Dr Malcolm Lim is a molecular biologist who specialises in breast cancer brain metastasis. Currently, he works in the Molecular Breast Pathology Lab with Profs Sunil Lakhani and Peter Simpson at The University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research.
Dr Lim's research interests lies in understanding the mechanisms that contribute to the development of brain metastases, identifying new therapeutic targets, and finding innovative therapeutic approaches to improve brain metastasis treatment.
Dr Lim obtained his BSc (Hons) in biomedical science followed by a PhD in molecular biology from the University of Queensland. During his doctoral studies, he explored the prevalence of human epidermal growth factor receptors (HER) in brain metatases and the efficacy of HER2/HER3-targeting hyperbranched polymeric nanomedicine for delivery of chemo- and radiotherapy in breast cancer brain metastasis.
Prior to his academic career, Dr Lim spent five years as a laboratory scientist in a diagnostic histopathology laboratory (2010-2015).
Journal Article: B7-H3 expression in breast cancer and brain metastasis
Joshi, Vaibhavi, Beecher, Kate, Lim, Malcolm, Stacey, Andrew, Feng, Yufan, Jat, Parmjit S., Duijf, Pascal H. G., Simpson, Peter T., Lakhani, Sunil R. and McCart Reed, Amy E. (2024). B7-H3 expression in breast cancer and brain metastasis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25 (7) 3976, 1-17. doi: 10.3390/ijms25073976
Journal Article: Targeted hyperbranched nanoparticles for delivery of doxorubicin in breast cancer brain metastasis
Lim, Malcolm, Fletcher, Nicholas L., Saunus, Jodi M., McCart Reed, Amy E., Chittoory, Haarika, Simpson, Peter T., Thurecht, Kristofer J. and Lakhani, Sunil R. (2023). Targeted hyperbranched nanoparticles for delivery of doxorubicin in breast cancer brain metastasis. Molecular Pharmaceutics, 20 (12), 6169-6183. doi: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00558
Journal Article: COMMD3 loss drives invasive breast cancer growth by modulating copper homeostasis
Hancock, Janelle L., Kalimutho, Murugan, Straube, Jasmin, Lim, Malcolm, Gresshoff, Irma, Saunus, Jodi M., Lee, Jason S., Lakhani, Sunil R., Simpson, Kaylene J., Bush, Ashley I., Anderson, Robin L. and Khanna, Kum Kum (2023). COMMD3 loss drives invasive breast cancer growth by modulating copper homeostasis. Journal of Experimental and Clinical Cancer Research, 42 (1) 90, 1-16. doi: 10.1186/s13046-023-02663-8
The molecular basis of breast cancer in young women
(2023–2025) National Breast Cancer Foundation Investigator Initiated Research Scheme
Radiosensitising metastatic breast cancers by targeting DNA repair
HER3-targeting in brain metastasis
B7-H3 expression in breast cancer and brain metastasis
Joshi, Vaibhavi, Beecher, Kate, Lim, Malcolm, Stacey, Andrew, Feng, Yufan, Jat, Parmjit S., Duijf, Pascal H. G., Simpson, Peter T., Lakhani, Sunil R. and McCart Reed, Amy E. (2024). B7-H3 expression in breast cancer and brain metastasis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25 (7) 3976, 1-17. doi: 10.3390/ijms25073976
Targeted hyperbranched nanoparticles for delivery of doxorubicin in breast cancer brain metastasis
Lim, Malcolm, Fletcher, Nicholas L., Saunus, Jodi M., McCart Reed, Amy E., Chittoory, Haarika, Simpson, Peter T., Thurecht, Kristofer J. and Lakhani, Sunil R. (2023). Targeted hyperbranched nanoparticles for delivery of doxorubicin in breast cancer brain metastasis. Molecular Pharmaceutics, 20 (12), 6169-6183. doi: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00558
COMMD3 loss drives invasive breast cancer growth by modulating copper homeostasis
Hancock, Janelle L., Kalimutho, Murugan, Straube, Jasmin, Lim, Malcolm, Gresshoff, Irma, Saunus, Jodi M., Lee, Jason S., Lakhani, Sunil R., Simpson, Kaylene J., Bush, Ashley I., Anderson, Robin L. and Khanna, Kum Kum (2023). COMMD3 loss drives invasive breast cancer growth by modulating copper homeostasis. Journal of Experimental and Clinical Cancer Research, 42 (1) 90, 1-16. doi: 10.1186/s13046-023-02663-8
Modeling brain metastasis by internal carotid artery injection of cancer cells
Lim, Malcolm, Fletcher, Nicholas, Reed, Amy Mccart, Flint, Melanie, Thurecht, Kristofer, Saunus, Jodi and Lakhani, Sunil R. (2022). Modeling brain metastasis by internal carotid artery injection of cancer cells. Journal of Visualized Experiments, 2022 (186) e64216. doi: 10.3791/64216
Epigenome erosion and SOX10 drive neural crest phenotypic mimicry in triple-negative breast cancer
Saunus, Jodi M., De Luca, Xavier M., Northwood, Korinne, Raghavendra, Ashwini, Hasson, Alexander, McCart Reed, Amy E., Lim, Malcolm, Lal, Samir, Vargas, A. Cristina, Kutasovic, Jamie R., Dalley, Andrew J., Miranda, Mariska, Kalaw, Emarene, Kalita-de Croft, Priyakshi, Gresshoff, Irma, Al-Ejeh, Fares, Gee, Julia M. W., Ormandy, Chris, Khanna, Kum Kum, Beesley, Jonathan, Chenevix-Trench, Georgia, Green, Andrew R., Rakha, Emad A., Ellis, Ian O., Nicolau, Dan V., Simpson, Peter T. and Lakhani, Sunil R. (2022). Epigenome erosion and SOX10 drive neural crest phenotypic mimicry in triple-negative breast cancer. npj Breast Cancer, 8 (1) 57, 1-16. doi: 10.1038/s41523-022-00425-x
Landscape of epidermal growth factor receptor heterodimers in brain metastases
Lim, Malcolm, Nguyen, Tam H., Niland, Colleen, Reid, Lynne E., Jat, Parmjit S., Saunus, Jodi M. and Lakhani, Sunil R. (2022). Landscape of epidermal growth factor receptor heterodimers in brain metastases. Cancers, 14 (3), 533. doi: 10.3390/cancers14030533
Characterization of immune cell subsets of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes in brain metastases
Croft, Priyakshi Kalita-de, Chittoory, Haarika, Nguyen, Tam H., Saunus, Jodi M., Kim, Woo Gyeong, Reed, Amy E. McCart, Lim, Malcolm, De Luca, Xavier M., Ferguson, Kaltin, Niland, Colleen, Mazzieri, Roberta, Dolcetti, Riccardo, Simpson, Peter T. and Lakhani, Sunil R. (2021). Characterization of immune cell subsets of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes in brain metastases. Biology, 10 (5) 425, 425. doi: 10.3390/biology10050425
Metaplastic breast cancers frequently express immune checkpoint markers FOXP3 and PD-L1
Kalaw, Emarene, Lim, Malcolm, Kutasovic, Jamie R., Sokolova, Anna, Taege, Lucinda, Johnstone, Kate, Bennett, James, Saunus, Jodi M., Niland, Colleen, Ferguson, Kaltin, Gresshoff, Irma, Bettington, Mark, Pathmanathan, Nirmala, Tse, Gary M., Papadimos, David, Pathmanathan, Rajadurai, Harris, Gavin, Yamaguchi, Rin, Tan, Puay Hoon, Fox, Stephen, O’Toole, Sandra A., Simpson, Peter T., Lakhani, Sunil R. and McCart Reed, Amy E. (2020). Metaplastic breast cancers frequently express immune checkpoint markers FOXP3 and PD-L1. British Journal of Cancer, 123 (11), 1665-1672. doi: 10.1038/s41416-020-01065-3
Kalita-de Croft, Priyakshi, Lim, Malcolm, Chittoory, Haarika, de Luca, Xavier M., Kutasovic, Jamie R., Day, Bryan W., Al-Ejeh, Fares, Simpson, Peter T., McCart Reed, Amy E., Lakhani, Sunil R. and Saunus, Jodi M. (2020). Clinicopathologic significance of nuclear HER4 and phospho-YAP(S127) in human breast cancers and matching brain metastases. Therapeutic Advances in Medical Oncology, 12, 175883592094625. doi: 10.1177/1758835920946259
Adwal, Alaknanda, Kalita-de Croft, Priyakshi, Shakya, Reshma, Lim, Malcolm, Kalaw, Emarene, Taege, Lucinda D., McCart Reed, Amy E., Lakhani, Sunil R., Callen, David F. and Saunus, Jodi M. (2020). Tradeoff between metabolic i-proteasome addiction and immune evasion in triple-negative breast cancer. Life Science Alliance, 3 (7) e201900562, 1-12. doi: 10.26508/lsa.201900562
Proteomic analysis of the breast cancer brain metastasis microenvironment
Kalita-de Croft, Priyakshi, Straube, Jasmin, Lim, Malcolm, Al-Ejeh, Fares, Lakhani, Sunil R. and Saunus, Jodi M. (2019). Proteomic analysis of the breast cancer brain metastasis microenvironment. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 20 (10) 2524, 2524. doi: 10.3390/ijms20102524
Innovative therapeutic strategies for effective treatment of brain metastases
Lim, Malcolm, Puttick, Simon, Houston, Zachary H., Thurecht, Kristofer J., Kalita-de Croft, Priyakshi, Mahler, Stephen, Rose, Stephen E., Jeffree, Rosalind L., Mazzieri, Roberta, Dolcetti, Riccardo, Lakhani, Sunil R. and Saunus, Jodi M. (2019). Innovative therapeutic strategies for effective treatment of brain metastases. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 20 (6) 1280. doi: 10.3390/ijms20061280
Phenotypic and molecular dissection of Metaplastic Breast Cancer and the prognostic implications
McCart Reed, Amy Ellen, Kalaw, Emarene, Nones, Katia, Bettington, Mark, Lim, Malcolm, Bennett, James, Johnstone, Kate, Kutasovic, Jamie Rose, Saunus, Jodi Marie, Kazakoff, Stephen, Xu, Qinying, Wood, Scott, Holmes, Oliver, Leonard, Conrad, Reid, Lynne Estelle, Black, Debra, Niland, Colleen, Ferguson, Kaltin, Gresshoff, Irma, Raghavendra, Ashwini, Harvey, Kate, Cooper, Caroline, Liu, Cheng, Kalinowski, Lauren, Reid, Andrew Scott, Davidson, Morgan, Pearson, John V, Pathmanathan, Nirmala, Tse, Gary ... Lakhani, Sunil R. (2019). Phenotypic and molecular dissection of Metaplastic Breast Cancer and the prognostic implications. Journal of Pathology, 247 (2), 214-227. doi: 10.1002/path.5184
Neuronal defects an etiological factor in congenital pelviureteric junction obstruction?
How, Guo Yuan, Chang, Kenneth Tou En, Jacobsen, Anette Sundfor, Yap, Te-Lu, Ong, Caroline Choo Phaik, Low, Yee, Allen, John Carson, Kuick, Chik Hong, Lim, Malcolm Zhun Leong and Laksmi, Narasimhan Kannan (2018). Neuronal defects an etiological factor in congenital pelviureteric junction obstruction?. Journal of Pediatric Urology, 14 (1), 51.e1-51.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.jpurol.2017.07.014
Hernandez-Perez, S., Cabrera, E., Salido, E., Lim, M., Reid, L., Lakhani, S. R., Khanna, K. K., Saunus, J. M. and Freire, R. (2017). DUB3 and USP7 de-ubiquitinating enzymes control replication inhibitor Geminin: molecular characterization and associations with breast cancer. Oncogene, 36 (33), 4802-4809. doi: 10.1038/onc.2017.21
Breast cancer brain metastases: clonal evolution in clinical context
Saunus, Jodi M., McCart Reed, Amy E., Lim, Zhun Leong and Lakhani, Sunil R. (2017). Breast cancer brain metastases: clonal evolution in clinical context. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 18 (1) 152, 152. doi: 10.3390/ijms18010152
Characterization of anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive medulloblastomas
Yan, Benedict, Kuick, Chik Hong, Lim, Malcolm, Yong, Min Hwee, Lee, Chi Kuen, Low, Sharon Y.Y., Low, David C.Y., Lim, Diana, Soh, Shui Yen and Chang, Kenneth T.E. (2016). Characterization of anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive medulloblastomas. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 23, 120-122. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2015.08.017
Yan, Benedict, Kuick, Chik Hong, Lim, Malcolm, Venkataraman, Kavita, Tennakoon, Chandana, Loh, Eva, Lian, Derrick, Leong, May Ying, Lakshmanan, Manikandan, Tergaonkar, Vinay, Sung, Wing-Kin, Soh, Shui Yen and Chang, Kenneth T.E. (2014). Platform comparison for evaluation of ALK protein immunohistochemical expression, genomic copy number and hotspot mutation status in neuroblastomas. PLoS ONE, 9 (9) e106575, e106575. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0106575
Yan, Benedict, Lim, Malcolm, Zhou, Lihan, Kuick, Chik Hong, Leong, May Ying, Yong, Kol Jia, Aung, LeLe, Salto-Tellez, Manuel and Chang, Kenneth T. E. (2013). Identification of MET genomic amplification, protein expression and alternative splice isoforms in neuroblastomas. Journal of Clinical Pathology, 66 (11), 985-991. doi: 10.1136/jclinpath-2012-201375
Development of theranostic nanomedicines for breast cancer brain metastases
Lim, Malcolm (2022). Development of theranostic nanomedicines for breast cancer brain metastases. PhD Thesis, Medicine Faculty, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/1e7615d
The molecular basis of breast cancer in young women
(2023–2025) National Breast Cancer Foundation Investigator Initiated Research Scheme
Note for students: The possible research projects listed on this page may not be comprehensive or up to date. Always feel free to contact the staff for more information, and also with your own research ideas.
Radiosensitising metastatic breast cancers by targeting DNA repair
HER3-targeting in brain metastasis