Dr Adam Odell

Profile

With over 15 years of research experience in the fields of cancer biology and cardiovascular disease, my primary focus is the understanding of the signalling processes regulating endothelial cell function. I completed a PhD in Biomedical Sciences in 2006, identifying novel mechanisms regulating activation of the non-selective cation channel, TRPC4. This included identifying new cytoskeletal-binding motifs and a tyrosine phosphorylation-dependent exocytic translocation event. I then undertook a short Postdoctoral position performing functional screening of CML patient-derived cDNA libraries for novel mediators of therapeutic resistance.

After moving to Leeds in 2007, in a Wellcome Trust-funded role, I focused on clarifying the role of phospholipase A2 enzymes in controlling endothelial cell proliferation and angiogenic function. This was followed in 2010 by a YCR-funded Postdoctoral position looking at introducing second-site suppressor mutations into oncogenic p53 mutants to restore wild-type function and reduce cellular growth. I then spent a year within the Tumour Angiogenesis Group at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (Melbourne, Australia) characterising novel regulators of lymphatic endothelial cell migration. After returning to Leeds in 2015, I joined the Molecular and Cellular Immunology Group to establish a new research area investigating how the endothelium can be modified to influence leukocyte and tumour cell trans-endothelial migration. I am currently employed as a Lecturer in Biomedical Science at York St. John University. 

Research interests

My specific research interests lie in Biomedical Science education (particularly around assessment design), the role of the endothelium in angiogenesis, tumour suppression and somatic cell regulation by p53, receptor tyrosine kinase control and cellular signalling. I have links with researchers in Yorkshire, Sweden, Germany, USA and Australia. Teaching and Supervision topics include Endothelial Cell Biology, Tumour Immunology, Metastasis, Migration, Cell Signalling. Postgraduate supervision: Aarren Mannion, PhD, Year 3 - Investigating the involvement of CD99 in Breast Cancer Metastasis

Research groups and institutes

• Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's