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Dr Paul Ashford

Changes in cellular networks linked to FGFR deregulation

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) bind to cell surface receptor tyrosine kinases and play a crucial role in cellular growth, differentiation and survival. Deregulation of FGFR downstream signalling pathways is implicated in certain cancers, such as glioblastoma and bladder cancer. Previously, the group of Dr Matilda Katan has characterised structural components of signalling complexes associated with FGFRs. I will be working on the associated networks by mining existing interaction/pathway databases (e.g. IntAct, iRefIndex or Reactome) and annotating these with Gene3D data such as domains and FunFams. We wish to use these networks as a basis for analysing experimental phosphoproteomic datasets that will be generated, for example, based on novel FGFR fusion constructs developed in the Katan lab.

By combining techniques such as data-driven network modelling, kernel approaches and data integration we hope to provide insight into how FGF signalling becomes deregulated and suggest plausible therapeutic targets.

Research area: Bioinformatics