Hosts- Dev biology

Researcher Name: White, Richard (He / Him)

Research Area(s): Cell Biology, Developmental Biology, Gene Regulation, Molecular Bases of Disease

Affiliation: University of Oxford

Country: United Kingdom

Website 

Scientific Interests:

Richard White, M.D., Ph.D, is a Professor at the University of Oxford and an adjunct faculty member at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. His lab is interested in the intersection between developmental biology and cancer biology. There are many parallels in these processes, including both cell-intrinsic fate decisions as well as cell-cell interactions in the microenvironment. Using both zebrafish and human pluripotent stem cell models of melanoma, his lab has described a mechanism called “oncogenic competence” that explains why DNA mutations are only sometimes able to initiate tumors. Such competence relies upon the expression of a neural crest developmental program orchestrated by transcription factors such as SOX10 and epigenetic factors such as ATAD2. Furthermore, the ability to initiate melanoma is strongly influence by the anatomic position of the cell along the body axis. Whereas cutaneous melanomas are enriched for BRAF mutations, acral melanomas more commonly harbor amplifications of genes such as CRKL. The anatomic specificity of these oncogenes depends upon the intrinsic HOX code present in the melanocyte of origin. Finally, his work has more recently investigated how cells in the TME such as keratinocytes and adipocytes promote melanoma progression and metastasis, acting through signaling and epigenetic mechanisms. He has been awarded the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award, as well as awards from the Melanoma Research Alliance, the Pershing Square Foundation Award, the American Cancer Society, and the Mark Foundation ASPIRE award.

This offer applies to trainees/researchers eligible for the following fellowships

Everyone (not restricted to fellowship holders)

Contact:

richard.white@ludwig.ox.ac.uk