The University of Leeds is one of the largest research and teaching institutions in the UK, and is a member of the prestigious Russell Group. The Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine (LIMM) in the School of Medicine is multidisciplinary and its staff includes scientists and clinicians optimising opportunities for translational research. Molecular Medicine was rated 5 in the Research Assessment Exercise 2001. Its premier status was recognised by a JIF grant of £20 million to create and house the Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine. This new building is equipped with state of the art molecular, biological and cell biological facilities.

The bacterium Helicobacter pylori chronically infects the human gastric mucosa. Infection is a significant risk factor for distal gastric cancer and gastric MALT lymphoma. In the INCA project we aim to: Examine how H. pylori perturbs intracellular epithelial signalling networks and thereby initiates the progression to gastric neoplasia. Identify kinase inhibitors which block H. pylori induced oncogenic pathways using in vitro bacterial-epithelial co-cultures systems Examine the effects of selected kinase inhibitors on H. pylori induced pathology in vivo.

Jenks PJ, Jeremy AHT, Robinson PA, Walker MM, Crabtree JE.(2003) Long term infection with Helicobacter felis and inactivation of p53 tumour suppressor gene cumulatively enhance the gastric mutation frequency in Big Blue transgenic mice. J. Pathol. 201: 596 - 602. Naumann M, Crabtree JE. (2004) Helicobacter pylori-induced epithelial signalling in gastric carcinogenesis. Trend. Microbiol. 12: 29 - 36. Peek RM, Crabtree JE. (2006) Helicobacter infection and gastric neoplasia. J. Pathol. 208: 233 - 248. Crabtree JE, Naumann M. (2006) Epithelial signalling in Helicobacter pylori infection. Curr. Signal Transduction Ther. 1: 53 – 65. Wilson KT, Crabtree JE. (2007) Immunology of Helicobacter pylori: insights into the failure of the immune response and perspectives on vaccine studies. Gastroenterol. 133: 288 - 308. Du Y, Danjo K, Robinson PA, Crabtree JE. (2007) In-Cell Western analysis of Helicobacter pylori induced phosphorylation of extracelluar-signal related kinase via the transactivation of the epidermal growth factor receptor. Microb. Infect. 9: 838 – 846.