Clinical Associate Professor James Guy Lyons
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Clinical Associate Professor
D06 - Blackburn Building |
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Themes | Research interests | Grants | PhD & Masters' project opportunities | Honours project opportunities | Keywords | International links
Research interests
Dr Lyons' research aims to determine the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes contribute to the formation of squamous cell carcinomas of the skin and of the head and neck region, two of the most common sites for cancer. We are interested in the mechanisms involved in the progression from benign tumours, which are non-invasive and usually easily treated, to malignant tumours, which spread invasively from the site of origin and are difficult to treat successfully.
Cancer is a disease of mutating genes, and evolutionary principles apply to it. We are investigating the roles of genes in the ecology of tumours: those that regulate the interactions of cancer cells with each other, with non-malignant stromal cells and with the extracellular matrix. We are particularly interested in the genetic basis of symbiotic relationships between tumour clones that drive invasion and metastasis. In collaboration with investigators at the NIH, University of Queensland and University of Sydney, we have developed novel in silico, in vitro and in vivo models for exploring the nature of clonal evolution during carcinoma development and the evolutionary consequences of expressing particular classes of cancer associated genes.
This research encompasses a broad range of molecular and cell biological methods and analyses, including cell culture, plasmid and virus vector construction, gene expression analysis, small animal handling, live-cell imaging and intravital microscopy.
Current national competitive grants*
2012
Interactions between genes that cause cancer
Lyons G, Halliday G
NHMRC Project Grants ($536,010 over 3 years)
2011
Cell cooperation in cancer
Lyons G, Myerscough M
Human Frontier Science Program (France) Research Support ($300,000 over 3 years)
Susceptibility of the basal layer of human epidermis to UVA oxidative damage due to pheomelanin and suboptimal DNA repair
Halliday G, Lyons G
National Health and Medical Research Council Project Grant ($540,048 over 3 years)
* Grants administered through the University of Sydney
International links
United States. (National Institutes of Health) Mechanisms of head and neck cancer progression.