Professor Brian Gabrielli

Honorary Professor

Mater Research Institute-UQ
Faculty of Medicine

Overview

Professor Gabrielli completed his undergraduate education at James Cook University in Townsville and PhD at La Trobe University in Melbourne. After two postdoctoral positions in the USA in the emerging field of cell cycle regulation, he was recruited to establish his own independent research at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research, and then recruited to the Diamantina Institute in 2002, and Mater Research Institute in 2016. He is head of the Smiling for Smiddy Cell Cycle Group.

Research Interests

Mechanisms that regulate cell division, particularly progression into mitosis. These mechanisms are often mutated in cancers and are likely to be major contributors to cancer development. Identifying the genetic mutations that disrupt normal progression and particularly mechanisms, known as checkpoints, provides diagnostic and prognostic opportunities. It also provides potential new targets for chemotherapeutics as drugs targeting defective checkpoints have tumour selective cytotoxic potential.

Research Projects

  • Identifying the molecular basis for defective checkpoints in melanoma.
  • Targeting defective cell cycle responses to ultraviolet radiation, replication stress and TopoII inhibitors in melanoma, and investigating whether the same defects in other cancer types respond to similar targeting.
  • Investigating means of identify very early changes in moles that drive progression to melanoma
  • Targeting Aurora kinases in HPV-driven cancers

Research Interests

  • Ultraviolet radiaiton and its contribution to melanoma
  • Targeting defective cell cycle checkpoints in cancers, particularly melanoma
  • Functional genomics; using high throughout screening combined with increased or decreased gene dosage to identify novel regulatory mechanisms and drug targets
  • Mechanism of action studies for novel anti-caner therapeutics

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, La Trobe University
  • Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), James Cook University

Publications

View all Publications

Supervision

View all Supervision

Available Projects

View all Available Projects

Publications

Book Chapter

Journal Article

Conference Publication

  • Spoerri, L., Tonnessen-Murray, C. A., Beaumont, K. A., Hill, D. S., Jurek, R. J., Gunasingh, G., Vanwalleghem, G., Daignault, S., Fane, M. E., Schaider, H., Smith, A., Stehbens, S. J., Weninger, W., Scott, E. E., Gabrielli, B. and Haass, N. (2023). MITF-mediated changes of tumour architecture, tensile stress and in extracellular matrix (ECM) control intratumour heterogeneity in melanoma. Meeting of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Dermatologische Forschung (ADF), Berlin, Germany, 11-14 March 2020. Chichester, West Sussex United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell.

  • Andrews, Ariel, Kumar, Ramyashree Prasanna, Nazareth, Deborah, Ehmann, Anna, Hooper, John, McMillan, Nigel and Gabrielli, Brian (2019). Inhibition of Aurora B kinase activity triggers senescence that can be bypassed by blocking p53 and RB function, promoting replication stress. AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, Boston, MA USA, 26-30 October 2019. Philadelphia, PA USA: American Association for Cancer Research. doi: 10.1158/1535-7163.TARG-19-A060

  • Daignault, S. M., Ju, R., Spoerri, L., Stehbens, S. J., Hill, D. S., Gabrielli, B., Dolcetti, R. and Haass, N. K. (2019). Bortezomib-induced immunogenic cell death enhances immune response in melanoma. Society for Investigative Dermatology (SID) Meeting, Chicago, IL United States, 8-11 May 2019. London, United Kingdom: Nature Publishing Group. doi: 10.1016/j.jid.2019.03.907

  • Oo, Zay Yar, Proctor, Martina, Stevenson, Alex, Nazareth, Deborah, Larsen, Jill, Haass, Nikolas and Gabrielli, Brian G. (2019). Subclinical doses and choice of replication stress inducer in combination with CHK1 inhibitors for optimal tumor control and immune responses in vitro and in vivo. AACR Annual Meeting on Bioinformatics, Convergence Science, and Systems Biology, Atlanta Ga, Mar 29-Apr 03, 2019. PHILADELPHIA: AMER ASSOC CANCER RESEARCH. doi: 10.1158/1538-7445.AM2019-1236

  • Emran, A., Marzese, D. M., Menon, D. R., Stark, M., Torrano, J., Hammerlindl, H., Zhang, G., Brafford, P., Hammerlindl, S., Gupta, D., Mills, G. B., Lu, Y., Flaherty, K., Sturm, R., Hoon, D. S. B., Gabrielli, B., Herlyn, M. and Schaider, H. (2018). Distinct epigenetic remodelling defines early stress-induced drug tolerance in melanoma. Australasian College of Dermatologists, 51st Annual Scientific Meeting, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia , 19–22 May 2018. Richmond, VIC, Australia: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing. doi: 10.1111/ajd.16_12815

  • Duijf, Pascal H. G., Vaidyanathan, Srividya, Cato, Kathleen, Thangavelu, Pulari U., Lin, Cheng-Yu, Tang, Lu, Pavey, Sandra, Haass, Nikolas K. and Gabrielli, Brian G. (2018). Overexpression of the cell cycle regulator Emi1 promotes chromosome instability and tumorigenesis. 76th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Cancer Association, Yokohama, Japan, 28-30 September 2017. Tokyo, Japan: Wiley Japan. doi: 10.1111/cas.13499

  • Daignault, S. M., Hill, D. S., Spoerri, L., Stehbens, S., Weninger, W., Gabrielli, B., Dolcetti, R. and Haass, N. K. (2018). Targeting cell cycle phase-specific drug sensitivity for melanoma therapy. 45th Annual Meeting of the Arbeitsgemeinscha-Dermatologische-Forschung (ADF), Zurich, Switzerland, 7-10 March 2018. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing.

  • Haass, N., Spoerri, L., Tonnessen, C. A., Beaumont, K. A., Hill, D. S., Daignault, S. M., Gabrielli, B. and Weninger, W. (2017). Cell cycle-tailored targeting of metastatic melanoma: challenges and opportunities. Australasian College of Dermatologists 50th Annual Scientific Meeting, International Convention Centre, Sydney, NSW Australia, 6-9 May 2017. Richmond, VIC Australia: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia. doi: 10.1111/ajd.20_12652

  • Beaumont, K., Hill, D., Daignault, S., Sharp, D., Gabrielli, B., Weninger, W. and Haass, N. (2016). Cell cycle phase-specific drug resistance as an escape mechanism of melanoma cells. Annual Meeting of the Society-for-Investigative-Dermatology (SID), Scottsdale, AZ, United States, 11-14 May 2016. Oxford, United Kingdom: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.jid.2016.02.695

  • Al Emran, Abdullah, Menon, Dinoop Ravindran, Soyer, Peter, Gabrielli, Brian, Sturm, Rick, Herlyn, Meenhard and Schaider, Helmut (2016). Global histone modifications define early stress induced drug tolerance in cancer. American-Association-for-Cancer-Research (AACR) Special Conference on Chromatin and Epigenetics in Cancer, Atlanta, GA, United States, 24-27 September 2015. Philadelphia, PA United States: American Association for Cancer Research. doi: 10.1158/1538-7445.CHROMEPI15-B34

  • McMillan, N., Fallaha, S., Martin, D., Leggatt, G. and Gabrielli, B. (2016). Inhibition of Aurora Kinases is curative for HPV-driven tumours. 16th Biennial Meeting of the International Gynecologic Cancer Society, Lisbon, Portugal, 28-31 October 2016. London, United Kingdom: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. doi: 10.1097/01.IGC.0000503327.50238.5c

  • Gabrielli, Brian G., Bokhari, Fawzi, Ranall, Max, Oo, Zay Yar, Stevenson, Alex, Wang, Weili, McKee, Sara, Leggatt, Graham, Leo, Paul, Gonda, Thomas J. and McMillan, Nigel A. J. (2015). Abstract 945: synthetic lethal screen identifies Aurora A as a selective target in HPV driven cervical cancer. 106th Annual Meeting of the American-Association-for-Cancer-Research (AACR), Philadelphia, PA United States, 18-22 April 2015. Philadelphia, PA United States: American Association for Cancer Research. doi: 10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-945

  • Hill, D. S., Beaumont, K. A., Daignault, S. M., Anfosso, A., Sharp, D. M., Gabrielli, B., Lovat, P. E., Weninger, W. and Haass, N. K. (2015). Melanoma cells in G1 phase escape proteasome inhibitor cytotoxicity. 42nd Annual Meeting of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft-Dermatologische-Forschung (ADF), Ulm, Germany, Mar 05-07, 2015. Chichester, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing. doi: 10.1111/exd.12623

  • Gabrielli, B., Bokhari, F., Ranall, M., Stevenson, A., Murell, M., Kelly, M., McKee, S., Leggatt, G., Gonda, T. and McMillan, N. (2014). Synthetic lethal screen identifies Aurora A as a selective target in HPV driven cervical cancer. 26th EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, Barcelona Spain, 18-21 November 2014. Abingdon, Oxford, United Kingdom: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/S0959-8049(14)70420-4

  • Gabrielli, Brian G., Brooks, Kelly, Edwards, Brooke, Chen, James and Pavey, Sandra (2013). Chk1 inhibitor targets replicative stress in melanomas. 104th Annual Meeting of the American-Association-for-Cancer-Research (AACR), Washington Dc, Apr 06-10, 2013. PHILADELPHIA: AMER ASSOC CANCER RESEARCH. doi: 10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3425

  • Lee, W. J., Skalamera, D., Dahmer, M., Shakhbazov, K., Purdon, A., Wilson, B., Ranall, M, Pinder, A., Pavey, S., Gonda, T. and Gabrielli, B. (2012). A Genome-wide Human ORF Gain-of-function Screen to Identify Genes that can Bypass p16INK4a-mediated Cellular Senescence. 6th Australian High Content Screening Group Meeting, Melbourne, Australia, 13th July 2012.

  • Gabrielli, B., Brooks, K., Oakes, V., Edwards, B., Chen, J. and Mukhopadhyay, P. (2012). Chk1 inhibitor targets replicative stress in melanomas. 24th EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, Dublin Ireland, 6-9 November 2012. Oxford, United Kingdom: Pergamon. doi: 10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3425

  • Wigan, Matthew, Pavey, Sandra, Brooks, Kelly, Giles, Nichole, Burgess, Andrew, Sturm, Rick and Gabrielli, Brian (2011). Abstract 4197: A DNA damage checkpoint response to unrepaired ultraviolet radiation-induced lesions which is defective in melanoma. AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011, Orlando, FL United States, 2‐6 April 2011. Philadelphia, PA United States: American Association for Cancer Research. doi: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2011-4197

  • Lee, W. J., Skalamera, D., Dahmer, M., Shakhbazov, K., Ranall, M., Purdon, A., Wilson, B., Pinder, A., Pavey, S., Gonda, T. and Gabrielli, B. (2011). A functional genomics approach to identify genes and pathways that can bypass p16INK4a-mediated cellular senescence. 14th Annual Australian Cell Cycle Workshop, Noosa, Australia, 24 October 2011.

  • Lee, W. J., Skalamera, D. and Gabrielli, B. (2011). A high-coverage and high-content human ORF overexpression screen to identify pathways that can bypass p16INK4a-mediated cellular senescence. 5th Australian High Content Screening Group Meeting, Melbourme, Australia, 15 July 2011.

  • Skoien, R., Powell, E. E., Melino, M., Clouston, A. D., Gabrielli, B. G. and Jonsson, J. R. (2010). Fatty acids induce hepatocyte senescence in vitro: implications for pathogenesis in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Australian Gastroenterology Week 2010, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia, 20-23 October 2010. Richmond, VIC, Australia: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2010.06450.x

  • Wigan, M., Giles, N., Pavey, S. and Gabrielli, B. (2009). Suberythemal UV G2 phase checkpoint in response to post replication repair is defective in a majority of melanoma cell lines. 5th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australasian Society for Dermatology Research, Sydney, Australia, 21-22 May 2008. United Kingdom: Nature Publishing Group. doi: 10.1038/jid.2009.333

  • Giles, N., Pavey, S. and Gabrielli, B (2009). UVR induced ERK signaling pathway regulates p16 expression in skin. 5th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australasian-Society-for-Dermatology-Research, Sydney, Australia, 21-22 May 2008. United Kingdom: Nature Publishing Group. doi: 10.1038/jid.2009.333

Grants (Administered at UQ)

PhD and MPhil Supervision

Current Supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

Completed Supervision

Possible Research Projects

Note for students: The possible research projects listed on this page may not be comprehensive or up to date. Always feel free to contact the staff for more information, and also with your own research ideas.