Alison Tyson-Capper

Roles and Responsibilities

• Deputy Dean for Postgraduate Research
• Faculty Postgraduate Tutor
• Group Leader and Prinical Investigator 
• ICM Postgraduate Coordinator (2012-2014) 
• Supervisor Training Academic Lead
  

 

University Committee Member

• University PgR Regulations Committee (Chair)
  
• University ePortfolio Management Group (Chair)
• University Postgraduate Operations Group (Faculty Tutor, Associate Dean)
• University PgR Subcommittee of UEC (Faculty Tutor, Associate Dean)
• University Welbeing4all Committee 
  
• Graduate School Executive Board
• Graduate School Committee
• Faculty Student Representative Committee
• Faculty Student Programme Development Committee 
• Chair Postgraduate Committee (ICM)-2015
• Management Committee (ICM)
• Institute Executive Committee
• ICM Athena Swan SAT

External Memberships

• British Association for Cancer Research
• European Association for Cancer Research
• ASBMB (American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
• FASEB (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology)
• British Society for Cell Biology

 

Qualifications:

1994 BSc (Hons) Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Liverpool
1999 PhD Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Liverpool

Previous Positions

1/08/2010 - 31/07/2016 Senior Lecturer

01/07/05-31/07/10 Lecturer

1/2/02-30/6/05 Senior Research Associate, University of Newcastle, (Wellcome Trust funded)
1/11/98-28/1/02 Research Associate, University of Newcastle (Action Research funded)

Current Research Themes

Breast cancer is an age-related disease and the most common female cancer worldwide; further research is vital to identify novel pathways driving different forms of cancer to reveal potential new therapeutic strategies.

Our research portfolio focuses on a number of integrated projects identifying cancer-related gene regulation changes that impact on the ability of breast cancer cells to grow, survive and invade tissues. My team are currently defining the regulation and function of different signalling pathways and receptors that are already targets for therapies including HER2. We are studying regulation and functional implications of cancer-associated alternative splicing events in breast cancer biology. Our work aims to help define how alternative splicing events change in different cancer subtypes and what impact these changes may potentially have on disease progression and drug resistance.

Another research area has been to define the role of toll-like receptors in tissue injury; we are interested in studying cellular and molecular mechanisms associated with activation of TLR signalling pathways; this research theme includes several active projects in reproductive medicine and TLR responses to various stimuli including metallic ions.

PhD Supervision

28 Postgraduate students have graduated from my supervision since 2006 (11 PhD students and 17 MRes students). I am happy to consider applications from self-funded students.

Current PhD students:

• Vic Hart 
• Gerald Hysenaj 
  
• Amy Mawdesley 
• Shannon Jamieson 
  

Reviewer for grants:

MRC, Wellcome Trust, Action Medical Research, BBSRC, Wellbeing for Women, Breast Cancer Campaign.

Reviewer for manuscripts:

Breast Cancer Research, Cancer Letters, Molecular Human Reproduction, Reproductive Sciences, Molecular Endocrinology, PlosONE, FEBS letters, Oncogene. Scientific Reports.

Editorial Board: Advances in Molecular Biology (Hindawi Publishing); Scientific Reports (Nature) 

Main techniques:

mini-gene construction; transient and stable transfections; reporter assays; gene silencing techniques (RNAi and morpholinos); nuclear splicing assays; DNA and RNA mobility shift assays; protein: RNA-binding assays/iCLIP; immunoprecipitation; PCR (conventional and Real-time, Q-PCR arrays); TLR signalling assays.

Funding:

Action Medical Research, Wellcome Trust, RVI Breast Cancer Appeal, Dr William Harker Foundation, The JGW Patterson Foundation, William Luccock and Ernest Jeffcock Foundation,,Charles & Elsie Sykes Charitable Trust, Breast Cancer Campaign,,Wellbeing for Women (WOW),Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust, NIHR BRC.

 Recipient of the Vice Chancellor's Distinguished Teacher Award  

 Undergraduate Teaching

• Personal Tutor
• UG Project supervisor
• Assessor (oral presentations and dissertations)

 

Postgraduate Teaching  

• Deputy Dean for Postgraduate Research, Faculty Postgraduate Tutor
• Facilitator:Research Student Development Programme
• ICM Postgraduate Coordinator (2012-2014)
• PhD and MRes supervisor  
• PhD examiner and assessor
• MRes assessor (oral presentations and dissertations)
• Postgraduate skills Development (early and late stage) 
• Supervisory Training (FMS & University)
  

• Mawdesley A, Davidson l, Anjum S, Kirby J, Tyson-Capper A. Effect of cobalt ions on chemokine expression: case report of immune cell infiltration in patient undergoing revision of metal-on-metal implant. Journal of Orthopaedic Research and Therapy 2020, 5 (01).
• Tyson-Capper AJ, Gautrey H. Regulation of Mcl-1 alternative splicing by hnRNP F, H1 and K in breast cancer cells. RNA Biology 2018, 15(12), 1448-1457.
• Silipo M, Gautrey H, Satam S, Lennard T, Tyson-Capper A. How is Herstatin, a tumor suppressor splice variant of the oncogene HER2, regulated?. RNA Biology 2017, 14(5), 536-543.
• Danilenko M, Dalgliesh C, Pagliarini V, Naro C, Ehrmann I, Feracci M, Kheirollahi-Chadegani M, Tyson-Capper A, Clowry GJ, Fort P, Dominguez C, Sette C, Elliott DJ. Binding site density enables paralog-specific activity of SLM2 and Sam68 proteins in Neurexin2 AS4 splicing control. Nucleic Acids Research 2017, 45(7), 4120–4130.
• Anjum SA, Lawrence H, Holland JP, Kirby JA, Deehan DJ, Tyson-Capper AJ. Effect of cobalt-mediated Toll-like receptor 4 activation on inflammatory responses in endothelial cells. Oncotarget 2016, 7(47), 76471-76478.
• Lawrence H, Deehan DJ, Holland JP, Anjum SA, Mawdesley AE, Kirby JA, Tyson-Capper AJ. Cobalt ions recruit inflammatory cells in vitro through human Toll-like receptor 4. Biochemistry and Biophysics Reports 2016, 7, 374-378.
• Best A, James K, Hysenaj G, Tyson-Capper A, Elliott DJ. Transformer2 proteins protect breast cancer cells from accumulating replication stress by ensuring productive splicing of checkpoint kinase 1. Frontiers of Chemical Science and Engineering 2016, 10(2), 186-195.
• Lawrence H, Mawdesley AE, Holland JP, Kirby JA, Deehan DJ, Tyson-Capper AJ. Targeting Toll-like receptor 4 prevents cobalt-mediated inflammation. Oncotarget 2016, 7(7), 7578-7585.
• Gautrey H, Jackson C, Dittrich A-L, Browell D, Lennard T, Tyson-Capper A. SRSF3 and hnRNP H1 regulate a splicing hotspot of HER2 in breast cancer cells. RNA Biology 2015, 12(10), 1139-1151.
• Silipo M, Gautrey H, Tyson-Capper A. Deregulation of splicing factors and breast cancer development. Journal of Molecular Cell Biology 2015, 7(5), 388-401.
• Waring G, Bulmer JN, Robson SC, Tyson-Capper AJ. Inflammatory Signalling in Fetal Membranes: Increased Expression Levels of TLR 1 in the Presence of Preterm Histological Chorioamnionitis. PLoS One 2015, 10(5), e0124298.
• Hong E, Best A, Gautrey H, Chin J, Razdan A, Curk T, Elliott DJ, Tyson-Capper AJ. Unravelling the RNA-Binding Properties of SAFB Proteins in Breast Cancer Cells. BioMed Research International 2015, 395816.
• Dittrich A, Gautrey H, Browell D, Tyson-Capper A. The HER2 Signaling Network in Breast Cancer-Like a Spider in its Web. Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia 2014.
• Best A, James K, Dalgliesh C, Hong EA, Kheirolahi-Kouhestani M, Curk T, Xu Y, Danilenko M, Hussain R, Keavney B, Wipat A, Klinck R, Cowell IG, Cheong Lee K, Austin C, Venables JP, Chabot B, Santibanez Koref M, Tyson-Capper AJ, Elliott DJ. Human Tra2 proteins jointly control a CHEK1 splicing switch among alternative and constitutive target exons. Nature Communications 2014, 5, 4760.
• Lawrence H, Deehan D, Holland J, Kirby JA, Tyson-Capper AJ. The immunobiology of cobalt: demonstration of a potential aetiology for inflammatory pseudotumours after metal-on-metal replacement of the hip. Bone & Joint Journal 2014, 96-B(9), 1172-1177.
• Best A, Dalgliesh C, Kheirollahi-Kouhestani M, Danilenko M, Ehrmann I, Tyson-Capper AJ, Elliott DJ. Tra2 protein biology and mechanisms of splicing control. Biochemical Society Transactions 2014, 42(4), 1152-1158.
• Eyre R, Harvey I, Stemke-Hale K, Lennard TWJ, Tyson-Capper AJ, Meeson AP. Reversing paclitaxel resistance in ovarian cancer cells via inhibition of the ABCB1 expressing side population. Tumor Biology 2014.
• Lawrence H, Deehan DJ, Holland JP, Kirby JA, Tyson-Capper AJ. Can cobalt from metal-on-metal joints activate human TLR4 and cause an inflammatory response?. Bone and Joint Journal 2014, 96-B(Supp 11), 292-292.
• Jackson C, Browell D, Gautrey H, Tyson-Capper AJ. Clinical significance of HER-2 splice variants in breast cancer progression and drug resistance. International Journal of Cell Biology 2013, 2013, 973584.
• Best AJ, Dalgleish C, Ehrmann I, Kheirollahi-Kouhestani M, Tyson-Capper AJ, Elliott DJ. Expression of Tra2ß in cancer cells as a potential contributory factor to neoplasia and metastasis. International Journal of Cell Biology 2013, 2013, 843781.
• Lal S, Allan A, Markovic D, Walker R, Macartney J, Europe-Finner N, Tyson-Capper A, Grammatopoulos D. Estrogen Alters the Splicing of Type 1 Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Receptor in Breast Cancer Cells. Science Signaling 2013, 6(282), ra53.
• Gautrey HL, Tyson-Capper AJ. Regulation of Mcl-1 by SRSF1 and SRSF5 in cancer cells. PLoS One 2012, 7(12), e51497.
• Tyson-Capper AJ, Lawrence H, Holland JP, Deehan DJ, Kirby JA. The Molecular Mechanism of Cell Activation by Cobalt Ions. Comment on Ninomiya et al.: Metal Ions Activate Vascular Endothelial Cells and Increase Lymphocyte Chemotaxis and Binding. Journal of Orthopaedic Research 2013, 31(11), 1859.
• Tyson-Capper AJ, Lawrence H, Holland JP, Deehan DJ, Kirby JA. Metal-on-metal hips: cobalt can induce an endotoxin-like response. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 2013, 72(3), 460-461.
• Cork DMW, Robson SC, Venables JP, Tyson-Capper AJ. Myometrial-specific spatiotemporal splicing patterns in pregnancy. In: 60th Annual Meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation. 2013, New York: Sage Publications, Inc.
• Waring G, Robson SC, Bulmer JN, Tyson-Capper AJ. Inflammatory signalling in fetal membranes: the transcriptome of chorioamnionitis. In: 60th Annual Meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation. 2013, Orlando, Florida, USA: Sage Publications, Inc.
• Hong EA, Gautrey HL, Elliott DJ, Tyson-Capper AJ. SAFB1 and SAFB2 mediated transcriptional repression: relevance in cancer. Biochemical Society Transactions 2012, 40(4), 826-830.
• Alfakir A, Dawe N, Eyre R, Tyson-Capper A, Britton K, Robson SC, Meeson AP. The temporal and spatial expression patterns of ABCG2 in the developing human heart. International Journal of Cardiology 2012, 156(2), 133-138.
• Cork DMW, Lennard TWJ, Tyson-Capper AJ. Progesterone receptor (PR) variants exist in breast cancer cells characterised as PR negative. Tumor Biology 2012, 33(6), 2329-2340.
• Sethna F, Tyson-Capper AJ, Shiells EA, Robson SC. The expression of glucocorticoid receptor in human myometrium in pregnancy and labour. J Steroids Hormon Sci 2011, 2.
• Hong EEA, Elliot DJ, Tyson-Capper AJ. Effect of Oestrogen on RNA-Binding Splicing Regulators in Breast Cancer Cells. In: Reproductive Sciences: 57th Annual Meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation. 2010, Orlando, Florida: Sage Publications, Inc.
• Tyson-Capper AJ, Zhang Q, Robson SC. Anti-Inflammatory Action of Progesterone on TLR-4 and COX-2 Activation Is Not Mediated by Nuclear Progesterone Receptors. In: Reproductive Sciences: 57th Annual Meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation. 2010, Orlando, Florida: Sage Publications Inc.
• Kirby JA, Shiells EA, Robson SC, Tyson-Capper AJ. Characterisation of HMGB1 in the Human Myometrium during Pregnancy. In: 57th Annual Meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation. 2010, Orlando, Florida: Sage Publications.
• Tyson-Capper AJ, Shiells EA, Robson SC. Interplay between polypyrimidine tract binding protein-associated splicing factor and human myometrial progesterone receptors. Journal of Molecular Endocrinology 2009, 43(1), 29-41.
• Smith MC, Tyson-Capper AJ, Robson SC. Alternative signalling pathways contribute towards mediation of anti-inflammatory properties of progestins. In: 55th Annual Meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation. 2008, San Diego, California: Reproductive Sciences: Sage Publications, Inc.
• Tyson-Capper AJ, Shiells EA, Robson SC. The ambiguity of myometrial progesterone receptor expression in pregnancy and labour. In: Reproductive Sciences: 55th Annual Meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation. 2008, San Diego, CA, USA: Sage Publications, Inc.
• Cork DMW, Lennard TWJ, Tyson-Capper AJ. Alternative splicing and the progresterone receptor in breast cancer. Breast Cancer Research 2008, 10(3), 207.
• Tyson-Capper AJ, Robson SC. Progestins and the glucocorticoid receptor in human myometrial and amnion-derived WISH cells. In: Reproductive Sciences: 55th Annual Meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation. 2008, San Diego, CA, USA: Sage Publications, Inc.
• Harper KA, Tyson-Capper AJ. Complexity of COX-2 gene regulation. Biochemical Society Transactions 2008, 36(3), 543-545.
• Tyson-Capper AJ. Alternative splicing: An important mechanism for myometrial gene regulation that can be manipulated to target specific genes associated with preterm labour. In: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth: Proceedings of the First and Second European Workshops on Preterm Labour of the Special Non-Invasive Advances in Fetal and Neonatal Evaluation (SAFE) Network of Excellence. 2007, Tarragona, Spain: BioMed Central Ltd.
• Tyson-Capper AJ, Europe-Finner GN. Novel targeting of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) pre-mRNA using antisense morpholino oligonucleotides directed to the 3′ acceptor and 5′ donor splice sites of exon 4: Suppression of COX-2 activity in human amnion-derived WISH and myometrial cells. Molecular Pharmacology 2006, 69(3), 796-804.
• Tyson-Capper AJ, Cork DMW, Wesley E, Shiells EA, Loughney AD. Characterization of cellular retinoid-binding proteins in human myometrium during pregnancy. Molecular Human Reproduction 2006, 12(11), 695-701.
• Tyson-Capper AJ, Cork D, Wesley E, Kokkinos E, Europe-Finner N, Loughney AD. The role of the retinoids in the differentiation of the myometrium during pregnancy. In: 53rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation. 2006, Toronto, Canada: Journal of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation: Elsevier.
• Tyson-Capper AJ, Bailey J, Krainer AR, Robson SC, Europe-Finner GN. The switch in alternative splicing of cyclic AMP-response element modulator protein CREMτ2α (activator) to CREMα (repressor) in human myometrial cells is mediated by SRp40. Journal of Biological Chemistry 2005, 280(41), 34521-34529.
• Bailey J, Tyson-Capper AJ, Gilmore K, Robson SC, Europe-Finner GN. Identification of human myometrial target genes of the cAMP pathway: The role of cAMP-response element binding (CREB) and modulator (CREMα and CREMτ2α) proteins. Journal of Molecular Endocrinology 2005, 34(1), 1-17.
• Phillips RJ, Tyson-Capper AJ, Bailey J, Robson SC, Europe-Finner GN. Regulation of expression of the chorionic gonadotropin/luteinizing hormone receptor gene in the human myometrium: Involvement of specificity protein-1 (Sp1), Sp3,Sp4, Sp-like proteins, and histone deacetylases. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2005, 90(6), 3479-3490.
• Pollard AJ, Krainer AR, Robson SC, Europe-Finner GN. Alternative splicing of the adenylyl cyclase stimulatory G-protein Gαs is regulated by SF2/ASF and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNPA1) and involves the use of an unusual TG 3′-splice site. Journal of Biological Chemistry 2002, 277(18), 15241-15251.
• Bailey J, Phillips RJ, Pollard AJ, Gilmore K, Robson SC, Europe-Finner GN. Characterization and functional analysis of cAMP response element modulator protein and activating transcription factor 2 (ATF2) isoforms in the human myometrium during pregnancy and labor: Identification of a novel ATF2 species with potent transactivation properties. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2002, 87(4), 1717-1728.
• Pollard AJ, Sparey C, Robson SC, Krainer AR, Europe-Finner GN. Spatio-temporal expression of the Trans-acting splicing factors SF2/ASF and heterogeneous ribonuclear proteins A1/A1B in the myometrium of the pregnant human uterus: A molecular mechanism for regulating regional protein isoform expression in Vivo. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2000, 85(5), 1928-1936.
• Pollard AJ, Flanagan BF, Newton DJ, Johnson PM. A novel isoform of human membrane cofactor protein (CD46) mRNA generated by intron retention. GENE 1998, 212(1), 39-47.
• Hong EA, Elliott DJ, Tyson-Capper AJ. Identification of SAFB1 and SAFB2 Target Genes within the Oestrogen Receptor-Signalling Pathway in Breast Cancer Cells. In: 59th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation. 2012, Sage.
• Miller B, Shelleh A, Kirby JA, Robson SC, Tyson-Capper AJ. Preterm Birth: A Modulatory Role for HMGB1?. In: 59th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation. 2012, Sage.
• Cork DMW, Lennard TWJ, Tyson-Capper AJ. The Functional Impact of Progesterone Receptor Alternative Splicing in Breast Cancer Cells. In: 59th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation. 2012, Sage.
• Waring GJ, Robson SC, Bulmer JN, Tyson-Capper AJ. Inflammatory Signalling in Fetal Membranes: The Transcriptome of Chorioamnionitis. In: RCOG World Congress. 2013, Liverpool, UK: Sage Publications.
• Waring GJ, Robson SC, Bulmer JN, Tyson-Capper AJ. Inflammatory signalling in fetal membranes: the transcriptome of chorioamnionitis. In: RCOG World Congress. 2013, Liverpool, UK: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
• Ali ASM, Mowbray C, Lanz M, Stanton A, Bowen S, Varley CL, Hilton P, Brown K, Robson W, Southgate J, Aldridge P, Tyson-Capper A, Abraham S, Pickard RS, Hall J. Targeting Deficiencies in the TLR5 Mediated Vaginal Response to Treat Female Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection. Scientific Reports 2017, 7, 11039.
• Cork DM, Lennard TW, Tyson-Capper AJ. Progesterone receptor (PR) variants exist in breast cancer cells characterised as PR negative. Tumor Biology 2012, 33(6), 2329-2340.
• Mawdesley A, Davison L, Anjum S, Kirby J, Tyson-Capper A. Effect of cobalt ions on chemokine expression: Case report of immune cell infiltration in patient undergoing replacement of a metal-on-metal implant. Journal of Orthopedic Research and Therapy 2020, 5(1), 1154.
• Stanton A, Mowbray C, Lanz M, Brown K, Hilton P, Tyson-Capper A, Pickard RS, Ali ASM, Hall J. Topical Estrogen Treatment Augments the Vaginal Response to Escherichia coli Flagellin. Scientific Reports 2020, 10(1), 8473.