The Lung Cancer Focus Subgroup (Dr Fiona Blackhall)

The research interests of the lung cancer focus group within CEP are the development of novel mechanism based therapies and clinically relevant biomarkers for treatment selection and resistance to treatment. A major goal is to improve knowledge on mechanisms of resistance to existing therapies. The recent award of European Union Framework 6 funding for a collaborative project entitled ' CHEMORES' (www.chemores.org) which brings together specialists from leading centres for lung cancer, genomic and proteomic research across Europe will further this aim. The lung cancer focus group consists of clinicians and scientists who are engaged at the translational interface between the lab and the clinic in applying cutting edge technologies to plasma, serum and circulating tumour cells for biomarker discovery, evaluation and validation. Biomarkers of apoptosis and hypoxia are of particular interest to evaluate in preparation for clinical development of apoptosis promoters that have demonstrated promise to impact on lung cancer in preclinical and early clinical trials

Group Leader:
Caroline Dive

After completing my PhD studies in Cambridge, I moved to Aston University's School of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Birmingham where I started my own group studying mechanisms of drug induced tumour cell death. I then moved to what became the Faculty of Life Sciences at The University of Manchester to continue this research. I was awarded a Lister Institute of Preventative Medicine Research Fellowship before moving to the Paterson Institute for Cancer Research in 2003.  Here I set up the Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology Group interfacing with the Derek Crowther Unit for early clinical trials at The Christie. I am currently a Senior Group Leader at the Paterson Institute for Cancer Research and Professor of Pharmacology at The University of Manchester.

Deputy Group Leader 
Gerard Brady

Disease Focus Team Leaders 
Fiona Blackhall
Guy Makin
Andrew Renehan

Staff Scientists
Jeff Cummings
Dominic Rothwell
Jonathan Tugwood

Clinical Lecturers
Emma Dean
Alastair Greystoke
Matthew Krebs
Cliona Kirwan

Associate Scientists
Kathryn Simpson
Chris Morrow

Service Manager
David Moore

Laboratory Manager
Martin Greaves

Postdoctoral Fellows
Alison Backen
Becky Bola
Radoslaw Polanski
Francesca Trapani
Cong Zhou

Clinical Fellows
Kyaw Aung
Louise Carter
Leila Khoja
Kalena Marti Marti
Robert Metcalf
Danielle Shaw
Laura Cove Smith

Graduate Student
Danielle Potter

Scientific Officers
Mahmood Ayub
Jenny Antonello
Stephen Bramley
Debbie Burt
Fouziah Butt
John Castle
Samson Chinien
Jakub Chudziak
Martin Dawson
Olive Denneny
Suzanne Faulkner
Joseph Halstead
Grace Hampson
Cassandra Hodgkinson
Paul Kelly
Matthew Lancashire
Daniel Morris
Karen Morris
Jackie Pierce
Lynsey Priest
Tony Price
Robert Sloane
Nigel Smith

Scientific Assistant
Aileen Jardine

Admin Assistant
Lisa Waters