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Staff Profile

Dr Michael Jackson

Senior Lecturer

  • Email: michael.jackson@ncl.ac.uk
  • Telephone: +44 (0) 191 241 8677
  • Address: Biosciences Institute
    Â鶹´«Ã½ Centre for Cancer
    Faculty of Medical Sciences
    Â鶹´«Ã½
    International Centre for Life
    Central Parkway
    Â鶹´«Ã½ upon Tyne
    NE1 3BZ
Background

After graduating with a BSc in Genetics from Nottingham in 1984, I did a PhD with Gabby Dover in Cambridge on P-element transposon regulation in Drosophila. I used P-elements as a mutagen to investigate quantitative trait variation during my first postdoctoral position, in Trudy MacKay’s lab in North Carolina State University, before returning to Cambridge in 1990 to work with Bruce Ponder. While there, I became involved in the Human Genome Project, and chose to focus on centromeric regions. These were proving refractory to standard mapping techniques, due to their low recombination rates and highly repetitive sequence organisation. In 1993 I was awarded a Royal Society University Postdoctoral Fellowship to continue this work, and I chose to take this up in Â鶹´«Ã½. As well as generating physical and sequence maps which form part of the human genome reference sequence I pursued my interest in processes underpinning molecular evolution, working on topics as diverse as gene conversion, chromosomal rearrangements in childhood cancers and, more recently, the function of circular RNAs. I am also involved in clinically oriented collaborations focusing on sequence instability within colorectal cancer.

Areas of expertise

  • Circular RNA
  • Genome instability
  • Cancer

Google scholar:
SCOPUS:

Research

Research Interests

Genetics Instability in Cancer

I have a longstanding interest in the mechanisms underpinning genetic instability, as these can have a profound impact upon human development and disease pathology. Although a lot of this research has involved the childhood cancers neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma, current research involves utilising targeted sequencing approaches to investigate the impact of microsatellite instability in the context of Lynch syndrome, the most common inherited cancer predisposition. This work, in collaboration with Prof Sir John Burn, Dr Mauro Santibanez-Koref, and Prof Rakesh Heer, involves developing novel and cheap assays to detect microsatellite instability within tumours and liquid biopsy material, particularly urine, for tumour detection and surveillance. The aim is to enhance cancer detection early in disease progression, or earlier in the clinical pathway, to improve patient management and treatment. 

Circular RNA. Dynamics and Function

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) were first identified over 30 years ago, but until relatively recently have been assumed to be rare errors of normal splicing reactions. However, advances in sequencing technologies have established that thousands of genes generate circRNA isoforms and that they are the most abundant transcripts from some genes. There is evidence that some act as microRNA sponges, while some have been implicated in development and disease states such as cancer. Because they are much more stable than messenger RNAs, they may also act as useful biomarkers. I am currently involved in a collaboration with Dr Gavin Hudson and Dr Mauro Santibanez-Koref, investigating the potential of circRNAs as biomarkers in Parkinson's Disease, one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders.


 

Teaching

Module Leader: BGM2058 Evolution.

Lecturer: BGM2057 Medical Genomics - From DNA to Disease.

Lecturer: MMB8030 Genetic Medicine.

Lecturer: BGM3062 Genetics of Development and its Disorders.

Seminar Lead: BGM1004 Genetics.

MRes Strand leader: Medical Genetics.    



Publications

  • Articles

    • Gallon R, Holt G, Alfailakawi W, Husain A, Jones C, Sowter P, Santibanez-Koref M, Jackson MS, Burn J, Cook S, Rajan N. . Clinical and Experimental Dermatology 2025, 50(6), 1155-1162.
    • Hall R, Gallon R, Hayes C, Herrero-Belmonte P, Phelps R, Job D, Wake R, Ferrier M, Turner H, O'Donnell R, Nambiar A, Rai B, Martin R, McAnulty C, Santibanez-Koref M, Heer R, Jackson MS, Burn J. . eBioMedicine 2025, 121, 105969.
    • Whittle BJ, Izuogu OG, Lowes H, Deen D, Pyle A, Coxhead J, Lawson RA, Yarnall AJ, Jackson MS, Santibanez-Koref M, Hudson G. . npj Parkinson's Disease 2024, 10, 25.
    • Sowter P, Gallon R, Hayes C, Phelps R, Borthwick G, Prior S, Combe J, Buist H, Pearlman R, Hampel H, Goodfellow P, Evans DG, Crosbie EJ, Ryan N, Burn J, Santibanez-Koref M, Jackson MS. . Cancers 2024, 16(23), 3970.
    • Gallon R, Herrero-Belmonte P, Phelps R, Hayes C, Sollars E, Egan D, Spiewak H, Nalty S, Mills S, Loo P-S, Borthwick G, Santibanez-Koref M, Burn J, McAnulty C, Jackson MS. . BJC reports 2024, 2(1), 48.
    • Rasmussen M, Sowter P, Gallon R, Durhuus JA, Hayes C, Andersen O, Nilbert M, Schejbel L, Hogdall E, Santibanez-Koref M, Jackson MS, Burn J, Therkildsen C. . Frontiers in Oncology 2023, 13, 1147591.
    • Vromman M, Anckaert J, Bortoluzzi S, Buratin A, Chen C-Y, Chu Q, Chuang T-J, Dehghannasiri R, Dieterich C, Dong X, Flicek P, Gaffo E, Gu W, He C, Hoffmann S, Izuogu O, Jackson MS, Jakobi T, Lai EC, Nuytens J, Salzman J, Santibanez-Koref M, Stadler P, Thas O, Vanden Eynde E, Verniers K, Wen G, Westholm J, Yang L, Ye C-Y, Yigit N, Yuan G-H, Zhang J, Zhao F, Vandesompele J, Volders P-J. . Nature Methods 2023, 20, 1159-1169.
    • Gallon R, Phelps R, Hayes C, Brugieres L, Guerrini-Rousseau L, Colas C, Muleris M, Ryan NAJ, Evans DG, Grice H, Jessop E, Kunzemann-Martinez A, Marshall L, Schamschula E, Oberhuber K, Azizi AA, Baris Feldman H, Beilken A, Brauer N, Brozou N, Dahan K, Demirsoy U, Florkin B, Foulkes W, Januszkiewicz-Lewandowska D, Jones KJ, Kratz CP, Lobitz S, Meade J, Nathrath M, Pander HJ, Perne C, Ragab I, Ripperger T, Rosenbaum T, Rueda D, Sarosiek T, Sehested A, Spier I, Suerink M, Zimmermann SY, Zschocke J, Borthwick GM, Wimmer K, Burn J, Jackson MS, Santibanez-Koref M. . Gastroenterology 2023, 164(4), 579-592.e8.
    • Phelps R, Gallon R, Hayes C, Glover E, Gibson P, Edidi I, Lee T, Mills S, Shaw A, Heer R, Ralte A, McAnulty C, Santibanez-Koref M, Burn J, Jackson MS. . Cancers 2022, 14(15), 3838.
    • Gallon R, Kibbi N, Cook S, Santibanez-Koref M, Jackson MS, Burn J, Rajan N. . British Journal of Dermatology 2021, 185(5), 1045-1046.
    • Gallon R, Sheth H, Hayes C, Redford L, Alhilal G, O'Brien O, Spiewak H, Waltham A, McAnulty C, Izuogu OG, Arends MJ, Oniscu A, Alonso AM, Laguna SM, Borthwick GM, Santibanez-Koref M, Jackson MS, Burn J. . Human Mutation 2020, 41(1), 332-341.
    • Perez-Valencia JA, Gallon R, Chen Y, Koch J, Keller M, Oberhuber K, Gomes A, Zschocke J, Burn J, Jackson MS, Santibanez-Koref M, Messiaen L, Wimmer K. . Genetics in Medicine 2020, 22, 2081-2088.
    • Mellough CB, Bauer R, Collin J, Dorgau B, Zert D, Dolan D, Jones C, Izuogu OG, Yu M, Hallam D, Steyn J, White K, Steel DH, Santibanez-Koref M, Elliott DJ, Jackson M, Lindsay S, Magaraja-Grellscheid S, Lako M. . Development 2019, 146(2), dev169474.
    • Gallon R, Müglegger B, Wenzel S-S, Sheth H, Hayes C, Aretz S, Dahan K, Foulkes W, Kratz CP, Ripperger T, Azizi AA, Feldman HB, Chong AL, Demirsoy U, Florkin B, Imschweller T, Januskiewicz-Lewandowska D, Lobitz S, Nathrath M, Pander HJ, Perez-Alanso V, Perne C, Ragab I, Rosenbaum T, Rueda D, Seidel MG, Suerink M, Taeubner J, Zimmermann SY, Zschocke J, Borthwick GM, Burn J, Jackson MS, Santibanez-Koref M, Wimmer K. . Human Mutation 2019, 40(5), 649-655.
    • Sheth H, Northwood E, Ulrich CM, Scherer D, Elliott F, Barrett JH, Forman D, Wolf CR, Smith G, Jackson MS, Santibanez-Koref M, Haile R, Casey G, Jenkins M, Win AK, Hopper JL, Marchand LL, Lindor NM, Thibodeau SN, Potter JD, Burn J, Bishop DT. . PLoS ONE 2018, 13, e0192223.
    • Izuogu O, Alhasan AA, Mellough C, Collin J, Gallon R, Hyslop J, Mastrorosa FK, Ehrmann I, Lako M, Elliott DJ, Santibanez-Koref M, Jackson MS. . BMC Genomics 2018, 19(1), 276.
    • Redford L, Alhilal G, Needham S, O'Brien O, Coaker J, Tyson J, Amorim LM, Middleton I, Izuogu O, Arends M, Oniscu A, Alonso AM, Laguna SM, Gallon R, Sheth H, Santibanez-Koref M, Jackson MS, Burn J. . PLoS ONE 2018, 13(8), e0203052.
    • Izuogu OG, Alhasan AA, Alafghani HM, Santibanez-Koref M, Elliot DJ, Jackson MS. . BMC Bioinformatics 2016, 17(31).
    • Alhasan A, Izuogu OG, Al-Balool HH, Steyn JS, Evans A, Colzani M, Ghevaert C, Mountford JC, Marenah L, Elliott DJ, Santibanez-Koref M, Jackson MS. . Blood 2016, 127(9), e1-e11.
    • Łastowska M, Al-Afghani H, Al-Balool HH, Sheth H, Mercer E, Coxhead JM, Redfern CPF, Peters H, Burt AD, Santibanez-Koref M, Bacon CM, Chesler L, Rust AG, Adams DJ, Williamson D, Clifford SC, Jackson MS. . Acta Neuropathologica Communications 2013, 1, 35.
    • Al-Balool HH, Weber D, Liu Y, Wade M, Guleria K, Nam PL, Clayton J, Rowe W, Coxhead J, Irving J, Elliott DJ, Hall AG, Santibanez-Koref M, Jackson MS. . Genome Research 2011, 21(11), 1788-1799.
    • Grellscheid S, Dalgliesh C, Storbeck M, Best A, Liu Y, Jakubik M, Mende Y, Ehrmann I, Curk T, Rossbach K, Bourgeois CF, Stévenin J, Grellscheid D, Jackson MS, Wirth B, Elliott DJ. . PLoS Genetics 2011, 7(12), e1002390.
    • Viprey VF, Lastowska MA, Corrias MV, Swerts K, Jackson MS, Burchill SA. . Journal of Pathology 2008, 216(2), 245-252.
    • Moore HC, Wood KM, Jackson MS, Lastowska MA, Hall D, Imrie H, Redfern CPF, Lovat PE, Ponthan FM, O'Toole KT, Lunec J, Tweddle DA. . Journal of Clinical Pathology 2008, 61(10), 1098-1103.
    • Ehrmann I, Dalgliesh C, Tsaousi A, Paronetto MP, Heinrich B, Kist R, Cairns P, Li W, Mueller C, Jackson M, Peters H, Nayernia K, Saunders P, Mitchell M, Stamm S, Sette C, Elliott DJ. . Human Molecular Genetics 2008, 17(18), 2803-2818.
    • Łastowska MA, Viprey V, Santibanez-Koref MF, Wappler I, Peters HH, Cullinane C, Roberts P, Hall AG, Tweddle DA, Pearson ADJ, Lewis I, Burchill S, Jackson MS. . Oncogene 2007, 26(53), 7432-7444.
    • Cheng AJ, Ching Cheng N, Ford J, Smith J, Murray JE, Flemming C, Lastowska M, Jackson MS, Hackett CS, Weiss WA, Marshall GM, Kees UR, Norris MD, Haber M. . European Journal of Cancer 2007, 43(9), 1467-1475.
    • Heinen S, Sanchez-Corral P, Jackson MS, Strain L, Goodship JA, Kemp EJ, Skerka C, Jokiranta TS, Meyers K, Wagner E, Robitaille P, Esparza-Gordillo J, Rodriguez de Cordoba S, Zipfel PF, Goodship THJ. . Human Mutation 2006, 27(3), 292-293.
    • Venables JP, Strain L, Routledge D, Bourn D, Powell HM, Warwicker P, Diaz-Torres ML, Sampson A, Mead P, Webb M, Pirson Y, Jackson MS, Hughes A, Wood KM, Goodship JA, Goodship THJ. . PLoS Medicine 2006, 3(10), e431 (1957-1967).
    • Mudge JM, Jackson MS. . Cytogenetic and Genome Research 2005, 108(1-3), 47-57.
    • Jackson MS, Oliver K, Loveland J, Humphray S, Dunham I, Rocchi M, Viggiano L, Park JP, Hurles ME, Santibanez-Koref M. . American Journal of Human Genetics 2005, 77(5), 824-840.
    • Lastowska M, Chung Y-J, Ching NC, Haber M, Norris MD, Kees UR, Pearson ADJ, Jackson MS. . Genes Chromosomes and Cancer 2004, 40(2), 158-163.
    • Humphray SJ, Oliver K, Hunt AR, Plumb RW, Loveland JE, Howe KL, Andrews TD, Searle S, Hunt SE, Scott CE, Jones MC, Ainscough R, Almeida JP, Ambrose KD, Ashwell RI, Babbage AK, Babbage S, Bagguley CL, Bailey J, Banerjee R, Barker DJ, Barlow KF, Bates K, Beasley H, Beasley O, Bird CP, Bray-Allen S, Brown AJ, Brown JY, Burford D, Burrill W, Burton J, Carder C, Carter NP, Chapman JC, Chen Y, Clarke G, Clark SY, Clee CM, Clegg S, Collier RE, Corby N, Crosier M, Cummings AT, Davies J, Dhami P, Dunn M, Dutta I, Dyer LW, Earthrowl ME, Faulkner L, Fleming CJ, Frankish A, Frankland JA, French L, Fricker DG, Garner P, Garnett J, Ghori J, Gilbert JG, Glison C, Grafham DV, Gribble S, Griffiths C, Griffiths-Jones S, Grocock R, Guy J, Hall RE, Hammond S, Harley JL, Harrison ES, Hart EA, Heath PD, Henderson CD, Hopkins BL, Howard PJ, Howden PJ, Huckle E, Johnson C, Johnson D, Joy AA, Kay M, Keenan S, Kershaw JK, Kimberley AM, King A, Knights A, Laird GK, Langford C, Lawlor S, Leongamornlert DA, Leversha M, Lloyd C, Lloyd DM, Lovell J, Martin S, Mashreghi-Mohammadi M, Matthews L, McLaren S, McLay KE, McMurray A, Milne S, Nickerson T, Nisbett J, Nordsiek G, Pearce AV, Peck AI, Porter KM, Pandian R, Pelan S, Phillimore B, Povey S, Ramsey Y, Rand V, Scharfe M, Sehra HK, Shownkeen R, Sims SK, Skuce CD, Smith M, Steward CA, Swarbreck D, Sycamore N, Tester J, Thorpe A, Tracey A, Tromans A, Thomas DW, Wall M, Wallis JM, West AP, Whitehead SL, Willey DL, Williams SA, Wilming L, Wray PW, Young L, Ashurst JL, Coulson A, Blöcker H, Durbin R, Sulston JE, Hubbard T, Jackson MS, Bentley DR, Beck S, Rogers J, Dunham I. DNA sequence and analysis of human chromosome 9. Nature 2004, 429, 369-74.
    • Tonkin ET, Smith M, Eichhorn P, Jones S, Imamwerdi B, Lindsay S, Jackson M, Wang T-J, Ireland M, Burn J, Krantz ID, Carr P, Strachan T. . Human Genetics 2004, 115(2), 139-148.
    • Ventura M, Mudge JM, Palumbo V, Burn S, Blennow E, Pierluigi M, Giorda R, Zuffardi O, Archidiacono N, Jackson MS, Rocchi M. . Genome Research 2003, 13(9), 2059-2068.
    • Guy J, Hearn T, Crosier M, Mudge J, Viggiano L, Koczan D, Thiesen H-J, Bailey JA, Horvath JE, Eichler EE, Earthrowl ME, Deloukas P, French L, Rogers J, Bentley D, Jackson MS. . Genome Research 2003, 13(2), 159-172.
    • Phillips HM, Renforth GL, Spalluto C, Hearn T, Curtis ARJ, Craven L, Havarani B, Clement-Jones M, English C, Stumper O, Salmon T, Hutchinson S, Jackson MS, Wilson DI. . Genomics 2002, 79(4), 475-478.
    • Crosier M, Viggiano L, Guy J, Misceo D, Stones R, Wei WB, Hearn T, Ventura M, Archidiacono N, Rocchi M, Jackson MS. . Genome Research 2002, 12(1), 67-80.
    • Lastowska, M., Cotterill, C., Bown, N., Cullinane, C., Variend, S., Lunec, J., Strachan, T., Pearson, A.D.J., Jackson, M.S. . Genes Chromosomes and Cancer 2002, 34(4), 428-436.
    • Lastowska M, Van Roy N, Bown N, Roberts P, Speleman F, Lunec J, Strachan T, Pearson ADJ, Jackson MS. . Pediatric Blood and Cancer 2001, 36(1), 20-23.
    • Lastowska MA, Cullinane C, Variend S, Cotterill SJ, Bown NP, O'Neill S, Mazzocco K, Roberts P, Nicholson J, Ellershaw C, Pearson ADJ, Jackson MS. . Journal of Clinical Oncology 2001, 19(12), 3080-3090.
    • Guy J, Spalluto C, McMurray A, Hearn T, Crosier M, Viggiano L, Miolla V, Archidiacono N, Rocchi M, Scott C, Lee PA, Sulston J, Rogers J, Bentley D, Jackson MS. . Human Molecular Genetics 2000, 9(13), 2029-2042.
    • Jackson MS, Rocchi M, Thompson G, Hearn T, Crosier M, Guy J, Kirk D, Mulligan L, Ricco A, Piccininni S, Marzella R, Viggiano L, Archidiacono N. . Human Molecular Genetics 1999, 8(2), 205-215.
    • Lastowska, M., Van Roy, N., Bown, N.P., Speleman, F., Lunec, J., Strachan, T., Pearson, A.D.J., Jackson, M.S. . Genes Chromosomes and Cancer 1998, 23(2), 116-122.
    • Jackson MS, See CG, Mulligan LM, Lauffart BF. A 9.75-Mb map across the centromere of human chromosome 10. Genomics 1996, 33, 258-70.
    • Tunnacliffe A, Jackson MS, Gardner E, Love DR, Moore JK, Mole SE, Mulligan LM, Graham A, Finocchiaro G, Orstavik S, Ponder BA. A multiple interval physical map of the pericentromeric region of human chromosome 10. Human Genetics 1994, 93, 313-318.
    • Jackson MS, Slijepcevic P, Ponder BA. The organisation of repetitive sequences in the pericentromeric region of human chromosome 10. Nucleic Acids Research 1993, 21, 5865-5874.
    • Tunnacliffe A, Liu L, Moore JK, Leversha MA, Jackson MS, Papi L, Ferguson-Smith MA, Thiesen HJ, Ponder BA. Duplicated KOX zinc finger gene clusters flank the centromere of human chromosome 10: evidence for a pericentric inversion during primate evolution. Nucleic Acids Research 1993, 21, 1409-1417.
    • Mole SE, Jackson MS, Tokino T, Nakamura Y, Ponder BA. Assignment of fifty-four cosmid clones to five regions of chromosome 10. Genomics 1993, 15, 457-458.
    • Mackay, T.F.C., Lyman, R.F., Jackson, M.S., Terzian, C. & Hill, W.G. Polygenic mutation in Drosophila melanogaster: Estimates from divergence among inbred strains. Evolution 1992, 46, 300-316.
    • Mackay TF, Lyman RF, Jackson MS. Effects of P element insertions on quantitative traits in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 1992, 130, 315-332.
    • Jackson MS, Mole SE, Ponder BA. Characterisation of a boundary between satellite III and alphoid sequences on human chromosome 10. Nucleic Acids Research 1992, 20, 4781-4787.
    • Jackson MS, Black DM, Dover GA. Amplification of KP elements associated with the repression of hybrid dysgenesis in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 1988, 120, 1003-1013.
    • Black DM, Jackson MS, Kidwell MG, Dover GA. KP elements repress P-induced hybrid dysgenesis in Drosophila melanogaster. EMBO J 1987, 6, 4125-4135.

  • Letters

    • Gallon R, Phelps R, Betts L, Hayes C, Masic D, Irving JAE, McAnulty C, Saha V, Vora A, Wimmer K, Motwani J, Macartney C, Burn J, Jackson MS, Moorman AV, Santibanez-Koref M. . Leukemia and Lymphoma 2023, 64(1), 217-220.
    • Sowter P, Santibanez-Koref M, Jackson MS, Borthwick GM, Burn J, Rajan N, Gallon R. . British Journal of Dermatology 2022, 186(5), 913-914.
    • Sheth H, Jackson MS, Koref MS, Parikh K, Sheth J, Sheth F, Tyson J, Daly AK, Burn J. . Blood 2015, 126(4).

  • Note

    • Vromman M, Anckaert J, Bortoluzzi S, Buratin A, Chen C-Y, Chu Q, Chuang T-J, Dehghannasiri R, Dieterich C, Dong X, Flicek P, Gaffo E, Gu W, He C, Hoffmann S, Izuogu O, Jackson MS, Jakobi T, Lai EC, Nuytens J, Salzman J, Santibanez-Koref M, Stadler P, Thas O, Vanden Eynde E, Verniers K, Wen G, Westholm J, Yang L, Ye C-Y, Yigit N, Yuan G-H, Zhang J, Zhao F, Vandesompele J, Volders P-J. . Nature Methods 2025, 22, 448.

  • Reviews

    • Ahadova A, Witt J, Haupt S, Gallon R, Hüneburg R, Nattermann J, Ten Broeke S, Bohaumilitzky L, Hernandez-Sanchez A, Santibanez-Koref M, Jackson MS, Ahtiainen M, Pylvänäinen K, Andini K, Grolmusz VK, Möslein G, Dominguez-Valentin M, Møller P, Fürst D, Sijmons R, Borthwick GM, Burn J, Mecklin JP, Heuveline V, von Knebel Doeberitz M, Seppälä T, Kloor M. . International Journal of Cancer 2023, 152(10), 2024-2031.
    • Gallon R, Gawthorpe P, Phelps RL, Hayes C, Borthwick GM, Santibanez-Koref M, Jackson MS, Burn J. . Cancers 2021, 13(3), 406.
    • Jackson M. . Current Opinion in Genetics and Development 2003, 13(6), 629-635.