Mark is a Senior Lecturer in Molecular Genetics and Principle Investigator in the Centre for Biomedicine, whose research focuses on epigenetic mechanisms in cancer.
Mark obtained a PhD from Newcastle University in 2012 studying molecular genetic alterations in radiation-induced breast cancer. Mark was a postdoctoral research associate at Newcastle University investigating the role of histone demethylase enzymes in breast and prostate cancer until 2017 when he was appointed a Lecturer in Molecular Genetics at the University of Hull. He has since established his own research group focused on epigenetic mechanisms in cancer.
Epigenetics is a term describing the control of gene expression via chemical modifications of DNA and histone proteins. Mark's research group is interested in the role of epigenetic regulatory proteins in cancer and their potential as therapeutic targets. His research focuses primarily on breast cancer and brain tumours and proteins that modulate chemical modification of histone proteins. Mark is also interested in the development of novel cell and patient tissue culture models in order to aid genetic validation of potential therapeutic targets. Mark was awarded an Academy of Medical Sciences Springboard Award in 2021 to investigate epigenetic mechanisms in advanced cancer.
I teach on the BSc (Hons) and MSc Biomedical Science programmes. I am module coordinator for the Level 4 Principles of Genetics module and teach on the Level 5 Molecular Genetics and Level 6 Human Genetics modules. I also supervise students for their Independent Research Projects at Level 6 and Level 7.
Mark is a member of Gliomodel a collaboration of neuro-oncology research groups from 8 participating UK institutions aiming to provide a resource for target validation in glioblastoma, and then across all gliomas, that is available to the global neuro-oncology community.
Enquiries from prospective students welcome.
Current students:
Rebecca Humphries - Identification of genomic biomarkers in therapy-induced cancer.
Thomas Francis - Investigating the epigenetic regulatory protein CBX2 as a novel therapeutic target for advanced cancer.
Danielle Marsh - The epigenetic regulatory protein CBX2 as a novel therapeutic target for glioblastoma multiform.