)
Member of Organising Committee for the 'European Cell Death Society'
Co-organiser of United Kingdom Children's Cancer Study Group, Neuroblastoma Conference, The Beehive, Newcastle University (February 2005)
Plenary speaker at keystone symposium 'Advances in the understanding and treatment of melanoma' (2006)
Regular Reviewer for national and international reserach grant awarding bodies: Medical Reserach Council, Cancer Research UK, Association for International Cancer Research, The British Skin Foundation, The Neuroblastoma Society (UK), SPARKS, The Italian Association for Cancer Research, The Italian Neuroblastoma Society
Regular Reviewer for Scientific journals: The Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Cancer Research, International Journal of Cancer, British Journal of Cancer, Cell Death and Differentiation, FEBS letters, Neurosicience Letters, Clinical & Experimental Dermatology
Funding
Cancer Research UK
British Skin Foundation
The Newcastle Health Care Charity
The JGW Patterson Foundation
The Neuroblastoma Society, UK
CLIC
Association for international Cancer Research
Neuroblastoma Society, Italy
Italian Association for Cancer Research
Industrial Relevance
Collaboration with Genesis Genomics UK
A company focused on the identification of bio-markers for the detection of melanoma.
Patents
January 2006 - Cancer Research Technology UK GB06009039
'Combining drugs protecting against ER stress in combination with ER-stress-inducing agents defines a novel and more effective theratpy for melanoma'
Inventors: Dr Penny Lovat, Professor Mark Birch-Machin, Dr Christopher Redfern
Background
2005 to 2006: Senior Research Associate, School of Clinical & Laboratory Sciences, Dermatological Sciences, Newcastle University
Qualifications
1992 MPhil, University of Newcastle upon Tyne and University of Nothumbria
1995 PhD, University of Newcastle upon Tyne and University of Northumbria
Previous Positions
2004-2005, Senior Research Associate, Northern Institute of Cancer Research, Newcastle University
2000-2004, Senior Research Associate, Departments of Child Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle upon Tyne
1995-2001, Post Doctoral Research Associate, Departments of Child Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle upon Tyne
1988-1995, Research Associate, Departments of Child Health and Immunology, University of Newcastle upon Tyne
1987-1988, Medical Laboratory Scientific Officer,Department of Immunology, Newcastle General Hospital
Memberships
Member of the British Assocation for Cancer Research
Member of the British Society for Investigative Dermatology
Member of the European Cell Death Organisation
Member of The European Society for Dermatological Research
Director of The North East Skin Research Fund
Honours and Awards
Awarded Fellowships:
Visiting Professor Award, June-September 2006 University of Rome, 'Tor Vergata' Rome, Italy
Visiting Professor Award, February to June 2004 University of Rome, 'Tor Vergata' Rome, Italy
Visiting European Fellowship, March-May 2003, European Commission COST Action 44
Visiting Fellowship, April-June 2002 European Science Foundation
1997 UK Children's Cancer Study Group Young Investigator Award
1987 Northern Regional Health Authority, Sir William Leech Research Prize
Languages
Italian
Informal Interests
Horse Riding, squash and Skiing.
Undergraduate Teaching
Supervision of BSc Biomedical Sciences student research projects.
Personal tutor BSc Biomedical Sciences home and international students
Postgraduate Teaching
Supervison of PhD and MRes (Medical and Molecular Biosciences) students
Teaching and assessment of MRes (Medical and Molecular Biosciences) students (Cell signalling and Cancer study strands)
Personal Tutor to home and international MRes (Medical and Molecular Biosciences)students
Deputy post graduate tutor, Institute of Cellular Medicine
