Simon McDade

Simon McDade is a Professor at Queen's University Belfast's School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, affiliated with the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research. His research focuses on functional genomics and integrative genomic strategies to identify novel cancer treatment strategies, particularly targeting transcription factor dysfunction in cancers like colorectal, prostate, and squamous cell carcinoma. He leads the functional genomics (FGG) lab, utilizing technologies such as RNA-seq, ChIP-seq, and CRISPR screens, alongside data analysis tools like Shiny apps.

Key research interests include p53 family deregulation, epigenetic mechanisms, and developing cancer vaccines through epigenomic analysis. McDade has secured grants, including the Future Medicines Institute and projects on TRAIL-R2 complexes and FLIP inhibitors in colorectal cancer. Notable awards include the EACR Young Scientist Prize (2011) and the DfE Higher Education Research Capital Grant (2023).

His lab collaborates on projects like exploiting the cancer epigenome for vaccines and studying chemotherapy impacts in colorectal cancer subgroups. Over 67 research outputs span 2005–2024, emphasizing cell death mechanisms, drug resistance, and therapeutic strategies. McDade actively participates in conferences, peer reviews, and academic leadership roles, including serving as a PhD examiner and organizing workshops.

Publications highlight breakthroughs in ribosome quality control, dual-hit pancreatic cancer therapies, and molecular subtyping tools like ClassifieR. His work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in advancing health innovations and reducing cancer impacts.