Clinical Pharmacology Adaptive Therapy Group
Professor Banerji's group aims to study re-wiring of signal transduction to understand and overcome mechanisms of drug resistance and, in addition, to understand exploit cancer evolution using pharmacological tools.
We are focused on the re-wiring of signal transduction using established cell lines to control mechanisms of drug resistance and comprehend the evolution of cancer.
Rewiring of signal transduction
This group is working on the set-up and validation of a highly sensitive antibody-based assay on the Nanostring platform which will allow quantification of 50 - 100 phosphoproteins/proteins. It plans to digest tumour tissue obtained during surgery or from biopsies and expose them to a matrix of 20 - 30 anticancer drugs before obtaining phosphoproteomic data.
It also aims to use organoids and patient-derived xenografts to take this forward. The proteomic data will be modelled with the Computational Biology and Chemogenomics Team led by Professor Bissan Al-Lazikani. The group also supports PhD students studying the re-wiring of signal transduction in colon cancer and the role of stroma in influencing signal transduction.
The group also currently works with Professor Andrea Sottoriva at the Centre for Evolution and Cancer at the ICR to look at barcoding of cancer cells and the study of evolutionary trajectories of clones under experimental conditions. It is also studying mechanisms of resistance, collateral drug sensitivity and resistance of these emergent clones.
The primary area of this group is focused on the re-wiring of signal transduction using established cell lines as well as fresh cancer cells derived and isolated from patients and then exposing them to novel anticancer drugs. Pre- and post-proteomic profiling provides insights into mechanisms of drug resistance and how to overcome this with combination therapies. The initial work was carried out using cancer cells isolated from ascites and pleural effusions; the group in now developing expertise in organoid and patient-derived xenograft tissue.
The group develops its own antibody-based proteomic platforms and collaborates with teams involved in mass spectroscopic methods, led by Jyoti Choudhary. The group generates significant amounts of data and collaborates with the ICR's Computational Biology and Chemogenomics Team led by Professor Bissan Al-Lazikani to develop and decipher the data.
The secondary focus of this lab is the study of the pharmacological effects on cancer evolution in experimental models and methods to quantify this and herd cancer cells to a vulnerable state.
Professor Banerji works with Professor Andrea Sottoriva in the Centre for Evolution and Cancer at the ICR and plans to translate these concepts in to the clinic.
Vacancies at the ICR
Working at the ICR
HR Business Partner
Summary of Role We currently have an exciting opportunity for a self-motivated and experienced HR Business Partner to join our HR Operations team. You will build strong partnerships with client departments, acting as a strategic advisor to align HR initiatives with broader business goals. In addition to leading on strategic HR matters, you will manage an HR Adviser and administrative support to ensure the delivery of a high-quality, consistent HR service across both the Professional Services and Scientific Research Divisions. Your role will involve working closely with operational teams across the ICR to provide a proactive, professional, and customer-focused generalist HR service throughout the employee lifecycle, in accordance with HR policies, procedures, and agreed service standards. Key requirements: Fully qualified Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), ideally at Chartered Member (MCIPD) level Demonstrated experience in handling a wide range of employee relations issues, including disciplinary and grievance procedures, absence and performance management, TUPE, redundancy, and redeployment Proficiency in using the Agresso Integrated HR/Payroll system, with the flexibility to adapt to Oracle as part of upcoming system changes (desirable) Comprehensive and current understanding of UK employment legislation and HR best practice Department/Directorate Information We know that talented, brilliant, passionate people lie at the heart of the ICR. The Human Resources Directorate provides both strategic and operational advice and support across the ICR to attract and acquire, develop, retain and empower our people to achieve their full potential. This is an exciting and transformative time for the HR Directorate as we begin to implement a new People Strategy and an ERP system to better support the ICR in achieving its mission of making the discoveries that defeat cancer.
Data Engineer/Wrangler (CD3)
We are seeking to appoint an experienced Data Engineer/Wrangler to work within the Cancer Data Driven (CD3) Programme, to join our dynamic and forefront research group using epidemiological cohort data approaches to understand the causes of cancer and how to prevent it. Under the leadership of Professor's Montserrat Garcia-Closas this is an exciting opportunity to join our dynamic and forefront research multidisciplinary team, using epidemiological and real-world data-driven approaches to understand the causes of cancer and how to prevent it. In this role you will help develop the study's infrastructure and operational systems, ensuring efficient processing of multi-source data and contributing to the stability and performance of key systems. As a Data Engineer/Wrangler you will clean, transform and integrate complex, multi-source data from large-scale epidemiological and real-word data. Your work will ensure data readiness for research, in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team of epidemiologists, statisticians, data scientists and data managers. This is an exciting opportunity to play a crucial role in the creation of end-to-end data management and processing solutions, according to FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Re-usable) principles to support efficient and secure research data re-use to advance science. About the Cancer Data Driven Detection (CD3) Programme The Data Engineer/Wrangler will work within the Cancer Data Driven (CD3) Programme. CD3 is a new, multidisciplinary and multi-institutional strategic national research programme dedicated to using data to transform our understanding of cancer risk and enable early interception of cancers. It represents a major, multi-million-pound flagship investment funded through a strategic programme award by Cancer Research UK, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC); and the Peter Sowerby Foundation; in partnership with Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) and the Economic and Social Research Council’s Administrative Data Research UK programme (ADR UK). The successful candidate will work under the supervision of Professor Montserrat Garcia-Closas at the Integrative Epidemiology Team at The ICR and the Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research Unit (CEPRU), a research partnership between The ICR and Imperial College London. About you The successful candidate must have a Master’s degree in computer science, biostatistics, data science or epidemiology and preferably hold a PhD degree in epidemiology, biostatistics, or data science, who will enjoy working as part of a multidisciplinary team interacting with epidemiologists, biologists, statisticians, data scientists and operational managers. The post will be situated within the Division of Genetics & Epidemiology on the ICRs Sutton campus. Department/Directorate Information The Data Engineer/Wrangler will work with the Integrative Cancer Epidemiology Team (led by Professor Montserrat Garcia- Closas) and Clinical Epidemiology Team (led by Professor Amy Berrington) at the ICR Division of Genetics and Epidemiology. The Division is internationally renowned for its pioneering work in understanding the underlying genetic and environmental causes of cancer risk. High-quality laboratory, epidemiological and clinical research within the division is driven by energetic, innovative leadership and complemented by participation in national and international research consortiums, clinical collaborations, and technological partnerships. At the Integrative Cancer Epidemiology Team we use integrative analyses of large-scale data in epidemiological studies to investigate the causes of cancer, understand carcinogenic processes and improve risk assessment for precision prevention. At the Clinical Epidemiology Team we use real world data to investigate the late-effects of cancer treatments, cancer survival and cancer risks from other medications. Our work informs prevention and public health strategies at both the population and individual levels to reduce the burden of cancer. We have a program of research based on the ongoing Generations Study, a national study of over 110,000 women from the UK. Women in the study have provided blood samples and detailed questionnaire information at recruitment, and in repeat follow-up questionnaires. Data includes self- reported risk factor information, hormone levels, genetics, and artificial intelligence (AI) analyses of tissue images from breast tumours, benign breast disease and mammography images. We also access their medical records to collect information on cancer screening and treatments. The scientific staff comprise epidemiologists, statisticians and data scientist who collaborate with researchers around the world. We are part of the newly formed Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research Unit, a research partnership between The ICR and Imperial College London to establish collaborations in research, training and knowledge dissemination in cancer epidemiology and prevention. What we offer A dynamic and supportive research environment Access to state-of-the-art facilities and professional development opportunities Collaboration with leading researchers in the field Competitive salary and pension We encourage all applicants to access the job pack attached for more detailed information regarding this role. For an informal discussion regarding the role, please contact Professor Montserrat Garcia-Closas via Email at: [email protected]
Employee Story
Dr Fatemeh Ahmadi Moughari is a bioinformatician working in the Functional Genomics Team, led by Rachael Natrajan, and the Bioinformatics Team, led by Syed Haider. She joined the ICR from her home country of Iran where she completed her PhD in anti-cancer drug response at Shahid Beheshti University.
"I really enjoy the multidisciplinary atmosphere here and it’s the thing that stood out when I first joined the ICR."
Industrial partnership opportunities with this group
Opportunity: A potent, orally bioavailable clinical-stage inhibitor of MPS1 with potential as a treatment for a range of cancer types including triple negative breast cancer
Commissioner: Swen Hoelder