Rate My Professor Matthew Caley

Caley's research focuses on the basement membrane zone, which provides structural support and signalling through cell surface receptors to maintain epithelial tissue homeostasis. A key component is laminin 332, a three-chained glycoprotein secreted by epithelial and endothelial cells, comprising alpha3, beta3, and gamma2 chains; loss of any chain disrupts the mature protein. Laminin 332 is degraded by proteases including MT1-MMP, MMP2, and BMP-1 during tissue remodelling and tumour invasion, and is recognised by integrins alpha3beta1 and alpha6beta4. His studies address laminin 332's roles in squamous cell carcinoma, cholesterol transport, and immune regulation. Caley has developed co-culture and 3D skin models, including aged skin equivalents, for testing gene knockdowns and drug treatments, and a high-throughput screen for compounds altering cholesterol transport in skin. Current projects include skin barrier repair in Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa, the Laminin 332-Actin-Cholesterol axis in skin conditions with altered lipid profiles, and laminin 332's effects on the tumour microenvironment. Major publications include 'Metalloproteinases and wound healing' (2015, Advances in Wound Care), '3D model of harlequin ichthyosis reveals inflammatory therapeutic targets' (2020, Journal of Clinical Investigation), 'Suppression of TGFβ and Angiogenesis by Type VII Collagen in Cutaneous SCC' (2016, Journal of the National Cancer Institute), and 'Loss of the laminin subunit alpha-3 induces cell invasion and macrophage infiltration in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma' (2021, British Journal of Dermatology). His work has over 2,600 citations.