The haemato-oncology group covers five main areas of research:

Acute and chronic leukaemia

The Centre hosts multiple research programmes aiming to understand cellular and molecular mechanisms processes that underpin the pathogenesis of acute and chronic, myeloid and lymphoid leukaemia, including the molecular regulatory networks that reprogram gene expression in acute leukaemias; the role of the bone marrow microenvironment in supporting malignant haematopoiesis at the expense of healthy haematopoietic stem cells and in the development of chemoresistance and relapse; the progression from healthy haematopoiesis to pre-leukaemia and leukaemia; the interactions between malignant and immune cells.

Group Leaders: Professor Jane Apperley, Dr Niklas Feldhahn, Dr Andrew Innes, Professor Cristina Lo Celso, Dr Tiago Luis, Professor Matthias Merkenschlager

Multiple myeloma

Research in multiple myeloma is conducted in the Hugh and Josseline Langmuir Centre for Myeloma Research. Please see the Myeloma Research Centre website. 

Group leaders: Dr Aris Chaidos, Dr Nicholas Crump, Professor Tassos Karadimitris

HTLV-1-related malignancy

We are interested in understanding the genetic and molecular determinants of the progression of HTLV-1 infection into adult T cell leukaemia/lymphoma (ATL). We work in collaboration with the National Centre for Human Retrovirology and we study and support the largest clinical cohort of patients with HTLV-1 infection.

Group leaders: Dr Lucy Cook

Haematopoietic stem cell biology

We are interested in understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms supporting haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to maintain lifelong production of all blood cells, with a particular emphasis on cell-extrinsic mechanisms mediated by the bone marrow microenvironment and HSC heterogeneity. We study a number of models of haematopoietic stress and we use advanced and intravital microscopy as a unique tool to uncover previously unrecognised regulatory mechanisms.

Group leaders: Dr Andrew Innes, Professor Cristina Lo Celso, Dr Tiago Luis.

Immunotherapy

We are interested in understanding the interactions between malignant haematopoietic cells and immune cells spanning from the host’s immune system to donor-derived T cells. A translational programme aims to harness the biological properties of invariant NKT cells for the treatment of blood cancers and autoimmune disease using chimaeric antigen receptor, TCR and bi-specific Ab technologies.

Group leaders: Professor Tassos Karadimitris, Professor Cristina Lo Celso