Professor Trevor McMillan
Peel Professor of Cancer Biology
Tel: +44 (0)1524 592096
Fax: +44 (0)1524 592025
E-mail: j.hardwick@lancaster.ac.uk
Personal Assistant: Jacqui Hardwick
Research Interests
My research efforts at the present time are directed towards the characterisation of the mechanistic and genetic basis of sensitivity to DNA damage in mammalian cells in relation to cancer predisposition and therapy. The significance of the interaction between inherited sensitivity to carcinogenic agents and environmental exposure is at the heart of this work. Assays of DNA damage induction and repair, as well as the evaluation of gene expression and apoptosis in cells irradiated with ionising radiation and environmentally relevant wavelengths of UV light are the main areas in the mechanistic studies. The aims of this work are to provide rapid tests of radiation sensitivity that can be used in a predictive testing setting for cancer predisposition and radiotherapy. In addition we aim to identify novel targets for radiosensitisation and radioprotection.
Education
- BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences, Lancaster University, 1981.
- PhD from the Board of Radiobiology, University of London, 1985
Previous Academic Positions
- 1984-1987 Postdoctoral Fellow, Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Lincolns Inn Fields, London
- 1987-1995, Scientist, Radiotherapy Research Unit, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, Surrey.
Recent Publications
Ridley AJ, Whiteside JR, McMillan TJ and Allinson SL. (2009) Cellular and sub-cellular responses to UVA in relation to carcinogenesis. Int J Radiat Biol. 85 177-95
Whiteside JR and McMillan TJ. (2009) A bystander effect is induced in human cells treated with UVA radiation but not UVB radiation. Radiat Res. 171 204-11.
McMillan TJ, Leatherman E, Ridley A, Shorrocks J, Tobi SE and Whiteside JR. (2008) Cellular effects of long wavelength UV light (UVA) in mammalian cells. J Pharm Pharmacol. 2008 60 969-76.
Shorrocks J, Paul ND and McMillan TJ. (2008) The dose rate of UVA treatment influences the cellular response of HaCaT keratinocytes. J Invest Dermatol. 128 685-93.
Arlett CF, Plowman PN, Rogers PB, Parris CN, Abbaszadeh F, Green MH, McMillan TJ, Bush C, Foray N and Lehmann AR. (2006) Clinical and cellular ionizing radiation sensitivity in a patient with xeroderma pigmentosum. Br J Radiol. 79 510-7.
Bouffler SD, Bridges BA, Cooper DN, Dubrova Y, McMillan TJ, Thacker J, Wright EG and Waters R. (2006) Assessing radiation-associated mutational risk to the germline: repetitive DNA sequences as mutational targets and biomarkers. Radiat Res. 165 249-68.
Shorrocks J, Tobi SE, Latham H, Peacock JH, Eeles R, Eccles D and McMillan TJ. (2004) Primary fibroblasts from BRCA1 heterozygotes display an abnormal G1/S cell cycle checkpoint following UVA irradiation but show normal levels of micronuclei following oxidative stress or mitomycin C treatment. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 58 470-8.
Phillipson, R, Tobi, S, Morris, JA and McMillan, TJ. (2002) UVA induces persistent genomic instability in human keratinocytes through an oxidative stress mechanism. Free Radical Biology and Medicine 32, 474-480.
Fell, LJ, Paul, ND. and McMillan. TJ, (2002) The role of the non-homologous end joining in the cytotoxicity of UVA. Int. J. Radiat. Biol. 78 1023-1027
Cedervall, BE and McMillan, TJ (2002) The fraction of DNA released on pulsed field gel electrophoresis gels may differ significantly at low levels of double strand breaks. Radiation Research 158 247-9.