Prof. W. Brent Derry, The Hospital for Sick Children and Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto

Host: Annika Meinander (ÅAU Cell Biology and Receptor Programme)

The broad goal of Derry’s research is to understand how genes that are mutated in various diseases function in vivo. He uses the powerful genetics and functional genomics tools of the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans to understand how tumour suppressors and oncogenes control cell survival, genome stability and organism development. He is particularly interested in how cells communicate with one another to sculpt organs and make life or death decisions when challenged with stresses, such as chemotherapy and radiation. Derry also has a robust research program that is focused on understanding the mechanistic basis of the human neurovascular disease cerebral cavernous malformations (CCM). He is collaborating with an international team of scientists and clinicians to discover drugs that can be used to prevent the onset of CCM in humans.

Selected publications:
Pal, S., Lant, B., Yu, B., Tian, R., Tong, J., Krieger, J.R., Moran, M.F., Gingras, A.C., & Derry, W. B. CCM-3 Promotes C. elegans germline development by regulating vesicle trafficking cytokinesis and polarity. (2017) Current Biology. 27(6): 868-876.

Eroglu, M. & Derry, W.B. (2016) Your neighbours matter – non-autonomous control of apoptosis in development and disease. Cell Death and Differentiation. 23(7): 1110-1118.

Mateo, A.R, Kessler, Z., Jolliffe, A.K., McGovern, O., Yu, B., Nicolucci, A., Yanowitz, J.L. & Derry, W.B. (2016) The p53-like protein CEP-1 is required for meiotic fidelity in C. elegans. Current Biology. 26(9): 1148-1158.

Lant B, Yu B, Goudreault M, Holmyard D, Knight JD, Xu P, Zhao L, Chin K, Wallace E, Zhen M, Gingras AC, Derry WB. (2015) CCM-3/STRIPAK promotes seamless tube extension through endocytic recycling. Nature Communications. 6: 6449.

Baruah, A., Chang, H., Hall, M., Yuan, J., Gordon, S., Johnson, E., Shtessel, L.L., Yee, C., Hekimi, S., Derry, W.B., & Lee, S.S. (2014). CEP1, the Caenorhabditis elegans p53 homolog, mediates opposing longevity outcomes in mitochondrial electron transport chain mutants. PLoS Genetics. 10(2): e1004097.

Perrin, A.J., Gunda, M., Yu, B., Yen, K., Ito, S., Forster, S., Young, J., Tissenbaum, H.A. & Derry, W.B. (2013). Noncanonical control of C. elegans germline apoptosis by the insulin/IGF-1 and Ras/MAPK signaling pathways. Cell Death and Differentiation. 20(1): 97-107.

Ross, A.J., Li, M., Yu, B., Gao, M.X. & Derry, W.B. (2011). The EEL-1 ubiquitin ligase promotes DNA damage-induced germ cell apoptosis in C. elegans. Cell Death and Differentiation. 18(7): 1140-1149.

Ito, S., Greiss, S., Gartner, A. & Derry, W.B. (2010). Cell-nonautonomous regulation of C. elegans germ cell death by kri-1. Current Biology. 20(4): 333-338.

Gao, X. Liao, E., Yu, B., Wang, Y., Zhen, M. & Derry, W.B. (2008). The SCFFSN-1 ubiquitin ligase controls CEP-1/p53-dependent apoptosis in Caenorhabditis elegans. Cell Death and Differentiation. 15(6): 1054-1062.

Quevedo, C., Kaplan, D.R. & Derry, W.B. (2007). AKT-1 regulates DNA-damage induced germline apoptosis in C. elegans. Current Biology. 17(3): 286-292.