Professor Carl Smythe

School of Biosciences

Chair in Cell Biology

Director of the Mass Spectrometry Centre

Carl S.
Profile picture of Carl S.
c.g.w.smythe@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 4643

Full contact details

Professor Carl Smythe
School of Biosciences
E03a Florey Building
Firth Court
Western Bank
91Ö±²¥
S10 2TN
Profile
  • 2002 – present: Professor of Cell Biology, School of Biosciences, University of 91Ö±²¥
  • 2004 – 2006: Head of Department, Department of Biomedical Science, University of 91Ö±²¥
  • 1992 – 2002: Principal Investigator at MRC Protein Phosphorylation Unit, University of Dundee
  • 1989 – 1992: American Cancer Society Senior Research Fellow, University of California, San Diego
  • 1985 – 1989: British Diabetic Association postdoctoral research assistant at MRC Protein Phosphorylation Group at University of Dundee
  • 1981 – 1985: PhD Department of Biochemistry, Trinity College, University of Dublin
Research interests

Chromosome integrity

Chromosomes in eukaryotes control their environment to ensure that genomic integrity is maximised. We are interested in understanding mechanisms of genomic integrity operating at the molecular and cellular level, and determining the consequences when they fail.

Cellular surveillance systems and their role in healthy aging

Research in our laboratory uses molecular cell biology approaches to understand quality control or surveillance mechanisms that operate in cells to ensure fidelity of function, the consequences when they fail, and how they may be exploited to ameliorate disease.

Examples include the replication checkpoint, which operates to ensure that cells experiencing replication stress, can evoke appropriate DNA damage responses, reschedule cell cycle events, or initiate apoptosis, and quality control systems regulating processes involving RNA homeostasis, such as nonsense-mediated decay (NMD), histone mRNA decay (HD), and telomere stability.

We utilise a variety of disease cell models in mechanistic studies and utilise whole genome and new chemical entity (NCE) screening together with mass spectrometry and imaging techniques, coupled with in vitro assays, to synergistically probe both biological and NCE function.

Our chemical biology work focuses on exploring the use of ruthenium co-ordination complexes to explore novel chemical space affecting pathways of interest, as well as novel indole polycyclic derivatives that block NMD.

Our focus is to identify potential new therapeutic targets in relevant disease models, and our work on the replication checkpoint has identified a number of proteins and /or pathways which are of interest.

Future directions

A key focus concerns the functional characterisation of the DNA /RNA helicase Upf1 which acts pleiotropically to regulate NMD, HD and telomere integrity. We have identified a novel NMD inhibitor which, importantly, does not affect histone mRNA regulation or telomere integrity.

We aim to utilise our expertise in genomic integrity and mass spectrometry to identify the target of this inhibitor as a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of nonsense mutation-associated disease.

Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Journal articles

  • Gotham VJB, Hobbs MC, Burgin R, Turton D, Smythe C & Coldham I (2016) . Org. Biomol. Chem., 14(5), 1559-1563. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Block KI, Gyllenhaal C, Lowe L, Amedei A, Amin ARMR, Amin A, Aquilano K, Arbiser J, Arreola A, Arzumanyan A , Ashraf SS et al (2015) . Seminars in Cancer Biology, 35, S276-S304. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Ramu V, Gill M, Jarman P, Turton D, Thomas J, Das A & Smythe CG (2015) . Chemistry - A European Journal, 21(25), 9185-9197. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Baggaley E, Gill MR, Green NH, Turton D, Sazanovich IV, Botchway SW, Smythe C, Haycock JW, Weinstein JA & Thomas JA (2014) . Angew Chem Int Ed Engl, 53(13), 3367-3371. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Gill MR, Garcia-Lara J, Foster SJ, Smythe C, Battaglia G & Thomas JA (2009) . NAT CHEM, 1(8), 662-667. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Müller B, Blackburn J, Feijoo C, Zhao X & Smythe C (2007) . Journal of Cell Biology, 179(7), 1385-1398. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Bolderson E, Scorah J, Helleday T, Smythe C & Meuth M (2004) . Hum Mol Genet, 13(23), 2937-2945. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Feijoo C, Hall-Jackson C, Wu R, Jenkins D, Leitch J, Gilbert DM & Smythe C (2001) . JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY, 154(5), 913-923. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Novodvorsky P, Watson O, Gray C, Wilkinson RN, Reeve S, Smythe C, Beniston R, Plant K, Maguire R, M. K. Rothman A , Elworthy S et al () . PLoS ONE, 10(10). RIS download Bibtex download

All publications

Journal articles

  • Rattajak P, Aroonkesorn A, Smythe C, Wititsuwannakul R & Pitakpornpreecha T (2023) . Heliyon, 9(11), e22365-e22365. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Acuña MI, Rubio AR, Martínez-Alonso M, Busto N, Rodríguez AM, Davila-Ferreira N, Smythe C, Espino G, García B & Domínguez F (2023) . Cancers, 15(1). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Chimplee S, Smythe C, Tipmanee V, Sukrong S & Kanokwiroon K (2022) . PeerJ, 10, e13508. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Gill MR, Jarman PJ, Hearnden V, Fairbanks SD, Bassetto M, Maib H, Palmer J, Ayscough KR, Thomas JA & Smythe C (2022) . Angew Chem Weinheim Bergstr Ger, 134(27), e202117449. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Gill MR, Jarman PJ, Hearnden V, Bassetto M, fairbanks SD, Palmer J, Ayscough KF, Thomas JA & Smythe C (2022) . Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 61(27). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Yodthong T, Kedjarune-Leggat U, Smythe C, Sukprasirt P, Aroonkesorn A, Wititsuwannakul R & Pitakpornpreecha T (2020) . Biomolecules, 10(2). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Saeed H, Sreedharan S, Jarman PJ, Archer SA, Fairbanks SD, Foxon SP, Auty AJ, Chekulaev D, Keane T, Meijer AJHM , Weinstein JA et al (2019) . Journal of the American Chemical Society. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Smitten KL, Southam HM, de la Serna JB, Gill MR, Jarman PJ, Smythe CGW, Poole RK & Thomas JA (2019) . ACS Nano, 13(5), 5133-5146. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Jarman P, Noakes F, Fairbanks S, Smitten K, Griffiths I, Saeed H, Thomas J & Smythe CG (2019) . Journal of the American Chemical Society, 141(7), 2925-2937. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Singh H, Sreedharan S, Tiwari K, Green N, Smythe C, Pramanik SK, Thomas JA & Das A (2018) . Chemical Communications. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Yodthong T, Kedjarune-Leggat U, Smythe C, Wititsuwannakul R & Pitakpornpreecha T (2018) . Molecules, 23(12). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Singh H, Sreedharan S, Tiwari R, Walther C, Smythe C, Pramanik SK, Thomas JA & Das A (2018) . Crystal Growth and Design, 18(11), 7199-7206. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Pramanik SK, Sreedharan S, Singh H, Khan M, Tiwari K, Shiras A, Smythe CGW, Thomas JA & Das A (2018) . Bioconjugate Chemistry. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Anila HA, Sreedharan S, Ali F, Smythe CG, Thomas JA & Das A (2018) . Chemical Communications, 54(30), 3735-3738. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Sreedharan S, Sinopoli A, Jarman PJ, Robinson D, Clemmet C, Scattergood PA, Rice CR, Smythe CGW, Thomas JA & Elliott PIP (2018) . Dalton Transactions, 47(14), 4931-4940. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Ali F, Aute S, Sreedharan S, Anila HA, Saeed HK, Smythe CG, Thomas JA & Das A (2018) . Chemical Communications, 54(15), 1849-1852. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Ali F, Sreedharan S, Ashoka AH, Saeed HK, Smythe CGW, Thomas JA & Das A (2017) . Analytical Chemistry, 89(22), 12087-12093. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Gill MR, Jarman PJ, Swagata H, Walker MG, Saeed HK, Thomas JA, Smythe CGW, Ramadan K & Vallis K (2017) . Chemical Science, 9, 841-849. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Sreedharan S, Gill M, Garcia E, Saeed HK, Robinson D, Byrne A, Cadby AJ, Keyes TE, Smythe CGW, Pellett P , Bernardino de la Serna J et al (2017) . Journal of the American Chemical Society, 139(44), 15907-15913. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Pramanik SK, Sreedharan S, Singh H, Green NH, Smythe C, Thomas J & Das A (2017) . Chemical Communications, 53, 12672-12675. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Saeed H, Jarman P, Archer S, Sreedharan S, Saeed I, Mckenzie L, Weinstein J, Buurma N, Smythe C & Thomas JA (2017) . Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 129(41), 12802-128007. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Walker M, Jarman P, Gill M, Tian X, Ahmad H, Reddy P, McKenzie L, Weinstein J, Meijer A, Battaglia G , Smythe C et al (2016) . Chemistry - A European Journal, 22(17), 5996-6000. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Gotham VJB, Hobbs MC, Burgin R, Turton D, Smythe C & Coldham I (2016) . Org. Biomol. Chem., 14(5), 1559-1563. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Block KI, Gyllenhaal C, Lowe L, Amedei A, Amin ARMR, Amin A, Aquilano K, Arbiser J, Arreola A, Arzumanyan A , Ashraf SS et al (2015) . Seminars in Cancer Biology, 35, S276-S304. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Wragg A, Gill MR, McKenzie L, Glover C, Mowll R, Weinstein JA, Su X, Smythe C & Thomas JA (2015) . Chemistry - A European Journal, 21(33), 11865-11871. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Ramu V, Gill M, Jarman P, Turton D, Thomas J, Das A & Smythe CG (2015) . Chemistry - A European Journal, 21(25), 9185-9197. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Wragg A, Gill MR, Turton D, Adams H, Roseveare TM, Smythe C, Su X & Thomas JA (2014) . Chemistry - A European Journal, 20(43), 14004-14011. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Baggaley E, Gill MR, Green NH, Turton D, Sazanovich IV, Botchway SW, Smythe C, Haycock JW, Weinstein JA & Thomas JA (2014) . Angew Chem Int Ed Engl, 53(13), 3367-3371. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Gill M, Cecchin D, Walker MG, Mulla RS, Battaglia G, Smythe CG & Thomas JA (2013) . Chemical Science. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Gill MR, Derrat H, Smythe CGW, Battaglia G & Thomas JA (2011) . Chembiochem, 12(6), 877-880. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Bishop A, Lane R, Beniston R, Chapa-y-Lazo B, Smythe C & Sudbery P (2010) . EMBO J, 29(17), 2930-2942. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Gill MR, Garcia-Lara J, Foster SJ, Smythe C, Battaglia G & Thomas JA (2009) . NAT CHEM, 1(8), 662-667. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Müller B, Blackburn J, Feijoo C, Zhao X & Smythe C (2008) . Journal of Cell Biology, 180(4), 843-843. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Salpingidou G, Rzepecki R, Kiseleva E, Lyon C, Lane B, Fusiek K, Golebiewska A, Drummond S, Allen T, Ellis JA , Smythe C et al (2008) . Journal of Cell Science, 121(5), 706-716. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Müller B, Blackburn J, Feijoo C, Zhao X & Smythe C (2007) . Journal of Cell Biology, 179(7), 1385-1398. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Bolderson E, Scorah J, Helleday T, Smythe C & Meuth M (2004) . Hum Mol Genet, 13(23), 2937-2945. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Jackson AP, Flett A, Smythe C, Hufton L, Wettey FR & Smythe E (2003) . J Cell Biol, 163(2), 231-236. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Sapkota GP, Deak M, Kieloch A, Morrice N, Goodarzi AA, Smythe C, Shiloh Y, Lees-Miller SP & Alessi DR (2002) . Biochemical Journal, 368(2), 507-516. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Way G, Morrice N, Smythe C & O'Sullivan AJ (2002) . MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL, 13(9), 3344-3354. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Feijoo C, Hall-Jackson C, Wu R, Jenkins D, Leitch J, Gilbert DM & Smythe C (2001) . JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY, 154(5), 913-923. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Adams RR, Wheatleya SP, Gouldsworthy AM, Kandels-Lewis SE, Carmena M, Smythe C, Gerloff DL & Earnshaw WC (2000) . Current Biology, 10(17), 1075-1078. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Muller B, Link J & Smythe C (2000) . JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY, 275(32), 24284-24293. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Hall-Jackson CA, Cross DAE, Morrice N & Smythe C (1999) . ONCOGENE, 18(48), 6707-6713. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Hall-Jackson CA, Cross DAE, Jenkins DM & Smythe C (1999) . Biochemical Society Transactions, 27(3), A97-A97. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Drummond S, Ferrigno P, Lyon C, Murphy J, Goldberg M, Allen T, Smythe C & Hutchison CJ (1999) . JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY, 144(2), 225-240. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Cross DAE & Smythe C (1998) . EXPERIMENTAL CELL RESEARCH, 241(1), 12-22. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Drummond S, Smythe C & Hutchison C (1997) NEP-B78 is a novel integral nuclear membrane protein involved in nuclear envelope precursor vesicle targeting to chromatin.. MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL, 8, 608-608. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Ball KL, Lain S, Fahraeus R, Smythe C & Lane DP (1997) . CURRENT BIOLOGY, 7(1), 71-80. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Jones C & Smythe C (1996) Activation of the Xenopus cyclin degradation machinery by full-length cyclin A. JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE, 109, 1071-1079. RIS download Bibtex download
  • King AG, Ozanne BW, Smythe C & Ashworth A (1995) Isolation and characterisation of a uniquely regulated threonine, tyrosine phosphatase (TYP 1) which inactivates ERK2 and p54(jnk). ONCOGENE, 11(12), 2553-2563. RIS download Bibtex download
  • LEWIS T, GROOM LA, SNEDDON AA, SMYTHE C & KEYSE SM (1995) XCL100, AN INDUCIBLE NUCLEAR MAP KINASE PHOSPHATASE FROM XENOPUS-LAEVIS - ITS ROLE IN MAP KINASE INACTIVATION IN DIFFERENTIATED CELLS AND ITS EXPRESSION DURING EARLY DEVELOPMENT. JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE, 108, 2885-2896. RIS download Bibtex download
  • HUTCHISON CJ, JENKINS HE, SMYTHE C & WHITFIELD WGF (1995) THE ROLE OF B-TYPE LAMINS IN THE ASSEMBLY OF A REPLICATION COMPETENT NUCLEUS. JOURNAL OF CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY, 123-123. RIS download Bibtex download
  • FERRIGNO P & SMYTHE C (1994) IDENTIFICATION OF NOVEL REGULATORY EVENTS IN NUCLEAR-ENVELOPE REASSEMBLY USING XENOPUS EGG EXTRACTS. JOURNAL OF CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY, 94-94. RIS download Bibtex download
  • LYON CE, HUTCHISON CJ, SMYTHE C, ALLEN TD & LANE EB (1994) MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES TO STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS OF AMPHIBIAN NUCLEAR ENVELOPES. JOURNAL OF CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY, 90-90. RIS download Bibtex download
  • ALESSI DR, SMYTHE C & KEYSE SM (1993) THE HUMAN CL100 GENE ENCODES A TYR/THR-PROTEIN PHOSPHATASE WHICH POTENTLY AND SPECIFICALLY INACTIVATES MAP KINASE AND SUPPRESSES ITS ACTIVATION BY ONCOGENIC RAS IN XENOPUS-OOCYTE EXTRACTS. ONCOGENE, 8(7), 2015-2020. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Kornbluth S, Smythe C & Newport JW (1992) . Molecular and Cellular Biology, 12(7), 3216-3223. RIS download Bibtex download
  • SMYTHE C & NEWPORT JW (1992) . CELL, 68(4), 787-797. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Smythe C & Newport JW (1991) , 449-468. RIS download Bibtex download
  • SMYTHE C & COHEN P (1991) . EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMISTRY, 200(3), 625-631. RIS download Bibtex download
  • PFALLER R, SMYTHE C & NEWPORT JW (1991) . CELL, 65(2), 209-217. RIS download Bibtex download
  • HUBBARD MJ, DENT P, SMYTHE C & COHEN P (1990) . EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMISTRY, 189(2), 243-249. RIS download Bibtex download
  • SMYTHE C, WATT P & COHEN P (1990) . EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMISTRY, 189(1), 199-204. RIS download Bibtex download
  • SMYTHE C, VILLARPALASI C & COHEN P (1989) . EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMISTRY, 183(1), 205-209. RIS download Bibtex download
  • PITCHER J, SMYTHE C & COHEN P (1988) . EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMISTRY, 176(2), 391-395. RIS download Bibtex download
  • SMYTHE C, CAUDWELL FB, FERGUSON M & COHEN P (1988) . EMBO JOURNAL, 7(9), 2681-2686. RIS download Bibtex download
  • PITCHER J, SMYTHE C, CAMPBELL DG & COHEN P (1987) . EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMISTRY, 169(3), 497-502. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Zhao A, Maple L, Jiang J, Myers KN, Jones CG, Gagg H, McGarrity-Cottrell C, Rominiyi O, Collis SJ, Wells G , Rahman M et al () . Cell Death & Disease, 15(12). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Rattajak P, Aroonkesorn A, Smythe C, Wititsuwannakul R & Pitakpornpreecha T () . Molecules, 29(9), 2113-2113. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Noakes FF, Smitten KL, Maple LEC, Bernardino de la Serna J, Robertson CC, Pritchard D, Fairbanks SD, Weinstein JA, Smythe CGW & Thomas JA () . Journal of the American Chemical Society. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Saeed HK, Jarman PJ, Sreedharan S, Mowll R, Auty AJ, Chauvet AAP, Smythe CGW, de la Serna JB & Thomas JA () . Chemistry – A European Journal. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Dröge F, Noakes FF, Archer SA, Sreedharan S, Raza A, Robertson CC, MacNeil S, Haycock JW, Carson H, Meijer AJHM , Smythe CGW et al () . Journal of the American Chemical Society. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Wragg A, Gill MR, Hill CJ, Su X, Meijer AJHM, Smythe C & Thomas JA () . Chem. Commun., 50(93), 14494-14497. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Dasso M, Smythe C, Milarski K, Kornbluth S & Newport JW () , 161-186. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Novodvorsky P, Watson O, Gray C, Wilkinson RN, Reeve S, Smythe C, Beniston R, Plant K, Maguire R, M. K. Rothman A , Elworthy S et al () . PLoS ONE, 10(10). RIS download Bibtex download

Chapters

  • Smythe C & Cohen P (1991) , EJB Reviews 1991 (pp. 149-155). Springer Berlin Heidelberg RIS download Bibtex download

Conference proceedings papers

  • Panomwan P & Smythe C (2015) Analysis of the Mechanism of DNA Damage and Replication Arrest-induced Histone mRNA DecayPornpen Panomwan*and Carl Smythe. FASEB JOURNAL, Vol. 29 RIS download Bibtex download
  • Panomwan P & Smythe C (2014) Analysis of the mechanism of DNA damage and replication arrest-induced histone mRNA decay. FEBS JOURNAL, Vol. 281 (pp 65-65) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Gill MR, Thomas JA & Smythe C (2011) Ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes: In cellulo DNA binding and cytotoxicity. ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, Vol. 241 RIS download Bibtex download
  • Mijiler B, Blackburn J, Feijoo C, Zhao X & Smythe C (2007) Are multiple checkpoint mediators involved in a checkpoint linking histone gene expression with DNA replication?. BIOCHEMICAL SOCIETY TRANSACTIONS, Vol. 35 (pp 1369-1371) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Beniston RG & Smythe CGW (2006) . BREAST CANCER RESEARCH, Vol. 8 (pp S5-S6) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Rzepecki R, Smythe C & Hutchison CJ (2002) The role of mitotic vesicles in the nuclear assembly. CELLULAR & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LETTERS, Vol. 7(2) (pp 299-299) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Smythe C, Jenkins HE & Hutchison CJ (2000) . EMBO JOURNAL, Vol. 19(15) (pp 3918-3931) RIS download Bibtex download
Research group

Key collaborators

  • Prof Iain Coldham, Dept of Chemistry, University of 91Ö±²¥
  • Dr James Thomas, Dept of Chemistry, University of 91Ö±²¥
  • Dr Sarah Danson, Dept of Oncology, University of 91Ö±²¥
  • Dr Ferdinando Di Cunto, Department of Genetics, Biology& Biochemistry, University of Torino.
Grants
  • Cystic Fibrosis Trust
  • Yorkshire Cancer Research
  • Royal Thai Higher Education Commission
  • Malaysia Trust Council (Majlis Amanah Rakyat)
Teaching activities

Undergraduate and postgraduate taught modules

Undergraduate:

  • BMS109-106 Pathobiology
  • BMS379 Cancer Biology (Co-ordinator)

Masters (MSc):

  • BMS6057 Cancer Biology (Co-ordinator)