Staff Profile

Experience

I have expertise in pre-clinical analysis of single and multiple chemotherapeutic and targeted agents against childhood leukaemia. I have previous experience of HSP90 biology, and analysis of somatic copy number alterations from patients in clinical trials.

Academic background

I obtained my integrated Master’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Bath in 2011, and obtained a PhD in cancer studies from the University of Leicester in 2016.

Qualifications

• 2011, Bath - Master of Biochemistry (MBiochem)
• 2016, University of Leicester - Doctor of Philosophy in Cancer Sciences (PhD) 

SCOPUS: Click here.

Research Interests

I am interested in the genetic determinants of drug sensitivity in human cancers. Combining ex vivo, in vivo and bioinformatics approaches, I hope to discover new genetic weaknesses to exploit. I am particularly interested in analyses of genetic data from tumour samples in clinical trials. 

I have recently become very interested in the potential of machine learning in bio-imaging applications. I have developed a methodology for high-throughput analysis of high-content, multiplexed microscopy images of a primary co-culture system, for better analysis of drug combinations in leukaemia.

I have experience in the analysis of somatic copy number alterations and their link to survival outcomes in cancer.

Current Work

My current work focuses on developing high-throughput methods to assess novel drug combinations, in patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of leukaemia. I am developing an image processing pipeline to rapidly assess the efficacy of drugs in a PDX-coculture plafform. This pipeline involves a machine-learning component, in order to distinguish different cell types in fluorescence-microscopy images. Ultimately, we hope to role this out to test novel drug combinations on patient samples, in order to inform clinical decision making.

Teaching 

BMS3010 - Genetics and Human Disease - Seminars in 2017, 2018 and 2019

Project Student Supervision

Intercalated Master's Student Supervision 2018 - Will Griffiths

Undergraduate Project Supervision 2019 - Nadia Blocker

• Martinez-Soria N, McKenzie L, Draper J, Ptasinska A, Issa H, Potluri S, Blair HJ, Pickin A, Isa A, Chin PS, Tirtakusuma R, Coleman D, Nakjang S, Assi S, Forster V, Reza M, Law E, Berry P, Mueller D, Elder A, Bomken SN, Pal D, Allan JM, Veal GJ, Cockerill PN, Wichmann C, Vormoor J, Lacaud G, Bonifer C, Heidenreich O. The Oncogenic Transcription Factor RUNX1/ETO Corrupts Cell Cycle Regulation to Drive Leukemic Transformation. Cancer Cell 2018, 34(4), 626-642.e8.
• Busacca S, Law EW, Powley IR, Proia DA, Sequeira M, LeQuesne J, Klabatsa A, Edwards JM, Matchett KB, Luo JL, Pringle JH, El-Tanani M, MacFarlane M, Fennell DA. Resistance to HSP90 inhibition involving loss of MCL1 addiction. Oncogene 2016, 35(12), 1483–1492.
• Richards MW, Law EW, Rennalls LP, Busacca S, O'Regan L, Fry AM, Fennell DA, Bayliss R. Crystal structure of EML1 reveals the basis for Hsp90 dependence of oncogenic EML4-ALK by disruption of an atypical β-propeller domain. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 2014, 111(14), 5195-5200.
• Nikaido M, Law EW, Kelsh RN. A systemic survey of expression and function of zebrafish frizzled genes. PLoS ONE 2013, 8(1), e54833.