Stephen Taylor

Stephen Taylor is the Leech Professor of Pharmacology and Head of Division at the University of Manchester's Division of Cancer Sciences. His career spans postdoctoral work at Harvard Medical School, BBSRC and Cancer Research UK fellowships, and leadership roles in cancer research.

• Education: BSc in Biochemistry (University of Manchester), PhD in Biochemistry (Oxford, Prof. Ed Southern's lab)

Stephen's research focuses on high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC), a lethal subtype due to rapid progression, chromosomal instability, and limited actionable driver mutations. He pioneered synthetic lethality approaches for BRCA-mutant cancers and investigates cell cycle vulnerabilities in HR-proficient tumours, including MYC overexpression, replication stress, and aberrant mitoses. His team combines mechanistic studies with patient-derived ex vivo models and multi-omics to identify novel therapies.

His recent publications address cabazitaxel efficacy in taxol-resistant HGSOC, SUMOylation as a therapeutic target, and metabolic vulnerabilities in ovarian cancer. Trends highlight drug resistance mechanisms, DNA repair, and cell cycle checkpoints.

Scientific Awards
• Translational Research Award (2004)
• Kilburn-Williams Medal (2009)
• Academia Europaea (2010)
• Cancer Research UK Senior Research Fellowship (2004, renewed 2009)
• BBSRC David Phillips Fellowship (1998)

Stephen leads the Division of Cancer Sciences and collaborates on projects like the NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre and CRUK RadNet MAESTRO Programme, focusing on biomedical research, personalized medicine, and radiation oncology. His work aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Cancer.