Professor of Molecular Science

 

 

Contact details:

Tel:	+44 20 7377 7000 x2431
Fax:	+44 20 7377 7283
Email:	s.a.bustin@qmul.ac.uk
Address:	Academic Surgical Unit, Centre for Digestive Diseases, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, 3rd Floor, Alexandra Wing, The Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel, London E1 1BB, United Kingdom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Biography

Stephen Bustin obtained his PhD from Trinity College, University of Dublin in molecular genetics in 1983. He carried out post-doctoral  research at the Animal Virus Research Institute in Pirbright before his interest in biotechnology led him to join Corporate Research, Amersham International, as a senior research scientist, eventually becoming research manager, gene expression. His main achievements were  producing a synthethic HRP gene, generating humanised antibodies, cloning a HIV-1 strain and inventing a lyophilized reagent system for DNA sequencing. He joined the London Hospital Medical College as a senior research fellow, aiming to apply his research in a more direct, practical setting. Following promotion to Senior Lecturer (1995) and Reader in Molecular Medicine (2002) he was awarded a personal chair by the University of London in 2004.

 

Research Activity

A major objective of our work is to address the widening gap between basic research and clinical practice in colorectal cancer. A priority research aim is to translate our distinctive approach for predicting metastatic behaviour of colorectal cancer into a practical and robust assay for cancer prognosis that is not just more accurate than anatomically-based staging but can identify candidate therapeutic targets in metastatic colorectal cancers. We are combining host genotype information with genetic, epigenetic, mRNA and miRNA profiles from carefully selected, microdissected and clinically relevant tumour compartments, specifically sections from poorly differentiated peripheral primary tumour, intravasated cell clumps, lymph node and liver metastases. We believe that the most likely clinical application is an in vivo pre-operative staging procedure in conjunction with novel imaging modalities. A second objective involves research into adult tissue homeostasis, with particular emphasis on the identification of cellular factors that maintain the compartmentalisation of the small and large bowel.

Our laboratory continues to operate at the forefront of technological development in nucleic acid quantification and we are internationally acknowledged leaders in this area.

 

Key Publications

•  Van Trappen, PO, Gyselman, VG, Lowe, DG, Ryan, A, Oram, DH, Bosze, P, Weekes, AR, Shepherd, JH, Dorudi, S, Bustin, SA, Jacobs, I.J. (2001) Molecular quantification and mapping of lymph-node micrometastases in cervical cancer Lancet 357: 15-20

•  Bustin, SA, Dorudi S, Phillips, S, Feakins, R, Jenkins, PJ (2002) Local effects of insulin-like growth factor-I in normal colon and in colorectal cancer. Tumor Biol. 23:130-138

•  Ogunkolade, BW, Boucher, BJ, Fairclough, PD, Hitman, HA, Durudi, S, Jenkins, PJ, Bustin, SA (2002) Down-regulation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D-1-a-hydroxylase in normal colonic mucosa of Patients with colorectal cancer. Lancet 359:1831-1832.

•  Li, S.-R, Dorudi, S, Bustin SA. (2003) Identification of differentially expressed genes associated with colorectal cancer liver metastases. Eur Surgical Res 35: 327-36

•  Bustin SA, Siddiqi S, Ahmed S, Hands RE, Dorudi S (2004) Quantification of cytokeratin 20, carcinoembryonic antigen and guanylyl cyclase C mRNA levels in lymph nodes may not predict treatment failure in colorectal cancer patients. Int J Cancer 108:412-417

•  Phillips SM, Banerjea A, Feakins E, Li, S-R, Bustin SA, Dorudi S (2004) Antigen-specific activation of tumour infiltrating lymphocytes in colorectal cancer with microsatellite instability. Br J Surgery 91:469-475

•  Stamm DS, S. Dziennis S, Bustin SA, Sanderson IR (2004) Diet induces MHC class II expression in mouse intestinal epithelium through the regulatory molecule, CIITA IV Gastroenterology 127:203-212

•  Banerjea A, Ahmed S, Hands RE, Bustin SA, Dorudi S (2004) Colorectal Cancers with Microsatellite instability display mRNA expression signatures characteristic of increased immunogenicity. Mol Cancer 6:21-29

•  Jenkins, PJ, Khalaf, S, Ogunkolade, W, McCarthy, K, David, T, Hands, RE, Davies, D, Bustin, SA (2005) Differential expression of IGFBP-3 in normal and malignant colon and its influence on apoptosis. Endocrine-related Cancer 12:1-11

•  Banerjea A, Feakins RM, Nickols CD, Phillips SM, Powar MP, Bustin SA, Dorudi S (2005) Immunogenic HSP-70 is overexpressed in colorectal cancers with high-degree microsatellite instability. Dis. Colon Rectum 48:2322-2328

>> Publications since 2001

 

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