Susan Ann Brooks
Mission Statement
"As Cell Section Secretary, I would readily commit the necessary time, enthusiasm and energy to serve the Society to the best of my ability. I have a proven track record of successfully working with diverse teams and in leading innovation and dynamic change. I have considerable experience of organising events such as symposia and workshops. I am deeply committed to supporting the development and career opportunities of early stage researchers and believe that the SEB should continue to play a headlining role in this area. I see forging links between the SEB and other learned societies as a fruitful direction for development.
I have been a member of the Society for Experimental Biology and of the Cell Section Committee since 2004. I was co-organiser of the 'General Cell Biology' session at the annual meeting in 2006 and 2009. I have worked to foster links between the SEB and the Royal Microscopical Society (RMS), resulting in successful joint sessions at the annual meeting in 2008, and the introduction of the 'learning zone', a hands-on microscopy workshop with allied short talks and demonstrations in 2009. I am currently editing an SEB book which is emerging from the 2008 meeting.
I have been an active member of the RMS since 1985 when, as a PhD student, I won the Viviane Maggi Prize for the best oral presentation by an early career stage researcher. I was invited to joint the RMS Cell Biology Committee in 1995 where I have acted as Honorary Secretary and Chair. I am currently a member of Council. I have organised numerous conference sessions and symposia, have been involved in an annual week-long 'cell imaging techniques course' since 1991, and organised it since 2003. My tenure as Section Chair coincided with a time of great change for the RMS, with the appointment of a new Chief Executive and a shift in emphasis, outlook and significant modernisation. I feel proud of the achievements of the Section under my chairmanship at that time, when we moved to being the most active and dynamic of the Society's five sections, a situation that continues today. Through the RMS, I have strong links with representatives of many other learned societies.
As Reader in Cell Biology at Oxford Brookes University, I teach undergraduate and postgraduate courses on cell biology, biomedical science and health and disease. My research group is interested in cancer cell biology - specifically the changes in surface markers occurring when cancer cells develop the ability to spread around the body (metastasis) and the interactions between cancer cells and their normal neighbours during this process. I am particularly interested in cellular glycosylation. This has led me to develop a broader interest in the emerging field of glycobiology. I am interested in the similarities and differences in glycosylation pathways in different organisms (prokaryotes, yeasts and other fungi, plants, invertebrates, non-human mammalian species) and their relevance to the biotechnology industry which uses these types of cells for expression of biopharmaceuticals. I am responsible, as Deputy Head of the Graduate School, for organising, delivering and overseeing generic, transferable and careers skills training to research students, post-doctoral researchers and research-active academics across the University. I am involved in several cross-University committees, including the Research Degrees Committee, Research and Knowledge Transfer Committee and Graduate School Management Committee. I am Editor-in-Chief of Acta Histochemica and serve on the Editorial Board of Molecular Biotechnology."
Curriculum vitae of
Susan Ann Brooks
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
1981 - 1984 University of Nottingham, B.Sc. (Honours) Biology, Upper Second Class
1985 - 1990 The University of London, Ph.D. (part time) pathology.
SUMMARY OF EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Having graduated with a degree in biology in 1984, I joined a research laboratory in the Department of Histopathology at University College London Medical School as a research assistant. Whilst employed there, I registered for a part-time PhD, which I was awarded in 1990. I then worked as a post-doctoral research fellow in the Department of Surgery until 1995. From there, I moved to Oxford Brookes University, where I am currently a Reader in Cell Biology and Deputy Head of the Graduate School.
CURRENT PROFESSIONAL STATUS
As a Reader in Cell Bioloogy I teach (undergraduate and postgraduates) approximately 125 hours per academic year; this includes lecturing, running practical classes, seminars and tutorials. Currently, the undergraduate modules I teach are: 'control of cell function', 'molecular biology of cancer', 'human health and disease' and 'cellular pathology'. I also lecture on the masters course in 'bioimaging' and am currently part of the team developing an innovative cross-University MSc programme in 'cancer studies'. I also carry out the administrative responsibilities associated with the post, and am personal tutor to around 25 undergraduate students. I regularly visit schools nationwide to promote university science education as part of a programme originated by my School and I have taught evening classes at the Universityof Oxford Department for Continuing Education. I have an active research interest in cancer biology, focussing in particular on changes in cellular glycosylation associated with metastatic mechanisms. I am Deputy Postgraduate Tutor for the School of Life Sciences where I am responsible for postgraduate student progression in the area of biosciences. As Deputy Head of the Graduate School, I organise, oversee and deliver transferable, generic and careers skills training across the entire University for postgraduate researchers, post doctoral researchers, research-active academic staff and PhD supervisors. I serve on the Research Degrees Committee, the Research and Knowledge Transfer Committee and the Graduate School Management Committee where my special remit is training policy. I am Editor-in-Chief of Acta Histochemica and a member of the Editorial Board of Molecular Biotechnology.
AWARDS
1985 Royal Microscopical Society Viviane Maggi Prize for the best oral presentation by an early career stage researcher
1993/4 Charles Grant Clarke Prize in Surgical Research, University College London Medical School, for the best oral presentation by an early career stage researcher
1994 Royal Microscopical Society Histochemical Section poster prize.
1995 University College London Graduate School Poster Prize (Basic Science as applied to Clinical Medicine)
2006 NESTA Crucible fellowship
LEARNED SOCIETY COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
The Royal Microscopical Society Cell Biology Section Committee
Member 1995-1998.
Honorary Secretary to the Committee 1997-8.
Co-opted Member 1998-1999
Member 1999-2000
Honorary Secretary to the Committee 2000-2003
Chair 2004-2008
Vice-chair 2008-9
The Royal Microscopical Society Council
Nominated member 1999-2002
Member (as Chair of Section) 2004-2008
Nominated member 2008-present
Society for Experimental Biology
Member of the Cell Section Committee 2004-present
ORGANISATION OF COURSES AND CONFERENCES
Royal Microscopical Society Immunocytochemistry Course, Oxford Brookes University.
1991-1995 organiser of day 1 of course 'immunocytochemistry for light microscopy'
1996-2003 co-organiser of an annual week long course.
Royal Microscopical Society Cell Imaging Techniques Course, Oxford Brookes University.
2003-present organiser of annual week-long course
Royal Microscopical Society Lectin Workshop
1996 University of Southampton
1997-9 Oxford Brookes University
Originator & organiser of 2 day practical workshop.
Chair of the Pearse Prize Session (Dr Osamu Shimamura awarded the Pearse Prize. Lecture: The discovery of aqueorin and GFP) at ICHC (International Congress of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry), San Diego, USA, August 2004.
Co-organiser and Chair 2-day Royal Microscopical Society 'imaging cancer cell dynamics' meeting, London, 2005.
Society for Experimental Biology Annual Meeting 2006, Canterbury. Co-organiser and co-Chair of the 'General Cell Biology' section.
Member of the organising committee, ICHC (International Congress of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry), University of Gdansk, Poland, 2008. Organiser and Chair of symposium 'Imaging cell dynamics - glycobiology'
Organiser and Chair of 'Glycobiology' symposium, Society for Experimental Biology Annual Meeting, 2008, Marseilles
Co-organiser of 'General Cell Biology' section., Society for Experimental Biology Annual Meeting, 2009, Glasgow.
Organiser and co-presenter of the Royal Microscopical Society 'Learning Zone' at the Society for Experimental Biology Annual Meeting, 2009, Glasgow.
JOURNAL EDITORSHIPS
Member of the editorial board of 'Acta Histochemica' 2001-2004
Member of the editorial board of 'Molecular Biotechnology' 2002 to present.
Editor-in-Chief of 'Acta Histochemica' 2005-2010
PUBLICATIONS
Papers
Leathem A.J. & Brooks S.A. (1987) Predictive value of lectin binding on breast cancer recurrence and survivial. The Lancet I: 1054-1056.
Leathem A.J. & Brooks S.A. (1987) Helix pomatia lectin binding and predictive value in breast cancer. The Lancet II: 1145 (letter).
Leathem A.J. & Brooks S.A. (1987) Enzyme binding to detect carbohydrate expression in tissue sections. I Native and cross linked glucose oxidase.
Histochemical J.19: 405-412.
Schumacher U. Welsch U. Brooks S.A. & Leathem A.J. (1990) Lektinhistochemie (Lectin Histochemistry) M.T.A.5: (12) 1229-1232.
Brooks S.A. & Leathem A.J.C. (1991) Prediction of lymph node involvement in breast cancer by detection of altered glycosylation in the primary tumour. The Lancet 338: 71-74.
Brooks S.A. & Leathem A.J.C. (1991) Helix pomatia and breast cancer. The Lancet 338: 580-581 (letter).
Schumacher U. Kretzmar H. Brooks S.A. & Leathem A.J.C. (1992) Helix pomatia lectin binding pattern of brain metastases originating from breast cancers. Path. Res. Pract. 188: 284-286.
Schumacher U. Adam E. Flavell D.J. Boehm D. Brooks S.A. & Leathem A.J. (1992)
Glycosylation patterns of the human colon cancer cell line HT-29 detected by Helix pomatia agglutinin and other lectins in culture, in primary tumours and in metastases in SCID mice. Clin. Exp. Metastasis 12: 398-404.
Brooks S.A. Leathem A.J.C. Camplejohn R.S. & Gregory W. (1993) Markers of prognosis in breast cancer - the relationship between HPA binding and histological grade, SPF and ploidy. Br. Ca. Res. Treat. 25: 247-256.
Schumacher U. Adam E. Flavell D.J. Boehm D. Brooks S.A. Leathem A.J. (1994)
Glycosylation patterns of the human colon cancer cell line HT-29 detected by Helix pomatia agglutinin and other lectins in culture, in primary tumours and in metastases in SCID mice. Clin. Exp. Met. 12: 398-404.
Brooks SA Leathem AJ Dwek MV (1994) Altered expression of N-acetyl galactosamine glycoproteins by breast cancers.
Biochem Soc Trans.22: (2)95S.
Schumacher U. Adam E. Brooks S.A. & Leathem A.J. (1995) Lectin binding properties of human breast cancer cell lines and human milk with particular reference to Helix pomatia agglutinin.J. Histochem. Cytochem. 43: (3) 275-281.
Brooks S.A. & Leathem A.J.C. (1995) Expression of GalNAc glycoproteins by breast cancers. B. J. Ca. 71: 1033-1038.
Brooks S.A. & Leathem A.J.C. (1995) Expression of the CD15 antigen (Lewis x) in breast cancer. Histochem. J. 27: 689-693.
Brooks S.A. Lymboura M. Schumacher U. Leathem A.J.C. (1996) Helix pomatia lectin binding in breast cancer - methodology makes a difference. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 44: (96) 519-524.
Streets A.J. Brooks S.A. Dwek M.V. Leathem A.J.C. (1996) Identification, purification and analysis of a 55kDa. lectin binding glycoprotein present in breast cancer tissues. Clin.Chim. Acta 254: 47-61.
Schumacher U. Mitchell B.S. Brooks S.A. Delpech B. Leathem A.J.C. (1996) Does the lectin Helix pomatia agglutinin bind to hyaluronic acid in breast and colon cancer? Acta Histochemica 98: 435-440.
Dwek M.V. Brooks S.A. Streets A.J. Harvey D.J. Leathem A.J.C. (1996)
Oligosaccharide release from frozen and paraffin wax embedded archival tissues. Anal. Biochem. 242: 8-14.
Mitchell .B.S. Brooks. S.A. Leathem A.J.C. Schumacher U. (1998) Do HPA and PHA-L have the same binding pattern in metastasizing human breast and colon cancers? Cancer Lett.123: 113-119.
Brooks S.A. Dwek M.V. Leathem A.J.C. (1998) Release and analysis of polypeptides and glycopolypeptides from formalin fixed, paraffin wax embedded tissue. Histochem. J. 30: 609-615.
Brooks S.A. & Leathem A.J.C. (1999) Expression of N-acetyl galactosaminylated and sialylated glycans by metastases arising from primary breast cancer. Inv. Met. 18: (3) 115-121.
Dwek M.V. Lacey H.A. Streets A.J. Brooks S.A. Adam E. Titcomb A. Woodside J.V. Schumacher U. Leathem A.J. (2001) Helix pomatia agglutinin lectin-binding oligosaccharides of aggressive breast cancer. Int. J. Ca. 95: 79-85.
Brooks S.A. Carter T.M. (2001) N-acetylgalactosamine, N-acetylglucosmine and sialic acid expression by primary breast cancers. Histochem. J. 103: 37-51.
Brooks S.A. Hall D.M.S. Buley I. (2001) GalNAc glycoprotein expression by breast cell lines, primary breast cancer and normal breast epithelial membrane.
Br. J. Ca. 85 (7): 1014-1022.
Brooks S.A. Hall D.M.S. (2002) Investigations into the potential role of aberrant N-acetylgalactosamine glycans in tumour cell interactions with basement membrane components. Clinical & Experimental Metastasis 19: 487-493.
Brooks S.A. Wilkinson D. (2003) Validation of a simple avidin-biotin detection method for Helix pomatia lectin (HPA) binding as a prognostic marker in. Acta Histochemica 105(3) 205-212.
Dwek M.V. Brooks S.A (2004) Harnessing changes in cellular glycosylation in new cancer treatment strategies. Current Cancer Drug Targets 4: 425-442
Valentiner U. Hall D. Brooks S.A. Schumacher U. (2005) HPA binding and metastasis formation of human breast cancer cell lines transplanted into scid mice. Cancer Letters. 10; 219(2):233-42.
Schumacher U. Brooks S.A. Mester J. (2005) The lectin Helix pomatia agglutinin as a marker of metastases - clinical and experimental studies. Anticancer research 25 1829-1830
Brooks SA, Carter TM, Bennett EP, Clausen H, Mandel U (2007) Immunolocalisation of members of the polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyl transferase (ppGalNAc-T) family is consistent with biologically relevant altered cell surface glycosylation in breast cancer. Acta Histochem109, 273-284.
Brooks SA, Carter TM, Royle L, Harvey DJ, Fry SA, Kinch C, Dwek RA, Rudd PM.
Altered glycosylation of proteins in cancer: what is the potential for new anti-tumour strategies. Anticancer Agents Med Chem. 2008; 8:2-21.
Brooks SA, Lomax Browne H Kinch C Nash G Kieda C Altered cell surface glycosylation functions in mechanisms of cancer cell metastasis. Anadolu University Journal of Science & Technology 2009;10 (1) 91-101
Invited review papers
Brooks S.A. (2000) The involvement of Helix pomatia lectin (HPA) binding N-acetylgalactosamine glycans in cancer progression. Histol. Histopathol. 15: (1) 143-158.
Brooks S.A. (2004) Appropriate glycosylation of recombinant proteins for human use: implications of choice of expression system. Molecular Biotechnology. 28: (3):241-56
Dwek M.V. Brooks S.A (2004 ) Harnessing changes in cellular glycosylation in new cancer treatment strategies. Curr Cancer Drug Targets. 4(5):425-42.
Brooks S.A. (2005) Cell imaging techniques. The Biomedical Scientist, January 2005 pp1-7
Brooks S.A. (2005) Do you want to know more about cell imaging techniques? Proceedings of the Royal Microscopical Society 40: (2) 98-108
Brooks SA (2006) Protein glycosylation in diverse cell systems: implications for modification and analysis of recombinant proteins. Expert Rev Proteomics; 3(3):345-59..
Schumacher U, Brooks SA, Mester J (2005) The lectin Helix pomatia agglutinin as a marker of metastases--clinical and experimental studies. Anticancer Res. 25: 1829-30.
Brooks SA (2009) Strategies for Analysis of the Glycosylation of Proteins: Current Status and Future Perspectives. Mol Biotechnol.43(1):76-88.
Brooks SA, Lomax-Browne HJ, Carter TM, Kinch CE, Hall DM (2009) Molecular interactions in cancer cell metastasis. Acta Histochem in press.
Books & Book Chapters
Schumacher U. Brooks S.A. & Leathem A.J. (1991) Lectins as tools in histochemical techniques: a review of methodological aspects. In: D.C. Kilpatrick, E. van Driessche, T. Bog-Hansen (eds) Lectin Reviews 1: pp195-201. Publ. Sigma Chemical Company, St. Louis, MO, USA.
Leathem A.J.C. Brooks S.A. Dwek M.V. Schumacher U. (1995) Oligosaccharide analysis of epithelial mammary tissues. In Wilde C.J. Peaker M. Knight C.H. (eds) Intercellular signalling in the mammary gland. Publ. Plenum Press, New York, USA. pp177-178.
Brooks. S.A. Schumacher U. & Leathem A.J.C. (1997) Lectin Histochemistry - a concise practical handbook. Royal Microscopical Handbook Series. Publ. Bios Scientific Publishers Ltd, Oxford.
Brooks S.A. & Leathem A.J.C. (1997) Lectin Histochemistry and cytochemistry.
In J. Rhodes & J.D. Milton (ed) Lectin methods and protocols. Methods in Molecular Biology series. Publ. Humana, New Jersey, USA.
Leathem A. Brooks S. & Schumacher U. (2000) Biochemical & Biological Markers of Breast Cancer Progression . In J.S.Tobias, J. Houghton & I.C. Henderson (eds) Breast Cancer: New Horizons in Research & Treatment Publ. Edward Arnold (publishers) Ltd.
Brooks S.A. & Schumacher U. (2001) Metastasis Research Protocols: Volume I analysis of cells and tissues. Methods in Molecular Medicine Series. Publ. Humana, New Jersey, USA.
Brooks S.A. & Schumacher U. (2001) Metastasis Research Protocols: Volume II Cell behaviour in vitro and in vivo. Methods in Molecular Medicine Series. Publ. Humana, New Jersey, USA.
Brooks SA, Dwek M.V. Schumacher U. (2002) Functional and Molecular Glycobiology. Advanced Texts Series. Publ. Bios Scientific Publishers, Oxford, UK.
Brooks S.A. (2005) Malignant neoplasms. Chapter 31 in Shamley D. and Gifford L. (eds) Pathophysiology: an essential text for the allied health professions. Publ. Elsevier pp47-74
Brooks S.A. Harris A. (eds) (in press) Breast Cancer Research Protocols. Methods in Molecular Medicine Series. Publ. Humana, New Jersey, USA.
Dwek M.V. and Brooks S.A (in press) Specialist review: structure and function of N-glycans. In Dunn M. Jorde L. Little P. Subramaniam S. (eds) 'Encyclopaedia of genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics'. Publ. John Wiley & Sons.
Valentiner U, Brooks SA Schumacher U in vivo xenograft models of breast cancer metastasis. Methods in Molecular Medicine 2006; 120 478-88
Osborne C Brooks SA SDS-PAGE and Western blotting to detect proteins and glycoproteins of interest in breast cancer research Methods in Molecular Medicine 2006; 120 217-29
Carter TM, Brooks SA Detection of aberrant glycosylation in breast cancer using lectin histochemistry Methods in Molecular Medicine 2006; 120 201-16
Brooks S.A. Harris A. (eds) (2005) Breast Cancer Research Protocols. Methods in Molecular Medicine Series. Publ. Humana, New Jersey, USA.
Brooks S.A. (2005) Malignant neoplasms. Chapter 31 in Shamley D. and Gifford L. (eds) Pathophysiology: an essential text for the allied health professions. Publ. Elsevier pp47-74
Brooks SA Protein glycosylation: the basic science. Chap 2 in Biopharmaceuticals: post translational modifications, editor G Walch. publ Wiley 2009 pp17-49
Brooks SA Protein Glycosylation. For inclusion in Encyclopedia of Industrial Biotechnology, publ Wiley. In press.
Guest Editorials
Schumacher U. Brooks S.A. (2000) The glycobiology of cancer metastasis.
Biotech. Int. Feb. / Mar. 24-25.
Brooks S.A. (2005) The discovery of aquorin and green fluorescent protein. J. Miscroscopy 217;1-2.An introduction to the review article of the same title by Shimomura O. J. Microscopy 217;3-15.
Invited Book Reviews
Carbohydrate Biotechnology Protocols edited by Christopher Bucke. Methods in Biotechnology no. 10. Published by Humana Press, 1999. Reviewed for Molecular Biotechnology.
Fluorescence probes in oncology by Elli Kohen, Rene Santus and Joseph G. Hirschberg. Published by Imperial College Press, 2002. Reviewed for Journal of Microscopy and Proceedings of the Royal Microscopical Society.
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