Dr Karen Sisley
BSc, PhD
Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health
Senior Lecturer
+44 114 215 9061
Full contact details
Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health
Office: EU21
The Medical School
Beech Hill Road
Sheffield
S10 2RX
- Profile
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For enquiries please contact - SMPH-West-Operational@sheffield.ac.uk
Having obtained my PhD from the University of Sheffield in 1992, I continued my active research into rare cancers and as Senior Lecturer I am the lead of the Rare Cancer Research Group (RCRG) with a main focus on ocular tumours and sarcoma, but also with an interest in thyroid and other rare cancers.
Cancer Cell Line Expertise
I have a specialist interest and expertise in the generation of cell lines from rare and common cancers. To date over 20 cell lines have been generated, with additional variants of some original cell lines. My group has expertise in working with both commercial and other partners to generate cell lines and/or deliver specific R&D work. Please get in contact for information on our currently available and emerging cell lines, or to discuss potential projects.
The TUoS licensing website, detailing available cell-lines, can be viewed here:
https://licensing.sheffield.ac.uk/products/biological-materials
- Research interests
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My research interests are the genetic and biological behaviour of uveal melanoma. Sheffield is one of three national centres for the treatment of uveal melanoma, and I work closely with Professor Ian Rennie and the Sheffield Ocular Oncology Service to establish an active research group investigating how the genetic basis of uveal melanoma underpins its behaviour.
As a group we were instrumental in the introduction of genetic biomarker testing for uveal melanoma and actively continue our investigations in this area. I am also interested in the DNA damage response of uveal melanomas and how we can facilitate new and novel therapeutics.
My research continues to investigate the genetic basis of uveal melanomas but has broadened in recent years to consider how the interaction with the environment affects the way these melanomas develop. I also collaborate and work on another rare tumour, sarcoma and have become actively involved in investigating the genetic characterization of sarcoma and developing a molecular pathological classification suitable for all subtypes.
As a group, we also have an interest in cancer stem cells and the heterogeneity of tumours.
Current projects
- Understanding the aggressive behaviour of uveal melanoma, and the potential role that stem cells may have.
- Determining the key genetic events in the development of uveal melanoma.
- Investigating how the environment may influence the behaviour and development of uveal melanoma.
- The molecular pathological classification of sarcomas.
- Investigating how genetic defects influence sarcoma behaviour.
Within each project area are a number of smaller focussed research projects suitable for development as student projects, although funding is not currently available for these projects. Interested students are welcome to contact me to discuss the possibilities of undertaking research with the RTRG.
- Publications
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All publications
Journal articles
- Multi-modal mass spectrometric imaging of uveal melanoma. Metabolites, 11(8).
- Increased non-homologous end joining makes DNA-PK a promising target for therapeutic intervention in uveal melanoma. Cancers, 11(9). View this article in WRRO
- Aggressive Ciliary Body Adenocarcinoma with Bilateral Lung Metastases: Histological, Molecular, Genetic and Clinical Aspects. Ocular Oncology and Pathology, 5(2), 79-84.
- Genetic profiling of primary orbital melanoma-an analysis of 6 cases with clinico-pathological correlation. Ophthalmology. View this article in WRRO
- Reply. Ophthalmology, 125(11), e79-e80.
- Genetic Background of Iris Melanomas and Iris Melanocytic Tumors of Uncertain Malignant Potential. Ophthalmology, 125(6), 904-912. View this article in WRRO
- Sister Chromatid Exchange and Genomic Instability in Soft Tissue Sarcomas: Potential Implications for Response to DNA-Damaging Treatments. Sarcoma, 2018. View this article in WRRO
- Phenotypic Plasticity in Uveal Melanoma Is Not Restricted to a Tumor Subpopulation and Is Unrelated to Cancer Stem Cell Characteristics.. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 58(12), 5387-5395. View this article in WRRO
- One tumour, two clones: An in vitro model of intra-tumour heterogeneity. Annals of Oncology, 28, v14-v14.
- Late Solitary Extraocular Recurrence from Previously Resected Iris Melanoma. American Journal of Ophthalmology, 181, 97-105. View this article in WRRO
- Effects of prolonged exposure to low dose metformin in thyroid cancer cell lines. Journal of Cancer, 8(6), 1053-1061. View this article in WRRO
- Establishment and molecular characterisation of seven novel soft-tissue sarcoma cell lines. British Journal of Cancer, 115, 1058-1068. View this article in WRRO
- High-Resolution Array CGH Analysis Identifies Regional Deletions and Amplifications of Chromosome 8 in Uveal Melanoma. Investigative Opthalmology & Visual Science, 56(6), 3460-3466.
- Reprint of: Investigation of the role of Metformin in thyroid cancer. European Journal of Surgical Oncology (EJSO), 40(12), 1799-1800.
- Investigation of the role of Metformin in thyroid cancer. European Journal of Surgical Oncology (EJSO), 40, S3-S4.
- Immunohistochemical and molecular pathology of ocular uveal melanocytoma: Evidence for somatic GNAQ mutations. British journal of Ophthalmology, 97(7), 924-928.
- Reduced FANCD2 influences spontaneous SCE and RAD51 foci formation in uveal melanoma and Fanconi anaemia.. Oncogene, 32(46), 5338-5346. View this article in WRRO
- Bilateral diffuse uveal melanocytic hyperplasia: molecular characterization and novel association with bilateral renal papillary carcinoma.. Histopathology, 61(4), 751-754.
- High quality genomic copy number data from archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded leiomyosarcoma: optimisation of universal linkage system labelling.. PLoS One, 7(11), e50415. View this article in WRRO
- FANCD2: lessons in recombination from uveal melanoma.. MUTAGENESIS, 27(1), 107-107.
- Aldehyde dehydrogenase activity selects for the holoclone phenotype in prostate cancer cells.. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 414(4), 801-807.
- Resistance of uveal melanoma to the interstrand cross-linking agent mitomycin C is associated with reduced expression of CYP450R.. Br J Cancer, 104(7), 1098-1105. View this article in WRRO
- What hope for the future? GNAQ and uveal melanoma.. Br J Ophthalmol, 95(5), 620-623.
- Atypically low spontaneous sister chromatid exchange formation in uveal melanoma.. Genes Chromosomes Cancer, 50(1), 34-42.
- Common genetic changes in leiomyosarcoma and gastrointestinal stromal tumour: implication for ataxia telangiectasia mutated involvement.. Int J Exp Pathol, 90(5), 549-557.
- What is the significance of vortex vein invasion in uveal melanoma?. Eye (Lond), 23(8), 1661-1667.
- The in vivo modulatory effects of an anterior-chamber microenvironment on uveal melanoma.. Br J Ophthalmol, 93(4), 535-540.
- USING GENETIC MARKERS TO DETERMINE PROGNOSIS OF UVEAL MELANOMA. ANTICANCER RES, 28(5C), 3489-3489.
- Local environmental influences on uveal melanoma: vitreous humor promotes uveal melanoma invasion, whereas the aqueous can be inhibitory.. Cancer, 112(8), 1787-1794.
- Reduced expression of autotaxin predicts survival in uveal melanoma.. Br J Ophthalmol, 91(10), 1385-1392.
- Multiplex fluorescence in situ hybridization identifies novel rearrangements of chromosomes 6, 15, and 18 in primary uveal melanoma.. Exp Eye Res, 83(3), 554-559.
- Multiple locations on chromosome 3 are the targets of specific deletions in uveal melanoma.. Eye (Lond), 20(4), 476-481.
- Genetic characterisation of leiomyosarcoma. EJC SUPPL, 3(2), 352-352.
- A potential role for TGFbeta in the regulation of uveal melanoma adhesive interactions with the hepatic endothelium.. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 46(10), 3473-3477.
- Invasive and noninvasive uveal melanomas have different adhesive properties.. Eye (Lond), 19(3), 342-348.
- The identification of chromosome abnormalities associated with the invasive phenotype of uveal melanoma in vitro.. Clin Exp Metastasis, 22(2), 107-113.
- PC43 ENDOTHELIAL VCAM-1 AND MELANOMA α4 EXPRESSION INCREASE FOLLOWING INTERACTION OF INVASIVE UVEAL MELANOMAS WITH THE HEPATIC ENDOTHELIUM. Microcirculation, 11(6), 553-553.
- A critical appraisal of the prognostic and predictive factors for uveal malignant melanoma.. Histopathology, 45(1), 1-12.
- Evidence of macrophage and lymphocyte, but not dendritic cell, infiltration in posterior uveal melanomas, whilst cultured uveal melanomas demonstrate pluripotency by expressing CD68 and CD163.. Int J Exp Pathol, 85(1), 35-43.
- Expression of PAX 3 alternatively spliced transcripts and identification of two new isoforms in human tumors of neural crest origin.. Int J Cancer, 108(2), 314-320.
- Abstracts of the 41st Meeting of the British Microcirculation Society. Microcirculation, 11(6), 527-558.
- Instability of microsatellites is an infrequent event in uveal melanoma.. Melanoma Res, 13(5), 435-440.
- Tumor necrosis factor alpha increases and alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone reduces uveal melanoma invasion through fibronectin.. J Invest Dermatol, 121(3), 557-563.
- Apoptotic cell death in conjunction with CD80 costimulation confers uveal melanoma cells with the ability to induce immune responses.. Immunology, 109(1), 41-48.
- Stimulation and inhibition of uveal melanoma invasion by HGF, GRO, IL-1alpha and TGF-beta.. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 43(10), 3144-3152.
- An in vitro assay to assess uveal melanoma invasion across endothelial and basement membrane barriers.. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 43(6), 1708-1714.
- CD80-mediated induction of immunostimulation in two ocular melanoma cell lines is augmented by interferon-gamma.. Melanoma Res, 12(2), 129-138.
- Prediction of prognosis in patients with uveal melanoma using fluorescence in situ hybridisation.. Br J Ophthalmol, 85(12), 1440-1444.
- Cytogenetic analysis in ocular lymphoma.. Br J Ophthalmol, 85(11), 1388-1389.
- Expression of PAX-3 alternatively spliced transcripts in human tumours of neural crest origin. BRIT J CANCER, 85, 107-107.
- Expression of integrins, degradative enzymes and their inhibitors in uveal melanoma: differences between in vitro and in vivo expression.. Melanoma Res, 11(3), 265-273.
- Reduced expression of TAP-1 and TAP-2 in posterior uveal melanoma is associated with progression to metastatic disease.. Melanoma Res, 11(3), 275-281.
- A comparison of ocular melanocyte and uveal melanoma cell invasion and the implication of alpha1beta1, alpha4beta1 and alpha6beta1 integrins.. Br J Ophthalmol, 85(6), 732-738.
- An in vitro model of metastasis for uveal melanoma. INVEST OPHTH VIS SCI, 42(4), S219-S219.
- Dead or alive: immunogenicity of human melanoma cells when presented by dendritic cells.. Cancer Res, 60(22), 6441-6447.
- Alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone can reduce T-cell interaction with melanoma cells in vitro.. Melanoma Res, 10(4), 323-330.
- Expression of genes Pax-3 and Pax-7 in neural crest lineage tumours. BRIT J CANCER, 83, 36-36.
- Association of specific chromosome alterations with tumour phenotype in posterior uveal melanoma.. Br J Cancer, 82(2), 330-338. View this article in WRRO
- Expression of proteolytic enzymes and integrins in uveal melanoma and association to in vitro invasion. INVEST OPHTH VIS SCI, 40(4), S246-S246.
- Cytogenetics of iris melanomas: disparity with other uveal tract melanomas.. Cancer Genet Cytogenet, 101(2), 128-133.
- Clinical applications of chromosome analysis, from fine needle aspiration biopsies, of posterior uveal melanomas.. Eye (Lond), 12 ( Pt 2), 203-207.
- Chromosomal analysis of fine needle aspiration biopsies of uveal melanomas. Melanoma Research, 7(Supplement 1), S136-S136.
- Abnormalities of chromosomes 3 and 8 in posterior uveal melanoma correlate with prognosis.. Genes Chromosomes Cancer, 19(1), 22-28.
- Cytogenetic analysis of fine needle aspiration biopsies; Potential use in the prognosis of small posterior uveal melanoma.. INVEST OPHTH VIS SCI, 38(4), 3764-3764.
- Cytokine modulation of antigen expression in human melanoma cell lines derived from primary and metastatic tumour tissues.. Melanoma Res, 7(1), 32-42.
- Secondary chromosome alterations in ocular melanomas and relationship to prognosis. Cancer Genetics and Cytogenetics, 91(2), 180-180.
- Chromosome changes iris melanomas.. INVEST OPHTH VIS SCI, 37(3), 959-959.
- Two cases of double melanoma of the uvea.. Eye (Lond), 10 ( Pt 5), 600-602.
- CYTOGENETIC ALTERATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH ADVANCED UVEAL MELANOMAS. INVEST OPHTH VIS SCI, 36(4), S415-S415.
- Loss of heterozygosity of chromosome 3 in subsets of uveal melanomas. Cancer Genetics and Cytogenetics, 77(2), 183-183.
- COMPARISON OF THE LOSS OF HETEROZYGOSITY OF CHROMOSOME-3 MARKERS BETWEEN SUBSETS OF UVEAL MELANOMAS. INVEST OPHTH VIS SCI, 35(4), 1928-1928.
- Loss of heterozygosity of the thyroid hormone receptor B in posterior uveal melanoma.. Melanoma Res, 3(6), 457-461.
- INVESTIGATION OF A POTENTIAL MARKER FOR METASTATIC SPREAD IN POSTERIOR UVEAL MELANOMA. INVEST OPHTH VIS SCI, 34(4), 965-965.
- Cytogenetic study of primary and metastatic lesions of breast cancer. Cancer Genetics and Cytogenetics, 63(2), 159-159.
- Abnormalities of chromosomes 3, 6 and 8 in posterior uveal melanoma. Cancer Genetics and Cytogenetics, 63(2), 182-182.
- Non-random abnormalities of chromosomes 3, 6, and 8 associated with posterior uveal melanoma.. Genes Chromosomes Cancer, 5(3), 197-200.
- CYTOGENETICS OF UVEAL MELANOMA. INVEST OPHTH VIS SCI, 33(4), 1243-1243.
- Cytogenetic findings on six posterior uveal melanomas. Involvement of chromosomes. 3, 6 and 8.. Cancer Genetics and Cytogenetics, 52(2), 215-215.
- Cytogenetic findings in six posterior uveal melanomas: involvement of chromosomes 3, 6, and 8.. Genes Chromosomes Cancer, 2(3), 205-209.
- HETEROCHROMATIC MARKER REGIONS (NUCLEOLAR ORGANIZERS) IN THE CHROMOSOMES OF THE COMMON MUSSEL, MYTILUS-EDULIS (MOLLUSCA, PELECYPODA). J EXP MAR BIOL ECOL, 97(2), 205-212.
- Clinical implications and molecular features of extracellular matrix networks in soft tissue sarcomas. Clinical Cancer Research.
- Head and neck: Posterior uveal melanoma. Atlas of Genetics and Cytogenetics in Oncology and Haematology(3).
- Immunohistochemical and molecular pathology of ocular uveal melanocytoma: Evidence for somatic GNAQ mutations.. British Journal of Ophthalmology.
Chapters
- Tumours of the eye In Heim S (Ed.), Cancer Cytogenetics John Wiley Press
- Genetics of Uveal Melanoma, Albert & Jakobiec's Principles & Practice of Ophthalmology (pp. 4925-4934). Elsevier
- List of Contributors, Albert & Jakobiec's Principles & Practice of Ophthalmology (pp. xxiii-xliv). Elsevier
- Genetics of uveal melanoma In Albert & Jakobiec (Ed.), Principles and Practise of Ophthalmology Philadelphia: Lippincott,.
- The relevance of Chromosome Abnormalities in posterior uveal melanoma. In: Uveal Melanoma In Jager MJ & Neiderkorn JY (Ed.), Uveal Melanoma: A Model for Exploring Fundamental Cancer Biology CRC Press
- Genetics of Uveal Melanoma, Ocular Oncology (pp. 63-79). CRC Press
- Genetics of Uveal Melanoma, Ocular Oncology Informa Healthcare
- Genetics of uveal melanoma: chromosomal rearrangements and the identification of genes involved in tumourigenesis. In Albert DM & Polans A (Ed.), Ocular Oncology (pp. 66-83). Informa Healthcare
- Tumors of the eye, Cancer Cytogenetics (pp. 538-554). John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
- Genetics of Uveal Melanoma: Chromosomal Rearrangements and the Identification of Genes Involved in Tumorigenesis, Ocular Oncology (pp. 77-94). Taylor & Francis
Conference proceedings papers
- One tumour, two clones: An in vitro model of intra-tumour heterogeneity. ANNALS OF ONCOLOGY, Vol. 28
- Abstract 4231: Analysis of FFPE treated clinical tissue sections obtained from human intraocular malignancy, uveal melanoma by mass spectrometry imaging (MSI). Tumor Biology
- Isolation and Characterisation of Cancer Stem Cells in Solid Tumours. JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY, Vol. 228 (pp S34-S34)
- Isolation and Characterisation of Cancer Stem Cells in Solid Tumours. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER, Vol. 48 (pp S65-S66)
- Identification of soft tissue sarcoma subtypes using microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR MEDICINE, Vol. 30 (pp S61-S61)
- Isolation and characterisation of cancer stem cells in uveal melanoma. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR MEDICINE, Vol. 30 (pp S61-S61)
- Genetic advances in uveal melanoma. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS, Vol. 44 (pp S42-S42)
- TGF beta plays both a stimulatory and inhibitory role in the regulation of uveal melanoma invasion in vitro. INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE, Vol. 46
- Investigations of macrophage and dendritic cell markers in uveal melanoma. INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE, Vol. 44 (pp U362-U362)
- Hepatic endothelial cells may assist uveal melanomas to target the liver through alpha-4 integrin and VCAM-1 interactions. INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE, Vol. 44 (pp U367-U367)
- Prognostic factors in uveal melanoma: Correlation of vascular loop patterns with genetic imbalance as determined using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE, Vol. 44 (pp U255-U255)
- HGF, GRO and MIP-1 beta stimulate uveal melanoma migration whilst IL-1 alpha and TGF-beta inhibit migration. INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE, Vol. 43 (pp U246-U246)
- Teaching activities
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I am the course lead for Pathology on the undergraduate BMedSci Orthoptics course. The course spans two academic years and covers the basis of Ophthalmic disease, its presentation and consequences.
In addition I offer a supportive role annually to up to 5 students in the second year of the MBChB degree course, who select to undertake their research attachment with the research group.
Following on from these attachments a number of students have subsequently chosen to continue their research under my supervision by undertaking a BMedSci.
I am also a regular supervisor of both MSc students from University of Sheffield and Hallam University and a pesonal tutor for MSc, PhD and medical students.
- Professional activities and memberships
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- Regular reviewer for both Cancer and Ophthalmology journals.
- Reviewer for national and international grants.