Patricia Muller

Dr. Patricia Muller is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biosciences at Durham University. Her research focuses on the molecular mechanisms driving cancer progression, particularly the role of mutant p53 proteins in metastasis, chemoresistance, and cell-in-cell phenomena. She has held prestigious fellowships including the Henry Dale Fellowship and received the Biochemical Society Early Career Award (2016). Her work bridges cancer biology, cellular metabolism, and metal toxicity, with collaborations extending to industry (e.g., Pleco Therapeutics).

Key research interests include: how mutant p53 promotes invasion/metastasis via RCP signaling pathways, the pro-tumorigenic roles of cell-in-cell structures, and the interplay between metals (e.g., copper) and p53 function in cancer. She has supervised multiple PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, including Hyeyun Jung (CRUK-funded), Carissa Lloyd (Chemistry collaboration), and Steven Bell (Pleco grant).

Her publications span high-impact journals like Cell, Nature Communications, and Cancer Cell, addressing topics such as integrin trafficking, entosis-driven genomic instability, and p53-metal interactions. Current projects explore therapeutic strategies targeting mutant p53-driven pathways, with a focus on plecoid therapies for lung cancer.