Leukocyte Dynamics
Group Leader:
Prof Leo Carlin
The immune system can exert both anti- and pro-tumour activity, therefore, understanding the role of immune cells in the cancer microenvironment is of critical importance. Our lab uses cutting-edge light microscopy and other techniques to investigate the spatiotemporal dynamics of immune cells in cancer (Figure 1.).
Lab Reports
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Recent Publications
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Lab Members
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Recent Publications
2026
Dunlop JI, Thomason PA, Carlin LM, Davis BG, Carter SD. Live-cell 3D-SIM of Rift Valley fever virus NSs filaments reveals a polygon web architecture. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2026;123(12):e2534404123.
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.
Raffo-Iraolagoitia XL, Alyamani A, May S, Stevenson D, Mackintosh A, McGarry L, Anand J, Soloviev D, Brown G, Nixon C, Kapeni C, De La Roche M, Blyth K, Bird TG, Strathdee D, Lyons SK, Fruhwirth G, Carlin LM, Lewis DY. Multiscale in vivo imaging of tumor evolution using a germline conditional triple-reporter mouse. Nat Biotechnol. 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
Müller M, May S, Hall H, Kendall TJ, McGarry L, Blukacz L, Nuciforo S, Georgakopoulou A, Jamieson T, Phinichkusolchit N, Dhayade S, Suzuki T, Huguet-Pradell J, Powley IR, Officer-Jones L, Pennie RL, Esteban-Fabró R, Gris-Oliver A, Pinyol R, Skalka GL, Leslie J, Hoare M, Sprangers J, Malviya G, Mackintosh A, Johnson E, McCain M, Halpin J, Kiourtis C, Nixon C, Clark G, Clark W, Shaw R, Hedley A, Drake TM, Tan EH, Neilson M, Murphy DJ, Lewis DY, Reeves HL, Le Quesne J, Mann DA, Carlin LM, Blyth K, Llovet JM, Heim MH, Sansom OJ, Miller CJ, Bird TG. Human-correlated genetic models identify precision therapy for liver cancer. Nature. 2025.
Puttur F, Traves WJ, Martin MG, Di Carmine S, Fercoq F, Gaboriau DCA, Entwistle LJ, Yates L, Joulia R, Patti S, Stoelting H, Campbell C, Gore ML, Walker SA, Loewenthal LE, Molyneaux PL, Carlin LM, Saglani S, Lloyd CM. Epithelial cell-derived lumican modulates extracellular matrix dynamics in early-life airways disease. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2025.
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
Derby SJ, Dutton L, Strathdee KE, Stevenson K, Koessinger A, Jackson M, Tian Y, Yu W, McLay K, Misquitta J, Alsharif S, Clarke CJ, Gilmour L, Thomason P, McGhee E, McGarrity-Cottrell CL, Vanderlinden A, Collis SJ, Rominyi O, Lemgruber L, Solecki G, Olson M, Winkler F, Carlin LM, Heiland DH, Inman GJ, Chalmers AJ, Norman JC, Carruthers R, Birch JL. Inhibition of ATR opposes glioblastoma invasion through disruption of cytoskeletal networks and integrin internalization via macropinocytosis. Neuro Oncol. 2024;26(4):625-639.
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.
Fetit R, McLaren A, White M, Mills ML, Falconer J, Cortes-Lavaud X, Gilroy K, Lannagan TR, Ridgway RA, Nixon C, Naiker V, Njunge R, Clarke CJ, Whyte D, Kirschner K, Jackstadt R, Norman JC, Carlin LM, Campbell AD, Sansom OJ, Steele CW. Characterising neutrophil subtypes in cancer using scRNA sequencing demonstrates the importance of IL-1β/CXCR2 axis in generation of metastasis specific neutrophils. Cancer Res Commun. 2024.
Li C, Liu Q, Han L, Zhang H, Immler R, Rathkolb B, Secklehner J, de Angelis MH, Yildirim A, Zeuschner D, Nicke A, Carlin LM, Sperandio M, Stoeger T, Rehberg M. The eATP/P2×7R Axis Drives Quantum Dot-Nanoparticle Induced Neutrophil Recruitment in the Pulmonary Microcirculation. Adv Sci (Weinh). 2024:e2404661.
Matchett KP, Wilson-Kanamori JR, Portman JR, Kapourani CA, Fercoq F, May S, Zajdel E, Beltran M, Sutherland EF, Mackey JBG, Brice M, Wilson GC, Wallace SJ, Kitto L, Younger NT, Dobie R, Mole DJ, Oniscu GC, Wigmore SJ, Ramachandran P, Vallejos CA, Carragher NO, Saeidinejad MM, Quaglia A, Jalan R, Simpson KJ, Kendall TJ, Rule JA, Lee WM, Hoare M, Weston CJ, Marioni JC, Teichmann SA, Bird TG, Carlin LM, Henderson NC. Multimodal decoding of human liver regeneration. Nature. 2024.
Santi A, Kay EJ, Neilson LJ, McGarry L, Lilla S, Mullin M, Paul NR, Fercoq F, Koulouras G, Rodriguez Blanco G, Athineos D, Mason S, Hughes M, Thomson G, Kieffer Y, Nixon C, Blyth K, Mechta-Grigoriou F, Carlin LM, Zanivan S. Cancer-associated fibroblasts produce matrix-bound vesicles that influence endothelial cell function. Sci Signal. 2024;17(827):eade0580.
Whyte D, Voorde JV, Sumpton D, Dhayade S, Dornier E, Moore M, Novo D, Peters J, Wiesheu R, Mackey JBG, McFarlane AJ, Fercoq F, Fisher S, Caballero CD, Gilroy K, Redmond KL, Mitchell LE, Anderson E, Thomson G, Dzierozynski LN, Saab JJA, Lewis CA, Muir A, Halbrook CJ, Strathdee D, Jackstadt R, Nixon C, Dunne P, Steele CW, Carlin LM, Macpherson IR, Roberts EW, Coffelt SB, Blyth K, Sansom OJ, Norman JC, Clarke CJ. Uridine Phosphorylase-1 supports metastasis of mammary cancer by altering immune and extracellular matrix landscapes of the lung. bioRxiv. 2024:2024.2007.2002.601676.
2023
Farahmand P, Gyuraszova K, Rooney C, Raffo-Iraolagoitia XL, Jayasekera G, Hedley A, Johnson E, Chernova T, Malviya G, Hall H, Monteverde T, Blyth K, Duffin R, Carlin LM, Lewis D, Le Quesne J, MacFarlane M, Murphy DJ. Asbestos accelerates disease onset in a genetic model of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Frontiers in Toxicology. 2023;5.
Hewitt RJ, Puttur F, Gaboriau DCA, Fercoq F, Fresquet M, Traves WJ, Yates LL, Walker SA, Molyneaux PL, Kemp SV, Nicholson AG, Rice A, Roberts E, Lennon R, Carlin LM, Byrne AJ, Maher TM, Lloyd CM. Lung extracellular matrix modulates KRT5(+) basal cell activity in pulmonary fibrosis. Nat Commun. 2023;14(1):6039.
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, Daniel J. Murphy, Seth B. Coffelt, Carlin LM. γδ T cells impair airway macrophage differentiation in lung adenocarcinoma. bioRxiv. 2023:2023.2009.2014.557344.
Santi A, Kay EJ, Neilson LJ, McGarry L, Lilla S, Mullin M, Paul NR, Fercoq F, Koulouras G, Blanco GR, Athineos D, Mason S, Hughes M, Kieffer Y, Nixon C, Blyth K, Mechta-Grigoriou F, Carlin LM, Zanivan S. Cancer-associated fibroblasts produce matrix-bound vesicles that influence endothelial cell function. bioRxiv. 2023;Volume:2023.2001.2013.523951.
Schmidt T, Dabrowska A, Waldron JA, Hodge K, Koulouras G, Gabrielsen M, Munro J, Tack DC, Harris G, McGhee E, Scott D, Carlin Leo M, Huang D, Le Quesne J, Zanivan S, Wilczynska A, Bushell M. eIF4A1-dependent mRNAs employ purine-rich 5’UTR sequences to activate localised eIF4A1-unwinding through eIF4A1-multimerisation to facilitate translation. Nucleic Acids Research. 2023; 51: 1859–1879
2022
Humpton TJ, Hock AK, Kiourtis C, De Donatis M, Fercoq F, Nixon C, Bryson S, Strathdee D, Carlin LM, Bird TG, Blyth K, Vousden KH. A noninvasive iRFP713 p53 reporter reveals dynamic p53 activity in response to irradiation and liver regeneration in vivo. Sci Signal. 2022;15:eabd9099.
Leslie J, Mackey JBG, Jamieson T, Ramon-Gil E, Drake TM, Fercoq F, Clark W, Gilroy K, Hedley A, Nixon C, Luli S, Laszczewska M, Pinyol R, Esteban-Fabró R, Willoughby CE, Haber PK, Andreu-Oller C, Rahbari M, Fan C, Pfister D, Raman S, Wilson N, Müller M, Collins A, Geh D, Fuller A, McDonald D, Hulme G, Filby A, Cortes-Lavaud X, Mohamed N-E, Ford CA, Raffo Iraolagoitia XL, McFarlane AJ, McCain MV, Ridgway RA, Roberts EW, Barry ST, Graham GJ, Heikenwälder M, Reeves HL, Llovet JM, Carlin LM, Bird TG, Sansom OJ, Mann DA. CXCR2 inhibition enables NASH-HCC immunotherapy. Gut. 2022; 71:2093-2106
Schmidt T, Dabrowska A, Waldron JA, Hodge K, Koulouras G, Gabrielsen M, Munro J, Tack DC, Harris G, McGhee E, Scott D, Carlin LM, Huang D, Le Quesne J, Zanivan S, Wilczynska A, Bushell M. Purine-rich RNA sequences in the 5’UTR site-specifically regulate eIF4A1-unwinding through eIF4A1-multimerisation to facilitate translation. bioRxiv. 2022;Volume:2022.2008.2008.503179.
2021
Brownlie D, Doughty-Shenton D, Soong DY, Nixon C, Carragher NO, Carlin LM, Kitamura T. Metastasis-associated macrophages constrain antitumor capability of natural killer cells in the metastatic site at least partially by membrane bound transforming growth factor β. J Immunother Cancer. 2021;9:e001740
Juzenaite G, Secklehner J, Vuononvirta J, Helbawi Y, Mackey JBG, Dean C, Harker JA, Carlin LM, Rankin S, De Filippo K. Lung Marginated and Splenic Murine Resident Neutrophils Constitute Pioneers in Tissue-Defense During Systemic E. coli Challenge. Front Immunol. 2021;12:597595.
Mackey JBG, McFarlane AJ, Jamieson T, Jackstadt R, Raffo-Iraolagoitia XL, Secklehner J, Cortes-Lavaud X, Fercoq F, Clarke W, Hedley A, Gilroy K, Lilla S, Vuononvirta J, Graham GJ, De Filippo K, Murphy DJ, Steele CW, Norman JC, Bird TG, Mann DA, Morton JP, Zanivan S, Sansom OJ, Carlin LM. Maturation, developmental site, and pathology dictate murine neutrophil function. bioRxiv. 2021.
McCowan J, Fercoq F, Kirkwood PM, T'Jonck W, Hegarty LM, Mawer CM, Cunningham R, Mirchandani AS, Hoy A, Humphries DC, Jones GR, Hansen CG, Hirani N, Jenkins SJ, Henri S, Malissen B, Walmsley SR, Dockrell DH, Saunders PTK, Carlin LM, Bain CC. The transcription factor EGR2 is indispensable for tissue-specific imprinting of alveolar macrophages in health and tissue repair. Sci Immunol. 2021 Nov 19;6(65):eabj2132.
Ntala C, Salji M, Salmond J, Officer L, Teodosio AV, Blomme A, McGhee EJ, Powley I, Ahmad I, Kruithof-de Julio M, Thalmann G, Roberts E, Goodyear CS, Jamaspishvili T, Berman DM, Carlin LM, Le Quesne J, Leung HY. Analysis of Prostate Cancer Tumor Microenvironment Identifies Reduced Stromal CD4 Effector T-cell Infiltration in Tumors with Pelvic Nodal Metastasis. Eur Urol Open Sci. 2021;29:19-29.
Fercoq F, Carlin LM. "Mind the GAP": RGS1 hinders antitumor lymphocytes. Nat Immunol. 2021; 22:802-804.
McFarlane AJ, Fercoq F, Coffelt SB, Carlin LM. Neutrophil dynamics in the tumor microenvironment. J Clin Invest. 2021;131: ed2021.
2020
Fercoq F, Remion E, Vallarino-Lhermitte N, Alonso J, Raveendran L, Nixon C, Le Quesne J, Carlin LM, Martin C. Microfilaria-dependent thoracic pathology associated with eosinophilic and fibrotic polyps in filaria-infected rodents. Parasit Vectors. 2020;13(1):551.
Leung EYL, Ennis DP, Kennedy PR, Hansell C, Dowson S, Farquharson M, Spiliopoulou P, Nautiyal J, McNamara S, Carlin LM, Fisher K, Davis DM, Graham G, McNeish IA. NK Cells Augment Oncolytic Adenovirus Cytotoxicity in Ovarian Cancer. Molecular therapy oncolytics. 2020; 16: 289-301.
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
Pillay J, Tregay N, Juzenaite G, Carlin LM, Pirillo C, Gaboriau DCA, Farahi N, Summers C, Lo Celso C, Chilvers ER, Rankin S, De Filippo K. Effect of the CXCR4 antagonist plerixafor on endogenous neutrophil dynamics in the bone marrow, lung and spleen. Journal of Leukocyte Biology. 2020; 107: 1175– 1185
Plant T, Eamsamarng S, Sanchez-Garcia MA, Reyes L, Renshaw SA, Coelho P, Mirchandani AS, Morgan JM, Ellett FE, Morrison T, Humphries D, Watts ER, Murphy F, Raffo-Iraolagoitia XL, Zhang A, Cash JL, Loynes C, Elks PM, Van Eeden F, Carlin LM, Furley AJW, Whyte MKB, Walmsley SR. Semaphorin 3F signaling actively retains neutrophils at sites of inflammation. The Journal of clinical investigation. 2020;130:3221-3237
2019
Fercoq F, Remion E, Frohberger SJ, Vallarino-Lhermitte N, Hoerauf A, Le Quesne J, Landmann F, Hubner MP, Carlin LM, Martin C. IL-4 receptor dependent expansion of lung CD169+ macrophages in microfilaria-driven inflammation. PLoS neglected tropical diseases. 2019; 13: e0007691.
Mackey JBG, Coffelt SB, Carlin LM. Neutrophil Maturity in Cancer. Frontiers in immunology. 2019; 10: 1912.
McCormick B, Craig HE, Chu JY, Carlin LM, Canel M, Wollweber F, Toivakka M, Michael M, Astier AL, Norton L, Lilja J, Felton JM, Sasaki T, Ivaska J, Hers I, Dransfield I, Rossi AG, Vermeren S. A Negative Feedback Loop Regulates Integrin Inactivation and Promotes Neutrophil Recruitment to Inflammatory Sites. Journal of immunology. 2019; 203: 1579-1588
Patel DF, Peiro T, Bruno N, Vuononvirta J, Akthar S, Puttur F, Pyle CJ, Suveizdyte K, Walker SA, Singanayagam A, Carlin LM, Gregory LG, Lloyd CM, Snelgrove RJ. Neutrophils restrain allergic airway inflammation by limiting ILC2 function and monocyte-dendritic cell antigen presentation. Science immunology. 2019; 4.
Puttur F, Denney L, Gregory LG, Vuononvirta J, Oliver R, Entwistle LJ, Walker SA, Headley MB, McGhee EJ, Pease JE, Krummel MF, Carlin LM, Lloyd CM. Pulmonary environmental cues drive group 2 innate lymphoid cell dynamics in mice and humans. Science immunology. 2019; 4.
2018
Brown E, Carlin LM, Nerlov C, Lo Celso C, Poole, AW. Multiple membrane extrusion sites drive megakaryocyte migration into bone marrow blood vessels. Life Science Alliance. 2018; 1: e201800061
Duarte D, Hawkins ED, Akinduro O, Ang H, De Filippo K, Kong IY, Haltalli M, Ruivo N, Straszkowski L, Vervoort SJ, McLean C, Weber TS, Khorshed R, Pirillo C, Wei A, Ramasamy SK, Kusumbe AP, Duffy K, Adams RH, Purton LE et al. Inhibition of Endosteal Vascular Niche Remodeling Rescues Hematopoietic Stem Cell Loss in AML. Cell Stem Cell 2018; 22: 64-77 e6
Novo D, Heath N, Mitchell L, Caligiuri G, MacFarlane A, Reijmer D, Charlton L, Knight J, Calka M, McGhee E, Dornier E, Sumpton D, Mason S, Echard A, Klinkert K, et al. Mutant p53s generate pro-invasive niches by influencing exosome podocalyxin levels. Nat Commun 2018; 9: 5069
Riley JS, Quarato G, Cloix C, Lopez J, O'Prey J, Pearson M, Chapman J, Sesaki H, Carlin LM, Passos JF, Wheeler AP, Oberst A, Ryan KM, Tait SW. Mitochondrial inner membrane permeabilisation enables mtDNA release during apoptosis. EMBO J. 2018; 37: e99238.
Tung SL, Boardman DA, Sen M, Letizia M, Peng Q, Cianci N, Dioni L, Carlin LM, Lechler R, Bollati V, Lombardi G, Smyth LA. Regulatory T cell-derived extracellular vesicles modify dendritic cell function. Sci Rep. 2018; 8: 6065.
2017
Irshad S, Flores-Borja F, Lawler K, Monypenny J, Evans R, Male V, Gordon P, Cheung A, Gazinska P, Noor F, Wong F, Grigoriadis A, Fruhwirth GO, Barber PR, Woodman N, Patel D, Rodriguez-Justo M, Owen J, Martin SG, Pinder SE et al. RORgammat(+) Innate Lymphoid Cells Promote Lymph Node Metastasis of Breast Cancers. Cancer Res 2017; 77: 1083-96
Karadjian G, Fercoq F, Pionnier N, Vallarino-Lhermitte N, Lefoulon E, Nieguitsila A, Specht S, Carlin LM, Martin C. Migratory phase of Litomosoides sigmodontis filarial infective larvae is associated with pathology and transient increase of S100A9 expressing neutrophils in the lung. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2017; 11: e0005596
Reid SE, Kay EJ, Neilson LJ, Henze AT, Serneels J, McGhee EJ, Dhayade S, Nixon C, Mackey JB, Santi A, Swaminathan K, Athineos D, Papalazarou V, Patella F, Roman-Fernandez A, ElMaghloob Y, Hernandez-Fernaud JR, Adams RH, Ismail S, Bryant DM et al. Tumor matrix stiffness promotes metastatic cancer cell interaction with the endothelium. EMBO J 2017; 36: 2373-89
Secklehner J, Lo Celso C, Carlin LM. Intravital microscopy in historic and contemporary immunology. Immunol Cell Biol 2017; 95: 506-13
Associate Scientist
Ximena Raffo-Iraolagoitia
I am Associate Scientist in the Leukocyte Dynamics Lab. During my Ph.D. at the University of Buenos Aires, I uncovered a dark side of NK cells restraining tumour-specific CD8 T cells. During my postdoc, I used advanced imaging, flow cytometry, and scRNA-seq in genetically engineered mouse models of cancer and inflammation, with a focus on neutrophils, airway macrophages, and gamma delta T cells. While I still haven’t figured out which is my favourite immune cell, I am captivated by the unique networks they establish in cancer. An advocate for promoting a more positive research culture, I serve on the Athena Swan committee for the University of Glasgow and lead numerous outreach initiatives. Outside the lab, I am always up for climbing, hillwalking or making an “asado”.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Demi Brownlie
I am a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Leukocyte Dynamics Lab. My PhD at the University of Edinburgh focused on understanding how macrophages influence NK cell phenotype and function in pulmonary metastatic breast cancer. For my first postdoctoral position, I joined the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, where NK cells were originally discovered. Over the course of four years there, I investigated NK cells in tissue samples from sarcoma and lung cancer patients, as well as from organ donors, primarily using high-parameter flow cytometry. Currently, I am researching how neutrophils impact NK cells during the development of pulmonary metastatic breast cancer, employing spectral flow cytometry and advanced imaging techniques. Additionally, I am co-creator of a program called 'Cell to Cell,' where we provide incarcerated learners with sessions on basic immunology and cancer-related topics. Outside the lab, I enjoy exploring with my dog, Archie, and watching a type of motorsport called drifting.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Gemma Cairns
I am a Postdoctoral Researcher investigating the role of neutrophils in breast cancer metastasis using flow cytometry and microscopy to understand their phenotype and behaviour. I found a love for microscopy during my MPhys Physics degree at Heriot-Watt University. This led me to pursue a PhD between the University of Strathclyde and the University of Edinburgh in microscopy development with an integrated business masters in healthcare entrepreneurship. I developed M4All, an open-source and 3D-printable microscopy system, to widen accessibility to research level microscopy, with a focus on imaging macrophage mitochondrial responses to Streptococcus pneumoniae challenge. I’ve been given a great opportunity to work in the leukocyte dynamics group where I’ve been learning immunology and working with in vivo cancer models. Going forward I hope to use my multidisciplinary background to make an impact on breast cancer metastasis which is a healthcare challenge close to my heart. I’m also on the committee for the Glasgow Imaging Network. Outside of work you can find me rock climbing, cycling, hillwalking, going to music gigs and watching rugby.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Mashidur Rana*
Information about this team member’s research interests, experience, and background will be added soon. Please check back for updates.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Qing Sun
I’m a postdoctoral researcher working on how neutrophils reprogramming to reinvigorate the immunosuppressed tumour microenvironment. Originally from Shanghai, China, I worked in the Division of Rheumatology in China and United States to investigate a novel monogenic cause for SLE and highlight the pathogenic role of disturbed metabolism in developing SLE before I joined the institute. I like hiking in my spare time and enjoy the scenery in Scotland.
Senior Scientific Officer
Sachin Wani*
Information about this team member’s research interests, experience, and background will be added soon. Please check back for updates.
PhD Student
Lindsey Arnott
I am a PhD student in the lab working on developing novel in vitro systems to recapitulate the lung premetastatic niche. I use precision cut lung slices and different imaging techniques to investigate changes to immune cell behaviour and extracellular matrix structure during premetastatic niche formation. During my undergraduate degree in veterinary biosciences, I became interested in cancer biology and the immune system and from there went on to study a masters in cancer research and precision oncology. This led me to the lab and sparked an interest in immune cell dynamics within the lungs during cancer progression.
Outside of the lab, you’ll mostly find me rowing on a beautiful stretch of the River Forth in Stirling. I also love to bake and cook for friends, paint, play music with the university’s brass ensemble, and hike in new places with my dogs.
PhD Student
Sarina Plum
I am a PhD student currently investigating the spatiotemporal organization of neutrophils in pancreatic cancer progression and metastasis. Using a distinguished model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, I aim to inform immunotherapy development by understanding how tumor cells influence neutrophil behavior. I first got involved with immunology research at my undergraduate institute in the United States, where I studied Biology and Studio Art; From there, I shifted into immuno-oncology research for the two-year Bridge program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Outside of the lab, I enjoy making art and learning different kinds of dance, and I love the challenge of practicing a new sport!