Prof David Bryant - Epithelial Polarity
Introduction
Our lab focuses on a fundamental, yet largely unanswered question: How is the normal organisation of tissue disrupted to allow cells to form disarrayed tumours? Cells of many tissues are polarised. That is that cells collectively form configurations tailored to the needs of a tissue. During tumourigenesis this exquisite organisation is lost. Despite the loss of tissue polarity being an obligate event in cancer progression, we know little about this basic process.
We use mini ‘avatars’ of tumours ex vivo to understand how cells collectively organise. Our efforts are focused on colorectal and prostate cancers. We take two approaches to unravel the complexity of this process:
1) building new tools to analyse tumour avatars ex vivo, and
2) identifying the signalling processes that drive collective tumour invasion and metastasis. We collaborate extensively for a multi-disciplinary approach to understand tumour metastasis (Sansom, Zanivan, Blyth, Leung, Miller Labs @ CRUK Scotland Institute).
To develop better tools to understand how tumour cells loose polarity, we have developed cutting-edge, high-content microscopy and computational image analysis of tumour spheroids and organoids, live-imaging how normal cells become tumours. Molecularly, we focus on two pathways: phosphoinositide signalling (including the kinases and phosphatases that produce them, and master regulators of their function: the ARF GTPases), and the role of the metastasis-promoting sialomucin, Podocalyxin. We are particularly interested in how these participate in metastasis.
Our ultimate aim is to investigate such changes in cell polarity as potential future biomarkers of cancer in patients, and possible targets for future therapeutic interventions.
EmailCell scientist to watch − David Bryant
Click here to read David's interview with the Journal of Cell Science.
Click here to read David’s perspective article on LGBT+ visibility in leadership.
Click here to read David’s essay on using your voice to stand up for diversity
Other funding:
Lab Report
pdf Bryant Lab Report (623 KB)
Research Highlights
- Loss of PTEN in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancers unleashes a pro-invasive module, consisting of an ARF GTPase module that governs endocytic recycling of pro-invasive integrins (EMBO J, 2023)
- The modality through which prostate tumours metastasise is regulated by surface levels of the adhesion protein N-cadherin, controlled by the ARF3 GTPase (JCB, 2023)
- The sialomucin Podocalyxin drives metastasis by acting as a decoy receptor to remove the function of otherwise invasion-inhibiting proteins (Science Advances 2023)
- Development of a machine-learning and live-imaging based methodology for detecting heterogeneity in 3D culture (Nat Comms, 2022)
- An ARF GTPase pathway amplified in cancer patients controls key lipid (phosphatidylinositol-phosphate) signalling to drive metastasis (Nat Comms, 2021)
- Identification of the key lipid (phosphatidylinositol-phosphate) metabolic pathways that control the formation of an apical surface. This defined that PI(3,4)P2 is a determinant of apical identity (Nat Comms, 2018)
Key Recent Publications
Nikolatou K, Sandilands E, Román-Fernández A, Cumming EM, Freckmann E, Lilla S, Buetow L, McGarry L, Neilson M, Shaw R, Strachan D, Miller C, Huang DT, McNeish IA, Norman JC, Zanivan S, Bryant DM. PTEN deficiency exposes a requirement for an ARF GTPase module for integrin-dependent invasion in ovarian cancer. The EMBO Journal. 2023;n/a:e113987.
Sandilands E, Freckmann EC, Cumming EM, Román-Fernández A, McGarry L, Anand J, Galbraith L, Mason S, Patel R, Nixon C, Cartwright J, Leung HY, Blyth K, Bryant DM. The small GTPase ARF3 controls invasion modality and metastasis by regulating N-cadherin levels. Journal of Cell Biology. 2023;222: e202206115
Román-Fernández A, Mansour MA, Kugeratski FG, Anand J, Sandilands E, Galbraith L, Rakovic K, Freckmann EC, Cumming EM, Park J, Nikolatou K, Lilla S, Shaw R, Strachan D, Mason S, Patel R, McGarry L, Katoch A, Campbell KJ, Nixon C, Miller CJ, Leung HY, Le Quesne J, Norman JC, Zanivan S, Blyth K, Bryant DM. Spatial regulation of the glycocalyx component podocalyxin is a switch for prometastatic function. Sci Adv. 2023;9:eabq1858.
Freckmann EC, Sandilands E, Cumming E, Neilson M, Román-Fernández A, Nikolatou K, Nacke M, Lannagan TRM, Hedley A, Strachan D, Salji M, Morton JP, McGarry L, Leung HY, Sansom OJ, Miller CJ, Bryant DM. Traject3d allows label-free identification of distinct co-occurring phenotypes within 3D culture by live imaging. Nat Commun. 2022;13:5317.
Nacke M, Sandilands E, Nikolatou K, Román-Fernández Á, Mason S, Patel R, Lilla S, Yelland T, Galbraith LCA, Freckmann EC, McGarry L, Morton JP, Shanks E, Leung HY, Markert E, Ismail S, Zanivan S, Blyth K, Bryant DM. An ARF GTPase module promoting invasion and metastasis through regulating phosphoinositide metabolism. Nat Commun. 2021;12:1623.
Biography
Education and qualifications
2006: PhD, University of Queensland, Australia, Supervisor Jennifer Stow
2002: BSc (Hons) Class I, University of Queensland, Australia
Appointments
2024-present: Professor, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow
2022-present: Reader, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow
2014-present: Beatson Associate, CRUK Scotland Institute
2014-2022: Senior Lecturer, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow
2012-2014: Associate Academic Researcher, University of California, San Francisco, USA
2006-2012: Postdoctoral Fellow with Keith Mostov, UC San Francisco, USA
Professional committee membership
2022-present: Editor, Journal of Cell Science
2019-present: Editorial Advisory Board, Journal of Cell Science
2019-present: Deputy Chair, Athena Swan Committee, School of Cancer Sciences
2017-present: Affiliate Member, BioRxiv Biology Preprint Server
2015-present: Editorial Board Member, International Review of Cell and Molecular Biology
Honours and awards
2018 Profiled as 'Cell Scientist to watch', Journal of Cell Science
2011 Finalist, U. Queensland 'Young Alumnus of the Year' Award
2007 Postdoctoral Fellowship, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
2005 Cure Cancer Foundation 'Australian Young Researcher of the Year'
Recent Publications
2023
Nikolatou K, Sandilands E, Román-Fernández A, Cumming EM, Freckmann E, Lilla S, Buetow L, McGarry L, Neilson M, Shaw R, Strachan D, Miller C, Huang DT, McNeish IA, Norman JC, Zanivan S, Bryant DM. PTEN deficiency exposes a requirement for an ARF GTPase module for integrin-dependent invasion in ovarian cancer. The EMBO Journal. 2023;n/a:e113987.
Román-Fernández A, Mansour MA, Kugeratski FG, Anand J, Sandilands E, Galbraith L, Rakovic K, Freckmann EC, Cumming EM, Park J, Nikolatou K, Lilla S, Shaw R, Strachan D, Mason S, Patel R, McGarry L, Katoch A, Campbell KJ, Nixon C, Miller CJ, Leung HY, Le Quesne J, Norman JC, Zanivan S, Blyth K, Bryant DM. Spatial regulation of the glycocalyx component podocalyxin is a switch for prometastatic function. Sci Adv. 2023;9:eabq1858.
Sandilands E, Freckmann EC, Cumming EM, Román-Fernández A, McGarry L, Anand J, Galbraith L, Mason S, Patel R, Nixon C, Cartwright J, Leung HY, Blyth K, Bryant DM. The small GTPase ARF3 controls invasion modality and metastasis by regulating N-cadherin levels. Journal of Cell Biology. 2023;222: e202206115
Bryant DM. We are the system. J Cell Sci. 2023(24).
Nikolatou K, Bryant DM, Sandilands E. The ARF GTPase regulatory network in collective invasion and metastasis. Biochem Soc Trans. 2023.
2022
Freckmann EC, Sandilands E, Cumming E, Neilson M, Román-Fernández A, Nikolatou K, Nacke M, Lannagan TRM, Hedley A, Strachan D, Salji M, Morton JP, McGarry L, Leung HY, Sansom OJ, Miller CJ, Bryant DM. Traject3d allows label-free identification of distinct co-occurring phenotypes within 3D culture by live imaging. Nat Commun. 2022;13:5317.
Kai F, Ou G, Tourdot RW, Stashko C, Gaietta G, Swift MF, Volkmann N, Long AF, Han Y, Huang HH, Northey JJ, Leidal AM, Viasnoff V, Bryant DM, Guo W, Wiita AP, Guo M, Dumont S, Hanein D, Radhakrishnan R, Weaver VM. ECM dimensionality tunes actin tension to modulate endoplasmic reticulum function and spheroid phenotypes of mammary epithelial cells. Embo j. 2022; 41:e109205
Nikolatou K, Sandilands E, Roman-Fernandez A, Cumming EM, Freckmann EC, Lilla S, Buetow L, McGarry L, Neilson M, Shaw R, Strachan D, Miller C, Huang DT, McNeish IA, Norman JC, Zanivan S, Bryant D. PTEN deficiency exposes a requirement for an ARF GTPase module in integrin-dependent invasion in ovarian cancer. bioRxiv. 2022;Volume:2022.2011.2029.518198.
Román-Fernández Á, Sandilands E, Bryant DM. The Use of Three-Dimensional Cell Culture to Study Apicobasal Polarization and Lumen Formation. Methods Mol Biol. 2022;2438:439-454.
Bristow RG, Engel J, Jayasinghe I, Kampmann M, James Sansom O, Bryant DM. Conversations with LGBT+ scientists about visibility, leadership and climbing the career ladder. Journal of Cell Science. 2022;135:jcs259880
2021
Nacke M, Sandilands E, Nikolatou K, Román-Fernández Á, Mason S, Patel R, Lilla S, Yelland T, Galbraith LCA, Freckmann EC, McGarry L, Morton JP, Shanks E, Leung HY, Markert E, Ismail S, Zanivan S, Blyth K, Bryant DM. An ARF GTPase module promoting invasion and metastasis through regulating phosphoinositide metabolism. Nat Commun. 2021;12:1623.
Nászai M, Bellec K, Yu Y, Román-Fernández A, Sandilands E, Johansson J, Campbell AD, Norman JC, Sansom OJ, Bryant DM, Cordero JB. RAL GTPases mediate EGFR-driven intestinal stem cell proliferation and tumourigenesis. Elife. 2021;10:e63807
2020
Millar R, Kilbey A, Remak SJ, Severson TM, Dhayade S, Sandilands E, Foster K, Bryant DM, Blyth K, Coffelt SB. The MSP-RON axis stimulates cancer cell growth in models of triple negative breast cancer. Molecular oncology. 2020;14: 1868-1880
2019
Kugeratski FG, Atkinson SJ, Neilson LJ, Lilla S, Knight JRP, Serneels J, Juin A, Ismail S, Bryant DM, Markert EK, Machesky LM, Mazzone M, Sansom OJ, Zanivan S. Hypoxic cancer-associated fibroblasts increase NCBP2-AS2/HIAR to promote endothelial sprouting through enhanced VEGF signaling. Science signaling 2019; 12: eaan8247
2018
Fort L, Batista JM, Thomason PA, Spence HJ, Whitelaw JA, Tweedy L, Greaves J, Martin KJ, Anderson KI, Brown P, Lilla S, Neilson MP, Tafelmeyer P, Zanivan S, Ismail S, Bryant DM, Tomkinson NCO, Chamberlain LH, Mastick GS, Insall RH, Machesky LM. Fam49/CYRI interacts with Rac1 and locally suppresses protrusions. Nat Cell Biol. 2018; 20: 1159-71
Hewit K, Sandilands E, Martinez RS, James D, Leung HY, Bryant DM, Shanks E, Markert EK. A functional genomics screen reveals a strong synergistic effect between docetaxel and the mitotic gene DLGAP5 that is mediated by the androgen receptor. Cell Death Dis. 2018; 9: 1069.
Roman-Fernandez A, Roignot J, Sandilands E, Nacke M, Mansour MA, McGarry L, Shanks E, Mostov KE, Bryant DM. The phospholipid PI(3,4)P2 is an apical identity determinant. Nat Commun. 2018; 9: 5041.
Stehbens SJ, Ju RJ, Adams MN, Perry S, Haass NK, Bryant DM, Pollock PM. FGFR2b activating mutations disrupt cell polarity to potentiate migration and invasion in endometrial cancer. J Cell Sci 2018; 131:
2017
Datta A, Sandilands E, Mostov KE, Bryant DM. Fibroblast-derived HGF drives acinar lung cancer cell polarization through integrin-dependent RhoA-ROCK1 inhibition. Cell Signal 2017; 40: 91-8
Gao L, Yang Z, Hiremath C, Zimmerman SE, Long B, Brakeman PR, Mostov KE, Bryant DM, Luby-Phelps K, Marciano DK. Afadin orients cell division to position the tubule lumen in developing renal tubules. Development 2017; 144: 3511-20
Reid SE, Kay EJ, Neilson LJ, Henze AT, Serneels J, McGhee EJ, Dhayade S, Nixon C, Mackey JB, Santi A, Swaminathan K, Athineos D, Papalazarou V, Patella F, Roman-Fernandez A, ElMaghloob Y, Hernandez-Fernaud JR, Adams RH, Ismail S, Bryant DM et al. Tumor matrix stiffness promotes metastatic cancer cell interaction with the endothelium. EMBO J 2017; 36: 2373-89
Ruch TR, Bryant DM, Mostov KE, Engel JN. Par3 integrates Tiam1 and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling to change apical membrane identity. Mol Biol Cell 2017; 28: 252-60
Bryant D, Johnson A. Meeting report - Intercellular interactions in context: towards a mechanistic understanding of cells in organs. J Cell Sci 2017; 130: 2083-85
2016
Yang Z, Zimmerman SE, Tsunezumi J, Braitsch C, Trent C, Bryant DM, Cleaver O, Gonzalez-Manchon C, Marciano DK. Role of CD34 family members in lumen formation in the developing kidney. Dev Biol. 2016; 418: 66-74
Bryant DM, Yap AS. Editorial overview: Membrane traffic and cell polarity. Traffic. 2016; 17: 1231-2
Roman-Fernandez A, Bryant DM. Complex polarity: Building multicellular tissues through apical membrane traffic. Traffic. 2016; 17: 1244-61,
Lab Members
Group Leader
David Bryant
David.Bryant@glasgow.ac.uk
I was a PhD student at the University of Queensland, Australia, studying how growth factor receptors control cell-cell adhesion and migration. I followed this as a Postdoctoral Fellow at University of California, San Francisco studying how cells build apical surfaces. I established the research group at the CRUK Scotland Institute in 2014. My interests are in how groups of cells assemble into tissue and how the rules for this in cancer are changed. I'm also a strong advocate for LGBT equality, and in working to make the workplace open and accepting to all. Outside of work, you'll find me obsessed by cute dogs, playing piano, and going to concerts.
Laboratory Manager
Emma Sandilands
E.Sandilands@crukscotlandinstitute.ac.uk
As a PhD student at the Beatson Institute, Glasgow and a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre I investigated the various roles that Src and FAK tyrosine kinases play in cancer. I am currently a Laboratory Manager, where I use high-content microscopy, computational image analysis and molecular biology to study the invasion and metastasis of prostate and colon cancer in 3D. Outside of the lab you’ll find me spending time with my family and trying to keep my houseplants alive.
Postdoctoral Scientist
Archana Katoch
Archana.Katoch@glasgow.ac.uk
I joined the Postdoctoral researcher position at the Beatson Institute in 2021, following my PhD where I investigated the role of Epithelial-mesenchymal transition in cancer growth and therapeutic resistance. In my current role, I am investigating the mechanisms that control colorectal cancer growth and metastasis, and optimising experimental systems to aid my research. When not in the lab, I love to explore the breathtaking Scottish landscapes and going for long walks (in the hopes that I get to pet a lot of dogs).
PhD Students
Amy Bryson
2030391b@student.gla.ac.uk
As a PhD student my project focuses on investigating effects on cell growth and morphology upon manipulation of PIP metabolism enzymes expression in colon cancer. I use both in vitro and bioinformatic approaches in my work. For four years before beginning my PhD I worked in drug discovery carrying out high-throughput assay development and drug screening. Outside of the lab I dabbled in several crafts and always have at least one on the go. Between these I am not busy enough so you will often find me doing Scottish Country Dancing.
Yuanhao Lyu
3027377L@student.gla.ac.uk
I joined Professor David Bryant’s lab in 2024 as a PhD student, where I am currently focused on investigating the role of the PIP metabolism pathway in colorectal cancer metastasis. My research aims to identify key molecules within this pathway that may either promote or inhibit metastasis, with the potential to develop them into biomarkers or therapeutic targets. To achieve this, a variety of cutting-edge techniques, including gene editing, genetically modified mouse models, organoids, live cell imaging, and flow cytometry will be employed. Outside of the lab, I enjoy skating and traveling.
Senior Scientific Officer
Sonia Rolo
2507183R@student.gla.ac.uk
I was a PhD student at the CRUK SI, now transferred into my new Senior Scientific Officer position. I am using high-content microscopy and super resolution imaging to assess and optimize tools to elucidate phosphoinositide localisation in 3-dimensional organoid cultures models of colon cancer. Outside of work, you will find me practicing the Arts, currently focussed on poetry and watercolour paintings.
Master's Student
Nathan O'Donnell
2652015o@student.gla.ac.uk
I am currently undergoing a placement year at the CRUK SI as part of my MSci in Molecular and Cellular Biology (with biotechnology) at the University of Glasgow. I started my year placement in June 2024, and my project focuses on screening compounds which inhibit different proteins in the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway in PTEN-null KPN organoids. Outside of work, I enjoy playing most sports, but especially football and golf (when the ball goes straight!).
Former Lab Members
Dr Mohammed Mansour, Postdoctoral Fellow (Now: Senior Lecturer, London Southbank University)
Dr Narissa Parry, PhD Student (Now: Vertex Pharmaceuticals)
Dr Marisa Nacke, PhD Student
Dr Alvaro Roman Fernandez, Postdoctoral Fellow (Now: ThermoFisher)
Dr Konstantina Nikolatou, PhD Student (Now: Postdoctoral Fellow, Francis Crick Institute)
Dr Eva Freckmann, PhD Student (Now: Postdoctoral Fellow, CRUK Scotland Institute)
Dr Erin Cumming PhD Student (Now: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)
