Immune Cells and Metastasis
Group Leader:
Prof Seth Coffelt
Our lab focuses on a type of immune cell, called a gamma delta (gd) T cell. gd T cell refers to a variety of cell subsets with distinct properties and anatomical locations. There are gd T cell subsets that kill cancer cells and other subsets that promote cancer progression. Our lab has ongoing projects aimed at understanding when and where these diverse gd T cell subsets are important. We are exploring the involvement of gd T cells in breast, colon, liver, and pancreatic cancers.
In 2025, our lab published one commentary, and we contributed data to two collaborative studies led by other labs. Toshi received funding from Tenovus Scotland and the Beatson Cancer Charity, and David received a grant from the Aileen Lynn Bequest Fund from the Royal College of Physicians Surgeons of Glasgow. We welcomed two new members to the lab: Elena and Ross.
Lab Reports
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Recent Publications
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Lab Members
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Recent Publications
2026
Bolini L, Coffelt SB, Silva-Santos B, Wiest DL, Galluzzi L. γδ T cells and cancer. J Clin Invest. 2026;136(17).
Fercoq F, Cairns GS, Bridgeman VL, De Donatis M, Mackey JBG, Floerchinger A, McFarlane AJ, Secklehner J, Raffo-Iraolagoitia XL, Harrington M, McGarry L, Brownlie D, Whyte D, Arnott LWG, Nixon C, Wiesheu R, Kilbey A, Brown L, Al-Khalidi S, Norman JC, Roberts EW, Malanchi I, Blyth K, Coffelt SB, Carlin LM. Integrin-dependent neutrophil slowing reduces lung perfusion and supports metastasis in a model of breast cancer. Cell Rep. 2026;45(3):117101.
Hamilton DA, Karunakaran MM, Coffelt SB. γδ T cells BiTE back at small cell lung cancer. Cancer Cell. 2026.
Raffo-Iraolagoitia XL, McFarlane AJ, Laing S, Corbyn R, Arnott LWG, Fercoq F, McGarry L, Secklehner J, De Donatis M, Mackey JBG, Kruspig B, Wiesheu R, Hsieh YC, Shaw R, Rakovic K, Le Quesne J, Clark G, Nixon C, Miller C, Kirschner K, Bain CC, Murphy DJ, Coffelt SB, Carlin LM. Vγ1 γδ T cells steer airway macrophages toward a profibrotic response in an autochthonous lung cancer mouse model. Sci Adv. 2026;12(10):eadu8802.
2025
Mallu ACT, Coffelt SB. γδT cells and breast cancer: wicked allies. Trends Cancer. 2025.
Wang Z, Yang T, Lupo F, Behrens LM, Janssen A, Coffelt SB, Prinz I, Sandrock I, Ravens S. Partial Compensation of IL-17 Production by Vγ1 T Cells in the Absence of Vγ4 and Vγ6 T Cells. Eur J Immunol. 2025;55(9):e70061.
Whyte D, Fisher SL, McKenzie CGJ, Sumpton D, Dhayade S, Dornier E, Moore M, Novo D, Peters J, Wiesheu R, Gounis MD, Watt DM, Mackey JBG, McFarlane AJ, Fercoq F, Dehesa Caballero C, Redmond KL, Mitchell LE, Anderson E, Thomson G, Hedley A, Clark W, Leroi S, Dzierozynski LN, Apiz Saab JJ, Lewis CA, Muir A, Halbrook CJ, Strathdee D, Jackstadt R, Nixon C, Dunne P, Carlin LM, Macpherson IR, Roberts EW, Coffelt SB, Blyth K, Sansom OJ, Norman JC, Vande Voorde J, Clarke CJ. Uridine phosphorylase-1 supports metastasis by altering immune and extracellular matrix landscapes. EMBO Rep. 2025.
2024
Churchhouse AMD, Billard CV, Suzuki T, Pohl SÖ G, Doleschall NJ, Donnelly K, Nixon C, Arends MJ, Din S, Kirkwood K, Marques Junior J, Von Kriegsheim A, Coffelt SB, Myant KB. Loss of DOCK2 potentiates Inflammatory Bowel Disease-associated colorectal cancer via immune dysfunction and IFNγ induction of IDO1 expression. Oncogene. 2024.
Dawson A, Zarou MM, Prasad B, Bittencourt-Silvestre J, Zerbst D, Himonas E, Hsieh YC, van Loon I, Blanco GR, Ianniciello A, Kerekes Z, Krishnan V, Agarwal P, Almasoudi H, McCluskey L, Hopcroft LEM, Scott MT, Baquero P, Dunn K, Vetrie D, Copland M, Bhatia R, Coffelt SB, Tiong OS, Wheadon H, Zanivan S, Kirschner K, Helgason GV. Leukaemia exposure alters the transcriptional profile and function of BCR::ABL1 negative macrophages in the bone marrow niche. Nat Commun. 2024;15(1):1090.
Fercoq F, Cairns GS, Donatis MD, Mackey JBG, Floerchinger A, McFarlane A, Raffo-Iraolagoitia XL, Whyte D, Arnott LWG, Nixon C, Wiesheu R, Kilbey A, Brown L, Al-Khalidi S, Norman JC, Roberts EW, Blyth K, Coffelt SB, Carlin LM. Integrin inactivation slows down neutrophils congesting the pre-metastatic lung in a model of breast cancer. bioRxiv. 2024:2024.2003.2019.585724.
Wiesheu R, Edwards SC, Hedley A, Hall H, Tosolini M, Fares da Silva MGF, Sumaria N, Castenmiller SM, Wardak L, Optaczy Y, Lynn A, Hill DG, Hayes AJ, Hay J, Kilbey A, Shaw R, Whyte D, Walsh PJ, Michie AM, Graham GJ, Manoharan A, Halsey C, Blyth K, Wolkers MC, Miller C, Pennington DJ, Jones GW, Fournie JJ, Bekiaris V, Coffelt SB. IL-27 maintains cytotoxic Ly6C(+) γδ T cells that arise from immature precursors. EMBO J. 2024;43(14):2878-2907.
Lupo F, Coffelt SB. Stressed out neutrophils drive metastasis. Immunity. 2024(4):840-842.
Wiesheu R, Coffelt SB. From backstage to the spotlight: γδT cells in cancer. Cancer Cell. 2024;42(10):1637-1642.
2023
Edwards SC, Hedley A, Hoevenaar WHM, Wiesheu R, Glauner T, Kilbey A, Shaw R, Boufea K, Batada N, Hatano S, Yoshikai Y, Blyth K, Miller C, Kirschner K, Coffelt SB. PD-1 and TIM-3 differentially regulate subsets of mouse IL-17A-producing γδ T cells. J Exp Med. 2023;220:e20211431.
Laing S, Kruspig B, Shaw R, Officer-Jones L, Edwards S, McKinven D, Hsieh Y-C, Powley I, Brady N, Pennie R, Kwan R, Lima A, Myrta S, Periyasamy M, Dye IC, Nixon C, Clark G, Junttila MR, Maddalo D, Miller C, Ali S, Fuchter MJ, Nickles D, Kirschner K, Brown RB, Quesne JL, Strathdee D, Coffelt SB, Roberts E, Murphy DJ. ERBB signalling contributes to immune evasion in KRAS-driven lung adenocarcinoma. bioRxiv. 2023:2023.2007.2024.550274.
Suzuki T, Kilbey A, Casa Rodriguez N, Lawlor A, Georgakopoulou A, Hayman H, Yin Swe KL, Nordin A, Cantù C, Vantourout P, Ridgway RA, Byrne RM, Chen L, Verzi MP, Gay DM, Gil Vazquez E, Belnoue-Davis HL, Gilroy K, Kostner AH, Kersten C, Thuwajit C, Andersen DK, Wiesheu R, Jandke A, Blyth K, Roseweir AK, Leedham SJ, Dunne PD, Edwards J, Hayday A, Sansom OJ, Coffelt SB. β-catenin drives butyrophilin-like molecule loss and γδ T-cell exclusion in colon cancer. Cancer Immunology Research. 2023;11:1137-1155.
Quintana JF, Sinton MC, Chandrasegaran P, Lestari AN, Heslop R, Cheaib B, Ogunsola J, Ngoyi DM, Kuispond Swar NR, Cooper A, Mabbott NA, Coffelt SB, MacLeod A. γδ T cells control murine skin inflammation and subcutaneous adipose wasting during chronic Trypanosoma brucei infection. Nat Commun. 2023;14(1):5279.
Raffo-Iraolagoitia XL, McFarlane AJ, Kruspig B, Fercoq F, Secklehner J, Donatis MD, Mackey JBG, Wiesheu R, Laing S, Hsieh Y-C, Shaw R, Corbyn R, Nixon C, Miller C, Kirschner K, Bain CC, Murphy DJ, Coffelt SB, Carlin LM. γδ T cells impair airway macrophage differentiation in lung adenocarcinoma. bioRxiv. 2023:2023.2009.2014.557344.
Waldron JA, Kanellos G, Smith RCL, Knight JRP, Munro J, Alexandrou C, Vlahov N, Pardo-Fernandez L, Moore M, Gillen SL, Strathdee D, Stevenson D, Warrander FC, Gilroy K, Nixon C, Cadden B, Powley I, Officer-Jones L, Ballantyne F, Hay J, Pennel K, Edwards J, Campbell AD, Ridgway RA, Coffelt SB, Norman J, Quesne JL, Bushell M, Sansom OJ. eIF4A1 is essential for reprogramming the translational landscape of Wnt-driven colorectal cancers. bioRxiv. 2023:2023.2011.2010.566546.
Coffelt SB, Morton JP. LOXL2 in pancreatic tumourigenesis: the complexity of tumour-stromal crosstalk exemplified. Gut. 2023;72:221-222.
Coffelt SB, Suzuki T. The two sides of the γδ T cell coin. Nat Cancer. 2023.
Coffelt SB, Suzuki T. γδ T cells turn the tables on immune-evasive colon cancer. Med. 2023;4:141-142.
2022
Curio S, Edwards SC, Suzuki T, McGovern J, Triulzi C, Yoshida N, Jonsson G, Glauner T, Rami D, Wiesheu R, Kilbey A, Purcell RV, Coffelt SB, Guerra N. NKG2D signaling regulates IL-17A-producing γδT cells in mice to promote cancer progression. Discovery Immunology. 2022;1:kyac002.
Paterson K, Paterson S, Mulholland T, Coffelt SB, Zagnoni M. Assessment of CAR-T Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity in 3D Microfluidic Cancer Co-Culture Models for Combination Therapy. IEEE Open J Eng Med Biol. 2022;3:86-95.
van Wagensveld L, van Baal J, Timmermans M, Gaillard D, Borghuis L, Coffelt SB, Rosenberg EH, Lok CAR, Nijman HW, Kooreman LFS, Sanders J, de Bruijn M, Wessels LFA, van der Wiel R, Rausch C, Broeks A, Kruitwagen R, van der Aa MA, Sonke GS, Schouten PC, Van de Vijver KK, Horlings HM. Homologous Recombination Deficiency and Cyclin E1 Amplification Are Correlated with Immune Cell Infiltration and Survival in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer. Cancers (Basel). 2022;14.
Lawrence M, Wiesheu R, Coffelt SB. The duplexity of unconventional T cells in cancer. The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology. 2022;146:106213.
2021
Edwards SC, Hedley A, Hoevenaar WHM, Glauner T, Wiesheu R, Kilbey A, Shaw R, Boufea K, Batada N, Blyth K, Miller C, Kirschner K, Coffelt SB. Single-cell analysis uncovers differential regulation of lung γδ T cell subsets by the co-inhibitory molecules, PD-1 and TIM-3. bioRxiv. 2021.
Johnson SA, Ormsby MJ, Wessel HM, Hulme HE, Bravo-Blas A, McIntosh A, Mason S, Coffelt SB, Tait SWG, Mowat AM, Milling SWF, Blyth K, Wall DM. Monocytes mediate Salmonella Typhimurium-induced tumour growth inhibition in a mouse melanoma model. Eur J Immunol. 2021;14:5965.
Paterson K, Zanivan S, Glasspool R, Coffelt SB, Zagnoni M. Microfluidic technologies for immunotherapy studies on solid tumours. Lab Chip. 2021;21:2306-2329.
Edwards SC, Hoevenaar WHM, Coffelt SB. Emerging immunotherapies for metastasis. Br J Cancer. 2021;124:37-48.
McFarlane AJ, Fercoq F, Coffelt SB, Carlin LM. Neutrophil dynamics in the tumor microenvironment. J Clin Invest. 2021;131:ed2021.
2020
Dhayade S, Pietzke M, Wiesheu R, Tait-Mulder J, Athineos D, Sumpton D, Coffelt S, Blyth K, Vazquez A. Impact of Formate Supplementation on Body Weight and Plasma Amino Acids. Nutrients. 2020;12(8):2181.
Millar R, Kilbey A, Remak SJ, Severson TM, Dhayade S, Sandilands E, Foster K, Bryant DM, Blyth K, Coffelt SB. The MSP-RON axis stimulates cancer cell growth in models of triple negative breast cancer. Molecular Oncology. 2020;14:1868-1880.
Muthalagu N, Monteverde T, Raffo-Iraolagoitia X, Wiesheu R, Whyte D, Hedley A, Laing S, Kruspig B, Upstill-Goddard R, Shaw R, Neidler S, Rink C, Karim SA, Gyuraszova K, Nixon C, Clark W, Biankin AV, Carlin LM, Coffelt SB, Sansom OJ, Morton JP, Murphy DJ. Repression of the Type I Interferon pathway underlies MYC & KRAS-dependent evasion of NK & B cells in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Cancer Discovery. 2020;10:872-887.
Coffelt SB, Kabelitz D, Silva-Santos B, Kuball J, Born W, Bank I. Editorial: γδ T Cells in Cancer. Front Immunol. 2020;11:602411.
Edwards SC, Hoevenaar WHM, Coffelt SB. Emerging immunotherapies for metastasis. British Journal of Cancer. 2020;124:37-48.
Suzuki T, Hayman L, Kilbey A, Edwards J, Coffelt SB. Gut γδ T cells as guardians, disruptors, and instigators of cancer. Immunol Rev. 2020;298:198-217.
2019
Boire A, Coffelt SB, Quezada SA, Vander Heiden MG, Weeraratna AT. Tumour Dormancy and Reawakening: Opportunities and Challenges. Trends in Cancer. 2019;5:762-765.
Mackey JBG, Coffelt SB, Carlin LM. Neutrophil Maturity in Cancer. Frontiers in Immunology. 2019;10:1912.
Salvagno C, Ciampricotti M, Tuit S, Hau CS, van Weverwijk A, Coffelt SB, Kersten K, Vrijland K, Kos K, Ulas T, Song JY, Ooi CH, Ruttinger D, Cassier PA, Jonkers J, Schultze JL, Ries CH, de Visser KE. Therapeutic targeting of macrophages enhances chemotherapy efficacy by unleashing type I interferon response. Nat Cell Biol. 2019;21:511-21.
Silva-Santos B, Mensurado S, Coffelt SB. γδ T cells: pleiotropic immune effectors with therapeutic potential in cancer. Nature Reviews Cancer. 2019;19:392-404.
Wellenstein MD, Coffelt SB, Duits DEM, van Miltenburg MH, Slagter M, de Rink I, Henneman L, Kas SM, Prekovic S, Hau CS, Vrijland K, Drenth AP, de Korte-Grimmerink R, Schut E, van der Heijden I, Zwart W, Wessels LFA, Schumacher TN, Jonkers J, de Visser KE. Loss of p53 triggers WNT-dependent systemic inflammation to drive breast cancer metastasis. Nature. 2019;572:538-542.
2018
Kruspig B, Monteverde T, Neidler S, Hock A, Kerr E, Nixon C, Clark W, Hedley A, Laing S, Coffelt SB, Le Quesne J, Dick C, Vousden K, Martins CP, Murphy DJ. The ERBB network facilitates KRAS-driven lung tumorigenesis. Sci Transl Med. 2018;10:eaao2565.
2017
Carron EC, Homra S, Rosenberg J, Coffelt SB, Kittrell F, Zhang Y, Creighton CJ, Fuqua SA, Medina D, Machado HL. Macrophages promote the progression of premalignant mammary lesions to invasive cancer. Oncotarget 2017;8:50731-46.
Kersten K, Coffelt SB, Hoogstraat M, Verstegen NJM, Vrijland K, Ciampricotti M, Doornebal CW, Hau CS, Wellenstein MD, Salvagno C, Doshi P, Lips EH, Wessels LFA, de Visser KE. Mammary tumor-derived CCL2 enhances pro-metastatic systemic inflammation through upregulation of IL1β in tumor-associated macrophages. Oncoimmunology 2017;6:e1334744.
Rumney RMH, Coffelt SB, Neale TA, Dhayade S, Tozer GM, Miller G. PyMT-Maclow. A novel, inducible, murine model for determining the role of CD68 positive cells in breast tumor development. PLoS One 2017;12:e0188591.
van Baal J, Van de Vijver KK, Coffelt SB, van der Noort V, van Driel WJ, Kenter GG, Buist MR, Lok C. Incidence of lymph node metastases in clinical early-stage mucinous and seromucinous ovarian carcinoma: a retrospective cohort study. BJOG 2017;124:486-94.
Walton JB, Farquharson M, Mason S, Port J, Kruspig B, Dowson S, Stevenson D, Murphy D, Matzuk M, Kim J, Coffelt S, Blyth K, McNeish IA. CRISPR/Cas9-derived models of ovarian high grade serous carcinoma targeting Brca1, Pten and Nf1, and correlation with platinum sensitivity. Sci Rep 2017;7:16827.
2016
Coffelt SB, de Visser KE. Revving up dendritic cells while braking PD-L1 to jump-start the cancer-immunity cycle motor. Immunity 2016;44:722-4.
Coffelt SB, de Visser KE. Systemic inflammation: Cancer’s long-distance reach to maximize metastasis. Oncoimmunology 2016;5:e1075694.
Coffelt SB, Wellenstein MD, de Visser KE. Neutrophils in cancer: Neutral no more. Nat Rev Cancer 2016;16:431-46.
Rahat MA, Coffelt SB, Granot Z, Muthana M, Amedei A. Macrophages and neutrophils: Regulation of the inflammatory microenvironment in autoimmunity and cancer. Mediators Inflamm 2016;2016:5894347.
Scientific Officer
Heather Spence
I am currently working as the principal scientific officer in Prof Seth Coffelt’s lab investigating the role of role of gamma delta T cells in pancreatic and colon cancer. My scientific journey started with my PhD at Glasgow University with Prof Malcolm Kennedy, where we cloned the major Allergen of Ascaris Lumbricoides. I then had the amazing opportunity to work as a postdoctoral fellow at the Netherlands institute for Brain Research studying the role of frame shift mutations in Alzheimer’s disease. Returning to Glasgow, I pursued a postdoctoral position with Prof Brad Ozanne at the Beatson Institute, studying AP-1 regulated genes in invasion of tumour cells and then with Prof Steve Winder at the University of Glasgow working on actin binding proteins in muscular dystrophy. Following this, I worked for 17 years with Prof Laura Machesky, as the lab’s principal scientific officer studying actin cytoskeleton in metastasis and tumour microenvironment.
Research Scientist
Abhirman Mallu
I am a postdoctoral researcher interested in understanding the paradoxical role of T cells in tumour progression and suppression. My current research investigates how gamma-delta T cells in the pancreatic tumour microenvironment instigate metastasis in the KPC model. During my PhD in India, I studied the effect of healthy and impaired glucose metabolism on lymphocyte trafficking and neo-vascularization. I am an enthusiastic teacher, and I aspire to lead my own research group in the future. When I am not experimenting with immune cells, I like to experiment with food, explore unfamiliar places, and enjoy reading, music, and movies.
Research Scientist
Amna Matly*
Information about this team member’s research interests, experience, and background will be added soon. Please check back for updates.
Research Scientist
Elena de Dios Panal
Originally from Germany, I completed my PhD at the Centre for Translational Immunology in Utrecht, the Netherlands. What excites me most about immunology is the delicate balance between immune activation and inhibition: Precise enough to avoid autoimmunity, but powerful enough to defend against tumours and infections. This balance is especially critical in tissues, where the thresholds for activation and inhibition are highly context dependent. In summer 2025 I joined Prof Seth Coffelt’s lab at the CRUK Scotland Institute, where I study γδ T cell-mediated killing of triple-negative breast cancer cells in the lungs of mice. Our lab previously found that γδ T cells prevented lung metastasis in a mouse model of triple-negative breast cancer. I am trying to understand the underlying mechanisms behind this protection and its potential as an immunotherapy.
Research Scientist
Nadia Iqbal
I studied biomedicine at the University of Manchester after which I completed my MRes in Translational Medicine, it was during this time that my interest in cancer research was cemented. I went on to work at the CRUK Manchester Institute as a scientific officer in the clinical and experimental pharmacology group investigating circulating tumour cells in various clinical trials after which I spent some time in the UoM functional genomics group. In my Ph.D. and first postdoc at Lancaster University I investigated the role of fat associated lymphoid clusters in the pleural cavity in the context of the inflammatory microenvironment in response to fibres. Currently I am a postdoc in Professor Seth Coffelt’s group, I am particularly interested in the tumour immune microenvironment and unlocking immunotherapeutic targets in cancer. During my spare time I like to read, cook, shop, visit nice restaurants, and holiday!
Research Scientist
Natalie Phinney
I am a postdoctoral research scientist investigating the influence of gamma-delta T cells on pancreatic cancer primary tumor survival and progression. Originally from Basingstoke, UK, I completed my PhD in Cancer Biology at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX USA, developing a tumor-targeting fusion protein. I also have a JD (law) degree from the University of Tennessee, USA. When not in lab, I enjoy riding horses, running, and taking my three kids to the country park.
PhD Student
David Hamilton
I am a higher speciality trainee in General Surgery in the West of Scotland, currently in my first year of PhD under the supervision of Prof Seth Coffelt. My current research investigates the role of Gamma Delta T cells in pancreatic cancer. When I am not in the lab or the hospital I like to spend my time travelling, attending live music events or on the golf course.
PhD Student
Febby Nurdiya Ningsih
All the way from Indonesia to start my PhD journey in Seth Coffelt Lab and study about Cancer Associated-Lymphopenia (CAL), particularly in the liver cancer model. I did research about anti-inflammatory compound isolated from Japanese herb and completed my MSc in Japan. Then, I work in the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia to develop monoclonal antibody and marine based-anti cancer drug candidates. This dynamically changing research journey made me realize that I pretty much enjoyed every challenge of science progression. Moreover, I have always been interested in how immune cells play their roles during disease development, which in the future, I wish to focus more on cancer cases. Out of the lab-work, I love to do solo-travelling, hiking, and café-hoping.
PhD Student
Federico Lupo
I am a PhD student in Coffelt’s lab exploring the role of T cells residing in the intestines (IEL) during colon cancer initiation. Originally from Sicily, I’d completed my Integrated Master’s in Immunology at the University of Glasgow with a one-year placement in the lab of Dr Molly Ingersoll in Paris. Here, while studying the prostate immune response against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria during urinary tract infections, I made an important discovery: Immunology is my passion! Be it in cancer or infection, I’m in awe of how hundreds of cell responses are finely tuned to avoid, contain, or repress the challenge! Outside of work, I enjoy working out, reading, and travelling to new places.
PhD Student
Núria Serrano-Ribes
During my master’s degree in Biomedicine, I had the opportunity to join the Coffelt lab for my placement, which later became the starting point for my PhD. My current research focuses on the role of γδ T cells in the early stages of hepatocellular carcinoma, particularly in the context of fatty liver disease and metabolic syndrome. I am investigating the mechanisms by which γδ T cells contribute to tumour initiation, with a particular personal interest in how (lipid) metabolism shapes their function and activity. Outside the lab, I enjoy cinema, reading, and going on nice hikes.
PhD Student
Regan Leaver*
Information about this team member’s research interests, experience, and background will be added soon. Please check back for updates.
PhD Student
Ross Porter
I am a CRUK TRACC Clinical Lecturer and Specialty Registrar in Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine based at CRUK Scotland Institute, the University of Glasgow, and the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. As part of my fellowship, I am undertaking a PhD in the Coffelt lab exploring how immune priming and ɣδ T cells influence the development and progression of microsatellite unstable colorectal cancers.
My research journey has taken me through excellent labs at the University of Edinburgh, University of Aberdeen, Barts Cancer Institute (London), and the National Cancer Institute (NIH, USA), where I benefited from outstanding mentorship that helped shape my broader translational research interests in gastrointestinal inflammation, immunology, and cancer. Now back home in Glasgow, I juggle clinical work, research, and family life, including meeting the evolving lifestyle demands of our labradoodle, Freddie.
Intern
Cristina Maiello*
Information about this team member’s research interests, experience, and background will be added soon. Please check back for updates.
Clinical Fellow
Alasdair Duguid*
Information about this team member’s research interests, experience, and background will be added soon. Please check back for updates.
Senior Scientific Officer
Sara Al-Badran
Sara is a Senior Scientific Officer in the Sansom group. She graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2018 with a BSc in Biomedical Sciences with Honours. She then joined the University of Glasgow to undertake her MSc in Cancer Sciences, graduating with distinction in 2019, then completing her PhD in the Edward Lab in 2025.
Sara joined INCISE at the start of her PhD in 2021, to investigate the polyp microbiome and possible related pathways, and their effect on the development of future polyps. Sara is using a variety of techniques for this, including immunohistochemistry, TempO-Seq, RNAscope, and CosMX. Sara's previous research interests include housekeeping gene identification for microRNA research, and using immune checkpoints as prognostic biomarkers for colorectal cancer.
In her free time, she enjoys going to the cinema and Star Trek marathons.