Head and neck cancers generally start in the lining of the mouth, nose, throat or voice box.
Biography
Dr Charbel Darido graduated with a Master in Endocrinology and a Master in Physiology before completing his PhD studies on colon cancer at the University of Montpellier in France. He then moved to Australia to conduct post-doctoral studies at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the University of Melbourne. Here he initiated a cancer project that led to the identification of a critical tumour suppressor gene against squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of skin and head & neck tissues. Following his first postdoc, he relocated to Monash University to lead the cancer program in the “epidermal development laboratory” at the Central Clinical School (The Alfred Centre). More recently, Dr Darido was appointed a Group Leader position within the Cancer Therapeutic Program at Peter Mac to establish a vibrant research program on head and neck cancer. The main focus of his lab is to develop model systems for the investigation of head & neck SCC with an emphasis on studying the initiating lesions and identifying the cell of origin of these cancers. His research group studies the molecular basis of cancer, with emphasis on basic mechanisms of tumour suppression and signal transduction and their dysregulation in skin and head and neck squamous cell carcinogenesis. He is recognised for his pioneering research aimed at unravelling the complexity of the intracellular signalling circuitries by which loss of transcription factors promote oncogenic addiction, thereby leading to malignant transformation and cancer cell proliferation. Dr Darido’s current investigations are made possible through the use of genetically engineered mouse models and carcinogenic protocols, orthotopic SCC xenografts and cultured cancer-derived cell lines. His ultimate goal is to translate molecular insights into new strategies of preventing and treating this disease, which causes significant mortality and morbidity worldwide.
Related Links
Darido Laboratory
Stop signal discovered for skin cancer - Monash University
Stop signal discovered for skin cancer - Australasian Science
Cancer research breakthrough hailed as biggest in 50 years - SBS
Awards
Prizes & Awards
2015 Central Clinical School Travel Grant Award – The Alfred Centre
2015 Bonus for Exceptional Performance – Monash University
2014 Central Clinical School Travel Grant Award – The Alfred Centre
2014 Monash Comprehensive Cancer Consortium (MCCC) Travel Grant
2014 Bonus for Exceptional Performance – Monash University
2013 ‘No-bell’ Prize Winner of the Alfred Medical Research and Education Precinct (AMREP) Postgraduate Symposium
2013 The CASS Foundation Travel Grant
2013 Australia Day 2013 Medical Research Award – United Australian Lebanese Movement
2013 Central Clinical School Travel Grant Award – The Alfred Centre
2012 Alfred Medical Research and Education Precinct (AMREP) Research Prize for article published in the journal with the highest impact factor in 2011
2012 Monash Comprehensive Cancer Consortium (MCCC) Travel Grant
2012 Postgraduate Cancer Research Scholarship from Cancer Council Victoria to support a PhD student on my project
2011 The inaugural recipient of the Clare Oliver Memorial Fellowship, Victorian Cancer Agency
2008 University Award for the highest-ranking thesis, which received written congratulations from the Board of Examiners based on exceptional achievements in five distinct categories. CNRS UMR 5203 and INSERM U661, Montpellier – France
Grants
2017-2020 Chief Investigator, Victorian Cancer Agency Mid-Career Fellowship
2016-2020 Group Leader, Head and Neck Cancer Signaling Laboratory. Start-up funding
2016-2019 Chief Investigator A, NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council)
2018 Head and Neck Cancer Appeal, Fundraising to The Peter Mac Foundation
2017, 2018 Donations from Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Church
2017 Chief Investigator A, The Tom Davis Foundation
2017 Chief Investigator B, The Peter Mac Foundation
2013-2016 Chief Investigator C, NHMRC
2015 Equity Trustees - Harold & Cora Brennan, The Alfred Foundation
Qualifications
PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Master in Endocrinology, Master in Physiology
Publications
Selected 20 publications:
- Goldie SJ, Chincarini G, Darido C 2019, ‘Targeted Therapy Against the Cell of Origin in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma’, International Journal of Molecular Science, May 5;20(9). (IF = 4.183). Last and corresponding author.
- Tan FH, Bai Y, Saintigny P, Darido C 2019, ‘mTOR Signalling in Head and Neck Cancer: Heads Up’, Cells, Apr 9;8(4). (IF = 5.656). Last and corresponding author.
- Goldie SJ, Cottle DL, Tan FH, Roslan S, Srivastava S, Brady R, Partridge D, Auden A, Smyth IM, Jane SM, Dworkin S, Darido C 2018, ‘Loss of GRHL3 leads to TARC/CCL17-mediated keratinocyte proliferation in the epidermis’, Cell Death and Disease, Oct 19;9(11):1072. (IF = 6.187). Last and corresponding author.
- Darido C, Georgy SR, Cullinane C, Partridge DD, Walker R, Srivastava S, Roslan S, Carpinelli MR, Dworkin S, Pearson RB, Jane SM 2018, ‘Stage-dependent Therapeutic Efficacy in PI3K/mTOR-Driven Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Skin’, Cell Death and Differentiation, Jun;25(6):1146-1159. (IF = 8.184). First and corresponding author.
- Youssef M, Cuddihy A, Darido C 2017, ‘Long-Lived Epidermal Cancer-Initiating Cells’, International Journal of Molecular Science, Jun 27;18(7). (IF = 4.183). Last and corresponding author.
- Miles LB, Dworkin S, Darido C 2017, ‘Alternative splicing and start sites: Lessons from the Grainyhead-like family’, Developmental Biology, Sep 1;429(1):12-19. (IF = 3.262). Last and corresponding author.
- Darido C, Georgy SR, Jane SM 2016, ‘The role of barrier genes in epidermal malignancy’, Oncogene, Nov 3;35(44):5705-5712. (IF = 6.854). First and corresponding author.
- Cangkrama M, Darido C, Georgy SR, Partridge D, Auden A, Srivastava S, Wilanowski T, Jane SM 2016, ‘Two Ancient Gene Families Are Critical for Maintenance of the Mammalian Skin Barrier in Postnatal Life’, Journal of Investigative Dermatology, Jul;136(7):1438-144 (IF = 6.448). Principal PhD supervisor of the 1st author.
- Georgy SR, Cangkrama M, Srivastava S, Partridge D, Auden A, Dworkin S, McLean CA, Jane SM, Darido C 2015, ‘Identification of a Novel Proto-oncogenic Network in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma’, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Jun 10;107(9). (IF = 11.238). Last author.
- Mlacki M, Darido C, Jane SM, Wilanowski T 2014, ‘Loss of Grainy head-like 1 is associated with disruption of the epidermal barrier and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin’, PLoS One, Feb 20;9(2):e89247. (IF = 2.776)
- Cangkrama M, Ting SB, Darido C 2013, ‘Stem cells behind the barrier’, International Journal of Molecular Science, Jun 28;14(7):13670-86. (IF = 4.183). Last and corresponding author.
- Dworkin S, Darido C, Georgy SR, Wilanowski T, Srivastava S, Ellett F, Pase L, Han Y, Meng A, Heath JK, Lieschke GJ, Jane SM 2012, ‘Midbrain-hindbrain boundary patterning and morphogenesis are regulated by diverse grainy head-like 2-dependent pathways’, Development, Feb;139(3):525-36. (IF = 5.763)
- Darido C, Georgy SR, Wilanowski T, Dworkin S, Auden A, Zhao Q, Rank G, Srivastava S, Finlay MJ, Papenfuss AT, Pandolfi PP, Pearson RB, Jane SM 2011, ‘Targeting of the tumor suppressor GRHL3 by a miR-21-dependent proto-oncogenic network results in PTEN loss and tumorigenesis’, Cancer Cell, Nov 15;20(5):635-48. (IF = 23.916). First author.
- Dworkin S, Jane SM, Darido C 2011, ‘The planar cell polarity pathway in vertebrate epidermal development, homeostasis and repair’, Organogenesis, Jul-Sep;7(3):202-8. (IF = 2.567). Last and corresponding author.
- Darido C, Jane SM 2010, ‘Grhl3 and GEF19 in the Front Rho’, Small GTPases, Sep;1(2):104-107. (IF = 3.16). First author.
- Caddy J, Wilanowski T, Darido C, Dworkin S, Ting SB, Zhao Q, Rank G, Auden A, Srivastava S, Papenfuss TA, Murdoch JN, Humbert PO, Parekh V, Boulos N, Weber T, Zuo J, Cunningham JM, Jane SM 2010, ‘Epidermal Wound Repair is Regulated by the Planar Cell Polarity Signaling Pathway’, Developmental Cell, Jul 20;19(1):138-47. (IF = 9.616)
- Buchert M, Papin M, Bonnans C, Darido C, Raye WS, Garambois V, Pélegrin A, Bourgaux JF, Pannequin J, Joubert D, Hollande F 2010, ‘Symplekin Promotes Tumorigenicity by Up-Regulating Claudin-2 Expression’,Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Feb 9;107(6):2628-33. (IF = 9.58)
- Buchert M, Darido C, Lagerqvist E, Sedello A, Cazevieille C, Buchholz F, Bourgaux JF, Pannequin J, Joubert D, Hollande F 2009, ‘The symplekin/ZONAB complex inhibits intestinal cell differentiation by the repression of AML1/Runx1’, Gastroenterology, 2009 Jul;137(1):156-64. (IF = 20.773)
- Darido C, Buchert M, Pannequin J, Bastide P, Zalzali H, Mantamadiotis T, Bourgaux JF, Garambois V, Jay P, Blache P, Joubert D, Hollande F 2008, ‘Defective claudin-7 regulation by Tcf-4 and Sox-9 disrupts the polarity and increases the tumorigenicity of colorectal cancer cells’, Cancer Research, Jun 1;68(11):4258-68. (IF = 9.13). First author.
- Bastide P, Darido C, Pannequin J, Kist R, Robine S, Marty-Double C, Bibeau F, Scherer G, Joubert D, Hollande F, Blache P, Jay P 2007, ‘Sox9 regulates cell proliferation and is required for Paneth cell differentiation in the intestinal epithelium’, The Journal of Cell Biology, 2007 Aug 13;178(4):635-48. (IF = 8.891)
