Dr Deena Gendoo

Supervisor Details

Contact Details

Department of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham

Scientific Background

Research Interests

One of Dr Gendoo's research axes focuses characterizing the molecular pathogenesis of in vitro and in vivo pre-clinical disease models (xenografts, organoids, GEMMs), and developing reliable and quantifiable frameworks for these matching these models to their human counterparts using bioinformatics and multi-omics profiling. In tandem, Dr Gendoo is focused on developing translational and pharmacogenomics approaches that harness these disease models for therapeutics.

Both axes combine a variety of ‘omics’ approaches, including transcriptomics and next-gen sequencing, pharamacogenomics, and structural bioinformatics, towards development of an integrative pipeline for the molecular and biological characterization of model systems, and the development of potential therapeutics against these systems.

Collaborations with clinicians, basic researchers, bioinformaticians, and computer scientists are always welcome.

MIBTP Project Details

Primary supervisor for:

Integrative bioinformatics approaches for the identification of novel targets and therapeutics for cell cycle changes and cell death

See the PhD Opportunities section to see if this project is currently open for applications via MIBTP.

Please Note: The main page lists projects via BBSRC Research Theme(s) quoted and then relevant Topic(s).

Integrative bioinformatics approaches for the identification of novel targets and therapeutics for cell cycle changes and cell death

University of Registration: University of Birmingham

BBSRC Research Themes: Integrated Understanding of Health (Ageing, Regenerative Biology)

Project Outline

This project focuses on using integrative bioinformatics approaches and next-generation sequencing technologies to develop an in-silico framework to identify new targets (genes and proteins), and novel therapies that target cell cycle changes (cellular oscillation), cell plasticity, and cell apoptosis. Cell growth and invasion is a fundamental mechanism of many diseases, and plays a key role in other notable cell changes such as ageing. By investigating genetic and protein changes at different points of the cell cycle, we can identify how these different molecules are active at different stages of the cycle, and how they change during cell development. This has wide-reaching applications, as it can lead to the identification of potential markers that can be targeted at specific stages of cell development, changes related to ageing or to specific disease, and changes that should be targeted to prevent cell death.

The first axis of the project involves the development of a large-scale repository of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) data and spatial transcriptomic data, and high-throughuput ‘omic technologies. In particular, the project will focus on single-cell sequencing, and spatial transcriptomics, to probe genetic changes at a cellular level, using data from several large-scale scRNAaseq repositories.

The second axis of the project focuses on 3D protein interaction data pertaining to cell-cycle oscillations and cell death. The candidate will develop networks of protein interactions for target proteins, based on 3D protein domain and structural information. The candidate will also develop 3D models for proteins of interest. Protein structures will be used in virtual high-throughput screening and docking approaches to identify novel therapeutics against cell apoptosis.

Both axes of the project will allow the candidate to develop a pipeline for rapid identification of potential therapeutics against genetic and protein targets involved in cell death.