Ali obtained his PhD from the MRC Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh Medical School. Since then has worked as a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Cambridge and as a senior study manager at a contract research organisation, before joining Profs Mark Cragg and Martin Glennie at the Antibody and Vaccine Group, Cancer Sciences Unit, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, in 2009.

His research interests primarily focus on advancing monoclonal antibody (mAb) immunotherapy and the role of inhibitory receptors, expressed on immune cells and certain tumours. In particular he has been interested in exploring the ways in which targeting these inhibitory receptors may activate tumour-associated macrophages and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, overcome tumour microenvironment resistance and enhance conventional cancer therapies by conditioning the immune system to more efficiently eradicate malignant cells. These ongoing projects are conducted in close collaboration with the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors as well as prominent academic institutions.

Genomic disruption of the histone methyltransferase SETD2 in chronic lymphocytic leukemia - Parker, Helen, Rose-Zerilli, Matthew J.J., Larrayoz, Marta, Clifford, Ruth, Edelmann, Jennifer, Blakemore, Stuart, Gibson, Jane, Wang, Jun, Ljungstrom, Viktor, Wojdacz, Tomasz K., Chaplin, Tracy, Roghanian, Ali, Davis, Zadie, Parker, Anton, Tausch, Eugen, Ntoufa, Stavroula, Ramos, Sara, Robbe, Pauline, Alsolami, Reem, Steele, Andrew J., Packham, Graham, Rodriquez-Vicente, Ana E., Brown, Lee, McNicholl, Feargal, Forconi, Francesco, Pettitt, Andrew, Hillmen, Peter, Dyer, Martin, Cragg, Mark S., Chelala, Claude, Oakes, Christopher C., Rosenquist, Richard, Stamatopoulos, Kostas, Stilgenbauer, Stephan, Knight, Samantha, Schuh, Anna, Oscier, David G. and Strefford, Jonathan C. Published:2016Publication:LeukemiaPage Range:1-22 Leukocyte Ig-Like receptor B1 restrains dendritic cell function through increased expression of the NF- B regulator ABIN1/TNIP1 - Khanolkar, R.C., Kalogeropoulos, M., Lawrie, A., Roghanian, A., Vickers, M.A. and Young, N.T. Published:2016Publication:Journal of Leukocyte BiologyVolume:100, (4)Page Range:737-746doi:10.1189/jlb.1A0915-420RRR Development and characterization of monoclonal antibodies specific for mouse and human Fc? receptors - Tutt, A., James, S., Laversin, S.A., Tipton, T.R.W., Ashton-Key, M., French, R.R., Hussain, K., Dou, L., Earley, A., Dahal, L.N., Lu, C., Dunscombe, M., Chan, H.T.C., Penfold, C.A., Kim, J.H., Potter, E.A., Mockridge, C.I., Roghanian, A., Oldham, R.J., Cox, K.L., Lim, S.H., Teige, I., Frendeus, B., Glennie, M.J., Beers, S.A. and Cragg, M.S. Published:2015Publication:The Journal of ImmunologyVolume:11, (195)Page Range:5503-5516doi:10.4049/jimmunol.1402988PMID:26512139 Development and characterization of monoclonal antibodies specific for mouse and human Fc? receptors - Tutt, Alison, James, Sonya, Laversin, Stephanie, Tipton, Thomas, Ashton-Key, Margaret, French, Ruth, Hussain, Khiyam, Vaughan, Andrew, Dou, Lang, Dahal, Lekh, Lu, Chen, Penfold, Christine, Kim, Jinny, John, Melanie, Chan, Hak, Mockridge, Christopher, Roghanian, Ali, Oldham, Robert, Cox, Kerry, Lim, Sean, Frendeus, Bjorn, Glennie, Martin, Beers, Stephen and Cragg, Mark Published:2015Publication:The Journal of ImmunologyVolume:11, (195)Page Range:5503-5516doi:10.4049/jimmunol.1402988PMID:26512139