Brent Derry

Derry received his B.Sc. from Carleton University, his M.Sc. from McMaster University, and his PhD from the University of California, Santa Barbara. His PhD thesis research elucidated the mechanism by which the anti-cancer drug Taxol suppresses microtubule dynamics, and the role of beta-tubulin isotypes in Taxol resistance. During his postdoctoral studies at the University of California he identified and characterized the C. elegans p53 tumour suppressor gene. 

Derry’s research at SickKids is focused on understanding the molecular basis of the neurovascular disease cerebral cavernous malformations (CCM), and how oncogene signaling is regulated in paediatric cancers. His lab uses the nematode worm C. elegans and human cancer cell lines to address these questions. Derry is Viewpoints Editor for the FEBS Journal and serves on the Scientific Advisory Boards for Angioma Alliance Canada and Angioma Alliance USA. 

1. A conserved CCM complex promotes apoptosis non-autonomously by regulating zinc homeostasis. Chapman EM, Lant B, Ohashi Y, Yu B, Schertzberg M, Go C, Dogra D, Koskimäki J, Girard R, Li Y, Fraser AG, Awad IA, Abdelilah-Seyfried S, Gingras AC, Derry WB. Nat Commun. 2019 Apr 17;10(1):1791. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-09829-z. PMID: 30996251 Free PMC article.
2. Systematic pharmacological screens uncover novel pathways involved in cerebral cavernous malformations. Otten C, Knox J, Boulday G, Eymery M, Haniszewski M, Neuenschwander M, Radetzki S, Vogt I, Hähn K, De Luca C, Cardoso C, Hamad S, Igual Gil C, Roy P, Albiges-Rizo C, Faurobert E, von Kries JP, Campillos M, Tournier-Lasserve E, Derry WB, Abdelilah-Seyfried S. EMBO Mol Med. 2018 Oct;10(10):e9155. doi: 10.15252/emmm.201809155. PMID: 30181117 Free PMC article.
3. CCM-3 Promotes C. elegans Germline Development by Regulating Vesicle Trafficking Cytokinesis and Polarity. Pal S, Lant B, Yu B, Tian R, Tong J, Krieger JR, Moran MF, Gingras AC, Derry WB. Curr Biol. 2017 Mar 20;27(6):868-876. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.02.028. Epub 2017 Mar 9. PMID: 28285997
4. The p53-like Protein CEP-1 Is Required for Meiotic Fidelity in C. elegans. Mateo AR, Kessler Z, Jolliffe AK, McGovern O, Yu B, Nicolucci A, Yanowitz JL, Derry WB. Curr Biol. 2016 May 9;26(9):1148-58. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.03.036. Epub 2016 Apr 14. PMID: 27151662 Free PMC article.
5. CCM-3/STRIPAK promotes seamless tube extension through endocytic recycling. Lant B, Yu B, Goudreault M, Holmyard D, Knight JD, Xu P, Zhao L, Chin K, Wallace E, Zhen M, Gingras AC, Derry WB. Nat Commun. 2015 Mar 6;6:6449. doi: 10.1038/ncomms7449. PMID: 25743393