I am a Research Associate in the Prostate Cancer Glycosylation Group working under the supervision of Dr Jennifer Munkley amd Prof David Elliott. My current work focuses on glycan reprogamming of prostate cancer cells and the effect of this on cancer cell biology. I have a specific interest in how cancer associated glycans alter the tumour immune microenvironment. The hope is that in the future we will be able to use this understanding to develop new therapies for men with prostate cancer. 

A large part of my work has focused on developing a patented diagnostic test for prostate cancer based on our understanding of prostate cancer associated glycans.

Previous to this, I completed my undergraduate studies at the University of Liverpool, graduating in 2015 with a MBiolSci in Genetics. I then moved to Newcastle University to complete a PhD in the Liver research group under the supervision in Professor Quentin Anstee, Professor Ann Daly, Professor Fiona Oakley and Dr Jeremy Palmer. My work here focused on the functional characterisation of a genetic variant associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma. 

Research Projects

Glycans as biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets in prostate cancer

Tumour associated glycans: novel targets to boost immunotherapy in prostate cancer

GlycoScore: A non-invasive diagnostic test for prostate cancer

Funding

2020 - 'Glycoscore - A non-invasive test for prostate cancer.' Northern Accelerator CCF award. £49,655. (Co-investigator, Jennifer Munkley Principle Investigator). 

2019 - 'Using glycan sugars to improve the diagnosis of prostate cancer.' JGW Patterson Foundation. £49,909. (Co-investigator, Jennifer Munkley Principle Investigator).

2019 - 'GlycoScore: Validation of a non-invasive diagnostic test to distinguish between benign and aggressive prostate cancer. MRC Confidence in Concepts. £81,146. (Co-investigator, Jennifer Munkley Principle Investigator). 

2019 - Travel support to visit a collaborator at Stanford University. Wellcome ISSF (Broadening our Horizons). £1800. 

2019 - Support to attend a glycosylation workshop. Wellcome ISSF (Broadening our Horizons). £1205.

2018 - EASL NAFLD Summit Young Investigator Award. £650.

2017 - 'Expert training in lipidomics at Cambridge University.' MRC Doctoral Training Supplement. £6000. 

Presentations

2019 - Prostate Cancer UK Making Progress Happen Event (London, UK). Selected poster.

2019 - Cancer Research UK Early Detection of Cancer Conference (Stanford, USA). Selected poster and oral presentation.

2019 - Newcastle University FMS PostDoc Symposium (Newcastle, UK). Selected oral presentation.

2019 - Glycosylation Workshop (San Sebastian, Spain). Selected poster. 

2018 - European Association for Study of the Liver NAFLD Summit (Geneva, Switzerland). Selected poster. 

Project Students

I regularly supervise Undergraduate and MRes project students in the lab. 

PhD Supervision

Kayla Bastian 2019 - 2022

• Munkley J, Li L, Krishnan SRG, Hysenaj G, Scott E, Dalgliesh C, Oo HZ, Maia TM, Cheung K, Ehrmann I, Livermore KE, Zielinska H, Thompson O, Knight B, McCullagh P, McGrath J, Crundwell M, Harries LW, Daugaard M, Cockell S, Barbosa-Morais NL, Oltean S, Elliott DJ. Androgen-regulated transcription of ESRP2 drives alternative splicing patterns in prostate cancer. eLife 2019, 8, e47678.
• Scott E, Munkley J. Glycans as Biomarkers in Prostate Cancer. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2019, 20(6), 1389.
• Garnham R, Scott E, Livermore KE, Munkley J. ST6GAL1: A key player in cancer (Review). Oncology Letters 2019, 18(2), 983-989.
• Munkley J, Scott E. Targeting Aberrant Sialylation to Treat Cancer. Medicines 2019, 6(4), 102.
• Scott EJ, Anstee QM. The genetics of alcoholic liver disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Clinical Medicine 2018, 18(Suppl. 2), s54-s59.
• Luukkonen PK, Zhou Y, Nidhina Haridas PA, Dwivedi OP, Hyotylainen T, Ali A, Juuti A, Leivonen M, Tukiainen T, Ahonen L, Scott E, Palmer JM, Arola J, Orho-Melander M, Vikman P, Anstee QM, Olkkonen VM, Oresic M, Groop L, Yki-Jarvinen H. Impaired hepatic lipid synthesis from polyunsaturated fatty acids in TM6SF2 E167K variant carriers with NAFLD. Journal of Hepatology 2017, 67(1), 128-136.
• Govaere O, Petz M, Wouters J, Vandewynckel Y-P, Scott EJ, Topal B, Nevens F, Verslype C, Anstee QM, Van Vlierberghe H, Mikulits W, Roskams T. The PDGFRα-laminin B1-keratin 19 cascade drives tumor progression at the invasive front of human hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncogene 2017, 36, 6605-6616.