Dr Rita Sousa-Nunes PhD

We are interested in neural stem cell (NSC) behaviours in developing and adult organisms, addressing questions such as:

1. How do they switch “off” and “on” (quiescence and reactivation)?
2. How many times can they divide?
3. How do they give rise to appropriate numbers of appropriate cell types?
4. Can we manipulate numbers and fates of their progeny in a way that is both safe and useful?
5. What makes the difference between increasing their proliferative capacity and tipping them into uncontrolled proliferation and cancer?

We compare and contrast normal NSC behaviours with those of glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs), which are NSC-like. We hope to discover vulnerabilities in these that might be exploited in novel approaches to combat this devastating disease. Specifically, we are addressing GSC quiescence, which protects these cells from current therapeutics. 

Please see my Research Staff Profile for more detail.

Find out more about my research:

CDN - Rita Sousa-Nunes

Key publications:

• Chai et al., 2018. Spatiotemporally controlled genetic perturbation for efficient large-scale studies of cell non-autonomous effects. eLife.
• Shaw et al., 2018. In vivo expansion of functionally integrated GABAergic interneurons by targeted increase of neural progenitors. The EMBO Journal.
• Sousa-Nunes et al., 2013. Mechanisms of asymmetric progenitor divisions in the Drosophila central nervous system. Adv Exp Med Biol.
• Sousa-Nunes et al., 2011. Fat cells reactivate quiescent neuroblasts via TOR and glial Insulin relays in Drosophila. Nature.
• Sousa-Nunes et al., 2010. Regulating neural proliferation in the Drosophila CNS. Curr Opin Neurobiol.

View all publications

Key collaborators:

• Dr Francois Guillemot, The Francis Crick Institute
• Professor Keyoumars Ashkan, King's College Hospital
• Professor Steven Pollard, University of Edinburgh
• Professor Eugene Makeyev, King's College London