Derek Mann
About
I am a molecular cell biologist trained at University College London (PhD) and the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (postdoc). In 2006 I was appointed Professor of Hepatology at Newcastle University following academic posts up to Chair position at the University of Southampton. I am responsible for providing scientific leadership and delivering high impact research into mechanisms responsible for the development of liver inflammation, fibrosis and cancer. A secondary responsibility is to translate this research into therapeutics for chronic liver disease. In addition, I am the Dean of Research and Innovation in the Faculty of Medical Sciences at Newcastle University, this role providing strategic leadership for all basic science research in the faculty.
My main research role is as Director of the Newcastle Fibrosis Research Group (NFRG) providing strategic direction and leadership to its basic and clinical scientists who are focused on developing translational solutions to tissue remodelling and scar formation in the liver, lung, kidneys, heart and skin. My research group are primarily interested in understanding the molecular basis for liver fibrosis (scarring) and primary liver cancer. My research is supported by programme grants from the MRC, CRUK and NIAAA (NIH). Key recent discoveries include mechanisms of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance affecting fibrosis and a role for inflammatory neutrophils in hepatocellular carcinoma.
Under my leadership the NFRG has formed collaborative strategic alliances with major pharmaceutical companies including GSK and Abbvie which are aimed at translation of our research to the design of fibrosis biomarkers and new therapeutics.
Research interests
- Inflammation and Liver Cancer
- Liver inflammation and fibrosis
- Gene regulation (epigenetic and transcriptional)
Current Work
- Inflamation and Liver Cancer
- Discovery of therapies for the prevention and treatment of chronic liver disease.
- Understanding the basic regulatory mechanisms that control cell phenotype, function and fate with the emphasis on events at the level of gene transcription.
Education
- PhD Biochemistry - Institute of Neurology, University College London (1990)
- BSc (Class 1) Biochemistry - King's College, University of London (1986)
Editorial Boards
- Apoptosis
- Hepatology
- International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology
- Journal of Hepatology
- Nucleic Acids Research
Selected Honours/Awards
- Elected as Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, UK (2017)
- Former Associate Editor of the Journal of Hepatology
- Awarded honorary professorship at Zhongshang Hospital Fudan University, Shanghai, China (2012)
- Elected Vice Chair of the ARUK Research Committee (2012)
- International expert reviewer and grant board member for the French National Cancer Institute (2009)
Previous Appointments
- Personal Chair, University of Southampton (2002-2006)
- Lecturer/Senior Lecturer, University of Southampton (1994-2002)
- Staff Postdoctoral Scientist, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge (1990-1993)
Most recent Publications
2019- Esparza-Baquer A, Labiano I, Sharif O, Agirre-Lizaso A, Oakley F, Rodrigues PM, Zhuravleva E, O’Rourke CJ, Hijona E, Jimenez-Aguero R, Riano I, Landa A, La Casta A, Zaki MYW, Munoz-Garrido P, Azkargorta M, Elortza F, Vogel A, Schabbauer G, Aspichueta P, Anderson JB, Knapp S, Mann DA, Bujanda L, Banales JM, Perugorria MJ. TREM-2 defends the liver against hepatocellular carcinoma through multifactorial protective mechanisms. Accepted by GUT 2020 Sep 9:gutjnl-2019-319227. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2019-319227.
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Malehmir M, Pfister D, Gallage S, Szydlowska M, Inverso D, Kotsiliti E, Leone V, Peiseler M, Surewaard BGJ, Rath D, Ali A, Wolf MJ, Drescher H, Healy ME, Dauch D, Kroy D, Krenkel O, Kohlhepp M, Engleitner T, Olkus A, Sijmonsma T, Volz J, Deppermann C, Stegner D, Helbling P, Nombela-Arrieta C, Rafiei A, Hinterleitner M, Rall M, Baku F, Borst O, Wilson CL, Leslie J, O'Connor T, Weston CJ, Adams DH, Sheriff L, Teijeiro A, Prinz M, Bogeska R, Anstee N, Bongers MN, Notohamiprodjo M, Geisler T, Withers DJ, Ware J,Mann DA, Augustin HG, Vegiopoulos A, Milsom MD, Rose AJ, Lalor PF, Llovet JM, Pinyol R, Tacke F, Rad R, Matter M, Djouder N, Kubes P, Knolle PA, Unger K, Zender L, Nieswandt B, Gawaz M, Weber A, Heikenwalder M (2019). Platelet GP1ba is a mediator and potential interventional target for NASH and subsequent liver cancer. Nature Medicine 25: 641-655.
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Moran-Salvadore E, Garcia-Macia M, Sivaharan A, Sabater L, Zaki MYW, Oakley F, Knox A, Page A, Luli S, Mann J and Mann DA (2019). Fibrogenic activity of MeCP2 is regulated by phosphorylation in hepatic stellate cells.Gastroenterology 157: 1398-1412.
- Perugorria MJ, Esparza-Baquer A, Oakley F, Labiano I, Korosec A, Jais A, Mann J, Tiniakos D, Santos-Laso A, Arbelaiz A, Gawish R, Sampedro A, Fontanellas A, Hijona E, Jimenez-Agüero R, Esterbauer H, Stoiber D, Bujanda L, Banales JM, Knapp S, Sharif O, Mann DA - Non-parenchymal TREM-2 protects the liver from immune-mediated hepatocellular damage.
- Paish HL, Kalson N, Smith GR, Del Carpio Pons A, Baldock TE, Smith N, Swist-Szulik K, Weir DJ, Bardgett M, Deehan DJ, Mann DA, Borthwick LA - Fibroblasts Promote Inflammation and Pain via IL-1α Induction of the Monocyte Chemoattractant Chemokine (C-C Motif) Ligand 2.
- Kalson NS, Brock TM, Mangino M, Fabiane SM, Mann DA, Borthwick LA, Deehan DJ, Williams FMK - Reduced telomere length is associated with fibrotic joint disease suggesting that impaired telomere repair contributes to joint fibrosis.
- Yiğit B, Boyle M, Özler O, Erden N, Tutucu F, Hardy T, Bergmann C, Distler JHW, Adalı G, Dayangaç M, Mann DA, Zeybel M, Mann J - Plasma cell-free DNA methylation: a liquid biomarker of hepatic fibrosis.
- Cartwright T, Worrell JC, Marchetti L, Dowling CM, Knox A, Kiely P, Mann J, Mann DA, Wilson CL - HDAC1 interacts with the p50 NF-κB subunit via its nuclear localization sequence to constrain inflammatory gene expression
- Fearn A, Situmorang GR, Fox C, Oakley F, Howarth R, Wilson CL, Kiosia A, Robson MG, Mann DA, Moles A, Sheerin NS - The NF-κB1 is a key regulator of acute but not chronic renal injury.
- Ogrodnik M, Miwa S, Tchkonia T, Tiniakos D, Wilson CL, Lahat A, Day CP, Burt A, Palmer A, Anstee QM, Grellscheid SN, Hoeijmakers JHJ, Barnhoorn S, Mann DA, Bird TG, Vermeij WP, Kirkland JL, Passos JF, von Zglinicki T, Jurk D - Cellular senescence drives age-dependent hepatic steatosis.
- Wettstein G, Luccarini JM, Poekes L, Faye P, Kupkowski F, Adarbes V, Defrêne E, Estivalet C1, Gawronski X, Jantzen I, Philippot A, Tessier J, Tuyaa-Boustugue P, Oakley F, Mann DA, Leclercq I, Francque S, Konstantinova I, Broqua P, Junien JL - The new-generation pan-peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor agonist IVA337 protects the liver from metabolic disorders and fibrosis.
- Zeybel M, Luli S, Sabater L, Hardy T, Oakley F, Leslie J, Page A, Moran Salvador E, Sharkey V, Tsukamoto H, Chu DCK, Singh US, Ponzoni M, Perri P, Di Paolo D, Mendivil EJ, Mann J, Mann DA - A Proof-of-Concept for Epigenetic Therapy of Tissue Fibrosis: Inhibition of Liver Fibrosis Progression by 3-Deazaneplanocin A.
- Bhavani Madakashira, Laura Corbett, Chi Zhang, Pier Paoli, John W. Casement, Jelena Mann, Kirsten C. Sadler, Derek A. Mann - Variant Histone H2afv reprograms DNA methylation during early zebrafish development.
- Hardy T, Zeybel M, Day CP, Dipper C, Masson S, McPherson S, Henderson E, Tiniakos D, White S, French J, Mann DA, Anstee QM, Mann J - Plasma DNA methylation: a potential biomarker for stratification of liver fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
- Luli S, Di Paolo D, Perri P, Brignole C, Hill SJ, Brown H, Leslie J, Marshall HL, Wright MC, Mann DA, Ponzoni M, Oakley F - A new fluorescence-based optical imaging method to non-invasively monitor hepatic myofibroblasts in vivo.
- Moles A, Butterworth JA, Sanchez A, Hunter JE, Leslie J, Sellier H, Tiniakos D, Cockell SJ, Mann DA, Oakley F, Perkins ND - A RelA(p65) Thr505 phospho-site mutation reveals an important mechanism regulating NF-κB-dependent liver regeneration and cancer.
- Vyrla D, Nikolaidis G, Oakley F, Perugorria MJ, Tsichlis PN, Mann DA, Eliopoulos AG - TPL2 Kinase Is a Crucial Signaling Factor and Mediator of NKT Effector Cytokine Expression in Immune-Mediated Liver Injury.
- Correia-Melo C, Marques FD, Anderson R, Hewitt G, Hewitt R, Cole J, Carroll BM, Miwa S, Birch J, Merz A, Rushton MD, Charles M, Jurk D, Tait SW, Czapiewski R, Greaves L, Nelson G, Bohlooly-Y M, Rodriguez-Cuenca S, Vidal-Puig A, Mann D, Saretzki G, Quarato G, Green DR, Adams PD, von Zglinicki T, Korolchuk VI, Passos JF - Mitochondria are required for pro-ageing features of the senescent phenotype.
- Borthwick LA, Mann DA - Liver: Osteopontin and HMGB1: novel regulators of HSC activation.
- Lanucara F, Lam C, Mann J, Monie TP, Colombo SA, Holman SW, Boyd J, Dange MC, Mann DA, White MR, Eyers CE - Dynamic phosphorylation of RelA on Ser42 and Ser45 in response to TNFα stimulation regulates DNA binding and transcription.
- Hardy T, Mann DA - Epigenetics in liver disease: from biology to therapeutics.
- Kalson NS, Borthwick LA, Mann DA, Deehan DJ, Lewis P, Mann C, Mont MA, Morgan-Jones R, Oussedik S, Williams FM, Toms A, Argenson JN, Bellemans J, Bhave A, Furnes O, Gollwitzer H, Haddad FS, Hofmann S, Krenn V - International consensus on the definition and classification of fibrosis of the knee joint.
- Ball SL, Mann DA, Wilson JA, Fisher AJ - The Role of the Fibroblast in Inflammatory Upper Airway Conditions.
- Page A, Paoli PP, Hill SJ, Howarth R, Wu R, Kweon SM, French J, White S, Tsukamoto H, Mann DA, Mann J - Alcohol directly stimulates epigenetic modifications in hepatic stellate cells.
- Wallace MC, Friedman SL, Mann DA - Emerging and disease-specific mechanisms of hepatic stellate cell activation.
- Page A, Mann DA - Epigenetic regulation of liver fibrosis.
- Ball SL, Suwara MI, Borthwick LA, Wilson JA, Mann DA, Fisher AJ - How reliable are sino-nasal cell lines for studying the pathophysiology of chronic rhinosinusitis?
- Williams FM, Kalson NS, Fabiane SM, Mann DA, Deehan DJ - Joint Stiffness Is Heritable and Associated with Fibrotic Conditions and Joint Replacement.
- Wilson CL, Jurk D, Fullard N, Banks P, Page A, Luli S, Elsharkawy AM, Gieling RG, Chakraborty JB, Fox C, Richardson C, Callaghan K, Blair GE, Fox N, Lagnado A, Passos JF, Moore AJ, Smith GR, Tiniakos DG, Mann J, Oakley F, Mann DA - NFκB1 is a suppressor of neutrophil-driven hepatocellular carcinoma.
- Dyson JK, Hirschfield GM, Adams DH, Beuers U, Mann DA, Lindor KD, Jones DE - Novel therapeutic targets in primary biliary cirrhosis.
- Wilson CL, Murphy LB, Leslie J, Kendrick S, French J, Fox CR, Sheerin NS, Fisher A, Robinson JH, Tiniakos DG, Gray DA, Oakley F, Mann DA - Ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase 1: A novel functional marker for liver myofibroblasts and a therapeutic target in chronic liver disease.