Prof John Le Quesne - Deep Phenotyping of Solid Tumours

Introduction

LeQuesne John

The Le Quesne group combine classical molecular and quantitative microscopic imaging methods to ask questions about solid tumour biology. What can we directly observe in fully contextualised tumour tissue, the 'natural environment' of the malignant cell? How do malignant cells interact with the microenvironment of the tumour? What naturally selected strategies can we identify at cellular scale in human and mouse tumour tissues?

Our main interests lie in three areas:

  1. The dysregulation of mRNA translation in tumour cells and stroma, and how this reprogramming of the genome facilitates the malignant programme at the cellular level
  2. The refinement and development of highly multiplexed microscopic imaging methods to reveal additional levels of single-cellular detail in spatial context (e.g. quantity and subcellular localisation of multiple gene products at mRNA and protein levels)
  3. The improvement of biomarkers for the prediction of personalised treatment efficacy and patient prognostication.

We study common solid tumour types, but we have a particular emphasis on lung cancer and mesothelioma, and we have developed large focused collections of these tissues for study. In this area, we are engaged in study of how molecular and epigenetic events interact with tumour morphology in early stages of tumour development, and how morphology encodes specific survival strategies that drive tumour virulence and metastasis.