Dr Vignir Helgason
- Reader (Translational Research Centre)
telephone:
0141 330 7245
email:
Vignir.Helgason@glasgow.ac.uk
Institute of Cancer Sciences, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, Garscube Estate, Glasgow, Bearsden, G61 1QH
Biography
Dr Vignir Helgason is a Reader in Cancer Research at the Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow.
Dr Helgason graduated with a B.Sc. in Biology from the University of Iceland in 2000 and worked at deCODE genetics (Reykjavik, Iceland) for three years before embarking on an academic career. He trained for a PhD degree in Prof. Kevin Ryan’s “Tumour Cell Death Laboratory” at the Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute and graduated with a PhD from University of Glasgow in October 2007.
Dr Helgason held two post-doctoral positions in Prof. Tessa Holyoake’s lab at the Paul O’Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre, which has been described as “a flagship model of integrated basic, translational and clinical research.”
In 2013, Dr Helgason was awarded a Kay Kendall Leukaemia Fund Research Fellowship that supports “truly outstanding biomedical scientists prior to establishing an independent research group in an international centre of excellence”. This facilitated a successful application to the University of Glasgow’s flagship Leadership Fellowship scheme, which allowed Dr Helgason to setup his own research group at the world-class Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre (WWCRC).
Additionally, Dr Helgason was awarded the John Goldman Fellowship for Future Science, a prestigious award aimed at those with “passion for science, a desire to develop new ideas and translate scientific advances into clinical practice”.
Through additional studentship/grant applications, collaborations, conferences, meetings and high-impact publications Dr Helgason achieved a promotion to a Reader in Cancer Research position in August 2020.
Research interests
Leukaemia Stem Cells - Autophagy - Cancer Metabolism - Leukaemia Niche.
Dr Helgason’s team focuses on “Bench to Bedside” translational research and is directly in line with Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, CRUK Beatson Institute and CRUK Glasgow Cancer Centre vision and strategy. So far, the team has primarily focused on Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML), a tumour type in which Glasgow has particular clinical expertise and excising translational projects.
The team has emerging interest in related leukaemias and myeloproliferative neoplasms, with the overall aim of targeting appropriate therapy to the stem cell compartment to remove the population in which drug resistance occurs. All on-going projects relate to targeting: “Leukaemia Stem Cells” - “Autophagy” - “Cancer Metabolism” - “Leukaemia Niche”.
Grants
Grants and Awards listed are those received whilst working with the University of Glasgow.
- Targeting Autophagy and Aberrant Metabolism of Leukaemic Stem Cells
Cancer Research UK
2020 - 2026
- Unravelling clinical heterogeneity in Philadelphia positive ALL
Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group
2019 - 2022
- Elucidating metabolomics changes in myeloproliferative neoplasms
Tenovus Scotland
2019 - 2020
- Targeting mitochondrial fuel oxidation for the treatment of chronic and acute myeloid leukaemias
Bloodwise
2018 - 2021
- Drug-repurposing screen for new therapeutic options in chronic and acute myeloid leukaemias
Chief Scientist Office
2018 - 2018
- Complementing LCMS data with transcriptomics to target metabolic vulnerabilities in acute myeloid leukaemia
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Endowment Funds
2017 - 2019
- Identifying and Targeting Metabolic Dependencies in Tyrosine Kinase-Driven Myeloid Leukaemias
The Kay Kendall Leukaemia Fund
2016 - 2019
- Identifying Mitochondrial Metabolic Dependencies in CML using a Genome-Scale CRISPR-Knockout Screening Approach
Lady Tata Memorial Trust
2016 - 2018
- Single cell RNA sequencing on primative human leukaemic stem cell population to identify novel biomarkers involved in drug resistance and future immunotherapy
Wellcome Trust
2016 - 2018
- Identification of cancer-specific repurposing drug(s) that can overcome acquired drug-resistance in chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML)
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
2016 - 2017
- Autophagy-dependent regulation of energy metabolism in leukaemic stem cells
Leuka
2016 - 2018
- ISSF Catalyst: Identification of mechanism(s) of acquired drug resistance in CML using a genome-scale CRISPR-knockout screening approach
Wellcome Trust
2015 - 2016
- Autophagy Inhibition Combined with Targeted Therapy for Elimination of CML Stem Cells.
The Kay Kendall Leukaemia Fund
2013 - 2018
Additional information
Invited International Presentations
- 2013: Genoa, Italy - 2nd International Conference "Leukemia 2013" (Invited speaker Special lecture)
- 2013: London, England, UK - Analysis of Autophagy Regulation: Discussion of recent research and new technologies
- 2012: Glasgow, Scotland, UK - Manage Clinical Network (MCN) meeting
- 2012: Glasgow, Scotland, UK - BSH 52nd Annual Scientific Meeting
- 2012: Glasgow, Scotland, UK - 1st Scottish Autophagy Workshop
- 2012: Baltimore, Maryland, USA - ESH iCML 14th International Conference: Chronic Myeloid Leukemia – Biology and Therapy (Workshop Convener)
- 2012: Vancouver, BC, Canada - Autophagy workshop, Autophagy: an Emerging Therapeutic Target in Human Disease
- 2012: Harrogate, England, UK - British Association for Cancer Research Special Meeting; Chasing Cancer Stem-like Cells
- 2011: Estoril, Portugal - ESH iCML 13th International Conference: Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Biology and Therapy (Speaker and Workshop convenor)
- 2010: Washington, DC, USA - ESH iCML 12th International Conference: Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Biological Basis of Therapy
- 2008: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - ESH 11th International Conference: Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Biological Basis of Therapy
