Dinis Calado

Dinis Calado is a Research Professor and Group Leader at The Francis Crick Institute in London, UK, where he leads research on malignant transformation in the haematopoietic system with a focus on B lymphocyte cancers. He established his independent lab at Cancer Research UK's London Research Institute in 2013 before transitioning to the Crick in 2015 following its formation.

His academic training includes:

• PhD in Molecular Immunology from the University of Lisbon, Portugal (2006)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship at Harvard Medical School, USA (2006-2010)

Calado's research program centers on elucidating how healthy blood cells become cancerous, particularly in B cell lymphomas. Using sophisticated mouse genetic models, his lab has generated accurate representations of diffuse large B cell lymphoma and Burkitt lymphoma. Key discoveries include identifying c-Myc-high B cell subpopulations as potential disease precursors. Current work explores metabolic reprogramming (e.g., lactate's role in immune suppression), oncogene-driven vulnerabilities (especially MYC), and tumor microenvironment interactions in lymphomagenesis, integrating advanced techniques like metabolomics and 3D imaging.

His publication record demonstrates consistent leadership in cancer immunology and lymphoma biology, with recent work emphasizing therapeutic targeting of metabolic pathways, B cell receptor signaling mechanisms, and microenvironmental interactions across high-impact journals including Nature Communications, Cancer Cell, and Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Recognition includes:

• Special Fellow of the Leukemia Lymphoma Society (2010)

As principal investigator, Calado directs a multidisciplinary team utilizing Crick core facilities including Metabolomics, Proteomics, Light Microscopy, Genomics, and Flow Cytometry. His collaborative approach spans basic research and clinical translation, evidenced by involvement in consensus reports on blood cancer management and partnerships with clinical oncology groups.