Dr. Barbara Tanos
Principal Investigator
Dr. Barbara Tanos has made significant contributions to cancer and cell biology research. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Buenos Aires and her PhD in Molecular Cancer Biology from Duke University. While working in Dr. Ann Marie Pendergast’s lab, she discovered a novel role for Abl tyrosine kinases in regulating the internalization of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR).
In her postdoctoral work at Weill Cornell Medical College with Dr. Enrique Rodriguez-Boulan, Dr. Tanos explored how cancer cells hijack epithelial polarity signals to remodel tumor architecture, identifying a crucial role for the scaffold protein IQGAP1 in this process. Her interest in centriole and cilia biology led her to further research with Dr. Bryan Tsou, where she identified a group of centriole distal appendage proteins essential for cilia formation, revealed the hierarchy of DAP recruitment to centrioles and uncovered the molecular mechanisms of centriole docking to the plasma membrane. This work that has become a hallmark in the field.
Now leading a research lab at Brunel University, Dr. Tanos research focuses on the regulation of centriole distal appendage proteins and their recruitment to centrioles, how this regulates primary cilia assembly and the role of cilia as signaling platforms. Understanding the role of centrioles and cilia in disease will identify novel therapeutic strategies for ciliopathies, kidney illnesses and cancer.
Current Lab Members
Natalia Castro
Natalia is a PhD student in the lab, currently investigating the role of cilia in kidney disease. She has a Msc in Genetics and Cell biology from Universidad Autonoma of Madrid (Spain).
Rebecca Collinson
Rebecca is a PhD student working on the role of ciliary signalling in lung cancer. She has an MSci in Cellular and Molecular Medicine from the University of Bristol.
Zoi Grigoriou
Zoi is a PhD student concentrating of the role of ciliary signalling in kidney disease. She has MSc in Medicinal Chemistry from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
Aimee Gowans
Aimee is an MPhil student in the lab, working on novel 3D-models to study kidney disease. They have a BSc in Human Biosciences from Coventry University.
Previous Lab Members
ANASTASIA KATSOU, MSc student
ATHANASIOS TSALIKIS, PhD student with George Poulogiannis at the ICR
ANDREW JENKS, Ph.D., staff scientist with Paul Huang, ICR
RAQUEL BODOQUE, PhD student
JORDAN SULLIVAN, Masters student, UCL
ADINA STASZEWSKI
