Regulation of Keratinocyte Cell Death by Rho Family GTPases

Career overview

Professor Neil Hotchin was born in Lincolnshire and completed his first degree in Biology at the University of York. He obtained his PhD at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, now part of Imperial College, focusing on the role of Epstein Barr Virus in the development of Burkitt’s Lymphoma. Following his PhD, Professor Hotchin worked as a postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Imperial Research Cancer Research Fund, now known as the Cancer Research UK London Research Institute, where he developed an interest in how cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix regulates cell function. He continued this research at the MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology at University College London before moving to the University of Birmingham to establish his own research group. Currently, he serves as a Professor in Molecular Cell Biology within the School of Biosciences and holds the position of Deputy Director of Postgraduate Studies at the University of Birmingham. Professor Hotchin''s research primarily investigates the interactions between cells and their environment, particularly how these interactions influence cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. He has authored numerous high-impact papers on small GTP-binding proteins and membrane tyrosine phosphatases, contributing significantly to the understanding of cell adhesion and migration.

Research interests

Professor Hotchin''s research focuses on molecular cell biology, particularly on how cells interact with their immediate environment and how these interactions regulate functions such as cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. His work includes investigating the role of small GTP-binding proteins in controlling cell function and the role of membrane tyrosine phosphatases in regulating cell adhesion and migration. His specific research themes include the regulation of epidermal cell function by Rho family GTPases, where he studies how these proteins influence keratinocyte behaviour in normal epidermis and non-melanoma skin cancer. Additionally, he explores the regulation of cell signalling by LAR membrane tyrosine phosphatase, examining its interactions with extracellular matrix proteins and its influence on signalling pathways involving c-Abl, Akt, and mTOR. Professor Hotchin employs techniques such as unbiased phospho-proteomics to analyse LAR-regulated signalling pathways.