Lochlan Fennell
University of the Sunshine Coast, Monash University, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
Research areas: Medicine · Oncology · Genetic factors in colorectal cancer · Colorectal Cancer Treatments and Studies · Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
0000-0003-3214-3527
About
Dr Fennell is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Health at the University of the Sunshine Coast. His laboratory interrogates the mechanisms at the intersection of aging and gastrointestinal malignancies. We use a combination of cutting-edge in vitro models and genomic approaches to decipher the intricacies of this relationship. Dr Fennell completed his doctoral and postdoctoral studies under the supervision of A/Prof Whitehall and Prof Leggett at QIMR Berghofer in Brisbane. Here, he leveraged genomic approaches to evaluate the role of age in serrated colorectal neoplasia, showing that aging predisposes to rapid neoplastic transformation. This work was published in leading gastroenterology journals (ie. Gut, CMGH). Prior to commencing at UniSC, Dr Fennell led the Oncogenic Aging Laboratory at the Biomedicine Discovery Institute at Monash University, Melbourne.
Dr Fennell has published 16 original research articles over the past five years, including high impact articles in field-leading journals including in Gut, Modern Pathology, Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, and Cell Death and Differentiation.
Dr Fennell is an active contributor to the Australian Gastroenterology research community, and is a member of the Gastroenterological Society of Australia’s Cancer Faculty, and Research and Grants Committee. Dr Fennell is also the UniSC Lead of the UniSC-GU Hub for Advanced Spatial Biology Analytics
Dr Fennell's research is currently funded by Cure Cancer Australia, Tour De Cure, Cancer Research UK, and the Wishlist Foundation.
Employment
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University of the Sunshine Coast Senior Lecturer2024 - Present
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Monash University Lecturer2022 - 2024
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QIMR BERGHOFER Research Fellow2015 - 2022
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University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Science, School of Health - Biomedicine
Education
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QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute Doctor of Philosophy2017 - 2021
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University of the Sunshine Coast Bachelor of Biomedical Science2015 - 2017
Projects & Funding
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OPN as an Immune Checkpoint in KRAS Mutant Colorectal Cancer National Health and Medical Research Council2022 - 2024
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Molecular subtyping of KRAS mutant colorectal cancers to inform clinical decision making Tour de cure2019 - 2021
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Age Methylation and the Malignant Progression of Sessile Serrated Adenomas Australian Rotary Health2018 - 2021
Publications (23)
- Histological aging signatures for monitoring tissue-specific aging and disease Save
- Attenuation of the CpG island methylator phenotype and lack of WNT signalling activation restrains Kras mutant intestinal neoplasia Save
- Histological aging signatures for monitoring tissue-specific aging and disease Save
- Metabolic Dysregulation and Oxidative Stress in Diabetic Retinopathy: Glycogen Metabolism, Mitochondrial Dysfunction, and Antioxidant Defences Save
- Characterizing the clinicopathological, genomic and spatial transcriptomic features of colibactin-induced colorectal cancers Save
- Comparative analysis of Illumina Mouse Methylation BeadChip and reduced-representation bisulfite sequencing for routine DNA methylation analysis Save
- Epithelial de-differentiation triggered by co-ordinate epigenetic inactivation of the EHF and CDX1 transcription factors drives colorectal cancer progression. Save
- Braf mutation induces rapid neoplastic transformation in the aged and aberrantly methylated intestinal epithelium Save
- Global Methylome Scores Correlate with Histological Subtypes of Colorectal Carcinoma and Show Different Associations with Common Clinical and Molecular Features Save
- Age, DNA Methylation and the Malignant Potential of the Serrated Neoplasia Pathway Save
- Alterations in signaling pathways that accompany spontaneous transition to malignancy in a mouse model of BRAF mutant microsatellite stable colorectal cancer. Save
- DNA methylation changes that precede onset of dysplasia in advanced sessile serrated adenomas. Save
- Genetic editing of colonic organoids provides a molecularly distinct and orthotopic preclinical model of serrated carcinogenesis Save
- Integrative genome-scale DNA Methylation analysis of a large and unselected cohort reveals five distinct subtypes of Colorectal Adenocarcinomas Save
- Copy number profiles of paired primary and metastatic colorectal cancers Save
- MLH1–93 G/a polymorphism is associated with MLH1 promoter methylation and protein loss in dysplastic sessile serrated adenomas with BRAFV600E mutation Save
- Oncogenic BRAF mutation induces DNA methylation changes in a murine model for human serrated colorectal neoplasia Save
- RNF43 is mutated less frequently in Lynch Syndrome compared with sporadic microsatellite unstable colorectal cancers Save
- The role of APC in WNT pathway activation in serrated neoplasi Save
- Abstract 5375: OncogenicBRAFmutation induces widespread DNA hypermethylation in a murine model for human serrated colorectal neoplasia Save