麻豆传媒

INTRODUCTION

I obtained my PhD in Oncology from the Paterson Institute, Manchester, where I studied the use of modified DNA repair enzymes to reduce toxicity in patients undergoing chemotherapy. I began my career in Drug Discovery with KuDOS Pharmaceuticals in Cambridge, UK; working on PARP, DNA-PK, ATM and ATR in the DNA damage response field and mTOR survival signalling, I was responsible for bioscience in the discovery, translation and early clinical development programs leading to a number of small molecules that have undergone clinical testing. 

I moved to Belgium in 2008 to join Janssen Pharmaceutica, the European pharmaceutical division of Johnson and Johnson, and led drug discovery projects in the areas of kinase inhibition, deubiquitylases, protein:protein interactions, transcription factors and nuclear hormone receptors. I also provided preclinical bioscience support for the development of the HDAC inhibitor quisinostat and the prostate cancer therapeutics, Zytiga (abiraterone acetate) and apalutamide (ARN-509). In 2013, I moved to the US to lead Janssen’s small molecule bioscience for Prostate Cancer, work resulting in the discovery of a novel pan antagonist of the androgen receptor, TRC253. I returned to the UK to pursue research, discovery and development in novel and innovative therapies with the 麻豆传媒 Drug Discovery Team.

I have 30 years of bioscience experience in Oncology research, 25 years of which have been in drug discovery (15 within the pharmaceutical industry); my goal now is to identify the next drugs to bring benefit to cancer patients. The CRUK 麻豆传媒 Drug Discovery team are united in that goal!

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Drug Discovery Cancer Bioscience
• Responsible for Target Identification and Target Validation 
• Lead cancer target evaluation studies in a variety of tumours
• Development of cellular assays 

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Cancer cell signalling
• Cancer drug discovery and early development
• Small molecule inhibitors
• DNA repair
• Prostate cancer therapeutics
• Target validation
• Assay development

QUALIFICATIONS

• BSc (Hons) Biochemistry, Bath University, 1994
• PhD Oncology, University of Manchester, 1998

PREVIOUS POSITIONS

• Principal Scientist, Oncology Research, Janssen; 2013 – 2016, Spring House PA, USA
• Principal Scientist, Oncology Research, Janssen; 2008 – 2013, Beerse, Belgium
• Team Leader, KuDOS Pharmaceuticals, 2004 – 2008
• Senior Scientist, KuDOS Pharmaceuticals, 2000 – 2004

MEMBERSHIPS

• British Association for Cancer Research (BACR) - Executive Committee 2018-2021
• European Association for Cancer Research (EACR)
• American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
• American Chemical Society (ACS)
• European School of Oncology (ESO)

Google Scholar:

SCOPUS:

Undergraduate Teaching

Module Leader PED3006 - Carcinogenesis and Anticancer Drugs

Lecture on BMS2023 - The Principles of Cancer

Lecture on BMS3010 - Genetics and Human Disease

Postgraduate Teaching

Module Leader ONC8019 - on-line teaching module for MSc in Oncology and Palliative Care

Lecture on MMB8008 - Chromosome Biology and Cell Cycle Control in Health and Disease

Research Project Supervision

UG, MRes, MSci Research Projects

• Articles

  • Adiamah M, Poole B, Lindsey JC, Kohe S, Morcavallo A, Burte F, Hill RM, Blair H, Thompson D, Singh M, Swartz S, Crosier S, Zhang T, Maddocks ODK, Peet A, Chesler L, Hickson I, Maxwell RJ, Clifford SC. . Neuro-Oncology 2025, 27(1), 237-253.
  • Orange ST, Dodd E, Nath S, Bowden H, Jordan AR, Tweddle H, Hedley A, Chukwuma I, Hickson I, Sharma Saha S. . International Journal of Cancer 2026, 158(10), 2641-2649.
  • Smith MS, Blundell TJ, Hickson I, O'Donoghue AC. . European Journal of Organic Chemistry 2024, 27(45), e202400753.
  • Adamson B, Brittain N, Walker L, Duncan R, Luzzi S, Rescigno P, Smith GR, McGill S, Burchmore RJS, Willmore E, Hickson I, Robson CN, Bogdan D, Jimenez-Vacas JM, Paschalis A, Welti J, Yuan W, McCracken SR, Heer R, Sharp A, de Bono J, Gaughan L. . Journal of Clinical Investigation 2023, 133(22), e169200.
  • Richters A, Doyle SK, Freeman DB, Lee C, Leifer BS, Jagannathan S, Kabinger F, Koren JV, Struntz NB, Urgiles J, Stagg RA, Curtin BH, Chatterjee D, Mathea S, Mikochik PJ, Hopkins TD, Gao H, Branch JR, Xin H, Westover L, Bignan GC, Rupnow BA, Karlin KL, Olson CM, Westbrook TF, Vacca J, Wilfong CM, Trotter BW, Saffran DC, Bischofberger N, Knapp S, Russo JW, Hickson I, Bischoff JR, Gottardis MM, Balk SP, Lin CY, Pop MS, Koehler AN. . Cell Chemical Biology 2021, 28, 1-14.
  • Mesquita KA, Ali R, Doherty R, Toss MS, Miligy I, Alblihy A, Dorjsuren D, Simeonov A, Jadhav A, Wilson DM, Hickson I, Tatum NJ, Rakha EA, Madhusudan S. . Cancers 2021, 13(8), 1866.
  • Zhang Z, Connolly PJ, Lim HK, Pande V, Meerpoel L, Teleha C, Branch JR, Ondrus J, Hickson I, Bush T, Luistro L, Packman K, Bischoff JR, Ibrahim S, Parrett C, Chong Y, Gottardis MM, Bignan G. . Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2021, 64(2), 909-924.
  • Branch JR, Bush TL, Pande V, Connolly PJ, Zhang Z, Hickson I, Ondrus J, Jaensch S, Bischoff JR, Habineza G, van Hecke G, Meerpoel L, Packman K, Parrett CJ, Chong YT, Gottardis MM, Bignan G. . Molecular Cancer Therapeutics 2021, 20(5), 763-774.
  • Al-Khawaldeh I, Aldred GG, Alyassiri M, Basmadjian C, Bordoni C, Harnor SJ, Heptinstall AB, Hobson SJ, Jennings CE, Khalifa S, Lebraud H, Miller DC, Shrives HJ, de Souza JV, Stewart HL, Temple M, Totobenazara J, Tucker JA, Tudhope SJ, Wang LZ, Bronowska AK, Cano C, Endicott JA, Golding BT, Hardcastle IR, Hickson I, Wedge SR, Willmore E, Noble MEM, Waring MJ. . Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2021, 64(14), 10001-10018.
  • Perez-Oliva AB, Lachaud C, Szyniarowski P, Muñoz I, Macartney T, Hickson I, Rouse J, Alessi DR. . The EMBO Journal 2015, 34(3), 326-343.
  • Yurlova L, Derks M, Buchfellner A, Hickson I, Janssen M, Morrison D, Stansfield I, Brown CJ, Ghadessy FJ, Lane DP, Rothbauer U, Zolghadr K, Krausz E. . Journal of Biomolecular Screening 2014, 19(4), 516-525.
  • Foote K, Blades K, Cronin A, Fillery S, Guichard SS, Hassall L, Hickson I, Jacq X, Jewsbury PJ, McGuire TM, Nissink JW, Odedra R, Page K, Perkins P, Suleman A, Tam K, Thommes P, Broadhurst R, Wood C. Discovery of 4-{4-[(3R)-3-Methylmorpholin-4-yl]-6-[1-(methylsulfonyl)cyclopropyl]pyrimidin-2-yl}-1H-indole (AZ20): a potent and selective inhibitor of ATR protein kinase with monotherapy in vivo antitumor activity. J Med Chem 2013, 56(5), 2125–2138.
  • Chresta CM, Davies BR, Hickson I, Harding T, Cosulich S, Critchlow SE, Vincent JP, Ellston R, Jones D, Sini P, James D, Howard Z, Dudley P, Hughes G, Smith L, Maguire S, Hummersone M, Malagu K, Menear K, Jenkins R, Jacobsen M, Smith GC, Guichard S, Pass M. AZD8055 is a potent, selective, and orally bioavailable ATP-competitive mammalian target of rapamycin kinase inhibitor with in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity. Cancer Research 2010, 70(1), 288-298.
  • Malagu K, Duggan H, Menear K, Hummersone M, Gomez S, Bailey C, Edwards P, Drzewiecki J, Leroux F, Quesada MJ, Hermann G, Maine S, Molyneaux CA, LeGall A, Pullen J, Hickson I, Smith L, Maguire S, Martin N, Smith G, Pass M. The discovery and optimisation of pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4-diamines as potent and selective inhibitors of mTOR kinase. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2009, 19(20), 5950-5953.
  • Arts J, King P, Marien A, Floren W, Belien A, Janssen L, Pilatte I, Roux B, Decrane L, Gilissen R, Hickson I, Vreys V, Cox E, Bol K, Talloen W, Goris I, Andries L, DuJardin M, Janicot M, Page M, vanEmelen K, Angibaud P. JNJ-26481585, a novel "second-generation" oral histone deacetylase inhibitor, shows broad-spectrum preclinical antitumoral activity. Clinical Cancer Research 2009, 15(22), 6841-6851.
  • Menear KA, Gomez S, Malagu K, Bailey C, Blackburn K, Cockcroft XL, Ewen S, Fundo A, LeGall A, Hermann G, Sebastian L, Sunose M, Presnot T, Torode E, Hickson I, Martin NM, Smith GC, Pike KG. Identification and optimisation of novel and selective small molecular weight kinase inhibitors of mTOR. Biorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2009, 19(20), 5898-5901.
  • Hollick J, Rigoreau L, Cano-Soumillac C, Cockcroft X, Curtin NJ, Frigerio M, Golding BT, Guiard S, Hardcastle IR, Hickson I, Hummersone M, Menear K, Martin N, Matthews I, Newell DR, Ord R, Richardson C, Smith G, Griffin RJ. . Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2007, 50(8), 1958-1972.
  • Farmer H, McCabe N, Lord CJ, Tutt AN, Johnson DA, Richardson TB, Santarosa M, Dillon KJ, Hickson I, Knights C, Martin NM, Jackson SP, Smith GC, Ashworth A. Targeting the DNA repair defect in BRCA mutant cells as a therapeutic strategy. Nature 2005, 434(7035), 917-921.
  • Hickson, I., Zhao, Y., Richardson, C., Green, S., Martin, N., Orr, A., Reaper, P., Jackson, S., Curtin, N.J., Smith, G. . Cancer Research 2004, 64(24), 9152-9159.

• Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

  • Branch J, Quigley M, Gottardis M, Hickson I. . In: AACR 107th Annual Meeting 2016. 2016, New Orleans, LA, USA: American Association for Cancer Research.
  • Yurlova L, Buchfellner A, Gregor J, Romer T, Hickson I. . In: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015. 2015, Philadelphia, PA: AACR.
  • Yurlova L, Brown CJ, Derks M, Ghadessy FJ, Hickson I, Lane DP, Krausz E, Zolghadr K. . In: AACR Annual Meeting 2014. 2014, San Diego, CA: AACR.
  • Vidic S, Esser N, de Hoogt R, Verberne I, Kogan-Sakin I, Stein Y, Rotter V, Barbier M, Chong Y, Breucker SD, Smans K, Akerfelt M, Nees M, King P, Hickson I, van Weerden W, Graeser R. . In: AACR Annual Meeting 2014. 2014, San Diego, CA: AACR.
  • Moll JM, Teubel W, Hickson I, Graeser R, Jenster G, vanWeerden W. . In: Molecular Targets and Cancer Theraputics. 2014, Boston, MA, USA: AACR.
  • Moll JM, Teubel W, Hickson I, Graeser R, Jenster G, van Weerden W. . In: AUA Annual Meeting 2014. 2014, Orlando, Florida: Elsevier.
  • Hickson I, Marien A, Derks M, Janssen M. Assessment of abiraterone (ABI) tumor cell activity via in vitro models of androgen (A)-responsive prostate cancer. In: 48th Annual Meeting of the American-Society-of-Clinical-Oncology. 2012, Chicago, IL: ASCO.

• Patent

  • Bignan G, Connolly PJ, Hickson I, Meerpoel L, Pande V, Zhang Z, Branch J, Rocaboy C, TrabalonEscolar LB. . WO 2017/123542 A1, 20/07/2017.