Seckou DIOCOU has over 20 years of experience in various roles relating to molecular profiling, cancer research, preclinical imaging, and histology. He has expertise in techniques such as cell culture, flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, radioisotope handling, and small animal imaging. Currently he works as a locum molecular analyst and histotechnician. His background includes research roles at several academic and pharmaceutical institutions, where he managed projects, supervised trainees, and authored several publications in cancer and immunology journals.

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Seckou DIOCOU PhD sdiocou@hotmail.com
+44 (0)7720376731 Chatham, Kent UK
PERSONAL PROFILE
I am registered as a fellow IBMS scientist. I had multitasks role at UCL-Advanced Diagnostic in Molecular Profiling
Services: processing samples, pathological analysis on cancer patient samples and gathering analysis results for
reports. I have more than 5 years experience in nanoSPECT/CT and nanoPET/CT imaging and handling radioactivity
(dosingand in vitro assays). I haveexpertise in planninganimal studies with drug treatment (chemotherapy and radio-
immunotherapy) and managing project (organising meetings, reporting results and coordinating different tasks for
project advancement). I trained and supported colleagues in the Cancer Institute (UCL) in using the FACS Calibur and
analysing data (CellQuest and FlowJo). Work experience: 1 year in clinical lab, 3 years industry (Pfizer Ltd) and almost
10 years experience in academy (France, Germany and UK).
Skills: BRAF mutation analysisof clinical samples, antibody radiolabellingwith iodide-131,tail vein injection, preclinical
whole body imaging (bioluminescence, SPECT/CT & PET/CT), generating orthotopic cancer tumour models, monitored
chemotherapy, radiotherapy and radio-immunotherapy response, Cell and Molecular Biology (cell culture, DNA & RNA
extraction, cloning adenovirus and retrovirus vectors), Immunohistochemistry, Immunofluorescence (confocal and
fluorescent microscopy).
Achievements: In 2010 while doing my PhD, I modified SPECT/CT imaging protocol and successfully improved image
quality.In 2008 I amended the cloningSOP to overcome difficulties in establishing adenovirus and generated the first
adenovirus candidatefor DNA vaccinedelivery atPfizer (UK). In 2006 at Pfizer, I amended cell-based assay protocol to
screen molecule candidates against HCV that leaded in finishing screening before the dedicated time and finding the
lead molecule to advance the project. In 2004-2005, I changed a protocol to overcome difficulties and successfully
stained plasmacytoid dendritic cells in human spleen samples.
Management: helping reporting clinical cases, grant writing, managing projects, supervising students and preparing
international scientific seminars.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
From Jan 16 Locum LabMed, London (working in cell pathology departments of hospitals)
Histology: embedding samples, microtomy, high throughput H&E staining with automats and QC of
slides before presenting to pathologists.
Feb 13 - Dec 15 UCL - Cancer Institute, London
From Mar 15 Locum role of Cancer Molecular Analyst, UCL-Advanced Diagnostic
Histology: dissection & microdissection of clinical paraffin embedded samples (primary tumour
biopsies and fine needle aspirations), Haematoxylin & Eosin staining for morphology
Molecular Biology: DNA extraction, qRT-PCR & BRAF mutation analysis
Management: booking samples,answeringphone callsfrom oncologistsand hospitals,data analysis
and drafting reports for oncology cases (BRAF and KRAS mutation).
02/13 - 03/15 Research Associate in Oncology department
In vitro: cell culture, flow cytometry (intracellular staining of Caspase-3, training and supporting
colleagues),Western blot, antibody-labellingwith I-131,testing radiolabelled antibody and antibody
fragment binding (ligand tracer), ELISA, Bradford Assay
Preclinical: radio-immunotherapy studies’ monitoring and management (tumor growth, whole body
bioluminescence, fluorescence and SPECT/CT imaging), dissecting mice, organ harvesting and
conserving (freezing or fixing)

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Histology: immunohistochemistry (apoptosis and proliferation markers), immunofluorescence (drug
localisation) and hematoxylin - eosin staining (tumor morphology)
Management: managing,external projects (from School of Pharmacy), writing protocols, supporting
and supervising students in their works, reagent ordering and stock monitoring.
Sep 09 - Dec 12 PhD in Cancer Imaging, King’s College London
Topic: Preclinical non-invasive metastasis imaging and early chemotherapy response monitoring in
breast cancer models by SPECT/CT and PET/CT.
Preclinical: Establishingbreastcancer tumor models in mice, drug and radiotracer administration to
mice (intravenous i.e. tail vein injection and intraperitoneal), monitoring tumor growth, metastasis
occurrence and chemotherapy response by PET/CT and SPECT/CT
In vitro: Cloning,cell culture, FACS (managing the FACS Calibur, cell staining, sorting and analysing),
Western blot, radioactivity handling (F-18, 99mTcO4, 188ReO4, I-123, I-131), autoradiography,
immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry
Management: organisingmeetings,schedulingtasks with collaborators for publication and reviews
Jul 12 - Sep 12 Temporary analyst, ADSC-GSK London Olympics & Paralympics, Harlow, UK
EPO Extraction: use of MAIIA kit to extract EPO
Electrophoresis: making gel for 2D electrophoresis
Immune Light: automatic HCG & LH quantification (high throughput)
LIM: booking, splitting, storing and managing samples
Sept 06 – Jul 09 Pfizer Inc., Sandwich, UK
(May 07 –Jul 09) MolecularImmunologist, VaccinesResearch
Molecular Biology: establishingexpression and adenovirus vectors for DNA vaccine delivery, RT-PCR,
qRT-PCR (TaqMan)
Cell Biology: cell culture, flow cytometry to characterise activated immune cells (FACS Canto II),
develop assay to assess cell proliferation (CFSE,Alamar blue), mast cell degranulation assay, immune
cell purification (MACS kits, characterise immune cells)
Biochemistry: Western blot, sero-conversion test (to detect and quantify antigens)
Preclinical: immunising animal with vaccine candidate vectors, studies’ monitoring
Ex-vivo: harvesting bone marrow, spleen and lymph nodes for culture, purifying lymphocytes, B & T
cells and analysis with FACS
(Sep 06 –May 07) Anti Infective Biologist,DiscoveryBiologist
Cell Biology: cell culture, establishing high throughput protocol (96-well plate) to screen drug
candidate molecules and determine drugs’ IC50 (inhibition of fusion between transgenic Huh7 and
HEK 293 cells), flow cytometry
Category 3 laboratory: testing drug candidate molecules against HIV and HCV particles in cultured
cells and patient samples
Jan 04 - Aug 06 Institute Cochin, Paris, France
(Sept 04-Aug 06) Research Assistant, Cell PresentingAntigenteam
Cell Biology: cell culture (PBMCs extracted from patient blood samples), immune cells (T and B cells)
purification,immune system profiling(lineage and activation markers) by flow cytometry (Analysing
PBMCs and cytokines).
Histology: establishing protocol to successfully stain pDCs of human and monkey samples
ELISA: quantify cytokines levels in patients’ samples to monitor response of treatment against HIV of
three France national cohorts
Management: blood samples collection, reagent ordering, work in collaboration with colleagues in
Melbourne (Australia) and Ottawa (Canada): prepare and provide patients’ DNA samples to
investigate relationship between resistance to HIV treatment and polymorphism
Supervising 2 post-doctoral students and 2 technician trainees in IF, FACS, ELISA and Molecular
Biology techniques

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(Jan04-Aug 04) MolecularBiology ResearchAssistant
Cell Biology: cell culture,cell transfection,flowcytometry and monitor human promoter activity by
FRET
Molecular Biology: bacteria culture,DNA extraction, primer design,cloning,cells’transfection
Jan 03-Dec 03 Research Assistant, Institute of Immunology of LMU, Munich, Germany
Cell Biology: cell culture(mDCs from mice bone marrow), flowcytometry
Biochemistry: ELISA (assessingcytokinelevel between wild type mDCs and Rac1 deficientmice) and
Western blot
Jul 02 -Aug 02 Technician, Virology and Immunology European Research Centre, Lyon, France
Maternity leave cover: cell cultureand flow cytometry
Mar 00-Aug 00 Trainee, Cellular & Molecular Biology.Laboratory, ENS, Lyon – France
Duty: Apoptosis resistanceinvestigatingby assessingBaf3 cell-death by flow cytometry (Annexin V,
Dioc 6, PI), cell cyclestudy,CASPASES expression (Western blot) activity assessment(spectrometry).
1998 and 1999 Science and Technology Faculty, University of Rouen, France
(Mar 03 - Apr 99) Trainee,Cold MicrobiologyLab: bacteria culture,GRAM staining and establishingbacteriogram
(Mar 98 - Apr 98) Trainee,Cold MicrobiologyLab: bacteria culture& GRAM staining
EDUCATION
2009 / 12 PhD in Cancer Imaging, King’s College London
Topic: Preclinical non-invasive metastasis imaging and early chemotherapy response monitoring in
breast cancer models by SPECT/CT and PET/CT.
2002 / 03 DU R&D in Biotechnology with distinction, Univ. Pierre & Marie CURIE, Paris, France
2002 / 03 Professional Diploma in Biotechnology, ESSEP Bio, Univ. catholic of Lyon, France
1998 / 99 Master of Biochemistry, University of Rouen, France
1997 / 98 Bachelor’s Degree of Biochemistry with distinction
1996 / 97 Biochemistry and Physiology, 2nd Academic Year Diploma, with distinction
1991 / 92 Economical Sciences, 2nd Academic Year Diploma, UCAD of Dakar, Senegal
AREAS OF INTEREST
Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths Ambassador (University of Canterbury), Board Member of West Kent
HousingAssociation, Interior decoration (painting,laminateflooring,tilelaying), Travelling,Reading,Movies,Karate
(black beltand competitor), Running and football.
PUBLICATIONS
1. A Whole-Body Dual-Modality Radionuclide Optical Strategy for Preclinical Imaging of Metastasis and
Heterogeneous Treatment Response in Different Microenvironments. J Nucl Med 2014 55:686-694 published
ahead of print March 6, 2014
2. A G-quadruplex-bindingcompound showinganti-tumour activity in an in vivo model for pancreatic cancer. Sci
Rep. 2015 Jun 16;5:11385.doi: 10.1038/srep11385.
3. Decreased glycolytic metabolism contributes to but is not the inducer of apoptosis following IL-3-starvation.
Cell Death and Differentiation (2002) 9.
4. Type I interferon production in HIV-infected patients. J. of Leukocyte Biology Vol. 80, Nov. 2006 in
Acknowledgement.
5. Plasmacytoid Dendritic cells accumulate in spleens from chronically HIV-infected patients, but barely
participate in interferon alpha production. Blood. 2009 Jun 11;113(24):6112-9. Epub 2009 Apr 14.
6. IL-23 and IL-12p70 production by monocytes and dendritic cells in primary HIV-1 infection Journal of
Leukocyte Biology Volume 87, April 2010.