Newcastle University

Roles and Responsibilities

Teaching and supervision of students within the lab.

Qualifications

Bsc Hons in Pharmacology from Newcastle University.
PhD entitled ‘Mitochondrial DNA mutations in ageing: A study in human colon’.

Research Interests

My primary research interest is investigating the incidence and role of mitochondrial DNA point mutations during ageing of stem cell populations using the colonic mucosa as a model tissue. I am interested in the mechanisms by which mitochondrial DNA mutations occur and clonally expand, and am particularly focussed on looking at the functional consequences of these mutations on essential cellular functions, and the role they may have in the general tissue decline associated with the ageing process.

I am currently collaborating with the group led by Professor Nicholas Wright at Cancer research UK in London on the use of mitochondrial DNA mutations to track stem cell lineages. I am also in collaboration with Professor Konstantin Khrapko at Harvard University in the USA looking at methodology by which to quantify total mitochondrial DNA mutation load in cells and tissues.

Current Work

Quantification of mitochondrial DNA mutation load in stem cell populations.
Investigation of the use of mitochondrial DNA mutations and mitochondrial dysfunction as a biomarker of colorectal cancer risk (The BORICC Project)

Investigating the effects of mitochondrial DNA mutations on essential cellular functions

Projects

• FSF - Cancer stem cells in colorectal cancer
  Project Leader(s): Dr LC Greaves

Undergraduate Teaching

Leading seminars and practical sessions for undergraduate students.

• Greaves LC, Elson JL, Nooteboom N, Taylor GA, Commane D, Arasaradnam RP, Khrapko K, Taylor RW, Kirkwood TB, Mathers JC, Turnbull DM. Clonal Expansion of early life mitochondrial DNA mutations drives mitochondrial stem cell ageing. PLoS Genetics 2012, 8(11), e1003082.
• Williamson C, Blackwood JK, Greaves L, Wilson L, Pickard RS, Lako M, Robson CN, Turnbull DM, Taylor RW, Heer R. Lineage tracking in situ: Where are the prostate stem cells? What are they doing?. In: Annual Meeting of the Society of Academic and Research Surgery. 2012, Nottingham, UK: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
• Greaves LC, Reeve AK, Taylor RW, Turnbull DM. Mitochondrial DNA and disease. Journal of Pathology 2012, 226(2), 274-286.
• Blackwood JK, Williamson SC, Greaves LC, Wilson L, Rigas AC, Sandher R, Pickard RS, Robson CN, Turnbull DM, Taylor RW, Heer R. In situ lineage tracking of human prostatic epithelial stem cell fate reveals a common clonal origin for basal and luminal cells. Journal of Pathology 2011, 225(2), 181-188.
• Greaves LC, Barron MJ, Campbell-Shiel G, Kirkwood TBL, Turnbull DM. Differences in the accumulation of mitochondrial defects with age in mice and humans. Mechanisms of Ageing and Development 2011, 132(11-12), 588-591.
• Greaves L, Barron M, Plusa S, Kirkwood T, Mathers J, Taylor R, Turnbull D. Defects in multiple complexes of the respiratory chain are present in ageing human colonic crypts. Experimental Gerontology 2010, 45(7-8), 573-579.
• Arasaradnam RP, Greaves LC, Commane D, Mathers JC, Taylor RW, Turnbull DM. Mitochondrial DNA (MTDNA) mutations in human colonic crypts: A novel biomarker of colorectal cancer. GUT 2006, 55(S2), A24.
• Taylor RW, Barron MJ, Borthwick GM, Gospel A, Chinnery PF, Samuels DC, Taylor GA, Plusa SM, Needham SJ, Greaves LC, Kirkwood TBL, Turnbull DM. Mitochondrial DNA mutations and aging in human colonic crypts and stem cells. In: American Journal of Human Genetics: Annual Meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics. 2003, Los Angeles, California, USA: Cell Press.
• Taylor RW, Barron MJ, Borthwick GM, Gospel A, Chinnery PF, Samuels DC, Taylor GA, Plusa SM, Needham SJ, Greaves LC, Kirkwood TBL, Turnbull DM. Mitochondrial DNA mutations in human colonic crypt stem cells. Journal of Clinical Investigation 2003, 112(9), 1351-1360.
• Greaves LC, Wilkinson SC, Williams FM. Factors affecting percutaneous absorption of caffeine in vitro. Toxicology 2002, 178(1), 65-66.