معرفی
Professor John Ladbury is a faculty member in the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Leeds, Faculty of Biological Sciences. He holds the position of Professor of Mechanistic Biology and leads a research group investigating non-canonical signaling pathways in cancer and cellular homeostasis.
His research focuses on intracellular signal transduction, particularly Tier 2 signaling through receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) mediated by SH3 domain–proline-rich sequence interactions under basal and stress conditions. This work spans molecular biophysics, cancer biology, and drug development, with a particular emphasis on how fluctuations in protein concentrations—rather than ligand activation—drive pathological outcomes such as metastasis in ovarian and lung adenocarcinoma.
Dr. Ladbury employs a multidisciplinary approach, integrating cell-based assays (including fluorescence lifetime imaging), biophysical analysis, structural biology, and C. elegans models to validate signaling pathways and explore the role of phase separation in signaling complexes. His current projects include proteomic screening of cancer cells, investigating stress-induced changes in RTK signaling, and structural characterization of aberrant interactions for therapeutic targeting.
Although no publications or awards are listed in the provided text, his research program demonstrates a strong emphasis on mechanistic understanding and translational potential in oncology. He is actively involved in mentoring and research leadership, contributing to both fundamental and applied aspects of molecular and cellular biology.
His laboratory investigates how cellular stress (e.g., pH changes in the GI tract) alters protein expression and promotes oncogenic signaling. This includes validating novel RTK-SH3 interactions and assessing phenotypic outcomes through knockdown experiments. The group also focuses on structural insights to inform inhibition strategies for pathogenic signaling pathways.
