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About CRUK Scotland Institute

Find out what we do, how we do it and why we do what we do.

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Life in Glasgow

Find out about living and working in Glasgow and Scotland.

Our Research

Explore the science at CRUK Scotland Institute. Our research groups, the people who lead them, and how we work.

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Research Groups

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Vision and Strategy

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Research Integrity

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Grant Support

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Use of Animals

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Annual Reports

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AI and Computational Biology

Advanced Technologies

State-of-the-art facilities and specialist expertise supporting research across the Institute.

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Technologies overview

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Beatson Advanced Imaging Resource

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Translational Molecular Imaging

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Flow Cytometry

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Mass Spectrometry

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Molecular Technology

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Deep Phenotyping

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Histology Service

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Transgenic Models of Cancer

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Transgenic Technology

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Bioinformatics and Data Science

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Translational Research Collaborations Unit

Operations

The teams and services that keep the Institute running and support our research.

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Partners

The networks and organisations we work with to accelerate cancer research.

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Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre

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CRC Stars

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MRC National Mouse Genetics Network

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CRUK SI-UoG-Indonesia PhD Programme

Careers & Study

Jobs, studentships and opportunities for students at every stage at our world-renowned cancer research institute.

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Careers & Study Overview

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Current Vacancies

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Studentships

PhD opportunities at the Institute
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Studentship Vacancies

Open studentships to apply for
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CRUK SI-UoG-Indonesia PhD Programme

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John Paul Career Award

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Internships

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Events

The Institute hosts a range of seminars and meetings bringing international cancer researchers to Glasgow.

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Glasgow Cancer Seminar Series

Dr Tom MacVicar

Mitochondrial Reprogramming in Cancer

Tumours must overcome numerous metabolic challenges to thrive in nutrient-deprived microenvironments and to evade therapeutics. Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that provide the metabolic flexibility and plasticity demanded by cancer cells. Our overall objectives are to understand how mitochondria are reprogrammed at different stages of tumorigenesis and to reveal metabolic vulnerabilities in cancer by targeting mitochondrial metabolite transporters.

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Full research group pageRead more about the Mitochondrial Reprogramming in Cancer research group
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Biography

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Recent Publications

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Biography

Education and qualifications

  • 2013: PhD, School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol
  • 2009: BSc, Biochemistry, University of Bristol

Appointments

  • 2021–present: CRUK Career Development Fellow, Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute
  • 2018–2021: Postdoctoral Researcher, Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
  • 2014–2018: Postdoctoral Researcher, CECAD, Cologne, Germany
  • 2013–2014: Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, UK

Honours and Awards

  • 2016: Humboldt Research Fellowship for Postdoctoral Researchers
  • 2015: EMBO Long-Term Postdoctoral Fellowship

Funding

  • Medical Research Scotland

Recent Publications

2026

MacVicar T, Greaves LC, Gammage PA, Tait SWG, Fisher-Wellman KH, Freedman G. Cancer as a window into mitochondrial biology. Cell Metab. 2026(6):1085-1088.

2025

Bahat A, Milenkovic D, Cors E, Barnett M, Niftullayev S, Katsalifis A, Schwill M, Kirschner P, MacVicar T, Giavalisco P, Jenninger L, Clausen AR, Paupe V, Prudent J, Larsson NG, Rogg M, Schell C, Muylaert I, Lekholm E, Nolte H, Falkenberg M, Langer T. Ribonucleotide incorporation into mitochondrial DNA drives inflammation. Nature. 2025.

Dias MM, King MS, Shokry E, Lilla S, Paul N, Thomason P, Zanivan S, Sumpton D, Kunji ERS, MacVicar T. SLC25A45 is required for mitochondrial uptake of methylated amino acids and de novo carnitine biosynthesis. Mol Cell. 2025.

Galloway A, Knop K, Gomez-Moreira C, Xavier V, Thomson S, Yoshikawa H, Suska O, Lukoszek R, Kaskar A, Lamond AI, MacVicar T, Cowling VH. CMTR1 directs mitochondrial dynamics during T cell activation through epitranscriptomic regulation of splice isoforms. Cell Rep. 2025;44(10):116412.

Lilla S, Atkinson S, Radau S, Bailey UM, Deshmukh AS, van der Reest J, Kirkpatrick J, MacVicar T, Zanivan S. SICyLIA-cTMT dissects redox proteome dynamics with high accuracy and depth at microgram scale. Cell Rep Methods. 2025:101210.

MacVicar T. High tide or low tide: the transport and metabolism of mitochondrial nucleotides. Biochem J. 2025(16).

2024

Chandragiri S, Grotehans N, Lasarzewski Y, Patron M, MacVicar T, Ohba Y, Hermans S, Rugarli E, Nolte H, Langer T. AFG3L2-mediated proteolysis restricts mitochondrial biogenesis and gene expression in hypoxia. bioRxiv. 2024:2024.2009.2027.615438.

Xavier V, Martinelli S, Corbyn R, Pennie R, Rakovic K, Powley IR, Officer-Jones L, Ruscica V, Galloway A, Carlin LM, Cowling VH, Le Quesne J, Martinou JC, MacVicar T. Mitochondrial double-stranded RNA homeostasis depends on cell-cycle progression. Life Sci Alliance. 2024;7(11).

2023

Grotehans N, McGarry L, Nolte H, Xavier V, Kroker M, Narbona-Pérez Á J, Deshwal S, Giavalisco P, Langer T, MacVicar T. Ribonucleotide synthesis by NME6 fuels mitochondrial gene expression. Embo j. 2023;10.15252/embj.2022113256:e113256.

2022

Murschall LM, Peker E, MacVicar T, Langer T, Riemer J. Protein Import Assay into Mitochondria Isolated from Human Cells. Bio Protoc. 2021;11(12):e4057.

Sprenger HG*, MacVicar T*, Bahat A, Fiedler KU, Hermans S, Ehrentraut D, Ried K, Milenkovic D, Bonekamp N, Larsson NG, Nolte H, Giavalisco P, Langer T. Cellular pyrimidine imbalance triggers mitochondrial DNA-dependent innate immunity. Nat Metab. 2021;3(5):636-650.*equal contribution

Willenborg S, Sanin DE, Jais A, Ding X, Ulas T, Nuchel J, Popovic M, MacVicar T, Langer T, Schultze JL, et al. (2021). Mitochondrial metabolism coordinates stage-specific repair processes in macrophages during wound healing. Cell Metab 33, 2398-2414 e2399. 1

Bahat A*, MacVicar T*, Langer T. Metabolism and Innate Immunity Meet at the Mitochondria. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021;9:720490.*equal contribution

MacVicar T, Langer T. Mechanometabolism: Mitochondria promote resilience under pressure. Curr Biol. 2021;31(13):R859-r861.

2020

Murschall LM, Gerhards A, MacVicar T, Peker E, Hasberg L, Wawra S, Langer T, Riemer J. The C-terminal region of the oxidoreductase MIA40 stabilizes its cytosolic precursor during mitochondrial import. BMC Biol. 2020;18(1):96.

Ohba Y, MacVicar T, Langer T. Regulation of mitochondrial plasticity by the i-AAA protease YME1L. Biol Chem. 2020;401(6-7):877-890.

Wang Z, Liu F, Fan N, Zhou C, Li D, Macvicar T, Dong Q, Bruns CJ, Zhao Y. Targeting Glutaminolysis: New Perspectives to Understand Cancer Development and Novel Strategies for Potential Target Therapies. Front Oncol. 2020;10:589508.

2019

MacVicar T*, Ohba Y*, Nolte H, Mayer FC, Tatsuta T, Sprenger HG, Lindner B, Zhao Y, Li J, Bruns C, Krüger M, Habich M, Riemer J, Schwarzer R, Pasparakis M, Henschke S, Brüning JC, Zamboni N, Langer T. Lipid signalling drives proteolytic rewiring of mitochondria by YME1L. Nature. 2019;575(7782):361-365. *equal contribution

Richter F, Dennerlein S, Nikolov M, Jans DC, Naumenko N, Aich A, MacVicar T, Linden A, Jakobs S, Urlaub H, Langer T, Rehling P. ROMO1 is a constituent of the human presequence translocase required for YME1L protease import. J Cell Biol. 2019;218(2):598-614.

Sprenger HG, Wani G, Hesseling A, König T, Patron M, MacVicar T, Ahola S, Wai T, Barth E, Rugarli EI, Bergami M, Langer T. Loss of the mitochondrial i-AAA protease YME1L leads to ocular dysfunction and spinal axonopathy. EMBO Mol Med. 2019;11(1).

Ahola S, Langer T, MacVicar T. Mitochondrial Proteolysis and Metabolic Control. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol. 2019;11(7).

2018

Nolte H, MacVicar TD, Tellkamp F, Krüger M. Instant Clue: A Software Suite for Interactive Data Visualization and Analysis. Sci Rep. 2018;8(1):12648.

2016

Hartmann B, Wai T, Hu H, MacVicar T, Musante L, Fischer-Zirnsak B, Stenzel W, Gräf R, van den Heuvel L, Ropers HH, Wienker TF, Hübner C, Langer T, Kaindl AM. Homozygous YME1L1 mutation causes mitochondriopathy with optic atrophy and mitochondrial network fragmentation. Elife. 2016;5.

MacVicar T, Langer T. OPA1 processing in cell death and disease – the long and short of it. J Cell Sci. 2016;129(12):2297-2306.

2015

MacVicar TD*, Mannack LV*, Lees RM, Lane JD. Targeted siRNA Screens Identify ER-to-Mitochondrial Calcium Exchange in Autophagy and Mitophagy Responses in RPE1 Cells. Int J Mol Sci. 2015;16(6):13356-13380. *equal contribution

2014

MacVicar TD, Lane JD. Impaired OMA1-dependent cleavage of OPA1 and reduced DRP1 fission activity combine to prevent mitophagy in cells that are dependent on oxidative phosphorylation. J Cell Sci. 2014;127(Pt 10):2313-2325.

2013

MacVicar T. Mitophagy. Essays Biochem. 2013;55:93-104.

2012

Betin VM, MacVicar TD, Parsons SF, Anstee DJ, Lane JD. A cryptic mitochondrial targeting motif in Atg4D links caspase cleavage with mitochondrial import and oxidative stress. Autophagy. 2012;8(4):664-676.