Glen Boyle
Professor | Group Leader | Senior Research Fellow
+61 7 3362 0319glen.boyle@qimrberghofer.edu.au
CAREER HISTORY
Professor Glen Boyle is Head of the Cancer Drug Mechanisms Group in the Cancer Program at QIMR Berghofer. Professor Boyle established his group in October 2013 and was promoted to Senior Research Fellow in February 2015. He was the recipient of the Wilson Fellowship for Skin Cancer Research sponsored by Perpetual Trustees (2013-2016). He has been a Smart Futures Researcher-in-Residence sponsored by the Queensland Government (2011-2012) and has held National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and Cancer Council Queensland Grants investigating novel pathways in the formation of skin cancer and melanoma and the development of novel anti-cancer treatments. Professor Boyle has been investigating the molecular development of head and neck and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma since 1999. Professor Boyle holds adjunct positions at the University of Queensland and Queensland University of Technology.
CURRENT APPOINTMENTS
- Senior Research Fellow / Group Leader and Head, Cancer Drug Mechanisms Group, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Cancer Program, QIMR Berghofer
- Professor (Adjunct), School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology
- Senior Fellow (Honorary), School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland
PREVIOUS APPOINTMENTS
2013-2016: Team Head, Cancer Drug Mechanisms Group, Wilson Fellow for Skin Cancer Research, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Cancer Program
2011-2012: Smart Futures Fellow, Senior Research Officer, Drug Discovery Group, Queensland Institute of Medical Research
2003-2010: Senior Research Officer, Drug Discovery Group, Division of Cancer and Cell Biology, Queensland Institute of Medical Research
1999-2003: Research Officer, Melanoma Genomics Group, Division of Population and Clinical Sciences, Queensland Institute of Medical Research
ORCID NUMBER
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1385-529X
RESEARCHER ID
CURRENT AREA OF RESEARCH
The Cancer Drug Mechanisms group combines molecular and cellular biology with understanding of drug mechanisms to potentially treat cancers and other chronic diseases. Their cell and molecular biology work focuses on understanding the mechanisms involved in the progression and metastasis of cancers of the skin (melanoma and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma) and of the mouth and throat (head and neck cancer). These mechanisms also impact on the resistance of these cancers to treatment. The identification and understanding of aberrantly regulated pathways in these cancers is crucial to the identification of suitable therapeutic agents to treat these diseases and impact patient outcome.
The Group has identified different sub-populations of melanoma cells within the same tumour are important in the processes of growth and spreading and theorise these different cell types cooperate and communicate with each other to enable this to happen. Importantly, one cell type potentially resists killing while in circulation and may shield other cell populations. These findings bring opportunities to study the way the tumour cells communicate and cooperate with each other that may lead to potential treatments to stop melanoma cells growing and spreading, resulting in better outcomes for patients with the disease.
The Lab’s work with novel drugs has focused on new ways to treat chronic, non-healing skin wounds in patients.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
- Identification of a novel factor involved in melanoma invasion that imparts survival of cancer cells in circulation
- establishing that different sub-populations of melanoma cells within the same tumour are crucial for tumour growth after metastasis
- first to link mechanism of mutually exclusive expression of key transcription factors in melanoma
- mechanism-of-action and efficacy studies of two novel anti-cancer agents, including initial publications describing the molecules. One approved for sale internationally in 2012, the other currently in Phase Ib/II trials
- development of a model leading to identification of key molecules involved in neural invasion of skin cancer (squamous cell carcinoma)
- characterisation of the molecular effects of a novel agent for treatment of chronic skin wounds
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
2006 – current: Australian Society for Medical Research
2006 – current: Society for Melanoma Research
1996 – current: Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
AWARDS RECOGNITION
Fellowships
2013-2017: Perpetual Foundation, Wilson Fellowship for Skin Cancer Research
2011-2012: Smart Futures Researcher-in-Residence from the Queensland Government
Awards
2017: Bancroft Medal, QIMR Berghofer
2009: Queensland Premier’s Awards for Health and Medical Research, Senior Researcher category, Runner-up
2008: Australian Academy of Science, Theo Murphy ‘High Flyers’ Think Tank Preventative health: Science and technology in the prevention and early detection of disease: Participant
1994-1997: Australian Postgraduate Award
1993: HECS Scholarship. Awarded by Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
1999: PhD (Medicine), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University
1993: Honours Degree, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University
1990: Bachelor of Science, Monash University