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Ammar Sharif, a PhD researcher at the University of Manchester, was recently awarded with the Don Whitley Scientific (DWS) Travel Grant. Ammar used the award to present his research, ‘A Novel Proteomic Pipeline for the Identification of Hypoxia-Sensitive Plasma Membrane Proteins’ at the Association for Radiation Research (ARR), which took place in Keswick, Cumbria between 9 – 11 June 2025.
We asked Ammar to share more about his work:
“I am a fourth-year PhD researcher at the University of Manchester, working within the Translational Radiobiology Group. My research is centred on bladder cancer, with a specific interest in how hypoxia (low oxygen conditions commonly found in tumours) affects the composition and function of the plasma membrane proteome. The plasma membrane plays a vital role in cancer cell signalling, adhesion, immune interaction, and response to therapy, making it a valuable target for both biomarker discovery and drug development.
My current project investigates the effects of hypoxic stress on bladder cancer cell lines by combining surface biotinylation with high-resolution mass spectrometry. This biotinylation-based enrichment technique allowed me to selectively isolate and analyse plasma membrane proteins, which are often underrepresented in traditional proteomic workflows due to their low abundance and hydrophobic nature. To replicate hypoxic conditions in vitro, I incubated cells inside a Whitley H35 Hypoxystation for 48 hours, simulating the oxygen-deprived environment found within solid tumours.
Using a combination of advanced LC-MS/MS techniques and bioinformatic tools, I integrated quantitative proteomic data with pathway enrichment analysis and subcellular localisation predictions. This comprehensive approach enabled the identification of hypoxia-regulated surface proteins with potential roles in tumour progression, immune evasion, or metabolic adaptation. Ultimately, I hope to pinpoint novel surface markers that could serve as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers or be exploited as therapeutic targets in bladder cancer and potentially other hypoxia-driven malignancies.
My research aims to enhance our understanding of how cancer cells adapt to hypoxic microenvironments - an important driver of treatment resistance and aggressive tumour behaviour. By mapping these changes at the surface proteome level, we can gain insights into the molecular machinery that supports cancer cell survival and dissemination under stress. This knowledge could help in designing more effective and personalised therapeutic strategies for patients.
Engaging in this research not only advances the field of bladder cancer but also contributes to the broader pan-cancer understanding of hypoxia's role in shaping tumour biology. I am passionate about using proteomics and systems biology to bridge the gap between basic science and translational applications, with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes for people living with cancer.”
We thank Ammar for providing such an insightful overview into his research and would like to congratulate him once again on receiving the DWS Travel Grant Award.
If you think that you might be eligible for the DWS Travel Grant, please visit our travel grant page for more details. If you're interested in our hypoxic workstation range, please see the products below.
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