Dr Tomoko Iwata

  • Senior Lecturer (Undergraduate Medical School)

telephone: 01413549438
email: Tomoko.Iwata@glasgow.ac.uk

School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing, Laboratory Medicine Building, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, 1345 Govan Road, Glasgow, G51 4TF

Import to contacts

ORCID iDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9634-9738

Biography

Dr Tomoko Iwata is a senior lecturer in Tumour Biology and Digital Pathology and is a Researcher and Educator with over 20 years of experiences in UofG. After obtaining a PhD in Biochemistry from ETH-Zurich in 1996, Dr Iwata received training as a postdoctoral research fellow at the NIH, USA, and Research Scientist at EMBL-Heidelberg and Max-Planck Institute in Germany, well-known for her work in the in vivo model with FGFR3 gene mutations in genetic diseases, as well as in pioneering expression microarrays and circulating tumour DNA-based biomarkers. Dr Iwata has published 29 peer-reviewed manuscripts and 2 book chapters and obtained 14 grant fundings, of which 9 as a principle investigator, 5 with industry engagement, 3 PhD studentships and 4 that support Education. She is a regular reviewer of UKRI grants and fellowships/PhD studentships from both UK and International funders.

Dr Iwata’s current research interest is FGFR3 biology and translation with an innovative use of multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF), RNAScope, and Digital Pathology, with a goal to improve immunotherapy response with better biomarkers. Dr Iwata also contributes in the Innovate UK funded “Integrated TeChnologies for Improved Polyp SurveillancE (INCISE)” project that aims to better predict polyp recurrence. Dr Iwata is an experienced supervisor of UK and internationally sponsored PGR students (11 PhD and 1 MSc by Research). Dr Iwata’s is an advocate of research-led education, and her ethos is reflected in her role as a Director of Postgraduate Research in SoMDN since 2022 (2019-2022 as Deputy PG Convener), overseeing >120 PGR students, including NHS-based clinicians undertaking MD, PhD and MSc by Research.

In UG/PGT education, Dr Iwata is a fellow of Higher Education Academy (Advance HE) since 2013. She has pioneered 3-year part time, blended online MSc/PgDip/PgCert Molecular Pathology (2016-2022) and has generated cross-disciplinary and technology-enhanced programmes in the areas of biomedical science and anatomy, widely incorporating stakeholder’s input. Dr Iwata served as an EDI lead in 2020-2022, and currently is a member of Athena Swan Aspiration and Development working group, committed to enhance student experience and inclusive culture.

Research interests

  • Use of Spatial transcriptomics in understanding a driver role of FGFR3 in urothelial cancers
  • Role of inflammation and its regulators in the recurrence of colorectal adenoma (INCISE)
  • Multiplex Immunofluorescence (mIF), RNAscope and Digital Pathology imaging analysis of tumour immune microenvironment

Publications

Selected publications

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Tel +44 (0) 141 330 2000

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Jump to: 2025 | 2023 | 2022 | 2020 | 2018 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999
Number of items: 25.

2025

Iwata, T. et al. (2025) Does Immune Suppression in the Pre-malignant Microenvironment of Colorectal Neoplastic Lesions Associate with Development of Metachronous Polyp and Cancer Risk? 216th Scientific Meeting of the Pathological Society of Great Britain & Ireland, Royal Society of Medicine, London UK, 21-22 Jan 2025.

Iwata, T. and Yousef, A. R. E. (2025) The emerging landscape of mouse bladder cancer models. In: Knowles, Margaret and Dyreskjot, Lars (eds.) Biology of Bladder Cancer. Springer, pp. 317-341. ISBN 9783031685057 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-68505-7_16)

2023

Yousef, A., Balci, R., Salmond, J., La Win Myint, K. and Iwata, T. (2023) Molecular Histopathological Characterization of FGFR3 Expression and its Effect on Tumor Immune Microenvironment in the Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma. 26th Meeting of the International Bladder Cancer Network (IBCN) 2023, Montreal, Canada, 28-30 Sept 2023.

2022

Ismail, N. F. B., Foth, M., Yousef, A. R. E., Cui, N., Leach, J. D.G., Jamieson, T., Karim, S. A., Salmond, J. M., Morton, J. P. and Iwata, T. (2022) Loss of Cxcr2 in myeloid cells promotes tumour progression and T cell infiltration in invasive bladder cancer. Bladder Cancer, 8(3), pp. 277-290. (doi: 10.3233/BLC-211645)

2020

Pritchard, J. J.G., Hamilton, G., Hurst, C. D., Fraser, S., Orange, C., Knowles, M. A., Jones, R. J. , Leung, H. Y. and Iwata, T. (2020) Monitoring of urothelial cancer disease status after treatment by digital droplet PCR liquid biopsy assays. Urologic Oncology: Seminars and Original Investigations, 38(9), 731.e1-737.e10. (doi: 10.1016/j.urolonc.2020.05.012) (PMID:32532529)

2018

Foth, M., Ismail, N. F. B., Kung, J. S. C., Tomlinson, D., Knowles, M. A., Eriksson, P., Sjödahl, G., Salmond, J. M., Sansom, O. J. and Iwata, T. (2018) FGFR3 mutation increases bladder tumorigenesis by suppressing acute inflammation. Journal of Pathology, 246(3), pp. 331-343. (doi: 10.1002/path.5143) (PMID:30043421) (PMCID:PMC6334176)

2016

Rehbini, O., Mohan, G., Sindi, A., Garza Manero, S., Gurden, R., Iwata, T. and West, K. (2016) Knockdown High Mobility Nucleosomal Binding Proteins 2 (HMGN2) Alter the Histone Modification H4K4me3 and H3K27me3 and Regulates Stem Cells Pluripotency. 9th Saudi Student Conference, Birmingham, UK, 13-14 Feb 2016.

2015

Rehbini, O., Sindi, A., Mohan, G., Garza Manero, S., Iwata, T. and West, K. L. (2015) The Hmgn Family of Chromatin Binding Proteins Regulates Stem Cells Pluripotency and Neuronal Differentiation. Wellcome Trust-Waddington Symposium: Epigenetics in Dialogue with THE GENOME, Edinburgh, UK, 01-05 Jun 2015.

2014

Foth, M. et al. (2014) Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 activation plays a causative role in urothelial cancer pathogenesis in cooperation with Pten loss in mice. Journal of Pathology, 233(2), pp. 148-158. (doi: 10.1002/path.4334)

2012

Mohan, G., Rehbini, O., Iwata, T. and West, K. (2012) The Hmgn Family of Chromatin Binding Proteins Regulate Stem Cell Pluripotency and Neuronal Differentiation. Biochemical Society Annual Symposium: Epigenetic Mechanisms in Development and Disease, Leeds, UK, 11-13 Dec 2012.

Ahmad, I. , Iwata, T. and Leung, H.Y. (2012) Mechanisms of FGFR-mediated carcinogenesis. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta: Molecular Cell Research, 1823(4), pp. 850-860. (doi: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2012.01.004)

2011

Ahmad, I. , Singh, L.B., Foth, M., Morris, C.-A., Taketo, M.M., Wu, X.-R., Leung, H.Y. , Sansom, O.J. and Iwata, T. (2011) K-Ras and β-catenin mutations cooperate with Fgfr3 mutations in mice to promote tumorigenesis in the skin and lung, but not in the bladder. Disease Models and Mechanisms, 4(4), pp. 548-555. (doi: 10.1242/dmm.006874)

Moldrich, R.X. et al. (2011) Fgfr3 regulates development of the caudal telencephalon. Developmental Dynamics, 240(6), pp. 1586-1599. (doi: 10.1002/dvdy.22636) (PMID:21491541)

2010

Pellicano, F., Thomson, R.E., Inman, G.J. and Iwata, T. (2010) Regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis in neuroblastoma cells by ccp1, a FGF2 downstream gene. BMC Cancer, 10(1), 657. (doi: 10.1186/1471-2407-10-657) (PMID:21118521) (PMCID:PMC3001724)

2009

Iwata, T. and Hevner, R. (2009) Fibroblast growth factor signaling in development of the cerebral cortex. Development Growth and Differentiation, 51(3), pp. 299-323.

Thomson, R., Kind, P.C., Graham, N.A., Etherson, M.L., Kennedy, J., Fernandes, A.C., Marques, C.S., Hevner, R.F. and Iwata, T. (2009) Fgf receptor 3 activation promotes selective growth and expansion of occipitotemporal cortex. Neural Development, 4(4), (doi: 10.1186/1749-8104-4-4) (PMID:19192266) (PMCID:PMC2661882)

2007

Thomson, R. E., Pellicano, F. and Iwata, T. (2007) Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 kinase domain mutation increases cortical progenitor proliferation via mitogen-activated protein kinase activation. Journal of Neurochemistry, 100(6), pp. 1565-1578. (doi: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2006.04285.x) (PMID:17181553)

2006

Ambrosino, C., Iwata, T., Scafoglio, C., Mallardo, M., Klein, R. and Nebreda, A. (2006) TEF-1 and C/EBPbeta are major p38alpha MAPK-regulated transcription factors in proliferating cardiomyocytes. Biochemical Journal, 396(1), pp. 163-172.

Pellicano, F., Inglis-Broadgate, S. L., Pante, G., Ansorge, W. and Iwata, T. (2006) Expression of coiled-coil protein 1, a novel gene downstream of FGF2, in the developing brain. Gene Expression Patterns, 6(3), pp. 285-293. (doi: 10.1016/j.modgep.2005.07.004)

2005

Inglis-Broadgate, S. L., Thomson, R. E., Pellicano, F., Tartaglia, M. A., Pontikis, C. C., Cooper, J. D. and Iwata, T. (2005) FGFR3 regulates brain size by controlling progenitor cell proliferation and apoptosis during embryonic development. Developmental Biology, 279(1), pp. 73-85. (doi: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2004.11.035)

Pante, G., Thompson, J., Lamballe, F., Iwata, T., Ferby, I., Barr, F., Davies, A., Maina, F. and Klein, R. (2005) Mitogen-inducible gene 6 is an endogenous inhibitor of HGF/Met-induced cell migration and neurite growth. Journal of Cell Biology, 171, pp. 337-348.

2004

Cho, J., Guo, C., Torello, M., Lunstrum, G., Iwata, T., Deng, C. and Horton, W. (2004) Defective lysosomal targeting of activated fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 in achondroplasia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 101(2), pp. 609-614.

2001

Iwata, T., Li, C., Deng, C. and Francomano, C. (2001) Highly activated Fgfr3 with the K644M mutation causes prolonged survival in severe dwarf mice. Human Molecular Genetics, 10(12), pp. 1255-1264.

2000

Iwata, T. , Chen, L., Li, C., Ovchinnikov, D.A., Behringer, R.R., Francomano, C.A. and Deng, C.X. (2000) A neonatal lethal mutation in FGFR3 uncouples proliferation and differentiation of growth plate chondrocytes in embryos. Human Molecular Genetics, 9(11), pp. 1603-13.

1999

Li, C., Chen, L., Iwata, T. , Kitagawa, M., Fu, X.Y. and Deng, C.X. (1999) A Lys644Glu substitution in fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) causes dwarfism in mice by activation of STATs and ink4 cell cycle inhibitors. Human Molecular Genetics, 8(1), pp. 35-44.

This list was generated on Wed Mar 26 16:01:39 2025 GMT.
Jump to: Articles | Book Sections | Conference or Workshop Item
Number of items: 25.

Articles

Ismail, N. F. B., Foth, M., Yousef, A. R. E., Cui, N., Leach, J. D.G., Jamieson, T., Karim, S. A., Salmond, J. M., Morton, J. P. and Iwata, T. (2022) Loss of Cxcr2 in myeloid cells promotes tumour progression and T cell infiltration in invasive bladder cancer. Bladder Cancer, 8(3), pp. 277-290. (doi: 10.3233/BLC-211645)

Pritchard, J. J.G., Hamilton, G., Hurst, C. D., Fraser, S., Orange, C., Knowles, M. A., Jones, R. J. , Leung, H. Y. and Iwata, T. (2020) Monitoring of urothelial cancer disease status after treatment by digital droplet PCR liquid biopsy assays. Urologic Oncology: Seminars and Original Investigations, 38(9), 731.e1-737.e10. (doi: 10.1016/j.urolonc.2020.05.012) (PMID:32532529)

Foth, M., Ismail, N. F. B., Kung, J. S. C., Tomlinson, D., Knowles, M. A., Eriksson, P., Sjödahl, G., Salmond, J. M., Sansom, O. J. and Iwata, T. (2018) FGFR3 mutation increases bladder tumorigenesis by suppressing acute inflammation. Journal of Pathology, 246(3), pp. 331-343. (doi: 10.1002/path.5143) (PMID:30043421) (PMCID:PMC6334176)

Foth, M. et al. (2014) Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 activation plays a causative role in urothelial cancer pathogenesis in cooperation with Pten loss in mice. Journal of Pathology, 233(2), pp. 148-158. (doi: 10.1002/path.4334)

Ahmad, I. , Iwata, T. and Leung, H.Y. (2012) Mechanisms of FGFR-mediated carcinogenesis. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta: Molecular Cell Research, 1823(4), pp. 850-860. (doi: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2012.01.004)

Ahmad, I. , Singh, L.B., Foth, M., Morris, C.-A., Taketo, M.M., Wu, X.-R., Leung, H.Y. , Sansom, O.J. and Iwata, T. (2011) K-Ras and β-catenin mutations cooperate with Fgfr3 mutations in mice to promote tumorigenesis in the skin and lung, but not in the bladder. Disease Models and Mechanisms, 4(4), pp. 548-555. (doi: 10.1242/dmm.006874)

Moldrich, R.X. et al. (2011) Fgfr3 regulates development of the caudal telencephalon. Developmental Dynamics, 240(6), pp. 1586-1599. (doi: 10.1002/dvdy.22636) (PMID:21491541)

Pellicano, F., Thomson, R.E., Inman, G.J. and Iwata, T. (2010) Regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis in neuroblastoma cells by ccp1, a FGF2 downstream gene. BMC Cancer, 10(1), 657. (doi: 10.1186/1471-2407-10-657) (PMID:21118521) (PMCID:PMC3001724)

Iwata, T. and Hevner, R. (2009) Fibroblast growth factor signaling in development of the cerebral cortex. Development Growth and Differentiation, 51(3), pp. 299-323.

Thomson, R., Kind, P.C., Graham, N.A., Etherson, M.L., Kennedy, J., Fernandes, A.C., Marques, C.S., Hevner, R.F. and Iwata, T. (2009) Fgf receptor 3 activation promotes selective growth and expansion of occipitotemporal cortex. Neural Development, 4(4), (doi: 10.1186/1749-8104-4-4) (PMID:19192266) (PMCID:PMC2661882)

Thomson, R. E., Pellicano, F. and Iwata, T. (2007) Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 kinase domain mutation increases cortical progenitor proliferation via mitogen-activated protein kinase activation. Journal of Neurochemistry, 100(6), pp. 1565-1578. (doi: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2006.04285.x) (PMID:17181553)

Ambrosino, C., Iwata, T., Scafoglio, C., Mallardo, M., Klein, R. and Nebreda, A. (2006) TEF-1 and C/EBPbeta are major p38alpha MAPK-regulated transcription factors in proliferating cardiomyocytes. Biochemical Journal, 396(1), pp. 163-172.

Pellicano, F., Inglis-Broadgate, S. L., Pante, G., Ansorge, W. and Iwata, T. (2006) Expression of coiled-coil protein 1, a novel gene downstream of FGF2, in the developing brain. Gene Expression Patterns, 6(3), pp. 285-293. (doi: 10.1016/j.modgep.2005.07.004)

Inglis-Broadgate, S. L., Thomson, R. E., Pellicano, F., Tartaglia, M. A., Pontikis, C. C., Cooper, J. D. and Iwata, T. (2005) FGFR3 regulates brain size by controlling progenitor cell proliferation and apoptosis during embryonic development. Developmental Biology, 279(1), pp. 73-85. (doi: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2004.11.035)

Pante, G., Thompson, J., Lamballe, F., Iwata, T., Ferby, I., Barr, F., Davies, A., Maina, F. and Klein, R. (2005) Mitogen-inducible gene 6 is an endogenous inhibitor of HGF/Met-induced cell migration and neurite growth. Journal of Cell Biology, 171, pp. 337-348.

Cho, J., Guo, C., Torello, M., Lunstrum, G., Iwata, T., Deng, C. and Horton, W. (2004) Defective lysosomal targeting of activated fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 in achondroplasia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 101(2), pp. 609-614.

Iwata, T., Li, C., Deng, C. and Francomano, C. (2001) Highly activated Fgfr3 with the K644M mutation causes prolonged survival in severe dwarf mice. Human Molecular Genetics, 10(12), pp. 1255-1264.

Iwata, T. , Chen, L., Li, C., Ovchinnikov, D.A., Behringer, R.R., Francomano, C.A. and Deng, C.X. (2000) A neonatal lethal mutation in FGFR3 uncouples proliferation and differentiation of growth plate chondrocytes in embryos. Human Molecular Genetics, 9(11), pp. 1603-13.

Li, C., Chen, L., Iwata, T. , Kitagawa, M., Fu, X.Y. and Deng, C.X. (1999) A Lys644Glu substitution in fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) causes dwarfism in mice by activation of STATs and ink4 cell cycle inhibitors. Human Molecular Genetics, 8(1), pp. 35-44.

Book Sections

Iwata, T. and Yousef, A. R. E. (2025) The emerging landscape of mouse bladder cancer models. In: Knowles, Margaret and Dyreskjot, Lars (eds.) Biology of Bladder Cancer. Springer, pp. 317-341. ISBN 9783031685057 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-68505-7_16)

Conference or Workshop Item

Iwata, T. et al. (2025) Does Immune Suppression in the Pre-malignant Microenvironment of Colorectal Neoplastic Lesions Associate with Development of Metachronous Polyp and Cancer Risk? 216th Scientific Meeting of the Pathological Society of Great Britain & Ireland, Royal Society of Medicine, London UK, 21-22 Jan 2025.

Yousef, A., Balci, R., Salmond, J., La Win Myint, K. and Iwata, T. (2023) Molecular Histopathological Characterization of FGFR3 Expression and its Effect on Tumor Immune Microenvironment in the Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma. 26th Meeting of the International Bladder Cancer Network (IBCN) 2023, Montreal, Canada, 28-30 Sept 2023.

Rehbini, O., Mohan, G., Sindi, A., Garza Manero, S., Gurden, R., Iwata, T. and West, K. (2016) Knockdown High Mobility Nucleosomal Binding Proteins 2 (HMGN2) Alter the Histone Modification H4K4me3 and H3K27me3 and Regulates Stem Cells Pluripotency. 9th Saudi Student Conference, Birmingham, UK, 13-14 Feb 2016.

Rehbini, O., Sindi, A., Mohan, G., Garza Manero, S., Iwata, T. and West, K. L. (2015) The Hmgn Family of Chromatin Binding Proteins Regulates Stem Cells Pluripotency and Neuronal Differentiation. Wellcome Trust-Waddington Symposium: Epigenetics in Dialogue with THE GENOME, Edinburgh, UK, 01-05 Jun 2015.

Mohan, G., Rehbini, O., Iwata, T. and West, K. (2012) The Hmgn Family of Chromatin Binding Proteins Regulate Stem Cell Pluripotency and Neuronal Differentiation. Biochemical Society Annual Symposium: Epigenetic Mechanisms in Development and Disease, Leeds, UK, 11-13 Dec 2012.

This list was generated on Wed Mar 26 16:01:39 2025 GMT.

Grants

Grants and Awards listed are those received whilst working with the University of Glasgow.

  • Use of cell-free plasma DNA as a biomarker of canine cancer
    The Humanimal Trust
    2017 - 2018
     
  • Cortical Development Meeting (Crete) and ISDB/JSDB [International Society of Developmental Biologists/Japanese Society of Developmental Biologists] Meeting (Japan)
    Scottish Stem Cell Network
    2008 - 2008
     
  • Control of cell cycle & apoptosis in cortical progenitors by Fgf receptor 3
    Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
    2004 - 2007
     

Supervision

Amal Rahil Elgaddafi Yousef - PhD student

Resul Balci - PhD student

Abdulaziz Sharahili - PhD student

Ali Hakami - PhD student

Sara Al Badran - Medical Research Scotland (MRS)-funded PhD student

 

  • Al Badran, Sara Samir Foad
    Examining the colonic polyp microbiome and its association with future colorectal neoplasia risk in a bowel screening population

Teaching

I am an experienced UG and PGT programme and course leads in cancer biology, molecular and digital pathology. The courses I currently teach includes -

• Digital Pathology and Image Analysis (BIOL5407), MSc Cander Digital Technologies
• Introduction to Digital Pathology, Anatomical Imaging Techniques option (BIOL4175)
• Targeting Cell Signalling (BSc MedSci, Bench to Bedside Oncology specialist course)

I am also an experienced laboratory project supervisor (116 UG and PGT projects supervised since 2014, including Pathological Society Elective Projects).

Professional activities & recognition

Grant committees & research advisory boards

  • 2025 - present: The Pathological Society of Great Britain & Ireland, Education and Clinical Trial sub committees
  • 2024 - present: Medical Research Scotland (MRS), PhD studentship review panel

Professional & learned societies

  • 2021 - 2022: , Medical School Council EDI Alliance
  • 2018 - present: , International Bladder Cancer Network (IBCN)
  • 2016 - 2019: , National Cancer Research Institutte (NCRI), Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CM-Path)
  • 2016 - 2019: , Molecular Pathology Node Training Network

Dr Tomoko Iwata