Research groups
Research Theme
Tumour Microenvironment (Lead Principal Investigator)
COLLABORATORS
Chris Schofield, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford
Ester Hammond, Department of Oncology, University of Oxford
Monica Olcina, Department of Oncology, University of Oxford
Kevin Harrington, Institute of Cancer Research, London
Colleges
Geoff Higgins
MBChB, MRCP, FRCR, DPhil
Associate Professor
- Malcolm & Margaret Howat Associate Professor of Clinical Oncology
- Honorary Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust
Research Summary
Our group’s aim is to develop strategies to increase the efficacy of radiotherapy treatment. This work often involves repurposing existing compounds, or developing new treatments, that can be effectively combined with radiotherapy. Where possible, we seek to translate our laboratory findings into clinical trials utilising functional imaging and genomic data to provide signals of pharmacodynamic efficacy.
Biography
Geoff Higgins is the Malcolm & Margaret Howat Associate Professor in Clinical Oncology.
He obtained degrees in pharmacology (1997) and medicine (2000) from Edinburgh University and undertook specialist training in Clinical Oncology at the Edinburgh Cancer Centre. He subsequently moved to Oxford and was awarded a Royal College of Radiologists/CRUK Clinical Research Fellowship leading to a DPhil in 2010. Geoff subsequently obtained his Clinician Scientist and Advanced Clinician Scientist Fellowships from Cancer Research UK.
His research includes laboratory and clinical research aiming to improve the efficacy of radiotherapy treatment. He is currently the Chief Investigator of two clinical trials and is joint-lead investigator of the CRUK National Cancer Imaging Translational Accelerator.
CURRENT GROUP MEMBERS
Laboratory Research:
Gonzalo Rodriguez-Berriguete, Senior Postdoctoral Researcher
Celia Gotorbe, Postdoctoral Researcher
Puru Thambiayah, DPhil student
Nicole Machado, DPhil Student
Wing Yu Lee, MRes Student
Clinical Research:
Robert Rulach, Consultant Radiation Oncologist
Daniel McGowan, Postdoctoral Researcher
Kelley Ferreira, NPL Physicist and DPhil Student
Daniel Murray, Senior radiotherapy dosimetrist and DPhil student
GROUP ALUMNI & NEXT DESTINATIONS
Giovanna Granata (DPhil Student 2016-2020) – Postdoctoral Researcher, Amsterdam UMC
James Coates (DPhil Student 2015-2019) – Postdoctoral Researcher, Harvard University
Kate Herbert (Postdoctoral Researcher 2015-2019) – Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Glasgow
Michael Skwarski (Clinical Research Fellow 2016-2019) – Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Guy’s Hospital, London
Tom Ashton (Postdoctoral Researcher 2011-2017) – Senior Scientist, Adaptimmune Therapeutics
Daniel McGowan (DPhil Student 2013-2016) – NIHR Clinical Lecturer and Medical Physicist, Oxford
Giacomo Pirovano (DPhil student 2012-2015) – Postdoctoral Researcher, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, New York
Gagan Tiwana (DPhil Student 2012-2015) – Senior Scientist, Horizon Discovery
Key publications
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Antitumour effect of the mitochondrial complex III inhibitor Atovaquone in combination with anti-PD-L1 therapy in mouse cancer models.
Rodriguez-Berriguete G. et al, (2024), Cell Death Dis, 15
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Small-Molecule Polθ Inhibitors Provide Safe and Effective Tumor Radiosensitization in Preclinical Models.
Rodriguez-Berriguete G. et al, (2023), Clin Cancer Res, 29, 1631 - 1642
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POLQ seals post-replicative ssDNA gaps to maintain genome stability in BRCA-deficient cancer cells
HIGGINS G., (2022), Molecular Cell
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Polθ inhibitors elicit BRCA-gene synthetic lethality and target PARP inhibitor resistance.
Zatreanu D. et al, (2021), Nat Commun, 12
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Mitochondrial Inhibitor Atovaquone Increases Tumor Oxygenation and Inhibits Hypoxic Gene Expression in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.
Skwarski M. et al, (2021), Clin Cancer Res, 27, 2459 - 2469
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Targeting TOPK sensitises tumour cells to radiation-induced damage by enhancing replication stress.
Herbert KJ. et al, (2021), Cell Death Differ, 28, 1333 - 1346