Fellow

Colin Cooper is section chairman of the Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis at the Insititue of Cancer Research Haddow Laboratories. He is best known for his role in the development of new methods of diagnosing human sarcomas, particularly synovial sarcomas, rhabdomyosarcomas and chondrosarcomas. Detection of fusions between the SYT and SSX genes that were identified in his laboratory now provides the most accurate method of diagnosing synovial sarcomas. He was also responsible for cloning the MET oncogene, now known to play a central role in controlling cell growth and motility, and for establishing how alterations in MET contribute to cellular transformation. He has recently identified a new oncogene, E2F3, that is activated by amplification and overexpression in around one third of bladder cancers. In addition to these discoveries, his early work led to an improved understanding of the mechanism of dietary environmental carcinogens and he has continued his interest in this area through membership of Department of Health Committees responsible for reviewing exposure of the UK population to chemical carcinogens.