Tomlinson group

Research Overview

The group works on the genetics of cancer and cancer-associated traits. It is involved in identifying genes with both large and small effects on cancer risk in humans. Our focus is primarily on bowel cancer, but also includes cancers of several sites, including (but not limited to) those of the breast, uterus, oesophagus and thyroid. We also study genetic changes that are not inherited, but have been acquired by tumours during their growth. We aim to identify changes that can be used to predict how well cancer patients respond to treatment, especially in the context of clinical trials of new agents in bowel cancer. In addition to our work based on patients, we undertake studies to work out how cancer-causing mutations have their effects. We are particularly interested in why specific genetic changes cause cancers of particular sites in the body and in the role of genetic instability in tumorigenesis.

Publications

Tomlinson, I.P., et al. 2008. A genome-wide association study identifies colorectal cancer susceptibility loci on chromosomes 10p14 and 8q23.3. Nat Genet. 40(5):623-30. PubMed PMID: 18372905.

Pollard, P., et al. 2009. The Apc 1322T mouse develops severe polyposis associated with submaximal nuclear beta-catenin expression. Gastroenterology. 136(7):2204-2213.e1-13. PubMed PMID: 19248780.

Jaeger, E., et al. 2008. Common genetic variants at the CRAC1 (HMPS) locus on chromosome 15q13.3 influence colorectal cancer risk. Nat Genet. 40(1):26-8. PubMed PMID: 18084292.

Hornsby, C., Page, K.M., and Tomlinson, I.P. 2007. What can we learn from the population incidence of cancer? Armitage and Doll revisited. Lancet Oncol. 8(11):1030-8. Review. PubMed PMID: 17976613.

Pollard, P.J., et al. 2007. Targeted inactivation of fh1 causes proliferative renal cyst development and activation of the hypoxia pathway. Cancer Cell. 11(4):311-9. PubMed PMID: 17418408.

Funding Sources

Cancer Research UK

Oxford Biomedical Research Centre

EU 7th Framework Programme

Wellcome Trust

Keywords

Cancer genetics, population genetics, colorectal tumours, renal cancer, mouse models, mitochondrial tumour suppressor genes