Lead: Professor Silvia Marino
We are a multidisciplinary research group composed of basic scientists and clinical researchers with the common aim to apply knowledge of basic stem cell biology to advance our understanding of brain tumours.
We study epigenetic mechanisms regulating the biology of normal and neoplastic stem cells, in particular we are investigating the role of deregulated self-renewal mechanisms in initiation and progression of brain tumours.
Professor Marino leads a research programme in the epigenetic regulation of stem cell function during CNS development and brain tumour formation.
The group focuses on glioblastoma (GBM) and on medulloblastoma (MB), the most common malignant brain tumours in adults and children respectively. The aim of the research is to increase our understanding of the cells within the brain from which these tumours originate and to characterise key deregulated epigenetic mechanisms driving their growth.
In GBM, the team has established a novel experimental pipeline which allows for the first time to compare GBM stem cells to their normal counterpart -the neural stem cells- isolated from the same patient. The aim is to uncover patient-specific changes which will advance the clinical evaluation of each individual patient and lead to better and more specific drugs.
In MB, the Marino group is studying the role of chromatin modifiers, such as the Polycomb group (PcG) genes, in the development of the tumour and how these genes can be targeted therapeutically in the tumour cells without affecting the normal cells at a crucial stage of brain development in children.
Current projects in the lab are funded by Brain Tumour Research, Cancer Research UK, Barts Charity, Ali's Dream and NIHR.
Prof Marino is pleased to consider applications from prospective PhD students.
Prof Marino is pleased to consider applications for prospective lab placements.
Academic staffProf. Denise Sheer (Group Lead)
Post-Doc Researchers and FellowsDr. Johan Aarum, Dr. Tania Corbett-Jones, Dr. Jennie Jeyapalan, Dr. Sheena Patel, Dr William Ogunkolade
Placement studentsAlfred Hill, Isabel Morley
Honorary staff
Administrative staffSurinder Pal
Prof. Denise Sheerd.sheer@qmul.ac.uk This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 2595 Fax: +44 (0)20 7882 2180
Mr Surinder PalCentre Administrators.pal@qmul.ac.uk This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 8605 Fax: +44 (0)20 7882 2180
Centre for Neuroscience and TraumaBlizard InstituteBarts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry4 Newark StreetLondonE1 2AT
o Prof. Silvia Marino (Group Lead)
o Ms. Rawinder Banwait (Laboratory Manager)
o Dr. Xinyu Zhang (Senior Research Technician)
o Dr. Teodora Manea (Postdoctoral Researcher)
o Dr. Yunchen Xiao (Postdoctoral Researcher)
o Dr. Alexia Klonou (Postdoctoral Researcher)
o Dr. James Nicholson (Postdoctoral Researcher)
o Dr. Thomas Millner (NIHR Clinical Lecturer)
o Dr. Sara Badodi (Senior Lecturer)
o Ms. Sara Lucchini (PhD Researcher)
o Ms. Alexandra Hadaway (PhD Researcher)
o Mr. Thomas Willott (PhD Researcher)
o Ms. Ros Gealy (PhD Researcher)
o Ms. Niamh Baker (PhD Researcher)
o Ms. Sanjana Ananth (PhD Researcher)
o Mr. Sheung (Chris) Ng (PhD Researcher)
o Mr. Rizwan Hameed (PhD Researcher)
o Dr. Sindhuja Sridharan (Early Career Researcher/Lecturer)
Contact information
Prof. Silvia Marino
s.marino@qmul.ac.uk Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 2585 Fax: +44 (0)20 7882 2180
Ms. Rawinder Banwait
r.banwait@qmul.ac.uk Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 2591 Fax: +44 (0)20 7882 2180
Centre for Genomics and Child Health
Blizard Institute
Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry
4 Newark Street, London E1 2AT
Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 2483