About The Lab

Targetting the Extracellular Matrix in Cancer Metastasis

The Matrix and Metastasis Lab is based at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research Kinghorn Cancer Centre in Sydney, Australia.

Our work is focused on tackling the knowledge gap in, and re-defining our understanding of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in diseases such as cancer. The lab strives to identify new matrix targets and matrix targeting approaches, as well as develop ways to maximise the effectiveness of pre-clinical cancer models for personalising new and/or current anti-cancer agents.

Our labs research vision integrates matrix biology with precision oncology to achieve the following goals

(1) Expand our repertoire of anti-cancer therapeutic targets to include matrix molecules and their effectors, critical component of all solid tumours, and drive forward our already established pipeline of anti-ECM drugs.

(2) Continue to develop and utilise powerful, state-of-the-art, physiologically relevant in vitro and in vivo 3D models that include native ECM to assay and streamline the evaluation of novel and existing therapies.

(3) Reshape the way we view the matrix, as an active contributor to cancer, not just a passive bystander, and leverage this to better stratify cancer patients for personalised stromal targeting in solid tumours.

Click here to read more about Thomas’ career

Lab Members

Thomas R. Cox, PhD.
Laboratory Head (Faculty)
Associate Professor (Conjoint) – UNSW Sydney

Jennifer Ashworth, PhD.
Visiting Group Leader
(University of Nottingham, UK)

Amelia L. Parker, PhD.
Senior Post Doctoral Research Fellow
Associate Lecturer (Conjoint) – UNSW Sydney

Jessica L. Chitty, PhD.
Senior Post Doctoral Research Fellow
Associate Lecturer (Conjoint) – UNSW Sydney

Elysse C. Filipe, PhD.
Post Doctoral Research Fellow
Associate Lecturer (Conjoint) – UNSW Sydney

Samridhi Sharma, PhD.
Post Doctoral Research Fellow

Nicole Yuwono, PhD.
Post Doctoral Research Fellow

Emmi Tran
Research Assistant

Ellie Mok
Research Assistant

Dasol Yoo
Research Assistant

Sipiththa Velayuthar
Research Assistant

Ron Enriquez
Animal Tech

Kaitlin Wyllie
Ph.D Student
(UNSW)

Céline Schmitter
Visiting Masters Student
(École normale supérieure (ENS) de Lyon, France)

Matrix & Metastasis Lab Alumni

Miguel Santos [2020-2023] – Visiting Scientist (University of Sydney)
Chien Hung [2020-2023] – Visiting Scientist (University of Sydney)
Audrey Nadalini [2022] – Research Assistant
Michelle Yam [2018-2021] – Research Assistant
Yordanos Setargew [2020-2021] – Research Assistant
Gretel Major [2019-2020] – Research Assistant
Joanna Skhinas [2017-2020] – Research Assistant
Tessa Boyles [2018-2019] – Visiting Scientist (Dept. of Oncology, Herlev Hospital, Denmark)

Previous Students

Sipiththa Velayuthar [2023] – Honours Student (UNSW) – Graduated 1st Class Honours
Michael Papanicolaou [2018-2022] – Ph.D Student (UTS)
Shahd Hassabalnaby [2021] – Honours Student (UNSW) – Graduated 1st Class Honours
Rhiannon Grant [2020] – Honours Student (UNSW) – Graduated 1st Class Honours
Yordanos Setargew [2019] – Honours Student (UNSW) – Graduated 1st Class Honours
Shivanjali Ratnaseelan [2019] – Honours Student (UNSW) – Graduated 1st Class Honours
Elvan Kaya [2018] – Visiting M.Sc. Student (University of Groningen, The Netherlands)

Research Interests

Extracellular Matrix
Cellular Microenvironment
Biomechanics
Lysyl Oxidases
Targeted therapies
Kinase signalling
Systems Biology
Network Medicine
Proteomics
Breast Cancer
Lung Cancer
Colorectal Cancer
Cancer Metastasis

Publications

See here for a full publication list

Funding

Work in the Matrix and Metastasis Lab is supported by the following funders: