Dr Chris Mahony
- Lecturer (Immunology & Infection)
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4487-2540Biography
I obtained my PhD from the University of Aberdeen and gained postdoctoral experience at the Universities of Geneva and Birmingham. During this time, I developed expertise in functional genomics, molecular biology, bioinformatics, and spatial transcriptomics to unravel the complexities of inflammatory diseases.
My recent research has centred on identifying novel transcriptional regulators that drive synovial fibroblast pathogenicity in Rheumatoid Arthritis, as well as mapping the cellular landscape of inflamed joints in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). This work integrates cutting-edge single-cell analysis techniques, spatial transcriptomics, and multiplex imaging to discover novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets, which are subsequently validated through a variety of molecular biology approaches.
Currently based at the University of Glasgow, my now research focuses on elucidating the intricate crosstalk between ageing fibroblasts and immune cells, aiming to uncover age-associated mechanisms that contribute to immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) and therapeutic resistance.
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Research interests
My research lies at the intersection of bioinformatics and experimental molecular biology. I specialise in applying advanced computational methods—including single-cell analysis and spatial transcriptomics—to dissect the cellular and molecular mechanisms driving inflammatory diseases. Complementing these bioinformatic approaches, I use a range of wet-lab techniques to functionally validate novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets, ensuring robust translational relevance.
Publications
Prior publications
Article
JDCBS et al. (2025) Spatial transcriptomic analysis of muscle biopsy from patients with treatment-naive juvenile dermatomyositis reveals mitochondrial abnormalities despite disease-related interferon-driven signature Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases University of Birmingham. (doi: 10.1016/j.ard.2025.07.015)
Steve Eyre et al. (2025) Synovial tissue atlas in juvenile idiopathic arthritis reveals pathogenic niches associated with disease severity Science Translational Medicine AAAS - Science. (doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adt6050)
Cartography Consortium et al. (2025) CD4+ tissue-resident memory Th17 cells are a major source of IL-17A in Spondyloarthritis synovial tissue Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases University of Birmingham. (doi: 10.1016/j.ard.2025.04.018)
Carl Coyle et al. (2024) NK cell subsets define sustained remission in rheumatoid arthritis JCI Insight University of Birmingham. (doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.182390)
Jessica D. Murillo-Saich et al. (2024) Synovial 5-LOX-derived oxylipins define a lympho-myeloid-enriched synovium Arthritis & Rheumatology (Hoboken) University of Birmingham. (doi: 10.1002/art.42848)
Paramita Baruah, Christopher Mahony, Jennifer L. Marshall, Charlotte G. Smith, Peter Monksfield, Richard I. Irving, Ingrid E. Dumitriu, Christopher D. Buckley, Adam P. Croft (2024) Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of vestibular schwannoma reveals functionally distinct macrophage subsets British Journal of Cancer University of Birmingham. (doi: 10.1038/s41416-024-02646-2)
Chris Mahony, Rui Monteiro (2024) Protocol for the analysis of hematopoietic lineages in the whole kidney marrow of adult zebrafish STAR Protocols University of Birmingham. (doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102810)
Simon Rauber et al. (2024) CD200+ fibroblasts form a pro-resolving mesenchymal network in arthritis Nature Immunology University of Birmingham. (doi: 10.1038/s41590-024-01774-4)
Shanzay Ahmed, Christopher B. Mahony, Alyssa Torres, Jessica Murillo-Saich, Samuel Kemble, Martha Cedeno, Peter John, Attya Bhatti, Adam P. Croft, Monica Guma (2023) Dual inhibition of glycolysis and glutaminolysis for synergistic therapy of rheumatoid arthritis Arthritis Research & Therapy University of Birmingham. (doi: 10.1186/s13075-023-03161-0)
Alyssa Torres et al. (2023) Role of mitochondria-bound HK2 in rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes Frontiers in immunology University of Birmingham. (doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1103231)
Christopher B Mahony et al. (2023) Lineage skewing and genome instability underlie marrow failure in a zebrafish model of GATA2 deficiency Cell Reports University of Birmingham. (doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112571)
Abdullah O. Khan et al. (2023) Human Bone Marrow Organoids for Disease Modeling, Discovery, and Validation of Therapeutic Targets in Hematologic Malignancies Cancer Discovery University of Birmingham. (doi: 10.1158/2159-8290.CD-22-0199)
Pietro Cacialli, Christopher B. Mahony, Tim Petzold, Patrizia Bordignon, Anne Laure Rougemont, Julien Y. Bertrand (2021) A connexin/ifi30 pathway bridges HSCs with their niche to dampen oxidative stress Nature Communications University of Birmingham. (doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-24831-0)
(2021) Hapln1b, a central organizer of the extracellular matrix, modulates kit signalling to control developmental haematopoiesis Blood Advances Christopher Mahony. ISSN 2473-9537 (doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2020001524)
(2021) Differential Requirement of Gata2a and Gata2b for Primitive and Definitive Myeloid Development in Zebrafish Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology Christopher Mahony. ISSN 2296-634X (doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.708113)
Emanuele Gioacchino et al. (2021) Essential role for Gata2 in modulating lineage output from hematopoietic stem cells in zebrafish Blood Advances University of Birmingham. (doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2020002993)
(2020) Role of cereblon in angiogenesis and in mediating the antiangiogenic activity of immunomodulatory drugs The FASEB Journal Christopher Mahony. ISSN 1530-6860 (doi: 10.1096/fj.201903060rr)
(2020) Deletion of a conserved Gata2 enhancer impairs haemogenic endothelium programming and adult Zebrafish haematopoiesis. Communications biology Christopher Mahony. (doi: 10.1038/s42003-020-0798-3)
Mahony CB, Bertrand JY (2019) How HSCs Colonize and Expand in the Fetal Niche of the Vertebrate Embryo: An Evolutionary Perspective. Frontiers in cell and developmental biology Europe PubMed Central. (doi: 10.3389/fcell.2019.00034)
Ghersi JJ, Mahony CB, Bertrand JY (2019) bif1, a new BMP signaling inhibitor, regulates embryonic hematopoiesis in the zebrafish. Development (Cambridge, England) Europe PubMed Central. (doi: 10.1242/dev.164103)
Ferrero G et al. (2018) Embryonic Microglia Derive from Primitive Macrophages and Are Replaced by cmyb-Dependent Definitive Microglia in Zebrafish. Cell reports Europe PubMed Central. (doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.05.066)
Mahony CB, Pasche C, Bertrand JY (2018) Oncostatin M and Kit-Ligand Control Hematopoietic Stem Cell Fate during Zebrafish Embryogenesis. Stem cell reports Europe PubMed Central. (doi: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2018.04.016)
Mahony C, McMenemy S, Rafipay AJ, Beedie SL, Fraga LR, Gütschow M, Figg WD, Erskine L, Vargesson N (2017) CPS49-induced neurotoxicity does not cause limb patterning anomalies in developing chicken embryos. Journal of anatomy Europe PubMed Central. (doi: 10.1111/joa.12712)
Mahony CB, Fish RJ, Pasche C, Bertrand JY (2016) tfec controls the hematopoietic stem cell vascular niche during zebrafish embryogenesis. Blood Europe PubMed Central. (doi: 10.1182/blood-2016-04-710137)
Beedie SL, Mahony C, Walker HM, Chau CH, Figg WD, Vargesson N (2016) Shared mechanism of teratogenicity of anti-angiogenic drugs identified in the chicken embryo model. Scientific reports Europe PubMed Central. (doi: 10.1038/srep30038)
Beedie SL et al. (2015) Anticancer Properties of a Novel Class of Tetrafluorinated Thalidomide Analogues. Molecular cancer therapeutics Europe PubMed Central. (doi: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-15-0320)
Mahony C, Vargesson N (2013) Molecular analysis of regulative events in the developing chick limb. Journal of anatomy Europe PubMed Central. (doi: 10.1111/joa.12060)
Mahony C, Erskine L, Niven J, Greig NH, Figg WD, Vargesson N (2013) Pomalidomide is nonteratogenic in chicken and zebrafish embryos and nonneurotoxic in vitro. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Europe PubMed Central. (doi: 10.1073/pnas.1307684110)
working-paper
Christopher B. Mahony, Boris Noyvert, Pavle Vrljicak, Sascha Ott, Martin Higgs, Rui Monteiro (2021) Gata2a maintains cebpa and npm1a in haematopoietic stem cells to sustain lineage differentiation and genome stability University of Birmingham. (doi: 10.1101/2021.07.19.452890)
