Alan Serrels

Dr. Alan Serrels is a Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, affiliated with the Institute of Genetics and Cancer and the Centre for Inflammation Research. His work focuses on understanding how cancer cells modulate the tumor immune environment, particularly through the role of Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK), to develop novel immunotherapies.

• Research Theme: Cancer Biology, Immunology, Molecular Signaling
• Key Projects: ECAT Fellowship, Cancer Research UK-funded FAK immune evasion studies
• Techniques: Genome editing, flow cytometry, intra-vital imaging

His research highlights the immuno-modulatory activity of FAK and its potential as a therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer and squamous cell carcinomas. Recent publications explore multitarget immunomodulation scaffolds, antigen presentation suppression, and inflammation-fibrosis interactions in tumor progression. He collaborates with institutions like Wellcome Trust, University of Glasgow, and Aquila Biomedical Limited.

Scientific Awards:

• ECAT Fellowship

His team utilizes advanced imaging and proteomics to dissect FAK's nuclear functions and optimize immunotherapy combinations, with applications in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) models.