Professor Jeff Holst
BSc (Hons), PhD
I am a fundamental and translational cancer researcher developing new ways to profile and target metabolic pathways in melanoma, glioblastoma, breast cancer and prostate cancer. My research has focussed primarily on the role of uptake and metabolism of amino acids by cancer cells and how these integrate and cooperate with glucose metabolism to drive cell growth. My lab has developed a range of novel methods for exploring these metabolic processes in cancer, including 3D explant models for analysis of metabolism (metabolomics) and therapeutic development.
I am Director of Engagement in the School of Biomedical Sciences at UNSW, and Director of the Adult Cancer Program. In addition, I am part of the Strategic Advisory Committee of the UNSW Cancer Theme.
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
NHMRC/MRFF ABC Brain Cancer Grant, A new targeted combination therapy with matched biomarker to treat intractable glioblastoma. Jan 2023-Dec 2024 (CIA)
Cancer Council NSW Project Grant, Targeting the metabolic adaptations that drive anti-androgen resistance in prostate cancer. Jan 2023-Dec 2025 (CIA)
NBCF Investigator Initiated Grant, Using a physiological Ex Vivo Clinical Trial Platform to EViCT breast cancer. Jan 2023-Dec 2025 (CIA)
Tour de Cure Senior Research Grant, Developing the ultimate cancer "indoor trainer" setup to personalise cancer therapies. Jan 2023-Dec 2024 (CIA)
Charlie Teo Foundation Pilot Grant,听Developing a metabolic roadmap to discover novel therapeutic avenues to starve glioblastoma. Jan 2021-Jun 2023 (CIA)
Tour de Cure Senior Research Grant, A new therapy targeting 鈥済luttonous鈥 prostate cancer cells Jan 2020-Dec 2020听(CIA)
Cancer Council NSW Project Grant, Targeting glutamine addiction of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Jan 2018-Dec 2020听(CIA)
Cancer Council NSW Project Grant, Nutrient stress-mediated adaptive responses as novel targets in BRAF mutant melanoma. July 2017-Dec 2020听(CIA)
NHMRC/MRFF Lifting Clinical Trials and Registries Capacity Grant, Immunotherapy Targeting of Cytomegalovirus antigens in Glioblastoma: INTERROGATE-GBM. June 2018-June 2023听(CIC)
NHMRC Project Grant APP1144108 Metabolically Reprogramming the Stroma to Starve Pancreatic Tumours. Jan 2018-Dec 2020听(CID)
Avner Pancreatic Cancer Foundation, Starvation of pancreatic tumours by metabolically reprogramming both tumour and stromal cells. January 2019-December 2020听(CIC)
The Translational Cancer Metabolism Laboratory听is focussed on understanding the role of amino acid uptake and metabolism in melanoma, breast and prostate cancer. The lab examines the basic biology regulating amino acid transporter expression and function, the downstream metabolic pathways, as well as developing new therapeutics to target the transporters and metabolic processes.
Key Publications:
Wahi K, Freidman N, Wang Q, Devadason M, Quek LE, Pang A, Lloyd L, Larance M, Zanini F, Harvey K, O'Toole S, Guan YF, Holst J. Macropinocytosis mediates resistance to loss of glutamine transport in triple-negative breast cancer. EMBO Journal. Oct 17. Online ahead of print. 2024
Quek LE, van Geldermalsen M, Guan YF, Wahi K, Mayoh C, Balaban S, Pang A, Wang Q, Cowley MJ, Brown KK, Turner N, Hoy AJ,听Holst J. Glutamine addiction promotes glucose oxidation in triple-negative breast cancer. Oncogene, 41(34):4066-78,听2022.
Wang Q, Guan YF, Hancock SE, Wahi K, van Geldermalsen M, Zhang BK, Pang A, Nagarajah R, Mak B, Freidman N, Horvath LG, Turner N,听Holst J. Inhibition of guanosine monophosphate synthetase (GMPS) blocks glutamine metabolism and prostate cancer growth.听The Journal of Pathology, 254(2):135-146,听2021.
Zhang BK, Moran AM, Bailey CG, Rasko JEJ, Holst J*, Wang Q*.听EGF-activated PI3K/Akt signaling coordinates leucine uptake by regulating LAT3 expression in prostate cancer. Cell Communication and Signaling, 17(1):83, 2019. *=Co-Senior Author
van Geldermalsen M, Quek LE, Turner N, Freidman N, Pang A, Guan YF, Krycer JR, Ryan R, Wang Q,听Holst听J. Benzylserine inhibits breast cancer cell growth by disrupting intracellular amino acid homeostasis and triggering amino acid response pathways.听BMC Cancer, 18(1):689,听2018.
Marshall AD, van Geldermalsen M, Otte NJ, Lum T, Vellozzi M, Thoeng A, Pang A, Nagarajah R, Zhang B, Wang Q, Anderson L, Rasko JEJ,听Holst J. ASCT2 Regulates Glutamine Uptake and Cell Growth in Endometrial Carcinoma.听Oncogenesis, 6(7):e367,听2017.
van Geldermalsen M, Wang Q, Nagarajah R, Marshall A, Thoeng A, Gao D, Ritchie W, Feng Y, Bailey CG, Deng N, Harvey K, Beith JM, Selinger C, O鈥橳oole S, Rasko JEJ,听Holst J. ASCT2/SLC1A5 controls glutamine uptake and tumour growth in triple-negative basal-like breast cancer.听Oncogene, 35(24):3201-8,听2016.
Wang Q, Hardie R-A, Hoy AJ, van Geldermalsen M, Gao D, Fazli L, Sadowski MC, Balaban S, Schreuder M, Nagarajah R, Wong JJ-L, Metierre C, Pinello N, Otte, NJ, Lehman ML, Gleave M, Nelson CC, Bailey CG, Ritchie W, Rasko JEJ,听Holst J.听Targeting ASCT2-Mediated Glutamine Uptake Blocks Prostate Cancer Growth and Tumour Development.听The Journal of Pathology听236(3):278-89,听2015.听
Wang Q, Beaumont KA, Otte NJ, Font J, Bailey CG, van Geldermalsen M, Sharp DM, Tiffen JC, Ryan RM, Jormakka M, Haass NK, Rasko JEJ,听Holst J. Targeting glutamine transport to suppress melanoma cell growth.听International Journal of听Cancer听135(5):1060-71,听2014.
Wang Q, Tiffen J, Bailey CG, Lehman ML, Ritchie W, Fazli L, Metierre C, Feng Y, Li E, Gleave M, Buchanan G, Nelson CC, Rasko JEJ听and听Holst J.听Targeting amino acid transport in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: Effects on cell cycle, cell growth and tumor development.听Journal of the听National Cancer Institute. 105(19):1463-73,听2013.
Wong JJ-L, Ritchie W, Ebner OA, Selbach M, Wong JWH, Huang Y, Gao D, Pinello N, Gonzalez M, Baidya K, Thoeng A, Khoo T-L, Bailey CG,听Holst J*听and Rasko JEJ*.听Orchestrated intron retention regulates normal granulocyte differentiation.听Cell.听154(3) 583-595,听2013.
Wang Q, Bailey CG, Ng C, Tiffen J, Thoeng A, Minhas V, Lehman ML, Hendy SC, Buchanan G, Nelson CC, Rasko JEJ听and听Holst J.听Androgen receptor and nutrient signaling pathways coordinate the demand for increased amino acid transport in prostate cancer progression.听Cancer Research听71(24):7525-36,听2011
Director of Engagement, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty and Medicine and Health.
My Research Supervision
Michelle Devadason (PhD student)
Jenny Wang (PhD student)
Sumyukta Garikapati (PhD student)
Carley Purcell (PhD student with Chaffer Lab)
Sofia Mason听(PhD student with Chaffer Lab)
My Teaching
I currently teach in听Pharmacology, including lectures, tutorials and practicals on cancer therapeutics for听PHAR3251 and PHAR3111.