Professor Lee Machado

Lee is a Professor of Molecular Medicine at the University of Northampton, and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He is a member of the Centre for Physical Activity And Life Sciences and Centre for Smart and Advanced Technologies at the University of Northampton, and has been an Honorary Fellow at the University of Leicester and Open University.

Lee received his Biochemistry undergraduate degree from the University of Warwick, MRes in Bioinformatics from the University Nottingham and completed a PhD in cancer studies at the University of Birmingham. He has done postdoctoral research at the Institute for Cancer Studies in Birmingham, the MRC toxicology unit in Leicester, and the Department of Genetics at the University of Leicester. Prior to joining the University of Northampton as a Lecturer in 2013, Lee worked as a senior scientist for the cancer vaccine company Scancell in Nottingham. He has also served as Interim Head of Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences at the University of Northampton, and has three years of experience serving on the University's Board.

Lee’s research is focused on employing cellular and molecular genetic strategies to address how the host immune system responds to pathogens and cancer. The aim of this work is to increase our understanding of human health and disease and develop rational therapeutic approaches to harness the exquisite specificity and sensitivity of the immune system.

Key areas of research are:

• Copy number variation of immunity genes (Fc receptors)
• Tumour immunology and the development of cancer immunotherapy
• The role of Dystrophin in cancer

Lee collaborates locally, nationally and internationally to advance his research agenda and has worked on Cancer Research UK, Medical Research Council and Wellcome Trust funded projects. He is a regular reviewer for a number of academic journals including Human Immunology, Blood, PLOSone and PLOS Genetics. He has published in high impact journals including Blood, American Journal of Human Genetics and the American Journal of Pathology and is an occasional reviewer for major funding bodies.

• Nermin Albalbeisi; Characterising the Role of the Calcium-dependent Citrullinating Enzyme Peptidyl Arginine Deiminase 2 in Ovarian Cancer (completed)
• Amber Hameed; Characterisation of the lipooligosaccharide (LOS) biosynthesis gene clusters  in Campylobacter species. (completed)
• Guido Di Martino; Welfare issues in Italian heavy pig production. (completed)
• Izzat Al- Rayahi;  Role of Properdin in Tumour Growth and Cell Recruitment (completed)
• Rafah-al-Zubeidi; Obesity as a modulator of tumour microenvironment and anti- tumour responses in a mouse model (completed)
• Michael Naidoo; The role of Dystophin in Low grade glioma
• David Young; Evolutionary genetic dissection of Fc receptors for IgG antibodies. (completed)
• Mett Smart;  Bacterial Growth within Endoscope Channels between Reprocessing and Use: a scientific approach (submitted)
• Faz Sultana; Rapid Analysis of non-tubercular mycobacteria species (NTM) using PCR and End-Point analysis (completed)
• Lewis Waterfield; Response of Streptococcus pneumoniae to metal and oxidative stresses.
• Leanne Jones; Investigating a role for dystrophin in the tumourigenesis of head and neck cancer. (completed)
• Saul Cuttell; Effects of different forms of eccentric exercise and cryotherapy on exercise induced muscle damage and the repeat bout effect
• Sonika Divakar; Exploring the link between Duchenne muscular dystrophy and sarcoma

Lee has led or currently leads the following Bioscience modules:

• SLS1021 Fundamentals in Immunology 
• SLS3003 Immunology and Health (Current)
• SLSM012 Molecular Medicine 
• SLS2041 Cellular Pathology 
• SLS1008 Research Skills
• SLS1013 Biochemistry and Cell Biology 
• SLS1020 Genetics and Molecular Biology
• SLS2014 Techniques in Molecular Biology
• SLS2016 Biochemistry Processes of Life
• SLS2010 Health and Disease

• External examiner for Open University (Biomedical Sciences)
• Chair of the local Governing Body (Beauchamp City Sixth Form)