Dr Luigi Ombrato
Group Leader / Lecturer
Research
Tumour Microenvironment, Metastasis, Immune cells, Stromal cells, Immunotherapy
Interests
Our lab uses 3D models (including heterotypic spheroids/tumoroids, transwell scaffolds, hydrogels) to study the interactions between cancer cells, stromal cells and immune cells. These systems help us to dissect the molecular mechanims underlying metastasis formation and to understand how the different cellular components within the tumour microenvironment communicate with each others and with the cancer cells during the establishment of a tumour supportive niche. Cancers of interest: breast, colorectal, pancreatic.Publications
Publications of specific relevance to Predictive in vitro Models2024
Perdrix Rosell A, Maiques O, Martin JAJ, Chakravarty P, Ombrato L, Sanz-Moreno V and Malanchi I (2024). Corrigendum to “Early functional mismatch between breast cancer cells and their tumour microenvironment suppresses long term growth” [Cancer Lett. 544 (2022), 215800]. Elsevier Cancer Letters vol. 597, Rodrigues FS, Karoutas A, Ruhland S, Rabas N, Rizou T, Di Blasio S, Ferreira RMM, Bridgeman VL, Goldstone R, Sopena ML, Lee J-H, Ombrato L and Malanchi I (2024). Bidirectional activation of stem-like programs between metastatic cancer and alveolar type 2 cells within the niche. Elsevier Developmental Cell vol. 59, (18) 2398-2413.e8. 2023
Kafka A, Ermogenous C and Ombrato L (2023). Isolation of Live Immune Cells from the Tumor Microenvironment by FACS. Springer Nature Methods in Molecular Biology vol. 2748, 1-12. 2022
Ombrato L (2022). In vivo labelling system to study cell neighbourhoods. Springer Nature Nature Reviews Cancer vol. 22, (12) 661-661. Perdrix Rosell A, Maiques O, Martin JAJ, Chakravarty P, Ombrato L, Sanz-Moreno V and Malanchi I (2022). Early functional mismatch between breast cancer cells and their tumour microenvironment suppresses long term growth. Elsevier Cancer Letters vol. 544, Borel V, Boeing S, Van Wietmarschen N, Sridharan S, Hill BR, Ombrato L, Perez-Lloret J, Jackson D, Goldstone R, Boulton SJ, Nussenzweig A and Bellelli R (2022). Disrupted control of origin activation compromises genome integrity upon destabilization of Polε and dysfunction of the TRP53-CDKN1A/P21 axis. Elsevier Cell Reports vol. 39, (9) Nolan E, Bridgeman VL, Ombrato L, Karoutas A, Rabas N, Sewnath CAN, Vasquez M, Rodrigues FS, Horswell S, Faull P, Carter R and Malanchi I (2022). Author Correction: Radiation exposure elicits a neutrophil-driven response in healthy lung tissue that enhances metastatic colonization. Springer Nature Nature Cancer vol. 3, (4) 519-519. Nolan E, Bridgeman VL, Ombrato L, Karoutas A, Rabas N, Sewnath CAN, Vasquez M, Rodrigues FS, Horswell S, Faull P, Carter R and Malanchi I (2022). Radiation exposure elicits a neutrophil-driven response in healthy lung tissue that enhances metastatic colonization. Springer Nature Nature Cancer vol. 3, (2) 173-187. 2021
Rosell AP, Maiques O, Chakravarty P, Ombrato L, Sanz-Moreno V and Malanchi I (2021). Early functional mismatch between breast cancer cells and their tumour microenvironment suppresses long term growth. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Passaro D, Garcia-Albornoz M, Diana G, Chakravarty P, Ariza-McNaughton L, Batsivari A, Borràs-Eroles C, Abarrategi A, Waclawiczek A, Ombrato L, Malanchi I, Gribben J and Bonnet D (2021). Integrated OMICs unveil the bone-marrow microenvironment in human leukemia. Elsevier Cell Reports vol. 35, (6) 2020
Ombrato L, Nolan E, Passaro D, Kurelac I, Bridgeman VL, Waclawiczek A, Duarte D, Lo Celso C, Bonnet D and Malanchi I (2020). Generation of neighbor-labeling cells to study intercellular interactions in vivo. Springer Nature Nature Protocols vol. 16, (2) 872-892. Ombrato L and Montagner M (2020). Technical Advancements for Studying Immune Regulation of Disseminated Dormant Cancer Cells. Frontiers Media Frontiers in Oncology vol. 10, 594514-594514. 2019
Ombrato L, Nolan E, Kurelac I, Mavousian A, Bridgeman VL, Heinze I, Chakravarty P, Horswell S, Gonzalez-Gualda E, Matacchione G, Weston A, Kirkpatrick J, Husain E, Speirs V, Collinson L, Ori A, Lee J-H and Malanchi I (2019). Author Correction: Metastatic-niche labelling reveals parenchymal cells with stem features. Springer Nature Nature vol. 575, (7784) e8-e8. Ombrato L, Nolan E, Kurelac I, Mavousian A, Bridgeman VL, Heinze I, Chakravarty P, Horswell S, Gonzalez-Gualda E, Matacchione G, Weston A, Kirkpatrick J, Husain E, Speirs V, Collinson L, Ori A, Lee J-H and Malanchi I (2019). Metastatic-niche labelling reveals parenchymal cells with stem features. Springer Nature Nature vol. 572, (7771) 603-608. Ombrato L and Malanchi I (2019). Subclonal cooperation rewrites metastasis. Springer Nature Nature Cell Biology vol. 21, (7) 797-798. Kurelac I, Iommarini L, Vatrinet R, Amato LB, De Luise M, Leone G, Girolimetti G, Umesh Ganesh N, Bridgeman VL, Ombrato L, Columbaro M, Ragazzi M, Gibellini L, Sollazzo M, Feichtinger RG, Vidali S, Baldassarre M, Foriel S, Vidone M, Cossarizza A, Grifoni D, Kofler B, Malanchi I, Porcelli AM and Gasparre G (2019). Inducing cancer indolence by targeting mitochondrial Complex I is potentiated by blocking macrophage-mediated adaptive responses. Springer Nature Nature Communications vol. 10, (1) 2015
del Pozo Martin Y, Park D, Ramachandran A, Ombrato L, Calvo F, Chakravarty P, Spencer-Dene B, Derzsi S, Hill CS, Sahai E and Malanchi I (2015). Mesenchymal Cancer Cell-Stroma Crosstalk Promotes Niche Activation, Epithelial Reversion, and Metastatic Colonization. Elsevier Cell Reports vol. 13, (11) 2456-2469. 2014
Aulicino F, Theka I, Ombrato L, Lluis F and Cosma MP (2014). Temporal Perturbation of the Wnt Signaling Pathway in the Control of Cell Reprogramming Is Modulated by TCF1. Elsevier Stem Cell Reports vol. 2, (5) 707-720. Ombrato L and Malanchi I (2014). The EMT Universe: Space between Cancer Cell Dissemination and Metastasis Initiation. Begell House Critical Reviews™ in Oncogenesis vol. 19, (5) 349-361. 2012
Ombrato L, Lluis F and Cosma MP (2012). Regulation of self-renewal and reprogramming by TCF factors. Taylor & Francis Cell Cycle vol. 11, (1) 39-47. 2011
Lluis F, Ombrato L, Pedone E, Pepe S, Merrill BJ and Cosma MP (2011). T-cell factor 3 (Tcf3) deletion increases somatic cell reprogramming by inducing epigenome modifications. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America vol. 108, (29) 11912-11917. 2007
Buccigrossi V, de Marco G, Bruzzese E, Ombrato L, Bracale I, Polito G and Guarino A (2007). Lactoferrin Induces Concentration-Dependent Functional Modulation of Intestinal Proliferation and Differentiation. Springer Nature Pediatric Research vol. 61, (4) 410-414. Grants
Controlling metastasis formation through inhibition of myeloid cell-myeloid cell cross-talkLuigi Ombrato
£744,164 CR-UK Cancer Research UK (01-10-2024 - 30-09-2030)
Understanding the systemic effects of adjuvant radiotherapy on metastasisLuigi Ombrato
£74,695 Barts and the London Charity (08-04-2024 - 07-04-2025)
KTP with LiftBioSciences: 3D TME model to study neutrophil cytotoxicity (PI: Luigi Ombrato)Luigi Ombrato and Oliver Pearce
£232,790 Innovate UK (30-08-2023 - 29-08-2025)
Characterising neutrophil:macrophage cross-talk in metastatic nichesLuigi Ombrato
£99,997 AMS Academy of Medical Sciences (01-03-2022 - 31-07-2025)
Characterise the immuno-metabolic reprogramming in colorectal cancer liver metastasisLuigi Ombrato
£50,000 Bowel Research UK ( formerly Bowel & Cancer Research) (01-09-2021 - 09-01-2024)