Newcastle University

Research Interests

Epigenetic misregulation of genes in Leukaemia

Loss of normal epigenetic control of genes during ageing as an underlying cause of leukaemia development

Epigenetic mechanisms controlling normal and malignant haematopoiesis
Epigenetic mechanisms controlling sensitivity to anti-cancer agents

Funding

2011 – 2012    Dunhill Medical Trust, Project grant “Investigation of the mechanism of DNA methylation instability and its role in age related disease”, Value £74,357

2010 – 2013    Tyneside Leukaemia Research Association, Project grant “Defining the opposing roles of HLXB9 in myeloid and lymphoid leukaemia” Value £85,443

2011 – 2014    Iraqi Ministry of Education, PhD studentship “Identification and verification of methylation markers for the prediction of outcome in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia” Approx value £111,000

2011 – 2012    Newcastle Healthcare Charity and Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Charity, Project Grant “The role of cell type specific age-related DNA methylation in leukaemia development”, Value £9,614

2009 - 2010     Leukaemia Research Fund, Project grant “The multiple roles of HOXC6 in leukaemia”. Value £48,383

2009 - 2010     Tyneside Leukaemia Research Association, Project grant “Are RGS proteins at the crossroads of the HOX and FLT3 pathways in leukaemia development?”. Value £50,727

2008 - 2009     Newcastle Healthcare Charity and Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Charity, Project Grant “Importance of epigenetic modulation of TWIST2/RUNX/NF-kB pathway in the development and drug sensitivity of childhood ALL”. Value £43,426

2007 - 2009     Children with Leukaemia, Project grant “Functional Relevance of Loss of HOX Gene Expression in Childhood Leukaemia”. Value £93,889

Lecturing 

Lecturer and member of steering group for BMS3014 Biology of Ageing

Postgraduate Supervision

four PhD students
MRes project students
 

• Thathia SH, Ferguson S, Gautrey HE, van Otterdijk SD, Hili M, Rand V, Moorman AV, Meyer S, Brown R, Strathdee G. Epigenetic inactivation of TWIST2 in acute lymphoblastic leukemia modulates proliferation, cell survival and chemosensitivity. Haematologica 2012, 97(3), 371-378.
• Irving L, Mainou-Fowler T, Parker A, Ibbotson RE, Oscier DG, Strathdee G. Methylation markers identify high risk patients in IGHV mutated chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Epigenetics 2011, 6(3), 300-306.
• Strathdee G. Methylation markers in the clinical management of leukemia patients – Wave of the future or damp squib?. Epigenomics 2011, 3(4), 391-394.
• Thathia S, Ferguson S, Bown N, Powell H, Strathdee G. RGS proteins are at the crossroads of the FLT3 and HOX pathways in leukaemia development. Oncogene 2011. Submitted.
• Ferguson S, Gautrey HE, Strathdee G. The Dual Role of HLXB9 in Leukemia. Pediatric Blood & Cancer 2011, 56(3), 349-352.
• Strathdee G, Ferguson S, Sim A, Brown R. DNA methylation does not regulate JUNB expression in CML: Comment on "Downregulation of JUNB mRNA expression in advanced phase chronic myelogenous leukemia" by Hoshino et al. [Leuk. Res. 33 (2009) 1361-1366]. Leukemia Research 2010, 34(5), 685-686.
• Mathers J, Strathdee G, Relton C. Induction of Epigenetic Alterations by Dietary and Other Environmental Factors. In: Herceg, Z., Ushijima, T, ed. Advances in Genetics: Epigenetics and Cancer, Part B. Amsterdam; London: Academic Press, 2010, pp.4-39.
• Strathdee, G, Sim, A, Soutar, R, Holyoake, TL, Brown, R. HOXA5 is targeted by cell-type-specific CpG island methylation in normal cells and during the development of acute myeloid leukaemia. Carcinogenesis 2007, 28(2), 299-309.
• Strathdee G. Epigenetic markers and response to chemotherapy in cancer. Dis Markers 2007, 23(1-2), 43-9.
• Strathdee G, Holyoake TL, Sim A, Parker A, Oscier DG, Melo JV, Meyer S, Eden T, Dickinson AM, Soutar R, Brown R. HOX genes are a major target for epigenetic mis-regulation in adult and childhood leukaemia. British Journal of Haematology 2007, 137, 81-81.
• Strathdee G, Holyoake TL, Sim A, Parker A, Oscier DG, Melo JV, Meyer S, Eden T, Dickinson AM, Mountford JC, Jorgensen HG, Soutar R, Brown R. Inactivation of HOXA genes by hypermethylation in myeloid and lymphoid malignancy is frequent and associated with poor prognosis. Clinical Cancer Research 2007, 13(17), 5048-5055.
• Appleton K, Mackay HJ, Judson I, Plumb JA, McCormick C, Strathdee G, Lee C, Barrett S, Reade S, Jadayel D, Tang A, Bellenger K, Mackay L, Setanoians A, Schatzlein A, Twelves C, Kaye SB, Brown R. Phase I and pharmacodynamic trial of the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor decitabine and carboplatin in solid tumors. Journal of Clinical Oncology 2007, 25(29), 4603-4609.