Overview
Background
Associate Professor James Wells leads the Novel Cancer Therapeutics Group at Frazer Institute and is the Director of Immunology at the Dermatology Research Centre, University of Queensland. He is also the Vice President of the Molecular and Experimental Pathology Society of Australasia (MEPSA), and a mentee of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (AAHMS). He received his PhD in cancer immunotherapy from King's College London, UK, and postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School, USA, where he received an award for research excellence and was promoted to Faculty as an Instructor. In 2011, he was awarded a prestigious 5-year Perpetual Trustees Fellowship and was appointed as a Group Leader at the University of Queensland’s Frazer Institute.
Associate Professor Wells is passionate about delivering effective new treatments to combat cancer through the translation of his research. To achieve this, he collaborates with medicinal chemists, imaging specialists, clinical research teams and industry partners to identify and target pathways and mechanisms that allow cancer cells to grow within the body.
In collaboration with the Queensland Emory Drug Discovery Initiative, he has recently developed and patented a drug (Q2361) designed to prevent and treat skin cancer in immune-suppressed solid organ transplant recipients. Q2361 is a first-in-class drug candidate capable of reactivating anti-tumour CD8 T cells in the skin of organ transplant recipients on the immunosuppressive drugs Tacrolimus (FK506), Sirolimus (rapamycin), and Everolimus. He is currently striving to bring Q2361 across the ‘valley of death’ and into clinical trials.
James would like to thank the granting bodies and philanthropic partnerships that make his goal of delivering new and effective cancer drugs possible.
Availability
- Associate Professor James Wells is:
- Available for supervision
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science, University of Edinburgh
- Doctor of Philosophy, University College London
Works
Search Professor James Wells’s works on UQ eSpace
2024
Journal Article
Utilizing murine dendritic cell line DC2.4 to evaluate the immunogenicity of subunit vaccines in vitro
Lu, Lantian, Kong, Wei Yang, Zhang, Jiahui, Firdaus, Farrhana, Wells, James W., Stephenson, Rachel J., Toth, Istvan, Skwarczynski, Mariusz and Cruz, Jazmina L. Gonzalez (2024). Utilizing murine dendritic cell line DC2.4 to evaluate the immunogenicity of subunit vaccines in vitro. Frontiers in Immunology, 15 ARTN 1298721, 1-13. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1298721
2024
Journal Article
Arginase-induced cell death pathways and metabolic changes in cancer cells are not altered by insulin
Chew, Hui Yi, Cvetkovic, Goran, Tepic, Slobodan and Wells, James W. (2024). Arginase-induced cell death pathways and metabolic changes in cancer cells are not altered by insulin. Scientific Reports, 14 (1) 4112. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-54520-z
2024
Journal Article
Predicting tacrolimus concentrations in the skin of adult kidney transplant recipients: a feasibility study
Sartain, Felicity, Viecelli, Andrea K., Veitch, Margaret, Franklin, Michael E., Dymock, Brian W., Wells, James W. and Campbell, Scott B. (2024). Predicting tacrolimus concentrations in the skin of adult kidney transplant recipients: a feasibility study. Transplant International, 37 12019. doi: 10.3389/ti.2024.12019
2024
Journal Article
Checkpoint kinase 1 inhibitor + low‐dose hydroxyurea efficiently kills BRAF inhibitor‐ and immune checkpoint inhibitor‐resistant melanomas
Zeng, Zhen, Ngo, Hung Long, Proctor, Martina, Rizos, Helen, Dolcetti, Riccardo, Cruz, Jazmina Gonzalez, Wells, James W. and Gabrielli, Brian (2024). Checkpoint kinase 1 inhibitor + low‐dose hydroxyurea efficiently kills BRAF inhibitor‐ and immune checkpoint inhibitor‐resistant melanomas. Pigment Cell and Melanoma Research, 37 (1), 45-50. doi: 10.1111/pcmr.13120
2024
Journal Article
Peritumoral administration of immunomodulatory antibodies as a triple combination suppresses skin tumor growth without systemic toxicity
Wright, Quentin G, Sinha, Debottam, Wells, James W, Frazer, Ian H, Gonzalez Cruz, Jazmina L and Leggatt, Graham Robert (2024). Peritumoral administration of immunomodulatory antibodies as a triple combination suppresses skin tumor growth without systemic toxicity. Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, 12 (1) e007960, e007960. doi: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007960
2023
Journal Article
Local blockade of tacrolimus promotes T-cell-mediated tumor regression in systemically immunosuppressed hosts
Veitch, Margaret, Beaumont, Kimberly, Pouwer, Rebecca, Chew, Hui Yi, Frazer, Ian H., Soyer, H. Peter, Campbell, Scott, Dymock, Brian W., Harvey, Andrew, Cock, Terrie-Anne and Wells, James W. (2023). Local blockade of tacrolimus promotes T-cell-mediated tumor regression in systemically immunosuppressed hosts. Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, 11 (9) e006783, 1-15. doi: 10.1136/jitc-2023-006783
2023
Journal Article
Mono-phosphorylation at Ser4 of barrier-to-autointegration factor (Banf1) significantly reduces its DNA binding capability by inducing critical changes in its local conformation and DNA binding surface
Tang, Ming, Suraweera, Amila, Nie, Xuqiang, Li, Zilin, Lai, Pinglin, Wells, James W., O’Byrne, Kenneth J., Woods, Robert J, Bolderson, Emma and Richard, Derek J (2023). Mono-phosphorylation at Ser4 of barrier-to-autointegration factor (Banf1) significantly reduces its DNA binding capability by inducing critical changes in its local conformation and DNA binding surface. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 25 (36), 24657-24677. doi: 10.1039/d3cp02302h
2023
Journal Article
Enhanced hydrophobicity of CeO2 thin films: role of the morphology, adsorbed species and crystallography
Mamedov, D., Asland, A. C., Cooil, S. P., Rost, H. I., Bakkelund, J., Allaniyazov, A., Wells, J. W. and Karazhanov, S. (2023). Enhanced hydrophobicity of CeO2 thin films: role of the morphology, adsorbed species and crystallography. Materials Today Communications, 35 106323, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.mtcomm.2023.106323
2023
Journal Article
Liposomal formulations of a polyleucine–antigen conjugate as therapeutic vaccines against cervical cancer
Firdaus, Farrhana Z., Bartlett, Stacey, Hussein, Waleed M., Lu, Lantian, Wright, Quentin, Huang, Wenbin, Nahar, Ummey J., Yang, Jieru, Khongkow, Mattaka, Veitch, Margaret, Koirala, Prashamsa, Ruktanonchai, Uracha R., Monteiro, Michael J., Gonzalez Cruz, Jazmina L., Stephenson, Rachel J., Wells, James W., Toth, Istvan and Skwarczynski, Mariusz (2023). Liposomal formulations of a polyleucine–antigen conjugate as therapeutic vaccines against cervical cancer. Pharmaceutics, 15 (2) 602, 1-15. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15020602
2022
Journal Article
Cytokine/Chemokine assessment as a complementary diagnostic tool for inflammatory skin diseases
Liu, Timothy J., Lin, Lynlee L., McMeniman, Erin, Wu, Jason, Kao, Yung-Ching, Kumari, Snehlata, Boyle, Glen M., Wells, James W., Soyer, H. Peter and Gonzalez-Cruz, Jazmina L. (2022). Cytokine/Chemokine assessment as a complementary diagnostic tool for inflammatory skin diseases. Frontiers in Immunology, 13 1028435, 1-8. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1028435
2022
Journal Article
Assessment of patient-to-patient and intra-individual human abdominal skin immune cell variability
Veitch, Margaret, Layt, Craig, Raymond, Emma, Croaker, Andrew and Wells, James (2022). Assessment of patient-to-patient and intra-individual human abdominal skin immune cell variability. Archives of Medical Science, 18 (6), 1683-1688. doi: 10.5114/aoms/155183
2022
Journal Article
Prevalence of AAV2.5 neutralizing antibodies in synovial fluid and serum of patients with osteoarthritis
Abdul, Temilola Y., Hawse, Gresin P., Smith, Jay, Sellon, Jacob L., Abdel, Matthew P., Wells, James W., Coenen, Michael J., Evans, Christopher H. and De La Vega, Rodolfo E. (2022). Prevalence of AAV2.5 neutralizing antibodies in synovial fluid and serum of patients with osteoarthritis. Gene Therapy, 30 (7-8), 1-5. doi: 10.1038/s41434-022-00326-5
2021
Other Outputs
Compound for prevention or treatment of a skin cancer or skin precancer
Wells, James, Dymock, Brian William, Harvey, Andrew, Cock, Terrie-Anne, Pouwer, Rebecca and Beaumont, Kimberley (2021). Compound for prevention or treatment of a skin cancer or skin precancer. WO2021248189.
2021
Journal Article
Cellular responses at the application site of a high-density microarray patch delivering an influenza vaccine in a randomized, controlled phase I clinical trial
Depelsenaire, Alexandra C. I., Witham, Katey, Veitch, Margaret, Wells, James W., Anderson, Christopher D., Lickliter, Jason D., Rockman, Steve, Bodle, Jesse, Treasure, Peter, Hickling, Julian, Fernando, Germain J. P. and Forster, Angus H. (2021). Cellular responses at the application site of a high-density microarray patch delivering an influenza vaccine in a randomized, controlled phase I clinical trial. PLoS One, 16 (7) e0255282, e0255282. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255282
2021
Journal Article
Targeting Replication Stress Using CHK1 Inhibitor Promotes Innate and NKT Cell Immune Responses and Tumour Regression
Proctor, Martina, Gonzalez Cruz, Jazmina L., Daignault-Mill, Sheena M., Veitch, Margaret, Zeng, Bijun, Ehmann, Anna, Sabdia, Muhammed, Snell, Cameron, Keane, Colm, Dolcetti, Riccardo, Haass, Nikolas K., Wells, James W. and Gabrielli, Brian (2021). Targeting Replication Stress Using CHK1 Inhibitor Promotes Innate and NKT Cell Immune Responses and Tumour Regression. Cancers, 13 (15) 3733, 1-19. doi: 10.3390/cancers13153733
2021
Journal Article
PD-1 and beyond to activate T cells in cutaneous squamous cell cancers: the case for 4-1BB and VISTA antibodies in combination therapy
Wright, Quentin, Gonzalez Cruz, Jazmina L., Wells, James W. and Leggatt, Graham R. (2021). PD-1 and beyond to activate T cells in cutaneous squamous cell cancers: the case for 4-1BB and VISTA antibodies in combination therapy. Cancers, 13 (13) 3310, 3310. doi: 10.3390/cancers13133310
2021
Journal Article
Evolution of cancer vaccines—challenges, achievements and future directions
Tay, Ban Qi, Wright, Quentin, Ladwa, Rahul, Perry, Christopher, Leggatt, Graham, Simpson, Fiona, Wells, James W., Panizza, Benedict J., Frazer, Ian H. and Cruz, Jazmina L. G. (2021). Evolution of cancer vaccines—challenges, achievements and future directions. Vaccines, 9 (5) 535, 535. doi: 10.3390/vaccines9050535
2021
Journal Article
IFN-γ critically enables the intratumoural infiltration of CXCR3+ CD8+ T cells to drive squamous cell carcinoma regression
Zeng, Zhen, Veitch, Margaret, Kelly, Gabrielle A., Tuong, Zewen K., Cruz, Jazmina G., Frazer, Ian H. and Wells, James W. (2021). IFN-γ critically enables the intratumoural infiltration of CXCR3+ CD8+ T cells to drive squamous cell carcinoma regression. Cancers, 13 (9) 2131, 2131. doi: 10.3390/cancers13092131
2021
Journal Article
Healing of sub-critical femoral osteotomies in mice is unaffected by tacrolimus and deletion of recombination activating gene 1
Liu, T-Y, Bartnikowski, M., Wu, A. C., Veitch, M., Sokolowski, K. A., Millard, S. M., Pettit, A. R., Glatt, V., Evans, C. H. and Wells, J. W. (2021). Healing of sub-critical femoral osteotomies in mice is unaffected by tacrolimus and deletion of recombination activating gene 1. European Cells and Materials, 41, 345-354. doi: 10.22203/eCM.v041a22
2021
Journal Article
Investigating T cell immunity in cancer: achievements and prospects
Zeng, Zhen, Chew, Hui Yi, Cruz, Jazmina G., Leggatt, Graham R. and Wells, James W. (2021). Investigating T cell immunity in cancer: achievements and prospects. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22 (6) 2907, 1-17. doi: 10.3390/ijms22062907
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor James Wells is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Selectively depressing UV-induced regulatory T cell function
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jazmina Gonzalez Cruz
-
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the regulatory nature of CD8+/CD4+ Double-positive T-cells
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Andrew Brooks, Dr Jazmina Gonzalez Cruz
-
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the role of immature myeloid cells in early melanoma establishment
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jazmina Gonzalez Cruz, Dr Arutha Kulasinghe
-
Master Philosophy
Diagnostic differentiation of inflammatory skin conditions by patterns of inflammatory marker expression
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Peter Soyer, Dr Jazmina Gonzalez Cruz
-
Doctor Philosophy
Defining principles of T cell-mediated melanoma rejection
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jazmina Gonzalez Cruz, Dr Amelia Soderholm
-
Doctor Philosophy
Effect of hexarelin, a synthetic small peptide, on metabolic balance of obese and diabetic mice
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ian Frazer, Dr Quan Nguyen, Dr Jazmina Gonzalez Cruz
-
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the immunomodulatory mechanisms regulating inflammation
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Graham Leggatt, Dr Snehlata Kumari
-
Doctor Philosophy
Translational meaning of the efficacy of immunotherapies as neoadjuvants to treat Head and Neck cancers.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Quan Nguyen, Dr Kelvin Tuong, Dr Yang Yang, Dr Jazmina Gonzalez Cruz
Completed supervision
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
The role of CD8+ T cells in the regression of squamous cell carcinoma
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ian Frazer, Dr Jazmina Gonzalez Cruz
-
2020
Master Philosophy
Resistance to therapy in metastatic melanoma: Comparing the expression of immune inhibitory modulators in vitro with refractory metastatic melanoma patients.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Helmut Schaider
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
EGFR and Treg targeted therapies for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Fiona Simpson, Dr Jazmina Gonzalez Cruz, Dr Shannon Joseph
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
Uncovering novel regulators of CD8+ T-cell function in the skin
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ian Frazer
-
2016
Doctor Philosophy
Evaluating CD8+ T-cell function in skin and squamous cell carcinoma following systemic suppression with rapamycin and tacrolimus.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ian Frazer, Associate Professor Fiona Simpson
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
Endocytosis Inhibition to Improve Responses to Antibody Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity-Mediating Antibodies
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Michael Piper, Professor Ben Panizza, Associate Professor Fiona Simpson
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Defining B cell tolerance checkpoints and their modulation by immunotherapy
Associate Advisor
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Dynamin inhibition increases monoclonal antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and reverses signalling pathway resistance
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Fiona Simpson
-
2017
Master Philosophy
In-vitro imaging of the interactions between CD8+T cells and lymphoma cells using an Eµ-myc lymphoma model
Associate Advisor
-
2017
Master Philosophy
The role of immune regulators in induced drug tolerant cells (IDTC) in melanoma
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Helmut Schaider
-
2016
Doctor Philosophy
Manipulation of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Trafficking to Improve anti-EGFR Monoclonal Antibody Therapies
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Fiona Simpson
-
Master Philosophy
The chemokine content of Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Peter Soyer
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