Dr Andrea Knight

Dr Andrea Knight joined Anglia Ruskin University in July 2024 as a Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences.

Her research interests are focused on the innate immunity and the tumour microenvironment in blood cancers and brain tumour glioblastoma.

[email protected]

Background

Dr Knight leads active research group focused on human gamma-delta (γδ) T cells in malignant disorders including Multiple Myeloma, Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML), Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL), and glioblastoma (GBM). Her team investigates how populations of γδ T lymphocytes contribute to immunosurveillance in the healthy immune system compared to malignancy.

She aims to understand how tumour-infiltrating myeloid and lymphoid cells contribute to patient prognosis and how to overcome the immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment (TME).

Research interests

• Innate immunity
• Tumour immunology
• Blood cancers
• Glioblastoma
• Endometriosis
• Cytomegalovirus
• Immune reconstitution post-transplantation
• Yamanaka transcription factors
• Activation of transcription

Teaching

• BSc in Biomedical Sciences
• Module Leader: Introduction of Introduction Cell Biology and Biochemistry

Qualifications

• PhD - University College London
• MSc Immunology
• BSc Immunology

Memberships, editorial boards

• UK CLL Forum
• UK Myeloma Forum

Research grants, consultancy, knowledge exchange

Dr Knight has an extensive track record of research grants as the principal investigator and funding from the Blood Cancer UK, Royal Free Charity (London), Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions/European Commission, Wingate Scholarship, Czech Health Research Council (2), Masaryk University Brno, CZ (2), University Hospital Brno, CZ (4).

Selected recent publications

Knight A, Houser J, Otasevic T, Juran V, Vybihal V, Smrcka M, Piskacek M. Myc 9aaTAD activation domain binds to mediator of transcription with superior high affinity. Mol Medicine 2024. doi: 10.1186/s10020-024-00896-7.

Knight A, Piskacek M, Jurajda M, Prochazkova J, Racil Z, Zackova D, Mayer J. Expansion of tumor-reactive Vdelta1 gamma-delta T cells in newly diagnosed patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2023 May;72(5):1209-1224. doi: 10.1007/s00262-022-03312-3.

Houser J, Jendruchova K, Knight A, Piskacek M. The NFkB activation domain is 14-amino-acid-long variant of the 9aaTAD. Biochem J. 2023 May 13;480(5):297-306. doi: 10.1042/BCJ20220605.

Knight A, Piskacek M. Cryptic inhibitory regions nearby activation domains. Biochimie. 2022 Sep;200:19-26. doi: 10.1016/j.biochi.2022.05.004.

Hudecek R, Kohlova B, Siskova I, Piskacek M, Knight A. Blocking of EphA2 on Endometrial Tumor Cells Reduces Susceptibility to Vδ1 Gamma-Delta T-Cell-Mediated Killing. Front Immunol. 2021 Oct 7;12:752646. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.752646.

Knight A, Rihova L, Kralova R, Penka M, Adam Z, Pour L, Piskacek M, Hajek R. Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells in Patients with MGUS and Multiple Myeloma. J Clin Med. 2021 Aug 20;10(16):3717. doi: 10.3390/jcm10163717.

Piskacek M, Otasevic T, Repko M, Knight A. The 9aaTAD Activation Domains in the Yamanaka Transcription Factors Oct4, Sox2, Myc and Klf4. Stem Cell Rev Rep. 2021 Oct;17(5):1934-1936. doi: 10.1007/s12015-021-10225-8.

Hofrova A, Lousa P, Kubickova M, Hritz J, Otasevic T, Repko M, Knight A, Piskacek M. Universal two-point interaction of mediator KIX with 9aaTAD activation domains. J Cell Biochem. 2021 Oct;122(10):1544-1555. doi: 10.1002/jcb.30075.