Dr Mohammed Mansour

I joined LSBU in 2020, where I am currently a senior lecturer in Biomedical Science in the School of applied Sciences. I received my PhD (2015) in Molecular Cancer Biology from Nagoya University graduate school of Medicine, Japan. Following this, I joined the Dr David Bryant lab at the CRUK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK in 2017 as a Royal Society Newton International Fellow. During my Royal Society Newton International fellowship, I have been endorsed as an emerging leader (Exceptional promise) in Science. In 2019, I joined university of Southampton to conduct research in mammary stem cell biology.

My particular research interest is in the 3D culture of epithelial cancer cells in vitro and genetically engineered mice models to study heterogeneity. Heterogeneity is one of the most difficult challenges for cancer treatment; tumours are not only different between patients but also within a single tumour, different subpopulations exist. Some of these are sensitive to drugs while others not. In order to drug tumours, we must understand tumours as a diverse ecosystem. Traditional approaches for testing cancer drugs depend on the idea of ‘more is more’ assuming all cells equal, overlook individual differences, and appreciate the biggest effect. However, even if a drug kills most of the cells, some cells are left behind which are resistant and more likely to spread (metastasis).
I combine the use of 3D tumour cell culture as ‘mini-tumours in a dish’ with the development of novel biochemical and cell biological assays for identification of distinct sub-populations of tumour cells. My approach uses live imaging, biochemistry, cell biology and machine learning to understand whether subpopulations in tumours exist, couple this to drug repurposing to identify compounds that kill each subpopulation, and tailor drug combinations specifically to heterogeneity patterns in order to kill all subpopulations, and thereby overcome treatment resistance. My end goal is to unravel new therapeutic targets and drug candidates, which could be taken toward preclinical validation for agents to stop metastasis.
Through my PhD and postdoc research, I have 20 international publications in the field of cancer gene regulation and function, 12 of which I am lead author (first/last author). In addition to my primary research project, I have been involved in a number of collaborations nationally and internationally. I have consistently presented my research in national and international conferences. I engage with the public and research colleagues to disseminate cancer awareness and knowledge of developmental science & cancer research.

Employability lead for Biomedical Science

Biochemistry Genetics and Molecular Biology Advanced Molecular Biology Cancer Biology and Therapy Drug Design and Development Introduction to Pharmacology and Toxicology