About Shankar | varadarajanlab

Dr Shankar Varadarajan

Principal Investigator

Email:

Research Interests:

1. Apoptotic and non-apoptotic roles of BCL-2 family of proteins in cancer

2. Mitochondria and Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane dynamics and apoptosis

3. Intracellular signalling in apoptosis, autophagy, ER stress and the Unfolded Protein Response

Biography

Following a Bachelor's degree in Pharmacy and an Engineering degree in Biotechnology, both from India in 2002, I carried out my doctoral studies in The University of Texas at Austin, USA, studying the molecular mechanisms underlying autophagy and apoptosis. I then relocated to England to pursue my postdoctoral fellowship at the Medical Research Council - Toxicology Unit in Leicester from 2009 to 2013. During this time, I focussed on the anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family of proteins and discovered a novel form of Endoplasmic Reticulum stress response, which led to an opportunity to work in the laboratory of Prof. Tom Kirchhausen at Harvard Medical School, USA. After my successful postdoctoral fellowship, I joined the University of Liverpool, where I have established a dynamic and productive laboratory with several members, studying the therapeutic relevance of BH3 mimetics in treating several cancers, such as haematological malignancies, pancreatic cancer as well as cancers of the head and neck, which have a particularly high incidence in the Liverpool area.

Research Grants

North West Cancer Research Grant – 2017-2020 – Novel therapeutic approaches for personalised therapy of Head and Neck cancer.
North West Cancer Research Grant – 2015-2018 – Functional characterisation of distinct complexes of MCL-1 in regulating apoptosis in cancer.
PhD Studentships from Science without borders (Brazil), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (India) and Ministry of Higher Education (Iraq).