Dr Sebastian Other-Gee Pohl (Ph.D)
EACR/Boehringer Ingelheim Research Fellow

- Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre
- The Institute of Genetics and Cancer
- University of Edinburgh
Contact details
- Tel: +44 (0)131 651 8661
- Email: sebastian.pohl@igmm.ed.ac.uk
Address
- Street
-
Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre
The Institute of Genetics & Cancer
The University of Edinburgh
Western General Hospital
Crewe Road South - City
- Edinburgh
- Post code
- EH4 2XU
Qualifications
- Bachelor
- 2013, Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences, Charles Darwin University (N.T, Australia)
- Masters
- 2015, Masters of Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University (Perth, Australia)
- Doctorate
- 2018, Doctor of Philosophy (Chancellors Commendation), Curtin University (Perth, Australia)
Responsibilities & affiliations
- Adjunct Research Fellow
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University
Research summary
My main research interests are immunotherapeutic enhancement through the inhibition of alternative splicing and determining novel regulators of intestinal tumour cell plasticity.
Currently researching in the Colorectal Stem Cell Transformation Lab at the Institute of Genetics and Cancer (Dr. Kevin Myant - Principal Investigator). https://www.ed.ac.uk/cancer-centre/research/myant-group
Current research interests
My currently research interest involves investigating the role of RNA splicing factor SRSF1 in the initiation, progression and metastasis of colorectal cancer. SRSF1, has a canonical role in regulating alternative splicing, although recent evidence suggests it is involved in a variety of cellular processes. I am investigating whether targeting RNA splicing, through SRSF1 may be beneficial to pursue therapeutically. To do this I employ 3D organoid models in a variety of genetic backgrounds, and develop genetically modified mouse models. I also have active research on-going determining novel regulators of intestinal cell plasticity.Past research interests
I have previously investigated the role of the DEAD-Box RNA helicase, DDX20 in the regulation of Wnt signalling and cell fate through redox-dependent mechanisms.S. Iqbal, F. Firdous, M. Furqan, S. Fozail, SÖG Pohl, N. Doleschall, K. Myant, U. Singh, AH. Emwas, M. Jaremko, A. Fasisal, R. Saleem. Synthesis, and characterization of bis-amide SSE11917, a microtubule destabilizing anticancer agent. (2023) Bioorganic Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.107094.
F. Firdous, S. Riaz, M. Furqan, S. Fozail, K. Fatima, SÖG Pohl, N. Doleschall, K. Myant, J. Kahfi, AH. Emwas, M. Jaremko, G. Chotana, R. Saleem, A. Fasisal. Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of SSE1806, a Microtubule Destabilizer That Overcomes Multidrug Resistance. (2023) ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters.
AE Hall*, SÖG Pohl*, P Cammareri, S Aitken, NT Younger, M Raponi, CV Billard, AB Carrancio, A Bastem, P Freile, F Haward, IR Adams, JF Caceres, P Preyzner, A Von Kriegsheim, MG Dunlop, FV Din & KB Myant. RNA splicing is a key mediator of tumour cell plasticity and a therapeutic vulnerability in colorectal cancer. Nature Communications, (2022) 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-30489-z
SÖG Pohl & KB Myant, (2022). Alternative RNA splicing in tumour heterogeneity, plasticity and therapy. Disease Models and Mechanisms. (2022). 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1242/dmm.049233
V. Gudiño, SÖG Pohl, CV. Billard, P. Cammareri, A. Bolado, S. Aitken, D. Stevenson, AE. Hall, M. Agostino, J. Cassidy, C. Nixon, A. von Kriegsheim , P. Freile, L. Popplewell, G. Dickson, L. Murphy, A. Wheeler, M. Dunlop, F. Din, D. Strathdee, OJ. Sansom & KB. Myant. RAC1B modulates intestinal tumourigenesis via modulation of WNT and EGFR signalling pathways. Nature Communications. (2021). doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22531-3
M. Agostino, SÖG Pohl. Activation barriers in Class F G protein-coupled receptors revealed by umbrella sampling simulations. Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry. (2020). doi: 10.1039/D0OB02175J
M. Agostino, SÖG Pohl. The structural biology of canonical Wnt signaling. Biochemical Society Transactions (2020), 48(4), 1765-1780. doi: 10.1042/BST20200243
M. Agostino, SÖG Pohl. Wnt binding affinity prediction for putative frizzled-type cysteine-rich domains. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2019), 20(17), 4168. doi: 10.3390/ijms20174168.
SÖG Pohl, S. Pervaiz, A. Dharmarajan, M. Agostino. Gene expression analysis of heat-shock proteins and redox regulators reveals combinatorial prognostic markers in carcinomas of the gastrointestinal tract. Redox Biology (2018) pii: S2213-2317(18)30928-5. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2018.11.018
SÖG Pohl, M. Agostino, A. Dharmarajan, S Pervaiz. Crosstalk between cellular redox states and the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. Antioxidants Redox Signaling (2018). Published online Feb 15, doi: 10.1089/ars.2017.7414
J. Olsen*, SÖG Pohl*, A. Deshmukh, M. Visweswaran, N. Ward, F. Arfuso, M. Agostino, A. Dharmarajan. The role of Wnt signalling in angiogenesis. Clinical Biochem Reviews, (2017) 38(3): 131-142.
M. Agostino, SÖG Pohl, A. Dharmarajan, Structure-based prediction of Wnt binding affinities for Frizzled-type cysteine-rich domains, Journal of Biological Chemistry, (2017) 292: 11218. doi:10.1074/jbc.M117.786269. doi: 10.1042/BST20200243
SÖG Pohl, N. Brook, M. Agostino, F. Arfuso, AP. Kumar, A. Dharmarajan, Wnt signalling in triple-negative breast cancer, Oncogenesis. 6 (2017), e310. doi: 10.1038/oncsis.2017.14
V. Perumal*, S. Pohl*, K.N. Keane*, F. Arfuso, P. Newsholme, S. Fox, A. Dharmarajan, Therapeutic approach to target mesothelioma cancer cells using the Wnt antagonist, secreted frizzled-related protein 4: Metabolic state of cancer cells, Experimental Cell Research. 341 (2016) 218-224. doi: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2016.02.008
S. Pohl*, R. Scott*, F. Arfuso, V. Perumal, A. Dharmarajan, Secreted frizzled-related protein 4 and its implications in cancer and apoptosis, Tumor Biology. 36 (2015) 143-152. doi: 10.1007/s13277-014-2956-z
M. Visweswaran, S. Pohl, F. Arfuso, P. Newsholme, R. Dilley, S. Pervaiz, A. Dharmarajan, Multi-lineage differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells - To Wnt, or not Wnt, International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology. 68 (2015) 139-147. doi: 10.1016/j.biocel.2015.09.008
*denotes equal contribution
2023 University of Edinburgh Academic Staff Contributions Reward
2023 EACR/Boehringer Ingelheim Post-doctoral fellowship
2022 Moray Endowment Fund
2022 Best Poster Award – Scottish Biomedical Postdoctoral Research Conference
2019 Institute of Genetics and Cancer Early Career Researcher Award
2018 Best Poster Award – Lorne Conference on Protein Structure and Function
2017 Best Poster Award – Combined Biological Sciences Meeting
2016 Best Poster Award – Science on the Swan Conference