He did his graduate work at the University of Manchester in Stephen Taylor’s lab. While there, he studied the regulation of a protease that is responsible for dissolving the “glue” that holds the replicated sister chromatids together during mitosis.

Cell division is a fundamental process forming the basis for life itself. Each time a cell divides, it makes a complete copy of its entire genome and segregates this genome such that both daughter cells receive all the genetic information required for further growth and development. Errors in the distribution of chromosomes during mitosis lead to the production of cells with an abnormal chromosome content, which in early development lead to lethal growth defects and may later contribute to the development of cancer.
The Holland lab is investigating in the molecular mechanisms that control accurate chromosome distribution and the role that mitotic errors play in human health and disease. Our work utilizes a combination of chemical biology, biochemistry, cell biology and genetically engineered mice to study pathways involved in mitosis and their effect on cell and organism physiology. A major focus of the group is to develop cell and animal-based models to study the role of cell division defects in genome instability and tumorigenesis.