Liam Hayman (BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science with Distinction, Axis-Shield Diagnostics Prize 2018)

Thesis title: What is the prognostic role of gamma delta T cells in colorectal cancer?

Biography

Background

I left school with no university entry level qualifications and worked in car garages for a few years. Eventually, I went back to studying and obtained highers in human biology and chemistry at night classes, followed by entry into a joint biomedical sciences course at Dundee & Angus College and University of Abertay, Dundee, for my first and final two years respectively. Between my third and fourth years I secured a biomedical vacations scholarship from The Wellcome Trust which allowed me to complete a summer internship in the Coffelt lab at CRUK The Beatson Institute, Glasgow, studying the NKG2D-mediated recognition of BRCA1 deficient mammary tumour cells by gamma delta T cells. I then returned for my final undergraduate year and completed my honours project in the Bourdon lab at University of Dundee, studying the role of the isoforms of p53 in modulation of a p53 WT function restoring drug. I graduated in 2018 with a first class BSc(Hons) in biomedical science with distinction and was awarded the Axis-Shield Diagnostics Prize as the highest achieving student. I then moved to Cambridge for a summer internship with CRUK at The Babraham Institute, developing an antibody internalisation assay for screening therapeutic antibodies. From there I moved to my current position asa PhD student in the Coffelt (CRUK Beatson) and Edwards (UoG WWCRC) labs, studying the prognostic role of gamma delta T cells in colorectal cancer. 

 

Outside of science I am a major bookworm!

 

 

Qualifications

BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science with Distinction, University of Abertay, Dundee

Research summary

My interests are in understanding the immunobiology of T cells, particularly gamma delta T cells, and their translation into a tangible patient benefit, such as CAR-T cells. 

Current research interests

Currently I am focused on deciphering the prognostic role of gamma delta T cells in colorectal cancer, how they operate in that role and whether the effect is malleable. I am studying this primarily in the context of the CRC phenotypic subtypes.

Past research interests

Previously, I have worked on the isoforms of p53 and their effect on a drug which restores the of WT function to mutated p53. I maintain some interest in their role immune cell recruitment.

Affiliated research centres

Conference details

Circulating Biomarkers, Dundee, 2017 - delegate

Tumour Immunology Conference, CRUK Beatson, 2017 - delegate

The Changing Landscape of Ageing, Biochemical Society/UoG, 2018 - delegate

NCRI, Glasgow, 2018 - delegate and e-poster

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