Rate My Professor Matthew Caley

Dr Matthew Caley is a Senior Lecturer in Cell Biology in the Centre for Cell Biology and Cutaneous Research at the Blizard Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London. He holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from Cardiff University (2008), earned studying chronic wounds under the supervision of Professor Phil Stephens, along with an MRes and BSc (Hons). Following his PhD, he conducted postdoctoral research at Cardiff University (2008-2009) and at Imperial College London (2009-2011), where he investigated prostate cancer metastasis and the role of the extracellular matrix in controlling cell behaviour in the laboratories of Dr Justin Sturge and Professor Jonathan Waxman. In 2011, he joined the Blizard Institute to work in Professor Edel O'Toole's laboratory, returning to skin research. He was appointed Lecturer in Cell Biology in 2019 and subsequently Senior Lecturer.

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.