Centre for Cancer Research & Cell Biology
Queen's University Belfast
Belfast BT9 7BL

United Kingdom

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Project Leader

Prof. Dr. Kevin Prise Phone: +44 28 9097 2760  Fax: +44 28 9097 2776  Contact

Project Staff

Institute Presentation

The Centre for Cancer Research & Cell Biology (CCRCB) is part of the School of Biomedical Sciences of Queen's University Belfast (QUB). QUB has over 25,000 full and part-time students and has recently joined the Russell Group of the top 20 research active universities in the UK. CCRCB is a cross faculty and multi-disciplinary centre with over 300 clinical and basic researchers working in cancer related areas from basic research through to translational and clinical application. It has a strong background in mechanistic studies of chemo agents, through translational and clinical projects. Professor Kevin Prise is Chair of Radiation Biology as part of a new initiative to promote radiation science as a developing theme within the centre and in the University. His group has recently transferred from the internationally renowned Gray Cancer Institute as part of the opening of a new research building for the CCRCB in 2007.

The Radiation Biology Group at QUB has extensive experience in studies on mechanisms of action of ionising radiations and has developed novel targeted localised radiation approaches whereby cell-cell signalling responses can be followed after localised X-irradiation. They have proven experience in a range of cell signalling assays in both cell based and tissue models.

The QUB team will test the response endothelial cells to localised irradiation using X-ray microbeam approaches in samples isolated from control and irradiated hearts at different times. The main role will be to test for functional changes in permeability of monolayer sheets and differences in inter- and intracellular signalling mechanisms.

Dr Giuseppe Schettino is a lecturer in CCRCB with extensive experience in the use of microbeams for radiation biology studies. Dr Keeva McClelland is developing assays for the measurement of radiation responses in endothelial cell models. Ms Elena Zaharieva is a PhD student with a background in radiation biology and experience in endothelial cell biology, who will determine the mechanisms of localised exposure in both established mouse endothelial cultures and primary cells from in vivo studies.

Selected references

1. Gabrys, D., Greco, O., Patel, G., Prise, K.M., Tozer, G.M., and Kanthou, C., (2007), Radiation effects on the cytoskeleton of human endothelial cells and on endothelial monolayer permeability. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics 69, 1553-1562.
2. Burdak-Rothkamm, S., Short, S.C., Folkard, M., Rothkamm, K. & Prise, K.M. (2007). ATR-dependent radiation-induced gammaH2AX foci in bystander primary human astrocytes and gliomacells. Oncogene, 26, 993-1002.
3. Belyakov, O.V., Folkard, M., Mothersill, C., Prise, K.M. & Michael, B.D. (2006). Bystander-induced differentiation: A major response to targeted irradiation of a urothelial explant model. Mutat Res, 597, 43-9.
4. Shao, C., Lyng, F.M., Folkard, M. & Prise, K.M. (2006). Calcium fluxes modulate the radiation-induced bystander responses in targeted glioma and fibroblast cells. Radiat Res, 166, 479-87.
5. Prise, K.M., Schettino, G., Folkard, M. & Held, K.D. (2005). New insights on cell death from radiation exposure. Lancet Oncol, 6, 520-8.