Lucy Brooks

Lucy received her Ph.D. from Imperial College London. She conducted her postdoctoral work with Prof. Simona Parrinello at the UCL Cancer Institute, first as a postdoc then a CRUK RadNet Senior Research Fellow. Lucy now leads the brain tumour plasticity and resistance lab at the University of Oxford studying how cellular plasticity and intratumoral heterogeneity contribute to therapy resistance in brain cancer.

Most cancers are characterised by cellular and molecular heterogeneity. This heterogeneity can contribute to therapy resistance, as cellular subpopulations may evade treatment through diverse mechanisms, leading to recurrence. Our research focuses on understanding the contribution of intratumoral heterogeneity to therapy resistance. We employ a range of approaches, including mass cytometry, single-cell transcriptomics, functional genomics, patient-derived models, and computational analyses, to dissect the cellular and molecular diversity and identify vulnerabilities that can be therapeutically exploited. 

Current projects in the lab aim to characterise resistant tumour subpopulations, investigate adaptive resistance mechanisms, and explore strategies to overcome treatment failure. We are focused on glioblastoma (GBM), the most aggressive primary brain tumour, which exemplifies these challenges. Standard therapies, including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, provide only temporary control, highlighting the urgent need to develop more effective, tailored treatment strategies. By uncovering the key drivers of resistance, our ultimate goal is to develop new therapeutic approaches that improve outcomes for patients.