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Dr Waseem Qasim

  • Telephone:

    2079052794

  • Email:

    w.qasim@ucl.ac.uk

  • Address:

    30 Guilford St,
    London,
    WC1N 1EH

  • Appointments:

    Reader in Cell and Gene Theraphy, ICH - Molecular Immunology Unit, Dept of Infection & Immunity

Summary

2003-2007 Leukaemia Research Fund clinician scientist/lecturer in Paediatric Immunology/ Bone marrow transplantation, Institute of Child Health & Great Ormond Street Hospital, London

2007-2012 LLR/ICH Senior Clinical Lecturer, Institute of Child Health & Great Ormond Street Hospital, London

2012- Reader in Cell & Gene Therapy, Institute of Child Health & Great Ormond Street Hospital, London

No image is available

Research Summary

  • My research at ICH/Great Ormond Street Hospital is centred on diagnosing and treating immune disorders, improving immune recovery after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and gene based therapies.
  • I have a special interest T lymphocytes and how they can be used to control virus infections and certain malignant conditions. 
  • We are characterising cellular immune recovery after transplantation and investigating the properties of umbilical cord blood T cells (Dr Paul Veys)
  • A number of clinical studies are using vector technologies, clean room facilities and procedures we have developed for human cell therapies (Prof Adrian Thrasher, Prof Bobby Gaspar)(i) A trial of virus specific T cells to treat children with Adenovirus and Cytomegalovirus after HSCT; (ii) suicide gene modified cells after haploidentical transplantation; (iii) the production of T cell receptor modified T (Prof Hans Stauss, Dr Emma Morris) and chimeric antigen receptor expressing T cells (Dr Martin Pule).
  • My laboratory has a pipeline of vector development including gamma retroviral, lentiviral and transposon based systems, from initial development through to production at GMP (with Prof Farzin Farzenah).  
  • Experience with lentiviral vectors has produced interesting new possibilities for the treatment of HIV using novel TRIM-Cylcophilin restriction factors (with Prof Greg Towers, Prof Nigel Klein).
  • The procedures that developed for harvesting, manipulation and engineering of human immune cells have also been adapted for gene therapy for skin disorders. We are close to starting a trial of gene corrected skin grafts for Nethertons syndrome (Dr Wei Di, Dr Jemima Mellerio, Prof John Harper) and are working towards gene therapy for Epidermolyis Bullosa (Prof John McGrath).
  • Future therapies based on gene repair using targeted gene insertion Zinc Finger Nucleases and TALENs are being developed by PhD students and post-doctoral researchers in the group for both inherited immune and skin disorders.

Research Activities

  • Inherited immunodeficiencies
  • Bone marrow/stem cell transplantation
  • Gene therapy
  • HIV/Lentiviral systems
  • Skin Gene Therapy
  • T cell therapies
  • Vector Development

Recent Publications

Displaying 50 most recent publications. For the full list please visit UCL Discovery

  1. Qasim W,Gilmour K,Zhan H,Derniame S,Mcnicol AM,Ip W,Hiwarkar P,Veys P,Gaspar HB (2013) Interferon-γ capture T cell therapy for persistent Adenoviraemia following allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation British Journal of Haematology, 161(3), 449 - 452.
  2. Ip W,Zhan H,Gilmour KC,Davies EG,Qasim W (2013) 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome with Life-Threatening Adenovirus Infection. J Pediatr. 10.1016/j.jpeds.2013.03.070.
  3. Qasim W,Gilmour K,Zhan H,Derniame S,McNicol AM,Ip W,Hiwarkar P,Veys P,Gaspar HB (2013) Interferon-γ capture T cell therapy for persistent Adenoviraemia following allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Br J Haematol, 161(3), 449 - 452. 10.1111/bjh.12251.
  4. Hiwarkar P,Gaspar HB,Gilmour K,Jagani M,Chiesa R,Bennett-Rees N,Breuer J,Rao K,Cale C,Goulden N,Davies G,Amrolia P,Veys P,Qasim W (2012) Impact of viral reactivations in the era of pre-emptive antiviral drug therapy following allogeneic haematopoietic SCT in paediatric recipients. Bone Marrow Transplant. 10.1038/bmt.2012.221.
  5. Chan E,Schaller T,Eddaoudi A,Zhan H,Tan CP,Jacobsen M,Thrasher AJ,Towers GJ,Qasim W (2012) Lentiviral Gene Therapy Against Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1, Using a Novel Human TRIM21-Cyclophilin A Restriction Factor HUMAN GENE THERAPY, 23(11), 1176 - 1185. 10.1089/hum.2012.083.
  6. Semenova E,Ghani S,Chan L,Farzaneh F,Larcher F,Harper J,Thrasher A,Qasim W,Di WL (2012) Clinical grade lentiviral vector production for inherited skin disease BRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, 166(4), e26 - e26.
  7. Wootten V,Goulden N,Veys P,Qasim W (2012) A double cure: Omenn syndrome and β thalassaemia successfully treated with mismatched unrelated donor transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant, 47(4), 589 - 590. 10.1038/bmt.2011.115.
  8. Di WL,Semenova E,Larcher F,Del Rio M,Harper JI,Thrasher AJ,Qasim W (2012) Human involucrin promoter mediates repression-resistant and compartment-specific LEKTI expression. Hum Gene Ther, 23(1), 83 - 90. 10.1089/hum.2011.091.
  9. Chiesa R,Gilmour K,Qasim W,Adams S,Worth AJ,Zhan H,Montiel-Equihua CA,Derniame S,Cale C,Rao K,Hiwarkar P,Hough R,Saudemont A,Fahrenkrog CS,Goulden N,Amrolia PJ,Veys P (2012) Omission of in vivo T-cell depletion promotes rapid expansion of naïve CD4+ cord blood lymphocytes and restores adaptive immunity within 2 months after unrelated cord blood transplant. Br J Haematol, 156(5), 656 - 666. 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2011.08994.x.
  10. Slatter M,Rao K,Chiesa R,Amrolia P,Nademi Z,Flood T,Abinun M,Cant A,Hambleton J,Goulden N,Davies G,Qasim W,Gaspar HB,Gennay A,Veys P (2012) TREOSULFAN, FLUDARABINE AND ALEMTUZUMAB CONDITIONING FOR HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION IN CHILDREN WITH PRIMARY IMMUNODEFICIENCY: UK EXPERIENCE BIOLOGY OF BLOOD AND MARROW TRANSPLANTATION, 18(2), S234 - S234.
  11. Chan E,Schaller T,Tan CP,Thrasher AJ,Towers GJ,Qasim W (2012) Lentiviral Gene Therapy Against HIV-1 Using a Novel TRIM21-Cyclophilin A Fusion Restriction Factor MOLECULAR THERAPY, 20, S128 - S128.
  12. Ghani S,Di W-L,Semenova E,Chan L,Farzaneh F,Qasim W (2012) Clinical Grade Lentiviral Vector Production for the Inherited Skin Disease, Netherton Syndrome MOLECULAR THERAPY, 20, S164 - S164.
  13. Pallant C,Cathomen T,Dannemann N,Qasim W,Naldini L,Kinnon C,Howe S,Thrasher A (2012) Targeting models of severe combined immunodeficiency for correction by zinc finger nucleases HUMAN GENE THERAPY, 23(5), A7 - A7.
  14. Georgiadis C,Semenova K,McGrath J,Di W,Qasim W (2012) Development of lentiviral gene therapy for type VII collagen deficient epidermolysis bullosa HUMAN GENE THERAPY, 23(5), A9 - A9.
  15. Field A-C,Stauss HJ,Morris EC,Qasim W (2012) Comparison on lentiviral and Sleeping Beauty transposon-mediated gene expression of T cell receptor genes HUMAN GENE THERAPY, 23(5), A10 - A11.
  16. Georgiadis C,Thrasher A,South AP,McGrath J,Qasim W,Di W (2012) Development of lentiviral gene therapy for type VII collagen deficient epidermolysis bullosa JOURNAL OF INVESTIGATIVE DERMATOLOGY, 132, S96 - S96.
  17. Ip W,Gaspar H,Davies EG,Veys P,Qasim W (2012) ALLOGENEIC HAEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION FOR IMMUNODEFICIENCY DUE TO DEFECTIVE RIBONUCLEASE MITOCHONDRIAL RNA PROCESSING JOURNAL OF CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY, 32, 326 - 326.
  18. Zhan H,Farzaneh F,Gilmour K,Bhalla J,Chan L,Fehse B,Parsley K,Mojidra C,Swift S,Veys P,Thrasher A,Gaspar B,Qasim W (2011) Pathway to delivery of a gene modified T cell Investigational Medicinal Product (IMP) HUM GENE THER, 22(10), A74 - A75.
  19. Slatter MA,Rao K,Amrolia P,Flood T,Abinun M,Hambleton S,Nademi Z,Goulden N,Davies G,Qasim W,Gaspar HB,Cant A,Gennery AR,Veys P (2011) Treosulfan-based conditioning regimens for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in children with primary immunodeficiency: United Kingdom experience. Blood, 117(16), 4367 - 4375. 10.1182/blood-2010-10-312082.
  20. Fassone E,Duncan AJ,Taanman JW,Pagnamenta AT,Sadowski M,Holand T,Qasim W,Rutland P,Calvo SE,Mootha VK,Bitner-Glindzicz M,Rahman S (2011) Mutations in the novel chaperone FOXRED1 cause mitochondrial complex I deficiency NEUROMUSCULAR DISORDERS, 21, S19 - S19.
  21. Shaw SW,Bollini S,Nader KA,Gastadello A,Mehta V,Filppi E,Cananzi M,Gaspar HB,Qasim W,De Coppi P,David AL (2011) Autologous transplantation of amniotic fluid-derived mesenchymal stem cells into sheep fetuses. Cell Transplant, 20(7), 1015 - 1031. 10.3727/096368910X543402.
  22. Qasim W,Derniame S,Gilmour K,Chiesa R,Weber M,Adams S,Rao K,Amrolia P,Goulden N,Veys P,Gaspar H (2011) Third-party virus-specific T cells eradicate adenoviraemia but trigger bystander graft-versus-host disease. Br J Haematol, 154(1), 150 - 153. 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2011.08579.x.
  23. Fassone E,Duncan AJ,Taanman JW,Pagnamenta AT,Sadowski MI,Holand T,Qasim W,Rutland P,Calvo SE,Mootha VK,Bitner-Glindzicz M,Rahman S (2011) FOXRED1 mutations are a novel cause of mitochondrial complex I deficiency NEUROPATHOLOGY AND APPLIED NEUROBIOLOGY, 37, 37 - 37.
  24. Fassone E,Duncan AJ,Taanman JW,Pagnamenta AT,Sadowski MI,Holand T,Qasim W,Rutland P,Calvo SE,Mootha VK,Bitner-Glindzicz M,Rahman S (2011) BIOCHEMICAL AND MOLECULAR ANALYSIS IN MITOCHONDRIAL COMPLEX I DEFICIENT CHILDREN JOURNAL OF INHERITED METABOLIC DISEASE, 34, S162 - S162.
  25. Moratto D,Giliani S,Bonfim C,Mazzolari E,Fischer A,Ochs HD,Cant AJ,Thrasher AJ,Cowan MJ,Albert MH,Small T,Pai SY,Haddad E,Lisa A,Hambleton S,Slatter M,Cavazzana-Calvo M,Mahlaoui N,Picard C,Torgerson TR,Burroughs L,Koliski A,Neto JZ,Porta F,Qasim W,Veys P,Kavanau K,Hönig M,Schulz A,Friedrich W,Notarangelo LD (2011) Long-term outcome and lineage-specific chimerism in 194 patients with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome treated by hematopoietic cell transplantation in the period 1980-2009: an international collaborative study. Blood, 118(6), 1675 - 1684. 10.1182/blood-2010-11-319376.
  26. Di WL,Larcher F,Semenova E,Talbot GE,Harper JI,Del Rio M,Thrasher AJ,Qasim W (2011) Ex-vivo Gene Therapy Restores LEKTI Activity and Corrects the Architecture of Netherton Syndrome-derived Skin Grafts MOL THER, 19(2), 408 - 416. 10.1038/mt.2010.201.
  27. Qasim W,Derniame S,Gilmour K,Chiesa R,Weber M,Adams S,Rao K,Amrolia P,Goulden N,Veys P,Gaspar H (2011) Third-party virus-specific T cells eradicate adenoviraemia but trigger bystander graft-versus-host disease British Journal of Haematology.
  28. Semenova E,Di WL,Larcher F,Ghani S,Harper J,Thrasher A,Qasim W (2011) Human involucrin promoter resists spreading methylation and supports compartment specific gene expression in engineered skin grafts HUM GENE THER, 22(10), A52 - A52.
  29. Chan E,Schaller T,Thrasher A,Towers G,Qasim W (2011) Lentivirus mediated protection against HIV-1 using a human TRIM21-Cyclophilin A fusion protein HUM GENE THER, 22(10), A68 - A68.
  30. Felgentreff K,Perez-Becker R,Speckmann C,Schwarz K,Kalwak K,Markelj G,Avcin T,Qasim W,Davies EG,Niehues T,Ehl S (2011) Clinical and immunological manifestations of patients with atypical severe combined immunodeficiency. Clin Immunol, 141(1), 73 - 82. 10.1016/j.clim.2011.05.007.
  31. Chiesa R,Hiwarkar P,Rao K,Qasim W,Gilmour K,Goulden N,Amrolia PJ,Veys P (2010) Rapid Expansion of Naive CD4+Cord Blood Lymphocytes Restores Adaptive Immunity within 2 Months After Unrelated Cord Blood Transplantation. BLOOD, 116(21), 966 - 966.
  32. Qasim W,Semenova E,Thrasher A,Larcher F,Di W (2010) Preclinical modelling of ex-vivo skin gene therapy for Netherton syndrome HUMAN GENE THERAPY, 21(10), 1458 - 1458.
  33. Qasim W,Chan E,Schaller T,Thrasher A,Towers G (2010) Lentiviral mediated restriction of HIV by TRIM-Cyclophilin fusion proteins HUMAN GENE THERAPY, 21(10), 1372 - 1373.
  34. Fassone E,Duncan AJ,Taanman JW,Pagnamenta AT,Sadowski MI,Holand T,Qasim W,Rutland P,Calvo SE,Mootha VK,Bitner-Glindzicz M,Rahman S (2010) FOXRED1, encoding an FAD-dependent oxidoreductase complex-I-specific molecular chaperone, is mutated in infantile-onset mitochondrial encephalopathy. Hum Mol Genet, 19(24), 4837 - 4847. 10.1093/hmg/ddq414.
  35. Qasim W,Vink CA,Thrasher AJ (2010) Hybrid lentiviral vectors. Mol Ther, 18(7), 1263 - 1267. 10.1038/mt.2010.76.
  36. Bordon V,Gennery AR,Slatter MA,Vandecruys E,Laureys G,Veys P,Qasim W,Friedrich W,Wulfraat NM,Scherer F,Cant AJ,Fischer A,Cavazzana-Calvo M,Bredius RG,Notarangelo LD,Mazzolari E,Neven B,Güngör T,Inborn Error Working Party of the European Bone Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) group (2010) Clinical and immunologic outcome of patients with cartilage hair hypoplasia after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Blood, 116(1), 27 - 35. 10.1182/blood-2010-01-259168.
  37. Shaw SWS,Bollini S,Nader KA,Gastadello A,Mehta V,Cananzi M,Gaspar HB,Qasim W,De Coppi P,David AL (2010) Wide spread and systemic engraftment after in utero autologous transplantation of amniotic fluid mesenchymal stem cells into sheep fetuses.
  38. Semenova E,Qasim W,Larcher F,Talbot G,Thrasher AJ,Harper JI,Di WL (2010) Translational development of ex-vivo gene therapy for Netherton syndrome BRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, 162(4), 926 - 926.
  39. Chan E,Schaller T,Klein N,Thrasher A,Towers G,Qasim W (2010) Lentiviral Delivery of TRIM-Cyclophilin Restriction Factors Against HIV-1 HUMAN GENE THERAPY, 21(4), 502 - 502.
  40. Zhan H,Thrasher A,Farzaneh F,Bhalla J,Chan L,Veys P,Fehse B,Gaspar H,Qasim W (2010) Preparation for a Phase I/II Clinical Trial of T Cell Suicide Gene Therapy Following Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Children HUMAN GENE THERAPY, 21(4), 509 - 509.
  41. Field AC,Stauss HJ,Goulden N,Morris E,Qasim W (2010) Defining an Optimal Promoter for Lentiviral Gene Expression of T Cell Receptor Genes HUMAN GENE THERAPY, 21(4), 509 - 510.
  42. Pallant C,Howe S,Qasim W,Kinnon C,Thrasher A (2010) Developing an In Vitro Model of Common Gamma Chain Deficiency for Correction by Zinc Finger Nucleases HUMAN GENE THERAPY, 21(4), 511 - 511.
  43. Semenova E,Larcher F,Talbot G,Harper JI,Thrasher AJ,Di WI,Qasim W (2010) Lentiviral Mediated LEKTI Expression Reverses the Netherton Syndrome Phenotype HUMAN GENE THERAPY, 21(4), 512 - 512.
  44. Shaw SWS,Bollini S,Nader KA,Gastadello A,Mehta V,Filppi E,Cananzi M,Gaspar HB,Qasim W,De Coppi P,David AL (2010) Widespread Engraftment after In Utero Autologous Transplantation of Amniotic Fluid Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Sheep Fetuses..
  45. Slatter M,Rao K,Amrolia P,Flood T,Abinun M,Cant A,Hambleton S,Goulden N,Davies G,Qasim W,Gasper HB,Gennery A,Veys P (2010) UK experience of treosulfan-based conditioning regimens in children with primary immunodeficiency BONE MARROW TRANSPLANTATION, 45, S73 - S74.
  46. Zhan H,Holand T,Gaspar H,Qasim W (2009) Generation of Human Regulatory T Cells by Lentiviral Mediated FOXP3 Expression MOLECULAR THERAPY, 17, S207 - S207.
  47. Qasim W,Gaspar HB,Thrasher AJ (2009) Progress and prospects: gene therapy for inherited immunodeficiencies Gene Ther..
  48. Qasim W,Cavazzana-Calvo M,Davies EG,Davis J,Duval M,Eames G,Farinha N,Filopovich A,Fischer A,Friedrich W,Gennery A,Heilmann C,Landais P,Horwitz M,Porta F,Sedlacek P,Seger R,Slatten M,Teague L,Eapen M,Veys P (2009) Allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation for leukocyte adhesion deficiency Pediatrics, 123(3), 836 - 840.
  49. Vink CA,Gaspar HB,Gabriel R,Schmidt M,McIvor RS,Thrasher AJ,Qasim W (2009) Sleeping Beauty Transposition From Nonintegrating Lentivirus Molecular Therapy, 17(7), 1197 - 1204.
  50. Qasim W,Talbot G,Larcher F,Harper J,Thrasher A,Di WL (2009) Development of Lentiviral Therapy for Netherton Syndrome MOLECULAR THERAPY, 17, S298 - S298.

Biography

2003-2007 Leukaemia Research Fund clinician scientist/lecturer in Paediatric Immunology/ Bone marrow transplantation, Institute of Child Health & Great Ormond Street Hospital, London

2007-2012 LLR/ICH Senior Clinical Lecturer, Institute of Child Health & Great Ormond Street Hospital, London

2012- Reader in Cell & Gene Therapy, Institute of Child Health & Great Ormond Street Hospital, London

Qualifications

  • 2003: Doctor of Philosophy, University College London
  • 1997: Member of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
  • 1996: Member of the Royal College of Physicians, Royal College of Physicians
  • 1993: Bachelor of Medical Science, University of Newcastle upon Tyne
  • 1993: Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery, Newcastle University

Keywords

  • Adoptive immunotherapy
  • Cell culture
  • Cell tracking
  • Child health
  • FACS
  • Gene targeting
  • Gene therapy
  • Genetic manipulation (including knockout/knockin)
  • Genetically encoded reporters/indicators
  • HIV infection
  • Immune-based assays
  • In vitro assays of cell function
  • In vivo models
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • Netherton syndrome
  • RNA interference
  • Severe combined immunodeficiency
  • Stem cells
  • T cell assays
  • TCR gene transfer
  • TCR gene transfer
  • Targeted immunotherapy of cancer
  • Transfection
  • Viral vectors
  • Western blotting
  • Wiskott Aldrich Syndrome