Publications

1. Advanced Therapeutics & Gene Editing

Our work in this area focuses on the non-clinical challenges of cutting-edge therapies, including gene editing and AAV-based treatments. By addressing safety considerations and model translatability, we help ensure innovative therapeutics progress smoothly from discovery to clinic.

Genome Editing Safety: CRISPR/Cas Considerations (2025)
Animal Models in AAV Gene Therapy Translation (2023)

2. G-Quadruplex Biology & Therapeutic Targeting

G-quadruplex structures in DNA present novel opportunities for cancer therapy. Our publications explore how small molecules and ligands can selectively target these structures to regulate oncogenes and induce synthetic lethality, offering new directions for drug discovery.

Reprogramming Chlorambucil with G-Quadruplex Ligands (2014)
Targeting c-MYC G-Quadruplex DNA with Fragment Libraries (2014)
G-Quadruplex DNA as a Target for Synthetic Lethality in Cancer (2013)
Fluorescent Switch Probe for G-Quadruplex Structures (2013)
Benzo[a]phenoxazines Down-Regulate c-KIT in Gastric Cancer (2011)

3. Tamoxifen & Hormone-Related DNA Damage

Our research has investigated how tamoxifen and its metabolites interact with DNA to induce mutations. These insights are essential for understanding drug-related genotoxic risks, predicting mutation hotspots, and informing safer drug development strategies.

Tamoxifen DNA Adducts and p53 Mutation Hotspots (2008)
Mutation Spectra from Tamoxifen DNA Adducts in Human Cells (2005)
4-Hydroxytamoxifen vs. α-Acetoxytamoxifen DNA Adducts (2002)

4. Benzene & Environmental Genotoxicity

Benzene metabolites remain an important model for understanding environmental carcinogenesis. Our studies have examined their mutagenic potential, DNA adduct formation, and repair pathways, providing valuable evidence for regulatory toxicology and human health risk assessments.

Genotoxicity of Benzene Metabolites: Hydroquinone & Benzoquinone (2005)
DNA Repair and Genotoxic Role of Hydroquinone in Benzene Exposure (2005)
Comparative Mutagenicity of Benzene Metabolites (2004)

5. General DNA Damage & Mutagenesis Mechanisms

This body of work covers fundamental mechanisms of DNA damage, repair, and mutagenesis. From developing innovative assays to studying combined mutagen exposures, these insights contribute to a deeper understanding of genetic stability and its implications for human health.

Mutagenicity of Ethylene Oxide DNA Adducts in Human Cells (2009)
Novel MALDI-ToF Site-Specific Mutagenesis Assay (2006)
Binary Mutagen Exposures: Order Effects on Mutation Spectra (2004)
Benzo[a]Pyrene Adducts Amplify UV-Induced DNA Damage & Mutations (2001)

See the articals below

Safety Insights into CRISPR/Cas Genome Editing

Toofan, P., Singh, M., Brooks, A. and McLuckie, K. (2025) Non-clinical safety considerations on genome editing using the CRISPR/Cas system, Genes & Disease. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gendis.2025.101785

Choosing the Right Animal Models for AAV-Gene Therapies

Singh, S., Brooks, A., Toofan, P. and McLuckie, K. (2023) Selection of appropriate non-clinical animal models to ensure translatability of novel AAV-gene therapies to the clinic, Gene Ther., https://www.nature.com/articles/s41434-023-00417-x

Reprogramming Cancer Drug Mechanisms with G-Quadruplex Ligands

Di Antonio, M., McLuckie, K.I.E. and Balasubramanian, S. (2014) Reprogramming the Mechanism of Action of Chlorambucil by Conjugation with a G-quadruplex Ligand. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 136 (16), 5860-5863.

Fragment-Based Discovery for Targeting c-MYC DNA Structures

Nasiri, H., Bell, N.M., McLuckie, K.I.E., Husby, J., Abell, C., Neidle, S. and Balasubramanian, S. (2014) Targeting a c-MYC G-quadruplex DNA with a fragment library. Chem. Comm.50, 1704-1707.

G-Quadruplex DNA: A Novel Target for Cancer Cell Vulnerability

McLuckie, K.I.E., Di Antonio, M., Zecchini, H., Xian, J., Caldas, C., Krippendorff, B.-F., Tannahill, D., Lowe, C. and Balasubramanian, S. (2013) G-Quadruplex DNA as a Molecular Target for Induced Synthetic Lethality in Cancer Cells. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 135 (26), 9640–9643.

Fluorescent Probes for Detecting G-Quadruplex Structures

Nikan, M., Di Antonio, M., Abecassis, K., McLuckie, K. and Balasubramanian, S. (2013) An acetylene-bridged 6,8-purine dimer acts as a fluorescent switch-on probe for parallel G-quadruplexes. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 52, 1428-1431.

Down-Regulating Oncogenes Using G-Quadruplex Binding Molecules

McLuckie, K.I.E., Waller, Z.A.E., Sanders, D.A., Alves, D., Rodriguez, R., Dash, J., McKenzie, G.J., Venkitaraman, A.R. and Balasubramanian, S. (2011) G-quadruplex-binding benzo[a]phenoxazines down-regulate c-KIT expression in human gastric carcinoma cells. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 133 (8), 2658-2663

Mutagenic Risks from Ethylene Oxide DNA Damage

Tompkins, E.M., McLuckie, K.I.E., Jones, D.J.L., Farmer, P.B. and Brown, K. (2009) Mutagenicity of DNA adducts derived from ethylene oxide exposure in the pSP189 shuttle vector replicated in human Ad293 cells. Mutat. Res., 678, 129-137.

Tamoxifen-Induced DNA Mutations and Cancer Risk

Liapis, E., McLuckie, K.I.E., Lewis, P.D., Farmer, P.B., and Brown, K. (2008) Mutagenicity of tamoxifen DNA adducts in human endometrial cells and in silico prediction of p53 mutation hotspots. Nucl. Acids Res., 36, 5933-5945.

New MALDI-ToF Assay for Site-Specific Mutagenesis Detection

McLuckie, K.I.E., Lamb, J.H., Sandhu, J.K., Pearson, H.L., Brown, K, Farmer, P.B and Jones, D.J.L. (2006) Development of A Novel Site-Specific Mutagenesis Assay Using MALDI-ToF MS (SSMA-MS). Nucl. Acids Res.,34, e150.

Mutation Pathways from Tamoxifen-Derived DNA Damage

McLuckie, K.I.E., Crookston, R.J.R., Gaskell, M., Routledge, M.N., Farmer, P.B., Martin, E.A., and Brown, K. (2005) Mutation spectra induced by a-acetoxytamoxifen–DNA adducts in human DNA repair proficient and deficient (Xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group A) cells. Biochemistry, 44, 8198-8205.

Genotoxic Effects of Benzene Metabolites

LGaskell, M., McLuckie, K.I.E., and Farmer, P.B. (2005) Genotoxicity of the benzene metabolites, para-benzoquinone and hydroquinone. Chem-Bio Int., 153-154, 267-270.

DNA Repair Pathways in Benzene-Induced Genotoxicity

LGaskell, M., McLuckie, K.I.E., and Farmer, P.B. (2005) Comparison of the repair of DNA damage induced by the benzene metabolites, hydroquinone and para-benzoquinone. A role for hydroquinone in benzene genotoxicity. Carcinogenesis, 26, 673-.

Comparing Mutagenicity of Benzene Metabolites

Gaskell, M., McLuckie, K.I.E., and Farmer, P.B. (2004) Comparison of the mutagenic activity of the benzene metabolites, hydroquinone and para-benzoquinone in the supF forward mutation assay. A role for minor DNA adducts formed from hydroquinone in benzene mutagenicity. Mutat. Res. Fund. Mol. Mec. Mut., 554, 387-398.

How Exposure Order Influences Mutation Patterns

McLuckie, K.I.E., Gaskell, M., Farmer, P.B., Martin, E.A., Jones, G.D.D., and Routledge, M.N. (2004) Effects of the order of exposure of a binary mixture of mutagens on the induced mutation spectra in the supF gene. Mutagenesis, 19, 137-141.

Mutagenic Potential of Tamoxifen-Derived DNA Adducts

McLuckie, K.I.E., Routledge, M.N., Brown, K., Gaskell, M., Farmer, P.B., Roberts, G.C.K. and Martin, E.A. (2002) DNA adducts formed from 4-hydroxytamoxifen are more mutagenic than those formed by -acetoxytamoxifen in a shuttle vector target gene replicated in human Ad293 cells. Biochemistry, 41, 8899-8906.

DNA Damage from Benzo[a]Pyrene Enhances UV-Induced Mutations

McLuckie, K.I.E., Jones, G.D.D., Farmer, P.B., Martin, E.A. (2001) The Presence of Benzo[a]Pyrene Diol Epoxide Adducts in Target DNA Leads to an Increase in UV-Induced DNA Single Strand Breaks and supF Gene Mutations. Carcinogenesis, 22, 1231-1238.