The London Research Institute research groups are based at Lincoln’s Inn Fields and Clare Hall. Our major research themes are: the biology of tumours and tissues, cellular regulatory mechanisms and genomic integrity and cell cycle.
Axel Behrens : Mammalian Genetics
Goals
Every organ harbours adult stem cells which have the potential for long-term replication, together with the capacities of self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation. These stem cells function in tissue homeostasis and contribute to regeneration in response to injury. In addition, many cancers are caused by transforming mutations occurring in tissue-specific progenitor cells. The JNK family of mitogen activated protein kinases and the DNA damage kinase ATM (Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated) are essential mediators of genome integrity and transcriptional control in eukaryotic cells. Our major focus is the elucidation of the molecular mechanism of JNK and ATM kinase signalling and to understand their function in stem cells and cancer.
Selected Papers
Aguilera C, Nakagawa K, Sancho R, Chakraborty A, Hendrich B, Behrens A. c-Jun N-terminal phosphorylation antagonises recruitment of the Mbd3/NuRD repressor complex. Nature. 2011;469(7329):231-5
(Abstract)
Loizou JI, Sancho R, Kanu N, Bolland DJ, Yang F, Rada C, Corcoran AE, Behrens A. ATMIN is required for maintenance of genomic stability and suppression of B cell lymphoma. Cancer Cell. 2011;19(5):587-600
(Abstract)
Davies CC, Chakraborty A, Cipriani F, Haigh K, Haigh JJ, Behrens A. Identification of a co-activator that links growth factor signalling to c-Jun/AP-1 activation Nat Cell Biol. 2010;12(10):963-72
(Abstract)
Hoeck JD, Jandke A, Blake SM, Nye E, Spencer-Dene B, Brandner S, Behrens A. Fbw7 controls neural stem cell differentiation and progenitor apoptosis by antagonising Notch and JNK/c-Jun signalling. Nature Neuroscience. 2010;13(11):1365-72
(Abstract)
Sancho R, Nateri AS, de Vinuesa AG, Aguilera C, Nye E, Spencer-Dene B, Behrens A. JNK signalling modulates intestinal homeostasis and tumourigenesis. EMBO J. 2009;28(13):1843-54
(Abstract)
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Axel Behrens
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