Epithelial Polarity
Group Leader:
Prof David Bryant
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.
Lab Reports
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Recent Publications
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Lab Members
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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.
Research Scientist
Archana Katoch*
Information about this team member’s research interests, experience, and background will be added soon. Please check back for updates.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Kathy McLay*
Information about this team member’s research interests, experience, and background will be added soon. Please check back for updates.
Senior Scientific Officer
Peggy Paschke
I am originally from Germany where I did my undergraduates and PhD. I joined the CRUK SI in 2019 and had several different roles since then. In my current position in the Bryant lab, I try to establish efficient organoid engineering using CRISPR. In the lab I enjoy doing microscopy, image processing, image analysis as well as doing molecular biology and cloning. In my free time I like to go running, hiking, hanging out with my naughty felines and watching movies.
Lab Manager / Senior Scientist
Emma Sandilands
As a PhD student at the Beatson Institute, Glasgow and a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre I investigated the various roles that Src and FAK tyrosine kinases play in cancer. I am currently a Laboratory Manager, where I use high-content microscopy, computational image analysis and molecular biology to study the invasion and metastasis of prostate and colon cancer in 3D. Outside of the lab you’ll find me spending time with my family and trying to keep my houseplants alive.
PhD Student
Isra Abdi
I joined the lab as a PhD student in 2025 after wrapping up my MRes in Bioengineering at Imperial College London. My PhD project focuses on investigating how ARF GTPases influence cancer cell death, survival, and tumour progression. When I’m not deep in assays or data, you’ll probably find me on a long nature walk, or binge-watching kdramas and animes.
Senior Scientific Officer
Amy Bryson
Having submitted my PhD I am now working as a Senior Scientific Officer. As a PhD student my project focused on investigating effects on cell growth and morphology upon manipulation of PIP metabolism enzymes expression in colon cancer. I use both in vitro and bioinformatic approaches in my work. For four years before beginning my PhD I worked in drug discovery carrying out high-throughput assay development and drug screening. Outside of the lab I dabble in several crafts with always at least one on the go. Between these I am not busy enough so you will often find me Scottish Country Dancing.
PhD Student
Eilidh Cowan
I joined the lab in 2025 as a PhD student, having completed my undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and Pharmacology at the University of Strathclyde and working at Merck KGaA. My project is focused on improving high-throughput screening of organoids, and integrating machine learning and artificial intelligence approaches to assist in high-content analysis of organoids. Outside the lab I love playing guitar, reading books and playing video games.
PhD Student
Calum Forbes
I joined the lab as a PhD student in 2025, having previously completed an MSci in Molecular & Cellular Biology at the University of Glasgow and an industrial placement at AstraZeneca. My project focuses on modelling clonal competition and co-operation in colorectal cancer, using organoid and in vivo models. Outside of the lab, I love playing/watching football and enjoy weightlifting, travelling and fuelling my “Football Manager ‘24” addiction.
PhD Student
Jingyi Zeng*
Information about this team member’s research interests, experience, and background will be added soon. Please check back for updates.