Heike Laman

Professor Heike Laman is the Head of the Department of Pathology and Professor of Cellular and Molecular Biology at the University of Cambridge, leading research on ubiquitin ligases and their roles in disease. Her work bridges molecular mechanisms to therapeutic applications, focusing on cancer, neurodegeneration, and protein homeostasis.

• Current affiliation: Department of Pathology, School of the Biological Sciences
• Resident at Clare College since 2014 (Fellow and Graduate Admissions Tutor)

Research Interests: Ubiquitin ligases orchestrate diverse cellular signals beyond protein degradation, influencing activity, localization, and interactions. Key areas include:

• Cancer: Investigating SCF-Fbxw7 networks in epithelial cancers and cyclin E1 accumulation
• Neurodegeneration: Fbxo7's role in Parkinson's disease and dopaminergic neuron survival
• Therapeutic Innovation: Developing PROTACs and nanobodies to target ubiquitin ligases

Publication Trends: Recent work spans ubiquitin signaling in cancer metabolism, neuroprotective pathways in Parkinson's, and structure-based design of degraders. Collaborations with AstraZeneca and academic experts highlight translational focus.

Scientific Awards: Recognized for academic leadership, including election to Clare College Fellowship (2014) and early career Imperial Cancer Research Fund Fellowship.

Advising: Mentors PhD students in projects on ubiquitin ligases, Parkinson's, cancer metabolism, and targeted protein degradation, with lab members working in 3D organoids, mouse models, and hiPSC-derived systems.

Labs & Teams: Based at the Department of Pathology (Downing Site, Cambridge), the lab collaborates across Genetics, Pharmacology, and Clinical Neurosciences, with access to the Microscopy Bioscience Platform and Cambridge Stem Cell Institute.