Ed Carter

Ed Carter is a Lecturer in the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Bath, Faculty of Science. He is actively leading research on tumour-nerve interactions, with a focus on cancer-associated pain, particularly in pancreatic and breast cancers. His lab employs innovative 3D cellular models using stem cell-derived sensory neurons to study the tumour microenvironment. He is accepting doctoral students and leads multiple externally funded research projects.

Research interests:

• Understanding the mechanisms of cancer-induced pain, especially in pancreatic cancer
• Modeling tumour-nerve interactions using stem cell-derived neurons and 3D co-cultures
• Investigating neural invasion and its role in cancer progression
• Exploring sex differences in cancer pain responses
• Studying the role of ADAMTS proteases and myofibroblasts in tumour microenvironment dynamics
• Developing human innervated, vascularized, and immunized tumours-on-chip to reduce animal testing

The recent publications reflect a strong focus on pain mechanisms (TRPM8, TRPV1), cancer microenvironment (myofibroblasts, fibronectin), and innovative disease modeling approaches. His research spans molecular oncology, cellular neuroscience, and translational models, contributing to both basic science and potential therapeutic development.

Current Research Projects:

• AMS - TRPV1 and cancer pain (PI)
• Human stem cell derived neurons to examine sex differences in cancer pain (PI)
• Royal Society - iPSC-derived sensory neurons to model neural invasion (PI)
• MITIGATE: Human innervated, vascularized, and immunized tumours-on-chip (CoPI)

Dr. Carter’s work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to Good Health and Well-being. His lab fosters collaboration across disciplines and institutions, and he is actively mentoring the next generation of researchers in cancer neuroscience.