Alex Loftus

Transitional Fellow

Contact details

Address

Street

Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre
Institute of Genetics and Cancer

City
Edinburgh
Post code
EH4 2XU

Biography

Background

My research career started at The University of L'Aquila, Italy, where I studied the role of extracellular vesicle-mediated signalling by breast cancer cells in preparation of an osteolytic microenvironment supporting metastasis in the laboratories of Professor Anna Teti and Professor Nadia Rucci. Following completion of this work, I returned to the UK to study the role of a pseudokinase in organising the structure and function of the Golgi apparatus with Professor Martin Lowe at The University of Manchester. From here, I moved to the Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre at the Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, to undertake my PhD with Professor Margaret Frame. During this, I uncovered the role of the cell-matrix adhesion protein integrin-linked kinase in co-regulating mesenchymal transformation and cell lineage specification in glioblastoma. Following a postdoctoral training period with Professor Neil Carragher during which I established gene-edited glioblastoma cell models for orthogonal validation of drug screening data, I secured MRC project grant as a researcher co-investigator to explore the function of a rare and novel ILK-binding protein that we discovered in patient-derived glioblastoma cells. I was subsequently awarded a Langmuir IGC Talent Development Fellowship to work towards establishing my own research programme. Alongside my research activities, I work closely alongside regional and national fundraising and public engagement teams in association with Cancer Research UK and am a keen advocate for research integrity and culture. Finally, I am a strong supporter of widening participation in cancer research, particularly through the inclusion and support of hard-to-reach students at early stages of their careers.

Qualifications

PhD: Molecular and Clinical Medicine, The University of Edinburgh; Thesis title "Integrin-linked kinase in a stem cell model of glioblastoma"; Supervised by Prof Margaret Frame, Prof Steven Pollard, Prof Val Brunton and Dr Adam Byron; 2017 - 2021.

BSc: Medical Biochemistry with Industrial Experience (1st class Hons), The University of Manchester; 2012 - 2017.

Undergraduate teaching

I lecture on the final-year Honours module "Cancer Biology & Medicine", where I deliver a lecture discussing mechanisms of cancer invasion and metastasis. I additionally lead a problem-based tutorial session on this topic, chair a student-led presentation session, and run an in-course assessment.

In addition to my teaching responsibilities, I regularly accommodate undergraduate students in the laboratory. We frequently accommodate final-year undergraduate project students and are always happy to recruit summer students; we are able to support the funding process for the latter. We are always happy to hear from keen students looking for placements with us, so please feel free to get in touch if our work interests you.

Postgraduate teaching

I deliver taught content, and occasionally contribute to assessment, for the online Masters course "Cancer Biology & Precision Oncology". Most of my postgraduate teaching responsibility is in the form of supervision; I am always very keen to host enthusiastic MScR placements (full, rotational and visiting, including international) in the laboratory. If you have a project idea, please get in touch. We would love to hear from you.

Open to PhD supervision enquiries?

Yes

Current PhD students supervised

Tamara Tubbeh: Co-supervised with Dr Noor Gammoh

Past PhD students supervised

Marianna Romano: Co-supervised with Prof Neil Carragher and Dr Joanna Birch (Glasgow)

Research summary

My research explores how cancer cells acquire invasive phenotypes. Particularly, we are interested in brain tumours, which frequently present as diffuse disease characterised by highly invasive cells that breach the tumour margin to escape surgical resection and targeted radiotherapy. While cell-matrix adhesion proteins - the collective machinery that allows cells to move and determines cell shape and function - are well known to be involved in invasion, there remains a lack of information about how cancer cells establish their pro-invasive repertoire of cell-matrix adhesion proteins and subsequently, how they convert this into the biomechanical force that is required for invasion. Additionally, while a vast array of cell-matrix adhesion proteins have been discovered across cell types, a growing body of evidence (including from our own research group) indicates that cancer cells exploit rare and novel protein variants to drive specific malignancy associated-features. My research is therefore organised around three key questions:

First, how do cancer cells acquire invasive phenotypes? What are the epigenetic and transcriptional changes that facilitate this transformation, which transcriptional regulators are key in reprogramming cancer cells into a pro-invasive state?

Second, how do cancer cells generate the biomechanical force that is required for invasion? How can we quantify this, what are the key mediators, and are there therapeutic targets therein?

Third, what is the contribution of rare and novel cell-matrix adhesion proteins - such as paralogs or splicing variants - to malignancy? How do these arise and how are they similar or distinct when compared to their canonical variants?

To address these questions, we make use of a broad spectrum of technologies including CRISPR-based gene editing, quantitative and super-resolution microscopy, biochemistry, RNA-sequencing and mass spectrometry. While the majority of our work is undertaken in patient-derived glioblastoma cells, we are beginning to look towards expanding our research into paediatric brain tumours, for which there are very few therapeutic options available.

Affiliated research centres

Current project grants

IGC Langmuir Talent Development Fellowship: 2025 - 2027
Cancer Research UK Bridge to Academic Leadership Award: Gaining traction in glioblastoma therapy: targetable mechanisms of force generation. 2025 - 2026

Past project grants

Tenovus Scotland: Mapping adhesion protein-regulated transcriptional programs in human glioblastoma using scRNA-seq. 2023 - 2025
MRC Project Grant: Targeting integrin-linked (pseudo)kinase in glioblastoma. 2022 - 2025

I am very enthusiastic about engaging with interested public, patient and representative parties. I have hosted a number of visits for patients, patient advocates, fundraising groups, and school students. I am particularly closely engaged with the Edinburgh (and increasingly, Aberdeen) boards of the Business Beats Cancer initiative: a collaborative effort between regional business leaders and Cancer Research UK. I attend annual Business Beats Cancer fundraisers as a keynote speaker and engage with planning and strategy for organising these events. In 2024, the Business Beats Cancer initiative raised over £1,000,000 for Cancer Research UK, approximately £200,000 of which was raised in Edinburgh alone. I am always keen to contribute to contribute to public and patient involvement and engagement initiatives, so please feel free to get in touch.

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