Neil Carragher Research Group

Research in a Nutshell 

The Edinburgh Drug Discovery group embraces advanced technology platforms and disease models, which drive innovations in oncology drug discovery and development. Our group is highly proficient in image-based phenotypic screening working in close collaboration with several pharmaceutical industry partners and academic groups to identify hit molecules, advance small-molecule lead generation and classify compound mechanism of action (MOA). Our laboratories are equipped with the latest kinetic (IncuCyte s3®) and high-content (ImageXpress-micoXLS, ImageXpress-confocal HT.ai and fast light-sheet oblique plane microscopy) screening platforms, fully integrated with plate-handling robotics, barcode sample tracking, image analysis and artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) workflows. We are founding members of the European Cell-Based Assay Interest group (http://www.eucai.org), and together with the Universities of Oxford and Dundee, we are the third major academic hub for the National Phenotypic Screening Centre (http://npsc.ac.uk/). We also incorporate Reverse Phase Protein Array (RPPA) and NanoString analysis to support biomarker discovery and drug MOA studies at the transcriptomic and post-translational pathway levels.

The overarching aims of our group are to enhance clinical predictivity of preclinical oncology drug discovery and improve patient stratification and efficacy, by applying an evidence-led translational research platform, incorporating disease relevant models, innovative chemical design, quantitative imaging, genomic/proteomic-discovery-informatics and AI/ML tools. To achieve these goals we work in close collaboration with local clinicians, multidisciplinary academic research groups and industry partners.

• AstraZeneca
• Radius Health Inc.
• Carrick Therapeutics
• Eli Lilly
• Janssen
• National Phenotypic Screening Centre: www.npsc.org
• European Cell-based Assay Interest group: www.eucai.org
• Global RPPA society: http://capmm.gmu.edu/2015-rppa-globalworkshop-home
• Asier Unciti-Broceta: Innovative Therapeutics Group
• Steve Pollard Group
• Margaret Frame: Cancer Biology Group
• Val Brunton: Cancer Therapeutics Group

• AstraZeneca
• Radius Health Inc.
• Carrick therapeutics
• Eli Lilly
• Janssen
• EPSRC Research Grant (2016) (Unciti-Broceta, Patton, Leung, Carragher) Palladium-activated prodrug therapy: a novel focal therapy for localised cancers of unmet need (5YR): £1,074,212
• Wellcome Trust ISSF (Jan 2016 –Jan 2017) (Von-Kriegsheim, Carragher and Wills). Drug target deconvolution platform. (1YR): £54,368 + in-kind coallboration with Medimmune
• Brain Tumour Charity Quest for Cures award (2016) (Pollard Dirks, Brennan, Helin and Carragher). Chromatin proteins as drug targets for glioblastoma. Research funding (5YR): £1,481,356
• Mechanistically informed Phenotypic Screening to Advance New Therapeutic Treatments for Oesophageal Cancer Patients £104,483