Prof David Bryant
Epithelial Polarity
A feature of most tumours is that they become less organised as they progress. Changes in normal tissue organisation is therefore a strong predictor of poor outcome. Our laboratory studies the molecular mechanisms of how cells organise to form tissues, and how this goes awry during tumour formation. We aim to understand this process such that we can identify new drugs for therapy in cancer.
Our group extensively utilises 3-dimensional culture to understand how collections of cells work together in a tissue-like structure. We examine this through the lens of two molecular pathways that contribute to cell polarisation and metastasis: 1) phosphoinositide signalling, including the kinases, phosphatases, and GTPases that regulate their production, and 2) the apical membrane and metastasis-associated glycoprotein, Podocalyxin.
Biography
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Recent Publications
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Biography
I was a PhD student at the University of Queensland, Australia, studying how growth factor receptors control cell-cell adhesion and migration. I followed this as a Postdoctoral Fellow at University of California, San Francisco studying how cells build apical surfaces. I established the research group at the CRUK Scotland Institute in 2014. My interests are in how groups of cells assemble into tissue and how the rules for this in cancer are changed. I’m also a strong advocate for LGBT equality, and in working to make the workplace open and accepting to all. Outside of work, you’ll find me obsessed by cute dogs, playing piano, and going to concerts.
Education and qualifications
- 2006: PhD, University of Queensland, Australia, Supervisor Jennifer Stow
- 2002: BSc (Hons) Class I, University of Queensland, Australia
Appointments
- 2024–present: Professor, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow
- 2022–present: Reader, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow
- 2014–present: Beatson Associate, CRUK Scotland Institute
- 2014–2022: Senior Lecturer, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow
- 2012–2014: Associate Academic Researcher, University of California, San Francisco, USA
- 2006–2012: Postdoctoral Fellow with Keith Mostov, UC San Francisco, USA
Professional committee membership
- 2022–present: Editor, Journal of Cell Science
- 2019–present: Editorial Advisory Board, Journal of Cell Science
- 2019–present: Deputy Chair, Athena Swan Committee, School of Cancer Sciences
- 2017–present: Affiliate Member, BioRxiv Biology Preprint Server
- 2015–present: Editorial Board Member, International Review of Cell and Molecular Biology
Honours and awards
- 2018: Profiled as ‘Cell Scientist to watch’, Journal of Cell Science
- 2011: Finalist, U. Queensland ‘Young Alumnus of the Year’ Award
- 2007: Postdoctoral Fellowship, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
- 2005: Cure Cancer Foundation ‘Australian Young Researcher of the Year’
Funding
- UKRI
Recent Publications
2023
Nikolatou K, Sandilands E, Román-Fernández A, Cumming EM, Freckmann E, Lilla S, Buetow L, McGarry L, Neilson M, Shaw R, Strachan D, Miller C, Huang DT, McNeish IA, Norman JC, Zanivan S, Bryant DM. PTEN deficiency exposes a requirement for an ARF GTPase module for integrin-dependent invasion in ovarian cancer. The EMBO Journal. 2023;n/a:e113987.
Román-Fernández A, Mansour MA, Kugeratski FG, Anand J, Sandilands E, Galbraith L, Rakovic K, Freckmann EC, Cumming EM, Park J, Nikolatou K, Lilla S, Shaw R, Strachan D, Mason S, Patel R, McGarry L, Katoch A, Campbell KJ, Nixon C, Miller CJ, Leung HY, Le Quesne J, Norman JC, Zanivan S, Blyth K, Bryant DM. Spatial regulation of the glycocalyx component podocalyxin is a switch for prometastatic function. Sci Adv. 2023;9:eabq1858.
Sandilands E, Freckmann EC, Cumming EM, Román-Fernández A, McGarry L, Anand J, Galbraith L, Mason S, Patel R, Nixon C, Cartwright J, Leung HY, Blyth K, Bryant DM. The small GTPase ARF3 controls invasion modality and metastasis by regulating N-cadherin levels. Journal of Cell Biology. 2023;222:e202206115.
Bryant DM. We are the system. J Cell Sci. 2023(24).
Nikolatou K, Bryant DM, Sandilands E. The ARF GTPase regulatory network in collective invasion and metastasis. Biochem Soc Trans. 2023.
2022
Freckmann EC, Sandilands E, Cumming E, Neilson M, Román-Fernández A, Nikolatou K, Nacke M, Lannagan TRM, Hedley A, Strachan D, Salji M, Morton JP, McGarry L, Leung HY, Sansom OJ, Miller CJ, Bryant DM. Traject3d allows label-free identification of distinct co-occurring phenotypes within 3D culture by live imaging. Nat Commun. 2022;13:5317.
Kai F, Ou G, Tourdot RW, Stashko C, Gaietta G, Swift MF, Volkmann N, Long AF, Han Y, Huang HH, Northey JJ, Leidal AM, Viasnoff V, Bryant DM, Guo W, Wiita AP, Guo M, Dumont S, Hanein D, Radhakrishnan R, Weaver VM. ECM dimensionality tunes actin tension to modulate endoplasmic reticulum function and spheroid phenotypes of mammary epithelial cells. Embo j. 2022;41:e109205.
Nikolatou K, Sandilands E, Roman-Fernandez A, Cumming EM, Freckmann EC, Lilla S, Buetow L, McGarry L, Neilson M, Shaw R, Strachan D, Miller C, Huang DT, McNeish IA, Norman JC, Zanivan S, Bryant D. PTEN deficiency exposes a requirement for an ARF GTPase module in integrin-dependent invasion in ovarian cancer. bioRxiv. 2022;Volume:2022.2011.2029.518198.
Román-Fernández Á, Sandilands E, Bryant DM. The Use of Three-Dimensional Cell Culture to Study Apicobasal Polarization and Lumen Formation. Methods Mol Biol. 2022;2438:439-454.
Bristow RG, Engel J, Jayasinghe I, Kampmann M, James Sansom O, Bryant DM. Conversations with LGBT+ scientists about visibility, leadership and climbing the career ladder. Journal of Cell Science. 2022;135:jcs259880.
2021
Nacke M, Sandilands E, Nikolatou K, Román-Fernández Á, Mason S, Patel R, Lilla S, Yelland T, Galbraith LCA, Freckmann EC, McGarry L, Morton JP, Shanks E, Leung HY, Markert E, Ismail S, Zanivan S, Blyth K, Bryant DM. An ARF GTPase module promoting invasion and metastasis through regulating phosphoinositide metabolism. Nat Commun. 2021;12:1623.
Nászai M, Bellec K, Yu Y, Román-Fernández A, Sandilands E, Johansson J, Campbell AD, Norman JC, Sansom OJ, Bryant DM, Cordero JB. RAL GTPases mediate EGFR-driven intestinal stem cell proliferation and tumourigenesis. Elife. 2021;10:e63807.
2020
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.
2019
Kugeratski FG, Atkinson SJ, Neilson LJ, Lilla S, Knight JRP, Serneels J, Juin A, Ismail S, Bryant DM, Markert EK, Machesky LM, Mazzone M, Sansom OJ, Zanivan S. Hypoxic cancer-associated fibroblasts increase NCBP2-AS2/HIAR to promote endothelial sprouting through enhanced VEGF signaling. Science Signaling 2019;12:eaan8247.
2018
Fort L, Batista JM, Thomason PA, Spence HJ, Whitelaw JA, Tweedy L, Greaves J, Martin KJ, Anderson KI, Brown P, Lilla S, Neilson MP, Tafelmeyer P, Zanivan S, Ismail S, Bryant DM, Tomkinson NCO, Chamberlain LH, Mastick GS, Insall RH, Machesky LM. Fam49/CYRI interacts with Rac1 and locally suppresses protrusions. Nat Cell Biol. 2018;20:1159-71.
Hewit K, Sandilands E, Martinez RS, James D, Leung HY, Bryant DM, Shanks E, Markert EK. A functional genomics screen reveals a strong synergistic effect between docetaxel and the mitotic gene DLGAP5 that is mediated by the androgen receptor. Cell Death Dis. 2018;9:1069.
Roman-Fernandez A, Roignot J, Sandilands E, Nacke M, Mansour MA, McGarry L, Shanks E, Mostov KE, Bryant DM. The phospholipid PI(3,4)P2 is an apical identity determinant. Nat Commun. 2018;9:5041.
Stehbens SJ, Ju RJ, Adams MN, Perry S, Haass NK, Bryant DM, Pollock PM. FGFR2b activating mutations disrupt cell polarity to potentiate migration and invasion in endometrial cancer. J Cell Sci 2018;131:jcs213678.
2017
Datta A, Sandilands E, Mostov KE, Bryant DM. Fibroblast-derived HGF drives acinar lung cancer cell polarization through integrin-dependent RhoA-ROCK1 inhibition. Cell Signal 2017;40:91-8.
Gao L, Yang Z, Hiremath C, Zimmerman SE, Long B, Brakeman PR, Mostov KE, Bryant DM, Luby-Phelps K, Marciano DK. Afadin orients cell division to position the tubule lumen in developing renal tubules. Development 2017;144:3511-20.
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.
Ruch TR, Bryant DM, Mostov KE, Engel JN. Par3 integrates Tiam1 and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling to change apical membrane identity. Mol Biol Cell 2017;28:252-60.
Bryant D, Johnson A. Meeting report – Intercellular interactions in context: towards a mechanistic understanding of cells in organs. J Cell Sci 2017;130:2083-85.
2016
Yang Z, Zimmerman SE, Tsunezumi J, Braitsch C, Trent C, Bryant DM, Cleaver O, Gonzalez-Manchon C, Marciano DK. Role of CD34 family members in lumen formation in the developing kidney. Dev Biol. 2016;418:66-74.
Bryant DM, Yap AS. Editorial overview: Membrane traffic and cell polarity. Traffic. 2016;17:1231-2.
Roman-Fernandez A, Bryant DM. Complex polarity: Building multicellular tissues through apical membrane traffic. Traffic. 2016;17:1244-61.