Research Interests
Basic Research Programme
- Investigation of the role of Mps1/TTK in mitotic checkpoint: Our main objective is to identify the role of Mps1 in the mitotic checkpoint in association with other checkpoint proteins using as tool specific Mps1 inhibitors.
- Selection and validation of genes that play a role in centrosome clustering as targets for cancer drug discovery: Our current work is focusing on validation of target genes to initiated a programme to develop small molecule inhibitors designed to target cancer cells with centrosome amplification.
Drug Discovery Programme
- Discovery of orally bioavailable Aurora kinase inhibitor as pre-clinical development candidate: Our team has delivered a preclinical development candidate that is a dual Aurora and FLT3 kinase inhibitor with good oral bioavailability and oral in vivo efficacy in AML and in a variety of xenograft and transgenic models.
- Discovery of novel small molecule Mps1 kinase inhibitors: Our current and future work is focusing on the optimisation of our Mps1 inhibitors with the use of structure based design to identify an orally bioavailable preclinical development candidate.
- Discovery of novel small molecule PPM1D phosphatase inhibitors to treat breast and ovarian cancers: Our current work is focusing on the in vivo characterisation of our PPM1D inhibitors to identify a preclinical development candidate.
Aims of the Team
The aims of our laboratory are to identify and validate gene targets, to develop novel anticancer drugs through the process of drug discovery and to identify patient subgroups that would benefit from treatment. Therefore, our research programmes will continue to encompass both basic biological research and drug discovery
