Research Interests

Mike’s research focuses on tetraspanin membrane proteins as potential therapeutic targets for major human diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases. He enjoys research-led teaching on the molecular mechanisms underlying these diseases.

Mike’s group investigates how tetraspanins regulate other important membrane proteins on the surface of human cells.

Mike has recently established a new paradigm in human membrane protein biology, whereby the important cell surface ‘molecular scissor’ ADAM10 is not one scissor, but six different scissors depending on which one of six tetraspanins, termed the TspanC8s, it is associated with – his ‘six scissor’ hypothesis. This has major implications for future therapeutic targeting of diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, asthma and inflammatory diseases including those leading to heart attack and stroke. Targeting all six ADAM10 scissors in these diseases would be too toxic for the patient, but targeting the one scissor that is causing the disease has great potential.

Mike has also identified tetraspanin Tspan18 as a critical regulator of the store-operated Ca²⁺entry channel Orai1 on endothelial cells, and as a potential therapeutic target for thrombo-inflammatory diseases such as deep vein thrombosis.

Scientific Inspiration

Professor Alan Williams (1945-1992), FRS, Head of the MRC Cellular Immunology Unit and Sir William Dunn School of Pathology in Oxford. My supervisor at the start of my PhD. Inspired me to work on cell surface proteins.