Dr. Karthic Swaminathan,Lecturer in Skin Sciences
Information about Dr. Karthic Swaminathan at the University of Bradford.
- School of Chemistry & Biosciences
(Faculty of Life Sciences) - Email:
- k.swaminathan@bradford.ac.uk
- Telephone:
- +44 1274 234174
Biography
Dr Swaminathan graduated with a Bachelor in Biochemistry in 2004 (University of Madras, India) and with a dual degree in master’s in Biotechnology and a Post Graduate Diploma in Bioinformatics (2006) from Bharathidasan University, India. After completing his master’s education, he obtained International Graduate School Scholarship (IGSDHD) to pursue PhD studies at University of Cologne and received his PhD from Institute of Biochemistry (2013, Cologne, Germany) on the role of coronin actin binding proteins in cell migration. His research during his PhD studies have identified a novel role of coronin proteins in cell migration through modulation of GTPase signalling and myosin II dynamics (Swaminathan et al, PNAS 2014, Swaminathan et al, Sci Rep 2016). He then received a Cancer Research UK (CRUK) postdoctoral fellowship to continue his research on understanding cell migration during organismal development and cancer metastasis at Beatson Institute of Cancer Research (CRUK), Glasgow. He has uncovered several cytoskeletal signalling pathways required for efficient colonization of melanocyte during embryonic development and demonstrated how these signalling pathways are altered during the development of melanoma (Swaminathan et al JID, 2021, Papalazarou et al Development 2020, Woodham et al Curr Biol 2017, Reid et al, EMBO J 2017). In 2020, Dr Swaminathan joined as a Lecturer at the Centre for Skin Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences at University of Bradford. He has won research awards from Wellcome Trust, Royal Society, Academy of Medical Sciences, and British Skin Foundation.
Research
Cancer Metastasis and Genomics Group (CMG) The overarching goal of his research group at UoB is to understand how cancer cells spread (metastasis) and identify novel translatable pathways/targets to treat metastatic disease. Nearly 90% of cancer related deaths is due to metastasis. Cancer metastasis is defined as a process in which cancer cells spread to distant tissues and organs generating tumours away from the original site. The complex metastatic process relies on cancer cells penetrating the surrounding tissue, gaining access to circulatory system, and seeding and growth in distant organs. The group focuses on elucidating molecular mechanisms underpinning cancer metastatic process within the context of two broader research themes: Theme 1: Sugars, Cell Adhesion, and Migration Altered cell attachment (adhesion) to the Extra Cellular Matrix (ECM), which is a meshwork of proteins that holds the cells in place, is a hallmark of cancer cells. We investigate how addition of sugars to signalling proteins (process known as sialylation) influences cancer cell behaviour such as their attachment to ECM, invasion, and migration. Theme 2: Epigenetics of Stem Cell Biology and CancerEpigenetic programs are crucial to maintain the homeostasis of embryonic and adult stem cells. Our previous work has demonstrated that a healthy epigenetic program is required for embryonic development and to maintain lineage specific transcriptional output during adult stem cell homeostasis. Altered epigenetic signalling and associated transcriptional programs are commonly observed during cancer metastasis. We investigate the epigenetic programs required for stem cell homeostasis (development and adult stem cells) and aim to understand how cancer cells leverage these epigenetic programs during metastatic progression.
Professional activities
Information about education, employment and areas of particular interest for Dr. Karthic Swaminathan is as follows:
- International Graduate School Scholarship (IGS-DHD)) in the year 01-JAN-10 (specified as 01/01/2010)
- Wellcome Trust ISSF Award in the year 01-JAN-19 (specified as 01/01/2019)
Education
- Bharathidasan University - Master of Philosophy
- Bharathidasan University - Master of Science
- University of cologne - PhD
- University of Madras - Bachelor of Science
- Bharathidasan University - Post Graduate Diploma
Employment
- Cancer Research UK (BICR, Glasgow) - Postdoctoral Researcher in the year 2014 (specified as 01/04/2014)
- University of Bradford - Lecturer in Skin Sciences in the year 2019 (specified as 05/12/2019)
- UKRI FLF Peer Review, in the year 2023 (specified as 01/01/2023)
- BBSRC Peer Review , in the year 2023 (specified as 01/01/2023)
- The European Association of Cancer Research (EACR), Member in the year 2020 (specified as 01/01/2020)
- British Society of Cell Biology (BSCB), Member
- American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Member in the year 2019 (specified as 01/06/2019)
Publications
There are 12 publications involving or that are attributed to Dr. Karthic Swaminathan.
Peer Reviewed Journal
| Title | Year | Publication name | Journal | Volume | Pages | Authors | Editors | ISSN | Publisher | DOI | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The WAVE Regulatory Complex Is Required to Balance Protrusion and Adhesion in Migration. | 2020 | Cells | 9 | Whitelaw JA;Swaminathan K;Kage F;Machesky LM; | 2073-4409 | 10.3390/cells9071635 | |||||
| The Arp2/3 complex is critical for colonisation of the mouse skin by melanoblasts. | 2020 | Development - Company of Biologists | Papalazarou V;Swaminathan K;Jaber-Hijazi F;Spence H;Lahmann I;Nixon C;Salmeron-Sanchez M;Arnold HH;Rottner K;Machesky LM; | 1477-9129 | 10.1242/dev.194555 | ||||||
| The RAC1 target NCKAP1 plays a crucial role in progression of BRAF/PTEN -driven melanoma in mice. | 2020 | Journal of Investigative Dermatology | Swaminathan K;Campbell A;Papalazarou V;Jaber-Hijazi F;Nixon C;McGhee E;Strathdee D;Sansom OJ;Machesky LM; | 1523-1747 | 10.1016/j.jid.2020.06.029 | ||||||
| WASP Restricts Active Rac to Maintain Cells' Front-Rear Polarization. | 2019 | Current Biology : Cb | 29 | Amato C;Thomason PA;Davidson AJ;Swaminathan K;Ismail S;Machesky LM;Insall RH; | 1879-0445 | 10.1016/j.cub.2019.10.036 | |||||
| Coordination by Cdc42 of Actin, Contractility, and Adhesion for Melanoblast Movement in Mouse Skin. | 2017 | Current Biology : Cb | 27 | Woodham EF;Paul NR;Tyrrell B;Spence HJ;Swaminathan K;Scribner MR;Giampazolias E;Hedley A;Clark W;Kage F;Marston DJ;Hahn KM;Tait SW;Larue L;Brakebusch CH;Insall RH;Machesky LM; | 1879-0445 | 10.1016/j.cub.2017.01.033 | |||||
| Tumor matrix stiffness promotes metastatic cancer cell interaction with the endothelium | 2017 | EMBO Journal | 36 | Reid, SE; Kay, EJ; Neilson, LJ; Henze, AT; Serneels, J; McGhee, EJ; Dhayade, S; Nixon, C; Mackey, JB; Santi, A; Swaminathan, Karthic; Athineos, D; Papalazarou, V; Patella, F; Roman-Fernandez, A; ElMaghloob, Y; Hernandez-Fernaud, JR; Adams, RH; Ismail, S; Bryant, DM; Salmeron-Sanchez, M; Machesky, LM; Carlin, LM; Blyth, K; Mazzone, M; Zanivan, S | |||||||
| Novel Coronin7 interactions with Cdc42 and N-WASP regulate actin organization and Golgi morphology. | 2016 | Scientific Reports | 6 | Bhattacharya K;Swaminathan K;Peche VS;Clemen CS;Knyphausen P;Lammers M;Noegel AA;Rastetter RH; | 2045-2322 | 10.1038/srep25411 | |||||
| Coronin7 regulates WASP and SCAR through CRIB mediated interaction with Rac proteins | 2015 | Scientific Reports | 5 | Swaminathan, Karthic; Stumpf, M; Mueller, R; Horn, AC; Schmidbauer, J; Eichinger, L; Mueller Taubenberger, A; Faix, J; Noegel, AA | |||||||
| The Dictyostelium discoideum RACK1 orthologue has roles in growth and development. | 2014 | Cell Communication And Signaling : Ccs | 12 | Omosigho NN;Swaminathan K;Plomann M;Müller-Taubenberger A;Noegel AA;Riyahi TY; | 1478-811X | 10.1186/1478-811X-12-37 | |||||
| A Cdc42- and Rac-interactive binding (CRIB) domain mediates functions of coronin. | 2014 | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | 111 | Swaminathan K;Müller-Taubenberger A;Faix J;Rivero F;Noegel AA; | 1091-6490 | 10.1073/pnas.1315368111 | |||||
| The cytohesin paralog Sec7 of Dictyostelium discoideum is required for phagocytosis and cell motility. | 2013 | Cell Communication And Signaling : Ccs | 11 | Müller R;Herr C;Sukumaran SK;Omosigho NN;Plomann M;Riyahi TY;Stumpf M;Swaminathan K;Tsangarides M;Yiannakou K;Blau-Wasser R;Gallinger C;Schleicher M;Kolanus W;Noegel AA; | 1478-811X | 10.1186/1478-811X-11-54 | |||||
| Mutations in LMNA modulate the lamin A--Nesprin-2 interaction and cause LINC complex alterations. | 2013 | PLoS ONE | 8 | Yang L;Munck M;Swaminathan K;Kapinos LE;Noegel AA;Neumann S; | 1932-6203 | 10.1371/journal.pone.0071850 |