Early Cancer Institute Seminar: Professor Simón Méndez-Ferrer

The Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre unites over 1,000 world-leading biologists, chemists, physicists, engineers, mathematicians, computer scientists, clinicians, nurses and allied healthcare professionals from across Cambridge, UK to tackle cancer from every angle.Our mission is to end death and disease caused by cancer through research, treatment and education. We are detecting cancer at its earliest stage and are developing personalised treatments for every patient through facilitating new collaborations and driving the translation of new scientific discoveries into clinical applications to improve patient care. By working together across a range of different disciplines, our members are breaking down the barriers between the laboratory and the clinic, enabling patients to benefit from the latest innovations in cancer science.

Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre

Seminar presented by Professor Simón Méndez-Ferrer: The bone marrow niche as an actionable target during myeloid leukaemogenesis

Early Cancer Institute, University of Cambridge

The seminar series from the Early Cancer Institute aims to connect researchers in the early cancer detection and diagnosis space to share knowledge and spark collaboration. Join fellow researchers for lunch and an opportunity to network.On Tuesday 26th March we welcome <a href="https://www.haem.cam.ac.uk/staff/senior-staff/dr-simon-mendez-ferrer/" title="https://www.haem.cam.ac.uk/staff/senior-staff/dr-simon-mendez-ferrer/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Simón Méndez-Ferrer</a>, Professor at the Department of Haematology, Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, and a Principal Investigator at NHS Blood and Transplant, to give a talk: 'The bone marrow niche as an actionable target during myeloid leukaemogenesis'This event will take place in the Early Cancer Institute, Adrian Way, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0XZLunch is provided from 12:30pm, the talk will begin at 1.00pm followed by a Q&amp;A. Please ensure you arrive promptly. <h4>Speaker Biography:</h4>Simón Méndez-Ferrer is a Professor at the <a href="https://www.haem.cam.ac.uk/staff/senior-staff/dr-simon-mendez-ferrer/" title="https://www.haem.cam.ac.uk/staff/senior-staff/dr-simon-mendez-ferrer/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Department of Haematology</a>, <a href="https://www.stemcells.cam.ac.uk/people/pi/mendez-ferrer" title="https://www.stemcells.cam.ac.uk/people/pi/mendez-ferrer" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute</a>, University of Cambridge, and a Principal Investigator at <a href="https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/research-and-development/current-research/research-projects/haematopoietic-stem-cell-niche/" title="https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/research-and-development/current-research/research-projects/haematopoietic-stem-cell-niche/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">NHS Blood and Transplant</a>.His research focuses on the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41568-020-0245-2" title="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41568-020-0245-2" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">extrinsic regulation of haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and its implications for the early detection and treatment of haematological malignancies</a>. His multidisciplinary training in neuroscience, physiology, stem cells and cancer has allowed him to make original contributions in the interphase fields of (cancer) stem cell niche, neuroimmunology and inter-organ communication. For instance, work from his team discovered a connection between the bone marrow, the brain and other systemic signals, which regulate the behaviour of blood stem cells and immune cells. He found that that <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature06685" title="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature06685" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">the brain regulates a peripheral stem cell niche</a> in the bone marrow, where <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature09262" title="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature09262" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play a key role in the HSC niche</a>, <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(20)30479-4" title="https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(20)30479-4" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">leukaemogenesis and therapy resistance</a>.Ageing is associated with an increased risk to develop myeloid malignancies, such as myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). His team showed that <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-stem-cell/fulltext/S1934-5909(19)30271-1" title="https://www.cell.com/cell-stem-cell/fulltext/S1934-5909(19)30271-1" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">remodelling of bone marrow niches promotes myeloid cell expansion during premature or physiological ageing</a> and that <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43018-023-00607-x" title="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43018-023-00607-x" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">niche heterogeneity and ageing influences the pathogenesis and therapy response in MPN</a>, such that <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature13383" title="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature13383" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">damage to the HSC niche is required for MPN development</a>. This translational research led to two Phase-II multicentre clinical studies testing the redeployment of <a href="https://haematologica.org/article/view/8845" title="https://haematologica.org/article/view/8845" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">sympathicomimetic drugs</a> and <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-stem-cell/fulltext/S1934-5909(14)00514-1" title="https://www.cell.com/cell-stem-cell/fulltext/S1934-5909(14)00514-1" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">selective oestrogen receptor modulators</a> <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-43175-5" title="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-43175-5" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">targeting the extrinsic HSC regulation in MPN</a>.His work has been supported by ASH Scholar Award, Joanne Levy Memorial Award, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, ERC Consolidator grant, MRC and CRUK Programme Foundation Award.

Early Cancer Institute Seminar: Professor Simón Méndez-Ferrer

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Early Cancer Institute Seminar: Professor Simón Méndez-Ferrer

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