Contact
Teaching Summary
I am Deputy Director of the Translation Medical Sciences Unity with specialist portfolio for teaching. I convene two Modules that teach advanced immunology and cancer immunology.
I lecture on advanced immunology to honors year BSc Cancer Sciences students and MSc Oncology and students registered on our MSc Cancer Immunology & Biotechnology courses.
Research Summary
The group lead by Dr Andrew Jackson comprises post-doctoral and clinical fellows, PhD students and is supported by the research council, industry, and charitable funding in addition to internal… read more
Current Research
The group lead by Dr Andrew Jackson comprises post-doctoral and clinical fellows, PhD students and is supported by the research council, industry, and charitable funding in addition to internal funding from the University of Nottingham. Our research focuses on understanding the molecular pathways through which tumours suppress the immune system with a view to first-in-man immunotherapies. My work concerns a range of major tumour types including malignant melanoma, breast cancer, brain tumours in adults and children, and colorectal malignancy.
We have extensive experience in myeloid and T-cell subsets having worked with dendritic cells (DC), macrophage (MO), myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and cytotoxic, helper and regulatory T-cell subsets. We have a strong pedigree in the exploration of interesting intracellular signaling pathways in immune cells to modify their function or restore immuno-suppression resulting from malignancy. Key pathways of interest include ATM-kinase, p38-MAPK, MEK-ERK and the Unfolded Protein Response pathway (UPR). We have shown that modulation of these pathways impacts on the generation of CD4-responses and this work is now in a pre-clinical phase. The importance of circulating natural DC sets including cDC2, pDC and SlanDC in advanced cancer patients is a major focus.
Recent focus has tested the hypothesis that the myeloid environment is programmed by clue take from the extracellular matrix (ECM). In this regard we have received CRUK funding to establish experimental systems and are presently conducting studies to explore the direct impact of ECM derived from primary patient-derived tumour fibroblasts (FB) on MO and DC. Characterisation of the matrix by 'omics approaches is combined with phenotypic and function descriptions of hypoxic, inflammatory and regulatory myeloid cells and the consequent impact on T-cell responses.
A current major research area concerns the spatial mapping of immune responses in patient tumours. Working with large collections of tumours from breast cancer (UK patients and West African patients), and colorectal cancer patients we have mapped the landscape of macrophage and T-cell subsets. This work is undertaken using Akoya's platform and we are currently developing high-plex staining for the MACSima multiplex imaging system (MRC funded). Advances in analysis and interpretation of the very large data sets obtained from this work are being pioneered by cross-discipline collaborations with diverse teams including academics from Asrtonomy.
Past Research
Adoptive immunotherapy with dendritic cell vaccines
Polyepitope vaccines for advanced malignancy
Next-generation BCG-immunotherapy
BCG-Immunotherapy of bladder cancer
Anti-TNF strategies for rheumatoid arthritis
Future Research
Developing new first-in-man immunotherapies for cancer based on ex vivo DC vaccines, incorporating specific inhibitors of intracellular signalling pathways. Understanding the immune landscape of patients tumours for better stratification and improved treatment.