About
"In the past decade, novel cancer immunotherapy strategies have contributed to the successful treatment of many patients with advanced cancers; however, we are only at the beginning of the journey towards curing all cancer subtypes. A better understanding of the fundamental interactions between the immune system and malignant cells is therefore required to help achieve this goal."
As a cancer immunotherapy researcher, Professor Ali Roghanian is interested in studying tumour-mediated immunosuppression and applying targeted therapies to promote effective anti-tumour immunity. To achieve this, his group uses innovative technologies, including advanced preclinical models of human cancers (e.g. PDX, CDX and humanised models), complementary platforms (e.g. syngeneic models and cell cultures), and novel therapeutic modalities, such as monoclonal antibodies and cellular therapies.
Research
Research groups
Research interests
- Cancer immunotherapy
- Monoclonal antibodies
- Cellular therapies (e.g., CAR T and iNKT cells)
- Immunoinhibitory receptors (e.g., LILRBs and FcγRIIB)
- Advanced pre-clinical models (e.g., PDX and humanized)
Current research
Professor Ali Roghanian’s research interests focus primarily on advancing cancer immunotherapy and understanding the role of inhibitory receptors (e.g., FcγRIIB and LILRBs) expressed on immune cells and certain tumour types. In particular, his group is interested in exploring how targeting these inhibitory receptors with bespoke monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) can activate tumour-associated macrophages and myeloid-derived suppressor cells to promote anti-tumour immunity.
Other research projects within the group focus on developing novel chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-based cellular therapies (e.g., T and iNKT cells) to treat cancers with significant unmet clinical need and other hard-to-treat malignancies, including paediatric cancers.
Collectively, these studies aim to overcome therapeutic resistance, commonly observed in patients, and enhance the efficacy of conventional cancer treatments by conditioning the immune system to more efficiently eradicate malignant cells. Ultimately, the group seeks to translate fundamental discoveries into innovative therapeutics that provide greater clinical benefit while reducing treatment-related toxicity.
These projects are conducted in close collaboration with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, as well as leading academic institutions, to accelerate the translation of laboratory discoveries into clinical applications.
Research projects
Active projects
Completed projects
Publications
Teaching
- MEDI6252- MSc Cancer Biology and Immunology (2024-Date): Co-lead for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy module, Lecturer, Tutor, Assessor and Project supervisor
- MEDI3048- BM Research Project (2019-2025): Deputy Module Leader, Annual Conference Chair, Assessor, Project supervisor
- BIOL3052 & BIOL604- Biomedical Technology (2019- ): Lecturer, Assessor
- MEDI1036- Medicine (2019- ): Tutor
- MEDI2038- Medicine (2019- ): Tutor
- BIOL3043 & BIOL6039- Cellular and Molecular Pathology (2020- ): Lecturer, Assessor
- NATS3006- Drugs of the future- designing a magic bullet (2020- ): Lecturer, Assessor
- Integrated PhD Cancer Pathway (2018- ): Project supervisor
- Personal Academic Tutor for 5 UG Medical students
External roles and responsibilities
Biography
Professor Roghanian obtained his PhD from the University of Edinburgh Medical School; followed by a number of years of postdoctoral research at industry and academia, including a contract research organisation (Envigo+), the University of Cambridge and the University of Southampton. Ali was subsequently awarded a highly competitive Blood Cancer UK Visiting Fellowship in 2015 to pursue his research goals at the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, USA.
Ali relocated back to Southampton in 2018 to establish his independent research group at the newly-opened Centre for Cancer Immunology.
Prizes
- Koch Institute at MIT Image Award (2016)
- Blood Cancer UK Visiting Fellowship (2016)
- Faculty of Medicine Inaugural Junior Enterprise Award (2014)
- Faculty of Medicine Staff Achievement Award (2018)
- Faculty of Medicine Staff Achievement Award (2024) (2024)
- Koch Institute at MIT Image Award (2016)
- Blood Cancer UK Visiting Fellowship (2016)
- Faculty of Medicine Inaugural Junior Enterprise Award (2014)
- Faculty of Medicine Staff Achievement Award (2018)
- Faculty of Medicine Staff Achievement Award (2024) (2024)