Professor Mick Urbaniak
Personal ChairResearch Overview
My laboratory uses a combination of genetics, cell biology and proteomics approaches to understand biological systems at the molecular level. Our research is focused on tropical infectious diseases, primarily the clinically relevant parasite Trypanosoma brucei and related species such as Leishmania. We are studying how the parasites are able to sense and respond to their host environment, and aim to translate the results of this basic research into early-stage drug discovery.
Current Research
Current projects in my laboratory include:-
- Heat shock siganlling and response in Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma congolense, funded by the BBSRC (BB/V004085/1)
- Charaterising the cell cycle of Leishmania mexicana using elutiration, funded by a NorthWestBio DTP
- Mechanisms by which Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma congolense sense and respond to iron availability in the mammalian host, funded by the BBSRC (BB/T012781/1)
- Probing dynamic phosphorylation in the post-transcriptional regulation of the Trypanosoma brucei cell cycle
- Investigating the origin of psychotic distrubances in stage II human African trypanosomiasis
Research Interests
Work in my laboratory is focused on the clinically relevant trypanosomatid parasites, primarily the African trypanosomes Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma congolense, and the closely related American trypanosome Trypanosoma cruzi, and Leishmania species. These parasites are the causative agents of neglected tropical diseases that produce a substantial health and economic burden in endemic areas, and improved therapeutics are urgently needed. By examining the biology of these parasites we may uncover differences between the host and parasite biology that can be exploited to develop therapeutic treatments.
We are particularly interested in how African trypanosomes are able to sense and respond to its host environment, which is essential for their survival and virulence. The African trypanosome has a complex lifecycle requiring transmission by the insect vector the tsetse fly, propagation in a mammalian host, and reinfection of the tsetse fly. Trypanosomes are evolutionarily divergent eukaryotes and use exclusively post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression, making them an excellent model system to examine this process.
The laboratory uses a combination of genetics, cell biology and proteomics approaches to answer our research questions. We have pioneered stable isotopic labelling (SILAC) in T. brucei to enable global quantitative proteomic analysis, and established robust methods for quantifying changes in the phosphorylation state of the cell.
Current Teaching
I teach on several modules within the Department of Biomedical and Life Sciences. I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Currently I teach on the following modules:-
- BIOL272 Biochemical Techniques: Protein isolation and electrophoresis, combining theory with practical labs.
- BIOL301 Cell Signalling: Module Organiser, covering the Insulin signalling pathway.
- BIOL313 Protein Biochemistry: Protein structure determination; identifaction of proteins and post-translational modifications by mass spectrometry.
- BIOL314 Molecular & Biochemical Parasitology: Parasite glycobiology; drug discovery for Neglected Diseases.
Additional Information
I was appointed as a Lecturer within the Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences in September 2013, and promoted to Senior Lecture in 2018 and Professor in 2023. My background is in Chemistry (BSc. and PhD.), but my subsequent postdoctoral research at the University of Dundee focussed on the biology of the trypanosomatids. I have a track record of successfully translating my basic research into early stage drug discovery with academic and industrial partners. I am a registered STEM ambassador, enabling me to engage in outreach activities to promote science in schools.
PhD Supervision Interests
My laboratory is also able to offer self-funded PhD and MRes projects to students interested in exploring the biology of the parasites Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania species, which are the causative agents of both human and animal diseases in many developing countries. We can offer projects studying i. how the parasites sense and adapt to their host environment, ii. regulation of the cell division cycle, and iii. the link between parasite infection and behavioral changes in the host. Please email m.urbaniak@lancaster.ac.uk for further details.
Selected Publications
Organising the cell cycle in the absence of transcriptional control: Dynamic phosphorylation co-ordinates the Trypanosoma brucei cell cycle post-transcriptionally
Benz, C., Urbaniak, M. 12/12/2019 In: PLoS Pathogens. 15, 12, 27 p.
Journal article
Dynamic regulation of the Trypanosoma brucei transferrin receptor in response to iron starvation is mediated via the 3’UTR
Benz, C., Lo, W., Fathallah, N., Connor-Guscott, A., Benns, H.J., Urbaniak, M.D. 31/12/2018 In: PLoS ONE. 13, 12, 12 p.
Journal article
Cyclin-dependent kinase 12, a novel drug target for visceral leishmaniasis
Wyllie, S., Thomas, M., Patterson, S., Crouch, S., De Rycker, M., Lowe, R., Gresham, S., Urbaniak, M.D., Otto, T.D., Stojanovski, L., Simeons, F.R.C., Manthri, S., MacLean, L.M., Zuccotto, F., Homeyer, N., Pflaumer, H., Boesche, M., Sastry, L., Connolly, P., Albrecht, S., Berriman, M., Drewes, G., Gray, D.W., Ghidelli-Disse, S., Dixon, S., Fiandor, J.M., Wyatt, P.G., Ferguson, M.A.J., Fairlamb, A.H., Miles, T.J., Read, K.D., Gilbert, I.H. 25/07/2018 In: Nature. 560, p. 192-197. 6 p.
Journal article
LGAAP: Leishmaniinae Genome Assembly and Annotation Pipeline
Almutairi, H., Urbaniak, M.D., Bates, M.D., Jariyapan, N., Kwakye-Nuako, G., Thomaz-Soccol, V., Al-Salem, W.S., Dillon, R.J., Bates, P.A., Gatherer, D. 22/07/2021 In: Microbiology Resource Announcements. 10, 29, 5 p.
Journal article
All Publications
Genome sequencing of 4 new isolates of Crithidia – an emerging parasite of humans
01/10/2024 → 30/09/2025
Research
Tropism, Immunity and Pathology in African sleeping sickness (HAT-TIP)
01/01/2022 → 30/09/2022
Research
Heat shock signalling and response in African trypanosomes
01/12/2021 → 30/11/2025
Research
Mechanisms by which African tryanosomes sense and repsond to iron availability in the mammalian host
22/12/2020 → 21/03/2024
Research
The role of NSMCE2-dependent SUMO modification in the replication stress response
01/05/2019 → 31/07/2023
Research
Dynamic Phosphorylation in the Post-Transcriptional Regulation of the Trypanosoma Brucei Cell Cycle
01/07/2015 → 30/06/2019
Research
External examiner, PhD
Examination
Laura Hartleb
Hosting an academic visitor
UKRI Interdisciplinary Assessment College (External organisation)
Membership of committee
Vilnius University (Lithuania)
Visiting an external academic institution
Wellcome Trust grant review
Other
External examiner, PhD
Examination
MRC grant peer review
Other
UlverSTEM 2023
Types of Public engagement and outreach - Festival/Exhibition
Wellcome Trust grant peer review
Other
Academy of Finland grant peer review
Other
UKRI Interdisciplinary Assessment College (External organisation)
Membership of board
BBSRC grant peer review
Other
External Examiner, MSc by Research
Examination
British Society for Parasitology Spring Meeting 2023 Edinburgh
Participation in conference - Academic
Wellcome Trust grant peer review
Other
FURNESS STEM SHOW 2023
Other
Wellcome Trust grant peer review
Other
EPSRC grant peer review
Other
Speaker at Kinetoplastid Molecular Cell Biology, USA
Oral presentation
External Examiner, BSc & MSci Biological Sciences
Examination
BBSRC grant peer review
Other
Invited speaker at Big Ideas in Neglected Tropical Diseases, Durham
Invited talk
Speaker at British Society of Parasitology meeting, York
Oral presentation
BBSRC grant peer review
Other
MRC grant peer reviewer
Other
PhD Viva, External Examiner
Examination
External Examiner, BSc & MSci Biological Sciences
Examination
BBSRC grant peer review
Other
PhD Viva, Internal Examiner
Examination
PhD Viva, External Examiner at Bordeaux
Examination
MRC grant peer review
Other
External Examiner, BSc & MSci Biological Sciences
Examination
MSc by Research, Internal Examiner
Examination
Quernmore CE Controlled Primary School
School Engagement
Wellcome Trust grant peer review
Other
MRC grant peer review
Other
MSc by Research, Internal examiner
Examination
Research talk at KMCB meeting, USA
Oral presentation
External Examiner, BSc & MSci Biological Sciences
Examination
BLS-CHICAS Shindig
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Biology Week Parlimentary Reception
Other
Keynote speaker at British Society for Parasitology meeting 2018
Invited talk
Santiago Chavez
Hosting an academic visitor
Invited Seminar Speaker - Keele University
Invited talk
Invited speaker at UCLAN
Invited talk
Invited seminar speaker LSHTM
Invited talk
Invited Speaker - London Biological Mass Spectrometry Discussion Group
Invited talk
Invited Seminar at WCMP Glasgow
Invited talk
Invited Seminar at LSTHM
Invited talk
Invited speaker - Protein Kinases of Parasitic Protozoa
Invited talk
Invited speaker - ASTMH pre-meeting course
Invited talk
Member of the Royal Society of Biology
Election to learned society
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Election to learned society
Royal Society of Biology Ambassador
Appointment
Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology
Election to learned society
Senior Fellow of Advance HE
Election to learned society
- Cancer Biology and Genome Stability
- DSI - Health
- Microbes, Pathogens and Immunity