Professor Ian Stratford BSc, MSc, PhD, MRCR (Hon)

• Council Member, International Association for Radiation Research
• Scientific Advisory Committee, Association for International Cancer Research
• Board of Commissioners European Human Frozen Tumour Tissue Bank Project
• Commonwealth Scholarship Commission - Panel of Advisers
• Committee of Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE), Department of Health

50% of all cancer patients are treated with radiotherapy and yet this method of treatment is only effective in curing a fraction of these patients. One of the contributory factors to tumour resistance to radiotherapy is the presence of cells in the tumour that are starved of oxygen. These so-called hypoxic cells are not only resistant to radiotherapy but also chemotherapy. Tumours with a large number of hypoxic cells are often more malignant and have a greater tendency to metastasise. Thus, the presence of hypoxic cells in tumours is a major problem for therapy.

Ian's group, which integrates expertise in medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, cell and molecular biology, and tumour biology, is carrying out work to overcome this hypoxia problem. They are doing this in a number of ways.

• By developing “bioreductive” drugs, that are activated under low oxygen conditions to yield highly cytotoxic products. The rational being that only hypoxic tumour cells will be killed leaving well oxygenated normal tissue unscathed. The Stratford lab has played a major role in progressing a variety of bioreductive drugs into clinical trial.
• Hypoxic cells in tumours have the ability to turn on expression of specific genes that influence tumour growth and response to therapy. Unique DNA sequences in the promotor region of these genes cause this increased expression. These sequences have been used by the Ian’s group to selectively drive expression of “therapeutic” genes in hypoxic areas of tumours. When combined with radiation and bioreductive drugs, complete cures can be obtained in tumours that are otherwise totally resistant to treatment.
• The transcription factor, HIF-1, regulates gene expression in hypoxic cells. The Stratford group has shown that eliminating the function of this protein can reduce tumour growth and increase response to therapy. Currently, small molecule inhibitors are being developed and undergoing pre-clinical evaluation.

Overall expertise:

• Tumour hypoxia and manipulation of tumour oxygenation for therapeutic benefit
• Tumour biology, tumour physiology, anti-angiogenesis and vascular targeting
• Radiobiology (pre-clinical radiotherapy)
• Anti-cancer drug discovery, synthesis and evaluation
• Enzyme-directed drug activation for specific tumour therapy
• Gene therapy of cancer : Cell and molecular biology

Cancer Biology and Therapy PHAR40162

Chemotherapy II PHAR30340

Ian obtained a B.Sc in Chemistry from the University of Exeter and subsequently a PhD in Radiation Biology from Manchester University where he is now Professor of Pharmacy, Dean for Research and Head of the Experimental Oncology group. Ian has succeeded in securing continuous programme grant support from the Medical Research Council 1981. The current quinquenial grant is £1.2M (2006-2010). In addition, Ian has substantive funding from the EU, the cancer charities and industry. He leads a team of 20 post-graduates, technicians and research fellows and was recently awarded honorary membership of the Royal College of Radiobiology.

• 2000 - Royal College of Radiology (Honourary Membership)
• 1975 - PhD (Manchester) Radiation Biology
• 1971 - MSc (Warwick) Biochemistry
• 1970 - BSc Hons (Exeter) Chemistry

Collaborators

• Dr Kaye Williams (Senior Research Fellow)
  Experimental Oncology Group
  : Molecular, Cell and Tumour Biology